ARCAM's Radia AVA Line Is Now Shipping in the Brand's 50th Year — Nine Channels From $4,499.95, and Dirac ART Still Costs Extra

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Aug 30, 2026· updated Aug 30, 2026

HARMAN Luxury Audio has confirmed that ARCAM's Radia AVA home-cinema line is now shipping, arriving in the year the British electronics brand marks its 50th anniversary. The four models — the AVA15, AVA25 and AVA35 amplifiers, plus the AVP45 processor — were first announced at ISE 2026 back in February. Now, per HARMAN's release datelined Northridge, Calif., 26 August 2026, they're available and being demonstrated to custom-install integrators for the first time at CEDIA Expo 2026.

That distinction matters: nothing about the Radia AVA series is new at CEDIA. What's new is that the wait is over and the channel that sells and installs this gear is getting its first look at finished production units.

What's in the Radia AVA line

All three AVA amplifiers — the AVA15, AVA25 and AVA35 — carry nine channels of built-in amplification, expandable to twelve channels using external power amplifiers, according to ecoustics' coverage of the February announcement. The AVP45 sits above them as a processor rather than an amplifier, decoding 16 unamplified channels for installers who prefer to pair it with separate amplification.

Across the line, ARCAM has built in support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, alongside Dirac Live room correction technology. HARMAN's anniversary release describes the range as extending ARCAM's "music-first" design philosophy into home cinema, wrapped in Radia's black-and-yellow industrial styling that's carried across the brand's recent products.

Pricing carried over from February

The prices attached to the four models are the same ones set out at the ISE 2026 announcement, not new figures issued alongside the shipping news:

AVA15: US$4,499.95 / £2,599 / €2,999
AVA25: US$5,499.95 / £4,499 / €4,999
AVA35: US$6,999.95 / £5,999 / €6,999
AVP45: US$5,999.95 / £5,299 / €5,999

HARMAN's August release doesn't specify territories for the shipping confirmation, so it's worth noting the company hasn't broken out availability by region — just that the four models are shipping.

Dirac Live ART: supported, but not free

The most useful detail for anyone pricing out one of these systems concerns Dirac. HARMAN's anniversary release credits the Radia AVA line with "Dirac Live ART support," referring to Dirac Live Active Room Treatment, without mentioning any additional cost. But the fuller specification published by ecoustics at the February announcement draws a sharper line: Dirac Live Room Correction comes included on every model in the range, while Dirac Live Bass Control and Dirac Live Active Room Treatment remain separately purchased licence upgrades.

In practice, that means a buyer gets standard Dirac room correction out of the box, but unlocking ART — the more advanced treatment that also addresses a room's early reflections rather than just frequency response — requires paying for an additional licence on top of the amplifier or processor price. Audioholics flagged the arrival of Dirac ART support on ARCAM's new hardware back in May, though the licensing structure itself traces to the original February specification sheet.

Power amps still on the way, not yet shipping

ARCAM also introduced two Radia PA power amplifiers alongside the AVA and AVP models in February: the PA4 at US$1,499.95 and the PA9 at US$4,999.95. Those were given a Q4 2026 availability window at announcement, and nothing in HARMAN's August shipping confirmation updates that timing — the news this week covers only the AVA15, AVA25, AVA35 and AVP45.

A double anniversary at CEDIA

The shipping news lands amid a broader celebration for HARMAN Luxury Audio at CEDIA Expo 2026: ARCAM turns 50 this year, and JBL turns 80, and the company is using the show to mark both milestones. HARMAN is hosting dealers and press in Meeting Room 207 at the Expo on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 September 2026.

David Tovissi, Vice President and General Manager of HARMAN Luxury Audio, tied the Radia AVA launch to the company's new JBL Synthesis SCL Custom Loudspeaker Series — including JBL's first on-wall models — calling both "exactly the kind of category-defining products our channel expects from HARMAN Luxury Audio."

The AVA35 has also been named a finalist in the 2026 CEDIA Smart Home Awards Americas. Winners will be announced at a ceremony at CEDIA Expo on Thursday, 3 September 2026 — so the AVA35's finalist status is confirmed, but no award has been decided as of the shipping announcement.

What this means for installers and buyers

For custom installers, CEDIA Expo 2026 is effectively the first hands-on opportunity to see finished Radia AVA hardware rather than announcement-stage specifications. For anyone budgeting a system around these processors, the practical takeaway is the Dirac licensing structure: standard room correction is bundled in, but Active Room Treatment and Bass Control sit behind a separate purchase, a detail that HARMAN's own celebratory release doesn't spell out but that traces back to ARCAM's original February specification.

Frequently asked questions

Is the ARCAM Radia AVA series shipping yet?

Yes. HARMAN Luxury Audio confirmed in a release dated 26 August 2026 that the ARCAM Radia AVA15, AVA25, AVA35 amplifiers and AVP45 processor are now shipping, several months after their February 2026 announcement at ISE 2026. The release does not specify shipping by territory.

How much do the ARCAM AVA15, AVA25, AVA35 and AVP45 cost?

At their February 2026 announcement, ARCAM priced the AVA15 at US$4,499.95, the AVA25 at US$5,499.95, the AVA35 at US$6,999.95, and the AVP45 processor at US$5,999.95, with corresponding GBP and EUR pricing also announced at that time.

How many channels do the ARCAM Radia AVA amplifiers have?

The AVA15, AVA25 and AVA35 each carry nine channels of built-in amplification, expandable to twelve channels using external power amplifiers. The AVP45 processor, by contrast, decodes 16 unamplified channels and relies on separate amplification.

Is Dirac Live Active Room Treatment included with the ARCAM Radia AVA series?

No. Dirac Live Room Correction comes included on all ARCAM Radia AVA and AVP45 models, but Dirac Live Active Room Treatment (ART) and Dirac Live Bass Control remain separately purchased licence upgrades, according to ARCAM's February 2026 specification.

What did HARMAN Luxury Audio announce for CEDIA Expo 2026?

HARMAN Luxury Audio used CEDIA Expo 2026 to confirm that ARCAM's Radia AVA15, AVA25, AVA35 and AVP45 are now shipping and being shown to custom-install dealers for the first time, while also celebrating ARCAM's 50th and JBL's 80th anniversaries and introducing the JBL Synthesis SCL Custom Loudspeaker Series.