Arcam is the UK's top 'home grown' av brand. In the last couple of years they have been moving forward at a remarkable pace with new products, particularly in the audio / visual market, that set the standard, especially when price is added to the equation.

The new Acam Solo Movie 5.1 is a good example. It offers solid quality, flexibility and sophistication that trounces the 'cooking' all-in-one home theatre products. We stock the Solo's main 'quality' rival, the Naim n-Vi and can offer a balanced view : In absolute sound quality, we think that the n-Vi wins. In terms of flexibility and functionality, the Arcam takes the prize. On the video front, if you need the scaler (and for most panel displays you will) the Arcam holds the trump card. Throw in the £1000+ cost saving, and the Arcam becomes something of a bargain.

The same story holds with the new FMJ DV139 DVD player. It is regarded as one of the finest DVD players available at any price, yet it costs a comparatively modest £1800.

The Diva range has been updated with the receivers kicking off with the AVR280 at £1200. In common with the entire range, it features video switching (including HDMI), comprehensive decoding and a solid 80 watts per channel output. The more powerful (and more musical) AVR350 comes in at £1550, with several two box solutions above that. We have the APV700 processor / P1000 power amp combo fronted by the FMJ DV139 in the dem room and are extremely impressed by the results. It is clean, open, dynamic and very easy to live with.

Just don't tell anyone that it's connected to a Naim sat-sub package.