This may be a brand new model from Arcam, but it is clearly a chip off the old block on the outside at least. Its fascia bears a distinct resemblance to existing models, with details like the layout of knobs and switches, and the informative green display, all common to several other models from the firm.

In terms of specifications, it offers no surprises either, with six line inputs and the 'must-have' feature of the last two or three years, a phono stage.

While we lacked the tenacity to trace the circuit (nearly impossible in these days of complex circuit boards), certain elements of the internal layout are clearly established Arcam stuff, too. With this amp, Arcam has brought a lot of its upmarket FMJ range's technology to the lower-price DiVA club.

In terms of internal presentation, nothing we've seen from any of the really big players comes anywhere close to this unit and thanks to the wonders of surface-mount miniaturisation, you get a heck of a lot of amp inside the case.

Input switching and volume control are achieved electronically, and Arcam has not missed the chance to offer individual gain trims for each channel, balance control, power-up volume selection and volume step size options.

At the other end of the chain, the output is handled by a single pair of high power bipolar transistors per channel, mounted on an internal heatsink and fed from a toroidal transformer and a set of smoothing capacitors of modest size. Even they (and a few other capacitors) get some mechanical damping.

While our listening panellists were not entirely at one in liking every aspect of this amp's performance, they clearly agreed that it has a particularly fine grasp of rhythm. It was found to have excellent pace and described as "vivacious".

But to one listener, it sounded rather flat and lacking in involvement. Had this complaint been repeated by his colleagues, we might have thought the amp a bit of a flop; on the contrary, however, they found it musical, coherent and convincing.

Psychoacoustics, man

We're inclined to invoke psychoacoustics as an explanation and suggest that the way the A70 handles the leading edge of transients is the key to its varying appeal.