Need help in matching avr system with Focal 706S

It would be helpful if you can give more info. What do you want to improve or get out of an upgrade? Also, is there anything you don't like that you need like to fix. Just some expectations about what you would like to achieve with the upgrade.

Thank you Zd542. I like to improve on SQ. I really enjoy listen to music and many of people have told me that my current AVR doesn't allow Focal to its higher performance level. I am looking for sound improving with decent cost of AVR. My list is Cambridge audio 650r (is this too out of date for video? This costs $700 with refurb. Or should I just go back for another higher level of Yamaha like V3900 (used device) or a yamaha 1020. The bottom line question would be... after with all the changes and upgraded, will there be a big difference of sound improvement at all? Thx very for your help.

I'm a dealer for the Yamaha and also Arcam. I find the Arcam to be more musical to my ear. In fact, I use all Arcam in my main room at home. The AVR 360 would be in your price range as a B stock unit.

Arcam AVR360 is way over my budget. I like to keep my budget for AVR system at $1K or lower if possible.

"08-01-14: Beaconsea
Thank you Zd542. I like to improve on SQ. I really enjoy listen to music and many of people have told me that my current AVR doesn't allow Focal to its higher performance level. I am looking for sound improving with decent cost of AVR."

I understand what you're trying to do, but I think you need to rethink your approach. When talking about improving SQ there are so many different aspects to SQ, you need to narrow it down. Not only that, "improvements" can be made objectively and subjectively. That means, even though you have made an improvement, you may not like it. Here's an example of what I mean. Lets say you get a new receiver and one of the improvements is greater high frequency extension. On paper, that may seem like a good thing. But you still have to factor in your personal tastes. You may find that the extension in the HF's is something that you don't enjoy at all, even though you can argue that you now have better SQ. If you want more examples, you can just pick through these threads at random, and you'll have enough reading to last a very long time.

The only advice I can give you, that makes sense (at least to me), is to start listening to different equipment. Do your best to remember what it sounds like, and compare it to your current system. As you gain some experience listening to different products, you'll develop personal preferences for the type of sound you like. You will find that some equipment, even though its much more expensive that what you currently have, you don't like at all. And of course, the opposite will likely occur. The whole idea here, is to work yourself up to a level where you don't need help from others to pick equipment, because we all like different things. Use opinions to help guide you and consider some alternative solutions, but you need to make the final decision if you want to be happy.

Thanks you for your great sugestion. I learned a lot from your post today.

B stock AVR 360's are $899....

Arcam is a sonic match for Focal speakers.
I have auditioned the Arcam AVR w/ the Focal 918,928 loudspeakers. Very nice sound, w/o going the 'separates' route. Keep us posted.

Sonic match for the Focals is NAD