Very top 7.1 CAMBRIDGE AVR and its matched top Blu-Ray player for my AV movies requirements ...
I had a discrete AV system distinct and fully separate to my high-end 2-channel system. It sounded fine WHEN IT WORKED ... But Unfortunately it revealed itself to be a POS Chi-fi quality build rig that crapped out:
(A) the AVR suddenly failed twice withwhile under warranty, the first was a catastrophic sudden fail with a full motherboard replacement. The second was a sudden HDMI failure a year later three months prior to warranty expiry. I sold it pronto after the 2nd crap-out fix. and
(B) the matched Blu-Ray player failed suddenly and catastrophically three months out after warranty expiry. The costs estimate to fix it exceeded the FMV of the unit so that was just scrapped .
(C) the stand-alone Martin Logan 7.1 Fresco and Vignette speakers and Dynamo sub were simply mothballed back into their boxes and stored away.
THE FIX TO THAT REGRETTABLE SYSTEM PURCHASE
- Quality build NuForce AV-18 separate standalone AV 7.1 pre-amp / processor for movies and surround sound.
- quality build separate 3-channel Audio Refinement power amp
- Matched quality build separate 2-channel Audio Refinement power amp
- new standalone ARCAM FMJ Blu-Ray player for surround sound and movies
- AV preamp/proc feeds the direct pass-through feature in my 2 channel REGA OSIRIS integrated amp . This is the eventual "disposable" upgrade sometime later as CODECS change.
- Separate REGA ISIS valve cdp/ DAC strictly for 2 channel audio
- all REGA speakers (various models ) for either 2-channel or 7.1 as required by toggling across the inputs on the integrated amp.
- upgrade to a quality build Vandersteen subwoofer for movies only.
TAKEAWAY
(1) Well worth it to scrap the CAMBRIDGE ...(these was their expensive very top end units )
-- re-set to standalone separates was lots more money for sure but a whole quantum step up in performance ...and the Improvements are not subtle.
-- All separate unit pieces now work flawlessly and each is built like a tank
-- I condensed the mancave into one system instead of two
(2) Chi-fi POS AV electronics failure reared its ugly head .... Pure crap build with a lock to ultimately fail so these type of quick-fix purchases never to be repeated again....full stop. Big regrets on that one ..... I ignored the time-honoured axiom that You get what you pay for ...
(3) The audio forums including AGON are teeming with Chi-Fi AVR failure complaints.., again full stop.
I had a discrete AV system distinct and fully separate to my high-end 2-channel system. It sounded fine WHEN IT WORKED ... But Unfortunately it revealed itself to be a POS Chi-fi quality build rig that crapped out:
(A) the AVR suddenly failed twice withwhile under warranty, the first was a catastrophic sudden fail with a full motherboard replacement. The second was a sudden HDMI failure a year later three months prior to warranty expiry. I sold it pronto after the 2nd crap-out fix. and
(B) the matched Blu-Ray player failed suddenly and catastrophically three months out after warranty expiry. The costs estimate to fix it exceeded the FMV of the unit so that was just scrapped .
(C) the stand-alone Martin Logan 7.1 Fresco and Vignette speakers and Dynamo sub were simply mothballed back into their boxes and stored away.
THE FIX TO THAT REGRETTABLE SYSTEM PURCHASE
- Quality build NuForce AV-18 separate standalone AV 7.1 pre-amp / processor for movies and surround sound.
- quality build separate 3-channel Audio Refinement power amp
- Matched quality build separate 2-channel Audio Refinement power amp
- new standalone ARCAM FMJ Blu-Ray player for surround sound and movies
- AV preamp/proc feeds the direct pass-through feature in my 2 channel REGA OSIRIS integrated amp . This is the eventual "disposable" upgrade sometime later as CODECS change.
- Separate REGA ISIS valve cdp/ DAC strictly for 2 channel audio
- all REGA speakers (various models ) for either 2-channel or 7.1 as required by toggling across the inputs on the integrated amp.
- upgrade to a quality build Vandersteen subwoofer for movies only.
TAKEAWAY
(1) Well worth it to scrap the CAMBRIDGE ...(these was their expensive very top end units )
-- re-set to standalone separates was lots more money for sure but a whole quantum step up in performance ...and the Improvements are not subtle.
-- All separate unit pieces now work flawlessly and each is built like a tank
-- I condensed the mancave into one system instead of two
(2) Chi-fi POS AV electronics failure reared its ugly head .... Pure crap build with a lock to ultimately fail so these type of quick-fix purchases never to be repeated again....full stop. Big regrets on that one ..... I ignored the time-honoured axiom that You get what you pay for ...
(3) The audio forums including AGON are teeming with Chi-Fi AVR failure complaints.., again full stop.