Anthem mrx740 or Yamaha A6A recommendation?

[PENG]

Curious if the fan is user replaceable. I didn't even know I had one. I apparently wasn't looking. I did take the top off the unit to air compress clean it due to my cat liking to lay on my AV Gear. I have since put in one shelf lower lol.

It is a 5 minute job once you have the top lid off, as it is just a two wired quick connector and 4 screws. That's for the AvM70, likely the AVM90 as well but not the MRX1140.

People have done the job on the MRX1140 too, such as the one linked below. To my surprise it has two fans, and the larger one show in the link is different than the one in the AVM70. The guy was funny in emphasizing the "Chinese" one was noisy.

New Anthem Receivers MRX 540 / 740 / 1140 | Page 102 | AVForums

I am that anal when it comes to noise in my system. It's part of the reason why I went ATI for my front 3. The Parasond halo had tweeter buzz on my personas. I could only hear it less than 2ft away, but it annoyed me.

You are among the lucky ones who got the quieter (I would say near silent, based on mine) fan, so you can be anal and it won't matter.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You are among the lucky ones who got the quieter fan…

Yeah, I don’t think anyone wants to hear that before buying.

 

[Horze21]

Damn bro, I want to get an AVM 70 off em!
Thats a helluva price for the 740

The Peng actually has an AVM 70, what you'll find with him is balanced opinions not just fan boi comments about what he bought which I find refreshing. Its the same with all av gear lots of peeps have a bit of bias to what they have bought and hence it makes it a bit more difficult to sort the chaff. Hell what would this dumb Kiwi know, I still have no idea on upgrade path, heart wants AVM 70, brain says its not required so go figure.

I'm pretty sure he is happy enough with Anthem.... no doubt he'll chime in for ya.

Peace cuzzy

lol i know.. its staff pricing, ive known the guy for a good 20 years
Hence why im struggling with the decision lol

That is not true, I don't even have a MRX receiver, so it is not possible for me to be happy or not happy with one lol.. So far, I have been trying to help you by sharing the information I have on the MRX AVRs, from my extensive reading on forums, dealer, customer support related sources, plus my understanding of published specs (as an EE) as well as related bench measurements.

If you have read my posts (such as posts#10 and #14) in full, you will have enough information to decide on whether the MRX740 that you are considering are your best option, among the other ones mentioned so far. And I have tried my best to be objective, my comments are all based on specs, measurements (some of my own) and have not commented on the silly subjective remarks such as which AVR has the best sound. Lastly, if you can get the MRX for that price you mentioned, and it is brand new in a sealed box, complete with full original warranty, then it is a good price, so good that we can't even get that in Canada.

Wasnt taking a stab at you buddy believe me i appreciate your unbiased opinion.. thats exactly what i want. many thanks for that

The fan thing is a little worry... and honestly if it did get noisy.. i would change it to the Noctua fans.... dont think my mate would liek that in terms of warranty breach though haha

I measured the cabinet last night.... looks like Yamaha might just fit in JUST in terms of depth..
decisions decisions

Are the new mrx740 Anthems getting shipped out with the 2.1 HDMI that does 120 at 4k? Not that i would need it but its always good to think of future

 

[PENG]

lol i know.. its staff pricing, ive known the guy for a good 20 years
Hence why im struggling with the decision lol


Wasnt taking a stab at you buddy believe me i appreciate your unbiased opinion.. thats exactly what i want. many thanks for that

The fan thing is a little worry... and honestly if it did get noisy.. i would change it to the Noctua fans.... dont think my mate would liek that in terms of warranty breach though haha

I measured the cabinet last night.... looks like Yamaha might just fit in JUST in terms of depth..
decisions decisions

Are the new mrx740 Anthems getting shipped out with the 2.1 HDMI that does 120 at 4k? Not that i would need it but its always good to think of future

I knew you weren't taking a stab, I just wanted to clarify my position for other potential readers who might not bother reading the whole thread that is becoming a little long. That's because I know if taken out of context, one would indeed get the feeling that I am not recommending Anthem's. That would be fine if that's the case, except that I actually would highly recommend Anthem's, if one is aware of the feature set and the potential issues. Ever since I planned on returning from AVR to AVP, my choice had been between the AVM70 and the CX-A5300 (that never came).

Since you are in fact concern about the fan noise thing, I was so disappointed when I first heard that unwelcoming noise, and wish I was aware of that issue prior. Well, I didn't, so it costed me $400, because had I known it wasn't "normal" (that as you can see, Anthem support said so to at least one person), I would have returned the unit within a few days instead of waited almost 3 months!!

Now that you know about it, there isn't much to worry because if you get one like that, you will most likely know within an hour, if not, just wait until it turns on and then you will know for sure. Just make sure your dealer agree to a no question ask return/exchange period. The chance of getting the second one with the same issue should be very slim. So far I have experience with 3 units, and only one has the issue. @Cos said his was fine too, I didn't count that one not that I don't trust him, but I only want to count the three that I have my fingers on.

Worst case, as you said, it is easy to replace the fan, or do what I did for 2-3 months, mount the fan externally, without risk voiding the warranty. My only other slight disappointment was the way ARCG handled the bass, it rally messed it up for me, but that's an easy fix/tweak too. Again, if you need help on that, just let me or other users on AVSF know.

 

[Horze21]

I knew you weren't taking a stab, I just wanted to clarify my position for other potential readers who might not bother reading the whole thread that is becoming a little long. That's because I know if taken out of context, one would indeed get the feeling that I am not recommending Anthem's. That would be fine if that's the case, except that I actually would highly recommend Anthem's, if one is aware of the feature set and the potential issues. Ever since I planned on returning from AVR to AVP, my choice had been between the AVM70 and the CX-A5300 (that never came).

Since you are in fact concern about the fan noise thing, I was so disappointed when I first heard that unwelcoming noise, and wish I was aware of that issue prior. Well, I didn't, so it costed me $400, because had I known it wasn't "normal" (that as you can see, Anthem support said so to at least one person), I would have returned the unit within a few days instead of waited almost 3 months!!

Now that you know about it, there isn't much to worry because if you get one like that, you will most likely know within an hour, if not, just wait until it turns on and then you will know for sure. Just make sure your dealer agree to a no question ask return/exchange period. The chance of getting the second one with the same issue should be very slim. So far I have experience with 3 units, and only one has the issue. @Cos said his was fine too, I didn't count that one not that I don't trust him, but I only want to count the three that I have my fingers on.

Worst case, as you said, it is easy to replace the fan, or do what I did for 2-3 months, mount the fan externally, without risk voiding the warranty. My only other slight disappointment was the way ARCG handled the bass, it rally messed it up for me, but that's an easy fix/tweak too. Again, if you need help on that, just let me or other users on AVSF know.

thanks buddy well i got a price for the A6A.... i can get it for 3290 which and the anthem at 3150.. Decisions decisions. Peng do you know if the hdmi 2.1 has been fixed on both units?

 

[PENG]

thanks buddy well i got a price for the A6A.... i can get it for 3290 which and the anthem at 3150.. Decisions decisions. Peng do you know if the hdmi 2.1 has been fixed on both units?

According to Yamaha, units from late 2021 don't have the issue.

HDMI 2.1 board exchange of select 2020 AV Receivers with Certain Gaming, Video Devices (December 2023) - Yamaha USA

usa.yamaha.com

Anthem's were late adopters so they should be fine. I have not experienced any hdmi issues.

The A6A is more powerful, but in terms of dB, the difference is not great. As we all know, even doubling the ouput only give you 3 dB more. It is a tough choice, but if you are going to use external power amps, the MRX will give you more choices, if that makes your decision a little easier.

 

[Horze21]

According to Yamaha, units from late 2021 don't have the issue.

HDMI 2.1 board exchange of select 2020 AV Receivers with Certain Gaming, Video Devices (December 2023) - Yamaha USA

usa.yamaha.com

Anthem's were late adopters so they should be fine. I have not experienced any hdmi issues.

The A6A is more powerful, but in terms of dB, the difference is not great. As we all know, even doubling the ouput only give you 3 dB more. It is a tough choice, but if you are going to use external power amps, the MRX will give you more choices, if that makes your decision a little easier.

At this point i wont use any external amps.. but if i ever move house theres always a chance i will have a different setup.
With Anthem and hdmi 2.1 .. i thought they were rolling out a PCB board upgrade to tackle that problem. Or maybe that was for the 720's?

 

[PENG]

At this point i wont use any external amps.. but if i ever move house theres always a chance i will have a different setup.
With Anthem and hdmi 2.1 .. i thought they were rolling out a PCB board upgrade to tackle that problem. Or maybe that was for the 720's?

I don't think the 720 is upgradable. The earlier 740,1140 may be the upgradable ones but those would have been sold as 4K. If you are getting the 740 8K models then they are already hdmi2.1, no need for the upgrade kit. The upgradable 4k models have been discontinued, so you can only buy those from the used market.

Audioholics has reviewed the MRX and have all the specs/features details:

Anthem MRX 740 & 1140 AV Receivers Comparison Bench Test Results!

In this bench test report of the Anthem MRX 740 & 1140 AV receivers, preamp & amplifier performance is evaluated and compared. We cover Bass management and amplifier matrixing performance recommendations.

www.audioholics.com

Again, D+M and Yamaha launched theirs with hdmi2.1 8K, but Anthem waited so their 8K models avoided the issues.

 

[Horze21]

I don't think the 720 is upgradable. The earlier 740,1140 may be the upgradable ones but those would have been sold as 4K. If you are getting the 740 8K models then they are already hdmi2.1, no need for the upgrade kit. The upgradable 4k models have been discontinued, so you can only buy those from the used market.

Audioholics has reviewed the MRX and have all the specs/features details:

Anthem MRX 740 & 1140 AV Receivers Comparison Bench Test Results!

In this bench test report of the Anthem MRX 740 & 1140 AV receivers, preamp & amplifier performance is evaluated and compared. We cover Bass management and amplifier matrixing performance recommendations.

www.audioholics.com

Again, D+M and Yamaha launched theirs with hdmi2.1 8K, but Anthem waited so their 8K models avoided the issues.

ahh i see!. thankyou, im gonna try and make a decision this weekend. im struggling haha

 

[ijhammo]

Hi all - new to this forum, found this thread while debating the same choice as the OP - Yamaha RX-A6A vs Anthem MRX740 8k

@Horze21 which direction did you go in the end?

@PENG Am I right in understanding that while the MRX740 has 2 sub outputs, they are not independently controlled and therefore would have a shared EQ? I have a weird shaped room where individual control/eq of each sub channel is going to be crucial

 

[little wing]

I am also looking at the A6A or the Anthem 740 as my next upgrade. One area I'm not about is, what do you need to do to stream music with the Anthem? I hear it has no built in streaming, is that correct? My Yamaha 3060 streams Pandora, Sirius XM, Spotify, and music from my network with ease using the ethernet connection on the back of the receiver. I understand that with the Anthem it's not that easy. You need Roon, or something like that?

 

[ijhammo]

I am also looking at the A6A or the Anthem 740 as my next upgrade. One area I'm not about is, what do you need to do to stream music with the Anthem? I hear it has no built in streaming, is that correct? My Yamaha 3060 streams Pandora, Sirius XM, Spotify, and music from my network with ease using the ethernet connection on the back of the receiver. I understand that with the Anthem it's not that easy. You need Roon, or something like that?

I believe its either Roon or Spotify onboard. for anything else you will need an external device. For sure, the lack of streaming services is a weakness on the Anthems

 

[PENG]

Hi all - new to this forum, found this thread while debating the same choice as the OP - Yamaha RX-A6A vs Anthem MRX740 8k

@Horze21 which direction did you go in the end?

@PENG Am I right in understanding that while the MRX740 has 2 sub outputs, they are not independently controlled and therefore would have a shared EQ? I have a weird shaped room where individual control/eq of each sub channel is going to be crucial

That is correct. In your case, two independent subouts would likely be better for your setup. Or, replace the two sub with a bigger and better one. By the way, the best bass management and room correction are probably found in Denon and Marantz's, such as the AVR-X3800H, X4800H, Cinema 50, 40. D+M units typically are bug free, at least in terms of serious/potential harmful bugs, Yamaha's too, but not sure about others including Anthem's, though by now the MRX740/1140 should be almost 100% bug free as well as it has been out for at least two years now.

 

[Horze21]

Hey guys, i didnt actually end up upgrading
I managed to get my HTPC having 2 hdmis, 1 to the New 4k TV, and one to the AMP. And set audio to go through the amp while the visual straight to the TV. If i couldnt do this.. i would of upgraded.

The only thing im really lacking is Atmos... so i thought new amp just for Atmos wasnt worth it ATM
I will end up doing it but rather spend the money on other things atm.

Both are great amps and very close, so i would get the Amp that suits your needs more.
For me i have a htpc so streaming is not a concern. I also only have 1 sub so again, not a concern for the anthem

The only thing that was getting me unsure of which to pick (from memory) was the Anthem is more powerful when running multi channel at once, while Yamaha had the restrictors/protectors.
For 2 channel i think Yamaha was stronger.
For qualitywise i think they both on PAR.
Please note though... i am nowhere near as knowledgeable as others on this forum, so please take my advice with a grain of salt

 

[henry8653j]

That's a great question, and it promted my curiosity to Google it. Just from a few minutes Googling, I found that Anthem's price in Australia is much higher, take a look:

MRX740........ AUD 5695
MRX740........ USD 3999
Cinema 40.... AUD 5000 (wow!!)
AVR-X4800H..AUD 3999
Yamaha A8A..AUD 5999 (on sale for AUD 5490 now)

All of the above are from Selby.com.au, seems that they sell all brands, so probably something like Crutchfield in North America.

It looks like the Yamaha A8A is the best value based on Selby's prices.

For comparison, in the USA:
MRX740.......... USD 3099
Cinema 40...... USD 3500
AVR-X4800H.. USD 2499
Yamaha A8A.. USD 3549.95 (currently on sale, Crutchfield price: $2999.95)

Exch rate AUD to USD is about 0.65

Based on the above Googled info, if I were in Australia, I would 100% tried to find a best deal on the Yamaha RX-A8A, totally no brainer. The second best deal would be the Denon AVR-X4800H, as even after paying for all available Dirac Live license, including DLBC, the total price should be under AUD 4999.

With DLBC in use, the AVR-X4800H will likely sound audibly better than any Anthem or Yamaha AVRs under most conditions, especially for people who use 2 or more subwoofers. In pure direct mode, I am 100% sure no one can tell a difference, in double blind listening comparison tests. Anyone who claim hearing differences, especially the claims of night and day, warm versus cold, pucnhy vs forward vs layback, wide vs narrow sound stage, etc., are just claims based on sighted tests when people relied on their eyes and brains, and none has ever provided any evidence for pest control professionals other than "I heard it, the difference is obvious (some would say subtle), it's so obvious that there is no need to do it blind, even my young daugter could hear it, my dogs heard it etc..

Great