I’m actually the vendor that contacted the OP and recommended Arcam over Krell, and I’d like to chime in to clarify a couple of things that were misstated. As the owner of a successful A/V integration company based in Atlanta, I have built my business on the simple concept that if you are honest and transparent, and take care of people the way that you yourself would want to be treated, you will be successful in your dealings with people. Thankfully, this has been true in my experience. As a business owner, all I can do is recommend what I feel are the best options based on the brands that we carry and the budget that I have been given to work with. Based on the 10-15k budget outlined by the OP, my recommendation was for him to look at the Arcam AV860 Processor (not the AVR850 receiver, BTW) and separate power amps.
The reason that I recommended this particular model is because it was explained to me that he wanted something “future-proof” that would be capable of handling both 2 channel and multi-channel source material with high-quality output, and this is the best option that we carry. Since the Krell Foundation is over 4 yrs old and only supports 7.1 processing at a price point of $7500 with the latest HDMI upgrade, the Arcam AV860 objectively offers a better value proposition at $5500 with comparable component quality, 7.1.4 processing, and a vastly superior room correction software platform (Dirac Live). Does this mean that Krell doesn’t make a good product? Of course not! Krell makes an outstanding product, which is why I told him that if he really wants to stick with Krell that he is best off waiting until they release the next model because it will have the latest tech and therefore offer a better value proposition.
In any case, to the OP: If you would like to continue our communications, I will of course be happy to work with you any way I can to ensure that we find the right fit and that you feel valued as a client, but if you would rather look at other options before even discussing pricing or alternative configurations, then I wish you the best of luck in finding a vendor who is better able to suit your needs. Regardless of what direction you choose to go, I would at the very least caution you against buying from vendors on ebay or amazon, as that typically means buying from an unauthorized dealer and therefor voiding your manufacturer’s warranty, and instead opt for a legitimate A/V retailer of your choosing.
Best wishes,
David Campbell
President – Southern A/V Direct, LLC