Arcam's new AV receivers go on sale within weeks, which means hefty discounts on its old models. And when we say hefty, we mean hefty – there's £3300 off the AVR31, which drops down to just £2499 at Peter Tyson.
It may have picked up its What Hi-Fi? Award back in 2023, but it's still a brilliant performing product – one of the best AV receivers we've ever tested, in fact. At this price, it's a steal.
The Arcam AVR31 is a five-star product that boasts a sleek build and clean, open sound.
When it comes to sonic performance, the AVR31 prompted our expert testers to say: "If future-proofed features are equally as important to you as having the very best sound quality, and your pockets are deep enough, then the AVR31 is an ideal choice to make your home cinema sing."
But be warned, it's not for amateurs. In order to hear it at its best, you'll have to know what you're doing, so this is really for enthusiasts, or for those willing to learn. But at least your pockets now don't have to be anywhere near as deep as before.
With seven channels of power amplification and up to 16 channels of decoding, the AVR31 is capable of processing audio for systems with configurations up to 9.1.6.
It boasts wide-ranging audio format support, including Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, IMAX Enhanced and Auro-3D, as well as Dolby Virtual Height, DTS Neural:X and DTS Virtual:X for systems without height speakers.
And there's nothing lacking from the AVR31's connectivity spec sheet either with seven HDMI 2.1 inputs and three outputs, all capable of handling 8K video signals at 60fps and 4K at 120fps with support for VRR, ALLM, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. One of the outputs also supports eARC.
Physical connections at the rear also include six digital (four coaxials, two opticals) and six analogue (RCA) inputs, as well as optical and analogue outputs and and pre-amp outputs.
There’s an aerial connector for an FM/DAB tuner, a USB port and trigger outputs with IR extenders for two zones, along with an RS-232 serial connector and an Ethernet port. Users can also stream content wirelessly with AirPlay 2, Bluetooth aptX HD, Google Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Roon and Tidal Connect.
The AVR31 is certainly a high-end pick delivering modern AVR functionality, paired with a distinguished sound. Will it be topped by the incoming AVA35? Most probably (though you'll have to wait for our review to find out). But given that that model costs £5999 / $7000 / AU$13,995, the AVR31 for £2499 at Peter Tyson suddenly looks like even more stunning value.
MORE:
Read our full Arcam AVR31 review
Check out the best AV receivers: the top home cinema amplifiers we've tested
And find out how to choose and set up your amplifier
