New Anthem 15CH Atmos/DTS:X Pro MRX AV Receivers and AVM Processors

[ryanosaur]

@Matthew J Poes Good to see you pop in for a hello!

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I have Roon and qobuz and the interface is amazing. I also have J River which is great with J Remote.

But Roon is an excellent network library organization with mobile UI plus transport that works.
Zones can be setup that stay synced and work. A proper Roon endpoint allows the amp to communicate with the end-point for volume control.

Unfortunately, these new 11+ channel processors with Roon do not support multi-channel. Yeah, I know there is not much content out there but it sort of obvious that devices with this many channels should support more multi-channel Roon.

I'd like to see more processors measured, first like ASR in two channel mode, but also with processing engaged with at least one or two PEQ filters in place.
After all, that's the way they run and it would be nice to see how much of the native performance is maintained with engaging the DSPs.

These are very nice looking products.
These prices are a bit odd: $3,499 - AVM70; $6,999 - AVM90. The AVM90 is almost double the price and all I can find is two more subwoofer outputs and a bit better DACs. If this is correct, a little more information about what is under the hood would be nice.

- Rich

we can do that. In fact I can probably do that for a Marantz product in about a month. However you have to be careful. Distortion measurements can be thrown off by eq because it can boost the fundamental or harmonics. You have to be very careful how you apply the Eq. That makes it nearly impossible to measure noise and distortion with room eq applied.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

You think 2020 was bad? You come to Florida gets worse. Where 90 minutes I'm 90 minutes

I am moving to Sarasota. I’ll be in a small apartment while the house is built. 950 sq ft with a dog, cat, wife, 5 yr old and 6 month old. No theater or real stereo for at least 9 months. If my videos with Gene start getting dark and bizarre, you know what happened.

 

[mazersteven]

Another West Coast guy. I'm an East Coast Playa

 

[RichB]

I am moving to Sarasota. I’ll be in a small apartment while the house is built. 950 sq ft with a dog, cat, wife, 5 yr old and 6 month old. No theater or real stereo for at least 9 months. If my videos with Gene start getting dark and bizarre, you know what happened.

This may be your wife in a few months

- Rich

 

[JimmyTango]

I have Roon and qobuz and the interface is amazing. I also have J River which is great with J Remote.

But Roon is an excellent network library organization with mobile UI plus transport that works.
Zones can be setup that stay synced and work. A proper Roon endpoint allows the amp to communicate with the end-point for volume control.

Unfortunately, these new 11+ channel processors with Roon do not support multi-channel. Yeah, I know there is not much content out there but it sort of obvious that devices with this many channels should support more multi-channel Roon.

I'd like to see more processors measured, first like ASR in two channel mode, but also with processing engaged with at least one or two PEQ filters in place.
After all, that's the way they run and it would be nice to see how much of the native performance is maintained with engaging the DSPs.

These are very nice looking products.
These prices are a bit odd: $3,499 - AVM70; $6,999 - AVM90. The AVM90 is almost double the price and all I can find is two more subwoofer outputs and a bit better DACs. If this is correct, a little more information about what is under the hood would be nice.

- Rich

Do these new Anthem's not support multi-channel Roon?

 

[RichB]

Do these new Anthem's not support multi-channel Roon?

That is the question. Emotiva RMC-1, Monoprice HTP-1, and Oppo UPD-205m USB inputs and Roon endpoints are 2-channel only.

- Rich

 

[Matthew J Poes]

This may be your wife in a few months
View attachment 41933

- Rich

for sure. We both work from home.

 

[Patton04]

Got email from anthem dealer, delivery of new avm's postponed to mid to late January!

 

[Cos]

Got email from anthem dealer, delivery of new avm's postponed to mid to late January!

Was going to pre-order the AVM70 but I figured I would wait until they get the bugs worked out. I will continue to use My Marantz Pre-Pro, it still sounds great, but want Dolby Atmos Passthrough, HDMI 2.1 120hz support and eARC (Yes I use ARC and like it lol)

 

[downbythepylons]

Anyone have any updates...still targeting jan delivery?

 

[JDmsz]

Do the MRX 540, 740, and 1140 use the same DAC?

 

[PENG]

Do the MRX 540, 740, and 1140 use the same DAC?

Yes, according to some dealer websites (at least one that I can remember), the same AK4458 used in D+M AVRs too. The AVM60 also used the same DAC IC. Apparently the AVM70 has been upgraded to use the AK4499 that has much better specs than Yamaha's ESS Sabre ES9026Pro used in the CX-A5200, and D+M's AK4490 used in their flag ship models.

That is not to say it would make any audible difference, just because of the better specs.

 

[Cos]

Yes, according to some dealer websites (at least one that I can remember), the same AK4458 used in D+M AVRs too. The AVM60 also used the same DAC IC. Apparently the AVM70 has been upgraded to use the AK4499 that has much better specs than Yamaha's ESS Sabre ES9026Pro used in the CX-A5200, and D+M's AK4490 used in their flag ship models.

That is not to say it would make any audible difference, just because of the better specs.

AVM 70 uses AK4490 you need to step up to the AVM 90 to get the AK4499. It uses the same DAC as my AV8802A and since my Marantz does pass through Dolby Vision, I would probably save my pennies and get the AVM 90, or wait until next generation models come out. (I wont pay 6K for a Pre/Pro)

 

[PENG]

AVM 70 uses AK4490 you need to step up to the AVM 90 to get the AK4499. It uses the same DAC as my AV8802A and since my Marantz does pass through Dolby Vision, I would probably save my pennies and get the AVM 90, or wait until next generation models come out. (I wont pay 6K for a Pre/Pro)

View attachment 45060

Thank you for correcting me. I got my info from a dealer website because I did search briefly for info directly from Anthem but couldn't find it at the time for some reason. Will edit my post if possible

As I mentioned before, the boutique (Anthem, to me is not really boutique brand but imo getting close..) brands gear rarely used better spec'ed parts that I might expect, compared to the mass producers such as D+M, Yamaha, Pioneer etc.

That's why I normally would suggest people considering integrated amps to stay away from those with build in DACs. You get much better specs to perf ratio going with real simple old style integrated amps that exclude on board DACs, streaming features etc., and grab a cheap external DAC instead.

I think it is reasonable to offer the AK4499 only on the AVM90, but it's not much to ask for an AK4493 instead of the much older AK4490 in the AVM70, not that it would make an audible difference, but the use of the newer, better spec'ed chip would project an even better image to those who believe more expensive brands would sound better because they have better parts in them, and better design of course.

 

[PENG]

Hello @Cos, fyi I managed to convince Amir to post something on the re-test of the AVM60 (the unit Anthem sent him). It looked a little better but overall still below expectation (for those in the data OCD camp anyway) for an AVP at its price point. I think you should continue to hold on to you 8802A and wait for something better tested, such as the AVM70/90.

 

[Cos]

Hello @Cos, fyi I managed to convince Amir to post something on the re-test of the AVM60 (the unit Anthem sent him). It looked a little better but overall still below expectation (for those in the data OCD camp anyway) for an AVP at its price point. I think you should continue to hold on to you 8802A and wait for something better tested, such as the AVM70/90.

I am not changing my pre/pro anytime soon. Unless I start gaming in my HT room, which I don't plan to, I have no reason to upgrade

 

[EBN]

Hello @Cos, fyi I managed to convince Amir to post something on the re-test of the AVM60 (the unit Anthem sent him). It looked a little better but overall still below expectation (for those in the data OCD camp anyway) for an AVP at its price point. I think you should continue to hold on to you 8802A and wait for something better tested, such as the AVM70/90.

Amir starts to test AVM70 any day now, got confirmation from him.

Is there anything on the data showing AVM60 suffers from audible issues? I doubt. So at the end of day it would come down to ARC Genesis vs. Audussey and we know which most people prefer who has heard both in same room. Also better longevity and ability to use better amplification with processor.

We see people crying about the Arcam AV40 measurements, but then hearing it and noticing it will sound much better than some competitors mainly due to Dirac live. As Amir put it in AV40 review:

Note: usage of Dirac EQ in this product should make it subjective sound excellent, erasing the pain of the above graphs. I hope in the future though we get to have both: great room EQ and fundamental measured performance.

 

[PENG]

Amir starts to test AVM70 any day now, got confirmation from him.

Is there anything on the data showing AVM60 suffers from audible issues? I doubt. So at the end of day it would come down to ARC Genesis vs. Audussey and we know which most people prefer who has heard both in same room. Also better longevity and ability to use better amplification with processor.

We see people crying about the Arcam AV40 measurements, but then hearing it and noticing it will sound much better than some competitors mainly due to Dirac live. As Amir put it in AV40 review:

Note: usage of Dirac EQ in this product should make it subjective sound excellent, erasing the pain of the above graphs. I hope in the future though we get to have both: great room EQ and fundamental measured performance.

Won't be audible to me for sure, ommv.. I won't buy one only because I don't see the need to pay more than I have to, not because of its less than stellar bench test performance. Imo people who believe they must have AARC should not pay much attention to those measurements.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Some old same old. Comes down to reliability, functionality, compatibility, support, warranty, and room correction EQ for people who want it.