Arcam HDA AVR21 (All version)

•   In The Box
•   Overview
•   Pros and Cons
•   Predecessor
•   Audio Section
•   Video Section
•   Multi-zone Playback
•   Inputs and Outputs
•   Specifications

Arcam HDA AVR21 was introduced in 2022. It is equipped with 7 channel amplifier with 110 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) power per channel and is capable of 15.2 maximum channel processing. It supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D, passes 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video signal.

We evaluated the a/v receiver and gave 92 overall score out of 100. Our ranking system is based on the amplifier specifications, audio and video features, connectivity, multizone capabilities, radio and many other details.

In this section we present pros and cons of Arcam HDA AVR21.

Here we are comparing Arcam HDA AVR21 to its predecessor AVR20 and displaying the major changes.

UPGRADES	Arcam HDA AVR21	vs	Arcam HDA AVR20
Newer HDMI Version	2.1	vs	2.0b
Newer HDCP Version	2.3	vs	2.2
HDR10+		vs
Auto Low Latency Mode Pass-through		vs
VRR		vs
Video Signal Passthrough	up to 8K 50/60Hz and 4K 100/120Hz 4:4:4	vs	up to 4K 50/60Hz 4:4:4
More 8K Inputs	7	vs

For more detailed comparison between the models please visit Arcam HDA AVR21 vs Arcam HDA AVR20.

7 channel Class A/B Amplifier

Arcam HDA AVR21 features 7 channel power amplifier with Class A/B design. It is rated at 110 W (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channel driven) and is able to drive 4 ohm speakers.

• Toroidal Transformer: Arcam HDA AVR21 has a toroidal transformer which in general costs several times more than a regular C-core transformer and radiates less electromagnetic noise outside its donut shaped core.

Speaker Configurations

Arcam HDA AVR21's 7 channel amplifier can be assigned for different speaker configurations.

• Dolby Atmos Configurations: The following speaker configurations are supported for Dolby Atmos:
5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
5.2.4, 7.2.2 with addition of external 2 channel amplifier.
5.2.6, 7.2.4, 9.2.2 with addition of external 4 channel amplifier.
7.2.6, 9.2.4 with addition of external 6 channel amplifier.
9.2.6 with addition of external 8 channel amplifier.
• DTS:X Configurations: DTS:X is limited with 11 channel processing, so some of the speaker configurations for Dolby Atmos are not supported here:
5.2.2 with internal amplifier.
5.2.4, 7.2.2 with addition of external 2 channel amplifier.
5.2.6, 7.2.4, 9.2.2 with addition of external 4 channel amplifier.
• Configurations without height channels: There are also other speaker configurations available which do not include height channels:
5.2, 7.2 with internal amplifier.
9.2 with addition of external 2 channel amplifier.
• Front Wide Channel support: Arcam HDA AVR21 supports front wide channels. With the presence of two front wide speakers you can enhance the front surround stage. The following speaker configurations are available for front wide channels - 9.2, 9.2.2, 9.2.4, 9.2.6.
• 2-ch Bi-Amp: Arcam HDA AVR21 allows you to bi-amp up to 2 main channels simultaneously. During bi-amplification two amplifiers are used for one speaker. One amplifier powers the midrange and tweeter section of the speaker and another amplifier powers the low frequency woofers. Each amplifier is less loaded and performs better. In order to use this feature speakers must have 2 pairs of connectors.

Dolby Atmos

Arcam HDA AVR21 supports Dolby Atmos. It is a cinematic audio format in which sounds exist as individual entities, called audio objects. In Dolby Atmos, any sound can exist as an independent audio object, free of channel restrictions. They can be precisely placed and moved anywhere in your room, including overhead, to flow above and around you in three-dimensional space. Through the use of audio objects, overhead sound, and all the richness, clarity, and power of Dolby sound, Dolby Atmos turns your room into an amazing place for entertainment. The format supports up to 128 simultaneous independent audio objects in a mix for rich, realistic, and breathtaking sound. It recreates the director's original concept through descriptive metadata to provide customized playback for home theater and delivers sounds above you through overhead speakers, special upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, or a Dolby Atmos enabled sound bar.

• Dolby Surround Upmixer: If the content is not mixed in Dolby Atmos then the Dolby surround upmixer will expand the audio to all channels including ceiling speakers. The upmixer has replaced the Dolby Pro Logic II family with improved upmixing algorithms.
• Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization: Dolby Atmos height virtualization is a digital signal processing solution that leverages Dolby's deep understanding of human audio perception to create the sensation of overhead sound from the listener-level speakers.

DTS:X

Arcam HDA AVR21 supports DTS:X. A technique used in DTS:X is similar to the one used in Dolby Atmos. Instead of a fixed number of channels, DTS:X defines object locations from the listener in polar coordinates. An a/v receiver then dynamically renders sound according to the current speaker configuration. The speaker layout employed by DTS:X is the sum of Dolby Atmos and Auro-3D. It has standard 7.1 channel base layer, a 5 channel height layer above the base layer on the front and side walls, and 3 rows of speakers on the ceiling.

• No support of DTS:X Pro: Arcam HDA AVR21 does not support DTS:X Pro. So even though the receiver is capable of 15.2 channel processing it will be limited with 11.2.
• DTS Neural:X: DTS Neural:X is an advanced upmixer that can take non DTS:X content and upmix it to the DTS:X speaker layout. It has replaced the DTS Neo family with improved flexibility.
• DTS Virtual:X: DTS Virtual:X bridges the gap between DTS:X codec and the reality of so many consumers' homes, allowing you to enjoy multi-dimensional sound regardless of room size, layout, or speaker configuration. If you have a limited speaker setup you will miss a full immersive potential of your entertainment system. DTS Virtual:X adds height and surround audio effect to your system without adding height speakers. It works with multiple configurations and delivers immersive sound experience out of 5.1 or even 2.1 speaker layouts.
• DTS Dialog Control: This function adjusts the dialog levels during playback of the DTS:X stream. It allows you to separately increase the dialog levels in contrast with the background sound and hear dialog easily even under noisy circumstances.

Auro-3D

Arcam HDA AVR21 supports Auro-3D. It is an immersive 3D audio format developed by the Belgium-based company Auro Technologies. It consists of three layers of sound - surround, height and overhead ceiling. The base horizontal layer uses 5.1 or 7.1 format, the height layer is on top of the base layer and its information is extracted from the standard 5.1 surround PCM carrier. The a/v receiver decoder then extracts this information during playback. In home cinema Auro-3D comes with different listening formats - Auro 9.1, Auro 10.1 with added Top Ceiling channel ("Voice of God"), Auro 11.1 with added Front Height Center channel, and Auro 13.1 with added Left Rear Surround & Right Rear Surround channel.

• Auro-Matic upmixer: Auro-Matic upmixer takes non Auro-3D sound and upmixes to the current speaker configuration.

Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC)

Audio Return Channel (ARC) feature allows the compatible TV to send audio signal to the a/v receiver through the same HDMI cable which is used to send audio and video signals to the TV. So one HDMI cable is used to transfer audio signal in both directions. New Enhanced ARC will support uncompressed audio formats such as Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master Audio whereas the previous ARC could support only Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS HD, and PCM.

Sound Processing

Room Calibration

Arcam HDA AVR21 comes with Dirac Live™ room correction system and includes the calibration microphone.

• Dirac Live: The interaction between your sound system and the physical layout of your room has a huge impact on sound quality. Dirac Live™ Room Correction applies state-of-the-art, patented algorithms to analyze and digitally reduce room impact and enhance speaker performance. Dirac Live delivers a larger sweet spot, accurate staging, clarity, voice intelligibility, and a deeper, tighter bass not otherwise possible. Fully tunable to your preference.

HDMI 2.1

Arcam HDA AVR21 features 7 HDMI 2.1 inputs with 8K support. It has 3 outputs: 2 x 8K for MAIN and 1 x 4K for ZONE2.

• 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz Passthrough: All inputs pass up to 8K 50/60Hz and 4K 100/120Hz 4:4:4 video signal.
• BT.2020 Color Space: BT.2020 or Rec. 2020 is a color standard which delivers a wider color gamut compared to Rec. 709. It covers approximately 75% of the total visual spectrum while the Rec. 709 covers only 35%.
• HDCP 2.3 Copy Protection: All inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.3 compliant which is a requirement for 4K/HDR copy-protected content transmission.
• 3D Ready: Arcam HDA AVR21 is able to pass 3D video through HDMI.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Arcam HDA AVR21 supports HDR (high dynamic range) video formats such as HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Hybrid Log-Gamma. High dynamic range video has greater dynamic range than standard dynamic range (SDR) video with brighter whites and deeper blacks. The result is greater contrast and more details in dark and bright areas, better color and depth.

• HDR10: HDR10 uses the wide-gamut Rec. 2020 color space. It sends static metadata via video stream to the TV which calibrates its screen brightness and color according to that. HDR10 supports 10-bit color which corresponds to 1024 shades of the primary RGB colors. It is technically limited to a maximum of 10,000 nits peak brightness, however common HDR10 contents are mastered with peak brightness from 1,000 to 4,000 nits.
• HDR10+: HDR10+ is an HDR video technology that adds dynamic metadata to HDR10 source files. The dynamic metadata are used to adjust brightness levels on a scene-by-scene or even frame-by-frame basis. HDR10+ supports maximum of 10,000 nits peak brightness and 10-bit or more (up to 16-bit) color bit depth. It uses Samsung's dynamic metadata defined in SMPTE ST 2094-40.
• Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision is a set of technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories for high dynamic range (HDR) video. It covers content creation, distribution, and playback. Like HDR10+, it includes dynamic metadata that are used to adjust and optimize each frame of the HDR video to the consumer display's capabilities in a way specified by the content creator. Dolby Vision allows for a maximum resolution of 8K up to 12-bit color depth, maximum peak brightness of 10,000 nits and a color gamut up to Rec. 2020. It uses Dolby's proprietary dynamic metadata defined in SMPTE ST 2094-10.
• Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG): The Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) is a transfer function developed mainly for HDR live video feed and over-the-air broadcasts. It is an HDR format that uses BT.2020 color primaries and a bitdepth of 10-bit. It is backward compatible with the transfer function of SDR and is designed to be better-suited for television broadcasting, where the metadata required for other HDR formats is not backward compatible with non-HDR displays. HLG defines a non-linear optical-electro transfer function, in which the lower half of the signal values use a gamma curve and the upper half of the signal values use a logarithmic curve.

IMAX Enhanced

Arcam HDA AVR21 is IMAX Enhanced certified. To qualify for IMAX Enhanced certification, 4K HDR televisions, projectors, sound bars, a/v receivers, loudspeakers, powered subwoofers and other premium home entertainment devices must meet carefully prescribed performance requirements established by IMAX, DTS and Hollywood's leading experts.

• What makes an IMAX Enhanced A/V receiver different from an A/V receiver with DTS:X technology? DTS:X technology is commonly found in most multi-channel A/V receivers on the market today. All IMAX Enhanced A/V receivers include DTS:X technology and deliver additional features, such as auto-sensing of IMAX Enhanced content, via IMAX Mode. IMAX Mode indicates that your A/V receiver supports fully immersive IMAX signature sound.
• IMAX Enhanced Content: IMAX Enhanced studio partners have announced IMAX Enhanced versions of movies that exclusively feature IMAX's signature picture, sound and scale.
• Picture: Stunning, ultra-vivid 4K HDR picture that utilizes the newest, proprietary Digital Media Remastering technology (DMR) developed by IMAX. DMR accurately reduces noise and grain under the filmmaker’s guidance to best optimize the content for a much higher-quality, higher-brightness display. Without this technology, high-dynamic range content can actually look worse than what was originally seen and intended by the filmmaker.
• Sound: IMAX and DTS have partnered with award-winning Hollywood sound mixers leveraging DTS:X codec technology integrated in home audio equipment and select televisions to deliver an IMAX signature sound experience with deeper bass and more dynamic range.
• Scale: Select IMAX Enhanced titles that were shot with IMAX-certified cameras or specially formatted for IMAX theatres feature its exclusive expanded aspect ratio, enabling viewers to see the full scale and scope of the picture on 4K HDR TVs.
• Streaming Services: IMAX Enhanced is now available on the world’s biggest streaming services, including Disney+, BRAVIA CORE, Tencent, iQiyi and more.

Gaming Features

Arcam HDA AVR21 supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) for lag-free and smooth gaming.

• Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM): Auto Low Latency Mode enables the ideal latency setting to automatically be set allowing for smooth, lag-free and uninterrupted viewing and interactivity. When the receiver detects a gaming signal it will enter ALLM. The signal will also be sent to the TV causing it to automatically switch to a low-latency, low-lag mode for gaming. Some functions will not be available on the receiver and TV during ALLM.
• Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): VRR enables a gaming source such as a console or computer to deliver video frames as fast as it can, which in many cases is slower than the normal static refresh rate. It allows the TV to adapt to certain frame rate which reduces or eliminates lag, judder and frame tearing for more fluid and better detailed gameplay.

Arcam HDA AVR21 offers multi-zone playback which allows you to play different input sources in 2 different rooms.

Zone 2

• Powered Zone 2: You can use the unit's 2 amplifier channels by connecting Zone 2 speakers directly to the speaker terminals. The remaining 5 channels will be left for main zone amplification.
• HDMI Output: Arcam HDA AVR21 offers HDMI output for Zone 2. This means that it can send two different HDMI signals to two displays.
• Audio Pre Output: If you have a dedicated power amplifier for Zone 2 you can connect it to the a/v receiver via pre outs and control volume from the a/v receiver.

Audio

• Analog Pre-Outs: Arcam HDA AVR21 has 15.2 preamplifier outputs which allow you to connect the a/v receiver to the external power amplifier. You may want to use a high quality external amplifier for certain channels, usually for front L/R and center, and use the a/v receiver to power the rest. Also, Arcam HDA AVR21 has 15 channel processing but has only 7 channel amplifier, so it needs the external amplifier connected to the analog pre-outs in order to reach the maximum speaker configuration.
• XLR Inputs: There is one pair of XLR inputs on this a/v receiver. If your CD player, Blu-Ray player or other source have XLR outputs you can connect them to the Arcam HDA AVR21's XLR Inputs for higher quality balanced connection.
• Analog Line Inputs and Outputs: There are 7 line inputs and 1 line output for analog audio connection.
• Digital Inputs and Outputs: 0 optical input, 2 optical outputs and 4 coaxial inputs are available for digital audio connection.
• Headphone Output: There is a 3.5 mm (1/8") headphone output jack on the front panel.

Video

• HDMI:
Inputs: 7   Outputs: 3 (2 x 8K for MAIN, 1 x 4K for ZONE2)
8K Inputs: 7

Here we list all the available features and specifications of Arcam HDA AVR21.

BASICS
Brand	Arcam
Series	HDA
Model	AVR21
Type	A/V Receiver
Country	All
Release Year	2022

AMPLIFIER
Channels	7.2
Front Wide Channel Support
Amplifier	Class A/B
THX™ Certification
Continuous 6 Ω Rated
Certified 4 Ω Performance
Bi-amp Capability

AUDIO
DAC	Dual ESS 9026PRO
DAC Specs	192 kHz/24 Bit
Maximum Channel Processing	15.2
Dolby Atmos	up to 9.1.6 with external amp
Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization
Dolby Atmos Music
Dolby TrueHD
Dolby Digital Plus
Dolby Surround Upmixer
Dolby Pro Logic
Dolby Digital EX
DTS:X	Pro up to 9.1.6 with external amp
DTS Neural:X
DTS Virtual:X
DTS Neo
DTS-HD Master Audio
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio
DTS 96/24
DTS-ES	Discrete 6.1, Matrix 6.1
IMAX Enhanced
Auro 3D with Auro-Matic Upmixer	13.1-ch (Built-In)
MQA Decoding
PCM	2-ch/Multi-ch Input
Music Playback via USB
High Resolution Music Playback via USB and/or Network	up to 192 kHz
Gapless Playback
DSD via HDMI	2-ch/Multi-ch Input
DSD via USB
DSD to PCM Converter
USB DAC
DTS Dialog Control
Dialog Normalization
Dialogue Lift
Audyssey Dynamic EQ
Audyssey Dynamic Volume
Audyssey LFC
Audyssey Sub EQ HT
Audyssey DSX
Direct Mode	Stereo Direct, CD Direct
Independent Subwoofer Outputs

CALIBRATION
Auto Speaker Calibration System with Mic.	Dirac Live™

VIDEO
HDMI Version	2.1
Enhanced ARC
HDCP Version	2.3
HDR10
HDR10+
Dynamic HDR
Dolby Vision
HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
BT.2020 color space
QMS (Quick Media Switching)
ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode)
VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
QFT (Quick Frame transport)
DSC (Display Stream Compression)
3-D Ready
Video Signal Passthrough	up to 8K 50/60Hz and 4K 100/120Hz 4:4:4

CONNECTIVITY
Chromecast Built-In
DTS Play-Fi
Works with Amazon Alexa
Google assistant
Apple Siri
Works with SONOS
AirPlay	AirPlay 2
Apple Product Connection	iPod, iPhone and iPad
Remote App	Arcam control app
Ethernet
Ethernet Switch
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth	aptX HD
HDMI Inputs	7
HDMI Outputs	3 (2 x 8K for MAIN, 1 x 4K for ZONE2)
8K Inputs	7
USB Input	for factory service
USB DC Out Port
RCA Line Input	7 (1 front)
RCA Line Output	1
XLR Line Inputs
Phono Input
Optical Inputs	2
Optical Outputs	1
Coaxial Inputs	4
Composite Video Input
Composite Video Output
S-Video Input
S-Video Output
Component Video Input
Component Video Output
PC In
Multi-Channel Input
RCA Pre-Outs	15.2
XLR Pre-outs
Front A/V Inputs	AUX (3.5 mm Audio)
Headphone Out	3.5 mm (1/8")

ZONES
Zones	2
Powered Zones	2
Zone 2 Outs	HDMI, Pre Out
RS-232C Interface
+12V Trigger Output	2
Remote (IR) Input/Output	2 / 0

MISC
IP Control for CI
PreAmp Mode
Display	Large front-panel LCD display
Detachable Power Cord

RADIO
Analog Tuner	FM with RDS
Presets	50
Digital Radio	DAB/DAB+
Internet Radio	TuneIn
Pandora
Spotify
Tidal
Deezer
Napster
SiriusXM Internet Radio

CONSTRUCTION
Speaker Terminals	7
Large Speaker Terminals	7

POWER
Power Supply	AC 110-120 V or 220-240 V, 50/60 Hz via switch
Toroidal Transformer
Power Consumption	1500 W
Standby Power	0.5 W

GENERAL
Dimensions (W x H x D)	433 mm x 171 mm x 425 mm 17.06" x 6.69" x 18.56"
Weight	16.6 kg (36.4 lbs)
Weight of Package	19.9 kg
Warranty	5 Years

SPECS
Power Output (8 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2	110 W (0.02% THD)
Power Output (8 Ω, 1 kHz, 2	125 W (0.2% THD)
Power Output (4 Ω, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2	175 W (0.2% THD)
Power Output (4 Ω, 1 kHz, 2	190 W (0.2% THD)
Multi Channel Simultaneous Drive (8 Ω, 1 kHz, 1.0%)	90 W (7 channels driven, 1kHz, 8 Ω, 0.2% THD) 110 W (7 channels driven, 1kHz, 4 Ω, 0.2% THD)
Input Sensitivity and Impedance (Line)	1V, 2V, 4V (user adjustable)/47 kΩ
Maximum Input Sensitivity (Line)	4.5 Vrms
Rated Preout Level and Impedance	1 Vrms/560 Ω
Maximum Preout Level and Impedance	5 Vrms/560 Ω
Rated Headphone Jack Output Level and Impedance	5 Vrms/100 Ω
S/N Ratio (Line, IHF-A)	93 dB (normal) 110 dB (stereo direct)
Frequency Response (Analog In)	±0.2 dB (20 Hz to 20 kHz)
Residual Noise (IHF-A Network)	0.15 mV
DSD Sampling Rates via HDMI	2.8 MHz
Wi-Fi Standard	IEEE 802.11 ac
Wi-Fi Terminal Frequency	5 GHz, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth Version	5․0

* - 480i/576i and 480p/576p only
** - 480i/576i only
*** - no 1080p/24 upconversion
**** - 1080p signal is not converted