Sound - all receivers don't have the same "sound".
You're right - because their room correction systems have different target curves, etc. But exclude room correction or other processing (e.g. loudness compensation or dynamic compression software like Dolby Volume or Audyssey DynamicEQ/Dynamic Volume), and you're making an extraordinary claim that requires
proof, in the form of positive identification of differences in controlled listening tests rather than just handwaving assertions.
Do you think a receiver with A/B amplification sounds the same as one with D amplification?
They should, yes. Sometimes they won't, because of simplistic output filter design combined with speakers designed without regard to their impedance curve.
Or consumes the same amount of energy? Or has the same efficiency? Well look at that, I just came up with some more variables you haven't considered. They may not be important to you, but could be at the top of the list for somebody else.
Energy efficiency (one thing you made into one two unjustifiably) would fall under my "features" rubric.
Given that I started my sentence with "to my mind," what's your bloody point, except to be needlessly argumentative.
You write this like it is an undisputed fact. Can you point me to the article where every audio engineering expert in the world agrees with you?
Who cares?
I know what the transfer curves of each system are. Bottom line is that ARC is high fidelity. Audyssey (except pro) is not, because they impose a notch at ~2kHz to compensate for the fact that most people have crappily-designed speakers that have big directivity changes in the midrange. For people with properly designed speakers, Audyssey is an inferior solution.
Do you think the Audyssey engineers sit around thinking to themselves, "Gee, if we could only figure out how Anthem has managed to master the science of room correction"?
I think they're very short-sighted in not making the crappy speakers compensation notch "feature" non-defeatable without buying their Pro license and calibration kit. With good speakers (perhaps you've yet to hear a pair) it's audibly deleterious.
What if I have a 9.2 system? The Anthems top out at 7 amp channels. What if I need more than 4 HDMI inputs? What if I need XYZ? Don't aesthetics count? I (and I'm sure I'm not alone) think the Anthems are ugly, and would not buy one for that fact alone.
Then buy some other damn box. Seriously!
Though your ".2" is just nonsense. No room correction system properly handles multisubs, except for arguably the Harman BassQ separate box and to some extent their 2k USD integrated amp. The rest are all just hacks in how they treat multisubs. (Yes, that includes Audyssey XT32.) Current best practices for the modal region and below is sum the bass to mono (as high as you can go without localization issues, say 120-150Hz) and use multiple subwoofers calibrated sequentially for smoothest response.
See my blog later today or possibly tomorrow for two recent articles on bass in small rooms by Dr. Earl Geddes, a gentleman who literally wrote his dissertation on the problem of bass reproduction in a small room, which he as graciously allowed me to reprint.
