Arcam Radia AVA15 AV Amplifier – Nine Class D Power Amplifiers, Twelve Processing Channels and Comprehensive Streaming for Demanding Home Cinema

Most AV amplifiers are judged on channel count and film-sound formats, with music treated as an afterthought. The Arcam Radia AVA15 AV Amplifier is built on a different premise. British specialist Arcam says the new model should handle demanding home cinema systems and also stand in as the heart of a high-quality music system, and its specification backs that up with nine integrated Class D power amplifiers, processing for up to twelve channels, extensive network features and Dirac Live room correction.

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The Radia AVA15 was first shown as part of a new generation of devices at ISE 2026, then presented again at HIGH END Vienna 2026. It has now reached dealers, joining its larger siblings, the Arcam Radia AVA25 and Arcam Radia AVA35, in the Arcam Radia AV Series.

Key Facts Arcam Radia AVA15 AV Amplifier

• Nine-channel AV amplifier from the Arcam Radia AV Series
• Nine Class D power amplifiers, up to twelve processing channels
• 85 W into 8 ohms and 150 W into 4 ohms with two channels driven; distortion of 0.003 per cent
• Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD, DTS:X, DTS-HD Master Audio and MPEG-H
• Dirac Live Room Correction, with optional Dirac Live Bass Control and Dirac Live Active Room Treatment
• Seven HDMI 2.1a inputs, two HDMI outputs, 8K at 60 Hz and 4K at 120 Hz
• HDR10, HDR10+, HDR10+ Gaming, Dolby Vision and HLG
• Roon Ready, Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect and Qobuz Connect
• Bluetooth 5.4 with Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound, Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast
• HiFi resolutions up to 24 bit and 192 kHz
• 6.5-inch colour display; control via the Arcam Radia App for Apple iOS and Google Android

A cinema amplifier with a HiFi pedigree

Until now, Arcam has defined its Radia Series mainly through conventional HiFi components. The new Radia AV Series carries that thinking into home cinema, and the idea behind it is worth noting: an AV amplifier should feed a large speaker array and decode the latest film soundtracks, but it should also be able to anchor a high-quality music system in its own right.

The Radia AVA15 sits at the bottom of the family. That label deserves some qualification, however. Nine built-in power amplifiers and processing for up to twelve channels are not what one normally expects from an entry-level product, and the option of adding external power amplifiers means the platform can be fitted to a wide range of room sizes and speaker layouts.

Music first: the network platform

It is in music playback that the Radia AVA15 differs most from an amplifier tuned purely for film. Arcam has fitted a full network audio platform, so a large part of what a separate network player would do is handled internally.

Apple AirPlay and Google Cast are supported, as are Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect and Qobuz Connect. The amplifier is also Roon Ready, which allows it to slot straight into an existing Roon system. Internet radio, podcasts and UPnP are available through the Arcam Radia App.

For local files, Arcam lists FLAC, WAV (LPCM), ALAC, AIFF, AAC, OGG, MP3, MQA and WMA, at resolutions up to 24 bit and 192 kHz, with gapless playback of consecutive tracks. In a combined HiFi and cinema installation, music can therefore come from the network, from streaming services or from local storage without a dedicated network player in the chain.

Wireless: Bluetooth 5.4, LE Audio and Auracast

The wireless provision is unusually generous. Alongside standard Bluetooth audio, the amplifier supports Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound and Bluetooth LE Audio, and Auracast is part of the plan too.

The Radia AVA15 is not simply a Bluetooth receiver. With A2DP Sink and Source it can take audio in from a phone or tablet and also send it out to compatible playback devices, so Bluetooth headphones can be brought into the system as well. LE Audio and Auracast open the door to distributing audio to compatible receivers, though the exact functions available with any given pair of headphones or other receiver depend on that device’s own specification.

Dirac Live: dealing with the room

Room correction carries particular weight here. Arcam uses Dirac Live Room Correction, which measures the acoustic behaviour of the listening room and applies a targeted correction to what the system reproduces.

That matters most in home cinema, where speakers rarely end up in ideal positions. Differing distances to the seating position, bass room modes and reflections from walls or furnishings can all colour the sound noticeably. Dirac Live takes these factors into account and is intended to allow a more precise overall system alignment.

Dirac Live Room Correction is included as standard. Two further licences can be unlocked on the Radia AVA15: Dirac Live Bass Control and Dirac Live Active Room Treatment, or Dirac Live ART for short. ART is the more interesting of the two, because it treats speakers and subwoofers as one cooperating acoustic system rather than as separate elements, aiming for firmer control of low-frequency resonances and of timing behaviour in the room. These extensions are not part of the standard package, so anyone planning a system needs to budget for them separately.

Nine Class D amplifiers and what they deliver

The power stage of the Radia AVA15 is built entirely in Class D. Nine amplifier channels are available directly, enough to run a 7.1.2 or 5.1.4 layout without any additional power amplifiers. That allows a conventional surround arrangement plus several height speakers for immersive formats.

Arcam specifies continuous output of 85 W per channel into 8 ohms across 20 Hz to 20 kHz, measured with two channels driven. Into 4 ohms at 1 kHz, and under the same conditions, this rises to 150 W per channel. With seven channels driven, the manufacturer quotes 85 W per channel into 8 ohms and 65 W per channel into 4 ohms, again at 1 kHz.

The stated distortion figure is 0.003 per cent at 80 per cent of rated output, measured into 8 ohms at 1 kHz. The seven-channel figures deserve the closest attention: they say more about how a multichannel amplifier copes with a heavy load than a two-channel measurement can.

Class D permits efficient amplification and helps keep the size and heat output of such a densely equipped AV amplifier in check. Arcam also points to careful tuning of the whole amplifier architecture, intended to meet the company’s standards for unadulterated music reproduction.

Twelve channels of processing

The Radia AVA15 separates the number of built-in amplifiers from the number of signal channels it can handle. Nine speakers can be driven by the internal power stage, while the electronics process up to twelve channels in total.

The extra capacity is reached through twelve analogue RCA pre-amplifier outputs, which can connect external power amplifiers and active subwoofers as a given configuration requires. Channel assignment can be adjusted for front, surround back and height channels, so different speaker concepts can be implemented.

This flexibility counts for most with a system that starts modestly and grows. If extra power amplifiers or more speakers are added later, the Radia AVA15 can carry on as the central control and processing unit.

Surround formats: Dolby Atmos and DTS:X

The format list concentrates on the standards that matter most today. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X provide object-based reproduction of immersive soundtracks, in which sounds are not tied solely to fixed speaker channels.

Also supported are Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Surround and Dolby Atmos Height Virtualisation, together with DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS Neural:X and DTS Virtual:X. MPEG-H is on the list as well, so both traditional channel-based formats and current immersive systems are covered.

Two omissions should be noted. The Radia AVA15 does not offer IMAX Enhanced or Auro-3D, which remain reserved for the higher-ranking models in the Radia AV Series. Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, however, are the two most important formats for current home cinema use, and both are present.

Video: HDMI 2.1a throughout

The video section meets the demands of current home cinema installations. There are seven HDMI 2.1a inputs and two HDMI outputs, with HDCP 2.3 supported. The amplifier handles video at up to 8K and 60 Hz, or 4K and 120 Hz, so high-quality sources, current games consoles and suitably powerful gaming PCs can all be connected. HDR, HDR10, HDR10+, HDR10+ Gaming, Dolby Vision and HLG are supported.

Gamers also get Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). VRR lets the display adapt to changing frame rates, while ALLM automatically switches to a mode with the lowest practicable delay. HDMI eARC/ARC is available too, allowing a compatible television to pass its audio back to the amplifier over the HDMI connection. Setup and configuration can also be handled through the on-screen menu.

Connections for existing HiFi components

Beyond HDMI and network, the Radia AVA15 provides a set of traditional audio connections. Three analogue stereo inputs on RCA sockets make it possible to keep existing sources, such as a CD player or an external DAC.

Digital sources have two coaxial and two optical S/PDIF inputs. The coaxial inputs accept sample rates up to 192 kHz, whereas the optical inputs handle signals up to 96 kHz. The twelve RCA pre-amplifier outputs matter here as well: they serve active subwoofers and equally allow additional external power amplifiers to be brought in, which keeps the amplifier relevant if the speaker setup changes later.

Design, display and control

Visually, the Radia AVA15 follows the existing Arcam Radia Series, with a black case, a pared-back front and restrained yellow accents. The consistent design language ties it visibly to the British manufacturer’s stereo components.

The centrepiece of the front panel is a high-resolution 6.5-inch colour display. It shows the selected source and operating status and, during music playback, album artwork and metadata. When the amplifier serves as a network player, this is a useful complement to operation from a smartphone or tablet.

Configuration and control can be carried out with the on-screen menu, the supplied remote control or the Arcam Radia App, which is available for Apple iOS and Google Android. The unit measures about 432 × 392 × 170 mm and weighs 10 kg.

All benefits at a glance

• Nine built-in amplifiers: immersive speaker layouts without extra power amplifiers
• Twelve processing channels: room for later expansion and individual speaker concepts
• Class D amplification: an efficient architecture for powering many speakers at once
• Dirac Live: targeted alignment of the system to the room, with upgrades available
• Current HDMI technology: 8K at 60 Hz, 4K at 120 Hz, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and gaming features cover modern video use
• Versatile music hub: wide streaming support and Roon Ready, with no separate network components needed
• Modern wireless: Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio and Auracast extends the options for cordless playback
• Easy integration: analogue and digital inputs plus twelve pre-amplifier outputs simplify connection to existing HiFi and home cinema systems

Price and availability

The Arcam Radia AVA15 AV Amplifier from the Arcam Radia AV Series is available immediately from authorised specialist retailers. Arcam gives a recommended retail price of € 2.999,-. Dirac Live Room Correction is included as standard, while Dirac Live Bass Control and Dirac Live Active Room Treatment are offered as optional, paid software upgrades.

Getting to the point

The Arcam Radia AVA15 suggests that a serious AV amplifier need not be defined solely by channel count or headline power figures. Nine integrated Class D power amplifiers, twelve processing channels and a comprehensive network audio platform make it an interesting proposition for anyone who wants home cinema and high-quality music in a single system. The standard Dirac Live Room Correction, and the chance to extend it with Dirac Live ART, deserve particular attention. With the Radia AVA15, Arcam gives the Arcam Radia AV Series a versatile foundation that shows surprisingly little of the typical entry-level model in its specification.

Technical Specifications

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