Anthem MRX-700 or Yamaha RX-A3010

[ACsGreens]

Gents,

I am starting a new room which will ultimately become a new theater/entertainment room (already has a wet bar) and am trying to decide on which receiver to use. I am going to initially be powering a pair of Studio 60's and use an Paradigm DSP-3200 to accompany. I do like having the Torroidal transformer in the Anthem, and the ARC is a huge plus. Just going round and round and wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts. Any appreciated.

Thanks,

AC

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Gents,

I am starting a new room which will ultimately become a new theater/entertainment room (already has a wet bar) and am trying to decide on which receiver to use. I am going to initially be powering a pair of Studio 60's and use an Paradigm DSP-3200 to accompany. I do like having the Torroidal transformer in the Anthem, and the ARC is a huge plus. Just going round and round and wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts. Any appreciated.

Thanks,

AC

If I were you - I'd get Yamaha RX-A2000 for 1k (I seen on sale down to $700) and get a better sub - like Rythmic FV15HP

 

[ACsGreens]

Well....

I appreciate the response, do need to point out that while I am not on a "no cost" budget, i am not necessarily worried about spending less on one and getting a better another. I think I may change my mind on the sub, and even starting to think about using Studio 100's, which for now, until the theater is complete, really do not require a sub for music and t.v. Thoughts on either amp?

 

[PENG]

I would think even the 2010 is a better one. I tend to believe (blind faith perhaps) Audyssey beats them all. I don't know much about YPAO but have no idea why the ARC would be a big plus, are you sure about that, or you just go by what you heard from someone? If power is a concern, a more sure fire way to address that is to add an external amp. The difference in real power output between mid range AVRs are not significant.

 

[PENG]

If you like the Yamaha brand, I would think even the 2010 is a better deal. I tend to believe (blind faith perhaps) Audyssey beats them all. I don't know much about YPAO but have no idea why the ARC would be a big plus, are you sure about that, or you just go by what you heard from someone? If power is a concern, a more sure fire way to address that is to add an external amp. The difference in real power output between mid range AVRs are not significant.

 

[ACsGreens]

Peng..

So I guess I am basing my favoring the Anthem due to the torroidal transformer. I have done a/b with a 2010 and another with an Anthem PVA7, which is 125/ch. The sound difference was staggering. The Yamaha just does not have the engine that the Yammy does, IMO. I do think though that there may be something to using even a 710 or 810 and adding a PVA7 to it. I know your referring to them as mid level receivers but isn't the power in the Anthem equal to adding an outboard amp? Enjoying the convo!

 

[ACsGreens]

So next question then...

Yamaha 2010 or 3010? Is the extra power rating (supposed, though i think the wpc drops to like 65 at 5 channels) worth the extra bucks?

 

[PENG]

So I guess I am basing my favoring the Anthem due to the torroidal transformer. I have done a/b with a 2010 and another with an Anthem PVA7, which is 125/ch. The sound difference was staggering. The Yamaha just does not have the engine that the Yammy does, IMO. I do think though that there may be something to using even a 710 or 810 and adding a PVA7 to it. I know your referring to them as mid level receivers but isn't the power in the Anthem equal to adding an outboard amp? Enjoying the convo!

The 2010 and mrx700 will give you comparable output into 8 or 4 ohms but the 2010 will likely trip on it's protective circuit sooner on a all channel driven test. It does not mean its power supply is weaker. It could just be due to a more aggressive protective system but it could also mean the mrx has a stronger power supply. No the mrx is just a mid range avr and it's power output is probably in line with the Marantz SR7005 and Denon AVR3312 but below that of the AVR4311 and Onkyo models in the same price range. For the Studio 100, you may do better by adding a mca20,30 or 50 if you like Anthem amps.

 

[ACsGreens]

Peng

Are many folks on here fans of Anthem amps?

 

[canelli]

When I was amp shopping, I spent a lot of time listening to Anthem gear at a local show room. They were close to the house and really good guys to talk with about gear.

My first impression was very favorable to the top of the line D2V Anthem processor and one of the P series amps. Over a few listening sessions with different types of music, the combo really lost it's shine. I am not sure what the issue was but I noticed a tendency of feeling like the singer was yelling at me and the sound seemed very dry, but it was detailed and clear.

From what I have seen, Anthem processors give the user more control over room setup / calibration such as response curves. Maybe the dealer just had different tastes on setup, but I found the setup almost fatiguing over time.

I went with Parasound and their Halo amplifier line.


I suggest if you have any questions to contact the manufacturer directly. I good dealings with both Parasound and Anthem.

 

[PENG]

Following are from Anthem's FAQ:

General FAQs - Do the amps have a warm sound or a bright sound? - Welcome to the New Official Anthem® Audio Video Website.

"Sound reproduction equipment doesn't know the difference between a music signal and a movie signal, or for that matter the musical score within a movie soundtrack. Accurate for one means accurate for the other.

None of our components are designed with a "sonic flavor" other than playing exactly what's in a recording. Unfortunately with pop CD mastering, pushing levels way into overload regardless of how much distortion this adds is all too common. Recordings of acoustic instruments with minimal or no processing during mastering sound more natural, therefore they are a much better test of how natural-sounding the playback equipment is."

Audiophiles can continue to believe what they prefer to believe. I prefer amps that just amplify the signal faithfully. I don't want to rely on the designers/engineers to tailor the sound characteristic to suit different taste (but how do they do other's taste?) or to synergize with other audio components (no idea how they could do that either, to what/which/how...).

Anyway, I am not a fan of any manufacturers but I do like my Anthem amp. It sounds the same as my other amps/avrs, i.e. neutral sounding to me.

 

[timoteo]

I cannot comment on the Anthem. I can however say that i couldnt be happier with my RX-A2000. The YPAO sounds great! Ive had receivers with Audyssey, MCACC & EzEQ. The YPAO in the upper Aventage models (2000/2010/3000/3010) has a great Parametric EQ that is adjustable. You can EQ all speakers individually AND each of the 2 subs individually, excellent for fine tuning. These new Yamaha's are really a top notch avr. I dont recommend products just because i own them, but when im very happy with my personal experiences, i share those thoughts. Highly recommended from me!

For power just add some Emotiva amps like i did!!

 

[canelli]

PENG,

Which series of Anthem amps did you get? I didn't let the listening problems discourage my interest in Anthem. (I just wanted to highlight my listening experience over time.)

I did go on to visit with Anthem about the differences between the A and P series. The sales man emphasized that they are very different.

Price was a major factor for my decision. I was able to get a better deal else where. From my first and only experience, buying the amp felt almost like buying a car. With some patients and work, I found a much better deal.

 

[PENG]

PENG,

Which series of Anthem amps did you get? I didn't let the listening problems discourage my interest in Anthem. (I just wanted to highlight my listening experience over time.)

I did go on to visit with Anthem about the differences between the A and P series. The sales man emphasized that they are very different.

Price was a major factor for my decision. I was able to get a better deal else where. From my first and only experience, buying the amp felt almost like buying a car. With some patients and work, I found a much better deal.

I listened to almost all of them except for the lower end PVA series and ended up going with the affordable MCA20. The P series on the Anthem Statement side obviously have superior specs but I honestly felt they didn't sound different to me so I decided not to pay so much more for another boat anchor. I would have been happy with the Parasound Classic but they don't have balanced outputs and I don't want to spend extra on the Halo series, knowing for sure I would not be able to hear the theoretical difference. If you can, or at least think you can hear a difference (better of course) then it is worth the extra cash and weight, for you.

 

[rnatalli]

I woud have to go with Anthem for ARC as it really is something else.

 

[PENG]

I woud have to go with Anthem for ARC as it really is something else.

I have not tried Anthem's but am happy with Audyssey. It is difficult to compare the two so I guess most people just pick one in blind faith. ARC may have it's root from the Dr. Toole/NRC days but I do feel more comfortable with Audyssey at the moment due to the fact that their research is more current and potentially benefit more from the U of SA going forward.

 

[3db]

I have not tried Anthem's but am happy with Audyssey. It is difficult to compare the two so I guess most people just pick one in blind faith. ARC may have it's root from the Dr. Toole/NRC days but I do feel more comfortable with Audyssey at the moment due to the fact that their research is more current and potentially benefit more from the U of SA going forward.

Hey PENG Dr Toole/NRC and their research is the foundation of all things audio and I'm sure there are other researchers that are continuing on with his work. ..I'm confused....about the "potentially benefit more from the U of SA going forward" remark.

 

[PENG]

Hey PENG Dr Toole/NRC and their research is the foundation of all things audio and I'm sure there are other researchers that are continuing on with his work. ..I'm confused....about the "potentially benefit more from the U of SA going forward" remark.

Sorry I confused you. Dr. Toole received his Ph.D from I.C. in the 60's and retired in 2007 so I am not sure how much he influenced the R&D of Anthem's RC software that I assume relies heavily on modern computer technologies in addition to the physics, math and EE theories that invariably form the basis for the development of such software. Audyssey on the other hand has it's R&D root in the University of Southern California and their founders were (at least one of them still is) professors there. As far as I know they are both still active in the audio field. Again, ARC may be better but I prefer to go with something I can know more about and get excellent technical support. If you write to Prof. Chris Kyriakakis you get a response typically within 48 hours. I am not sure if he delegates it to others to response but still you get an answer for every question you ask about Audyssey.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Can't go wrong with Anthem IMO.

Same with ATI, Parasound, Sunfire, etc.

ATI has also been known to make amps for 1/2 dozen other companies like Lexicon, JBL, Mark Levinson, Earthquake, Cinepro, Outlaw - all ATI amps are made in USA.

Emotiva is highly regarded budget amps.

But you can't go wrong with Anthem IMO.

However, if I were getting both AVR + amp, and I want Anthem amp only, then I would also get Anthem AVR for aesthetic reason.

 

[ACsGreens]

Bench test on Yamaha

I ran into some bench tests for the Yamaha 2010 and was really surprised at the substantial drop in wattage at 5-7 channels. At 5 ch it dropped to 60 watts....I was thinking somewhere in the 90 range was acceptable but wow that is pretty bad. This is really making me rethink my strategy here and look again at the Anthem, or even going the external amp route. That's pretty shitty if you ask me.