[Crustyloafer]

Originally Posted by Buckster

anyone found a MRX300 sub 1k ?

Unlikely, it is a well protected brand available at only a small number of dealers and for good reason.

You might get that sort of price from a dealer you have been loyal to for a while or if you are buying several other items at the same time.

There seems to have become a bit of a culture for just expecting a discount on something just for buying it. Discount should be regarded as something that a dealer offers as a reward for loyalty and past purchases not the other way around by offering it in an attempt to gain loyalty.

There are other factors involved too, such as with a product like the Anthem receivers, the dealer is likely to have to provide a fair amount of technical expertise and after sales service, none of which is free for the dealer to provide. It's not that the Anthems are unreliable in any way, it just that in order to get the best out of them is a fair bit more involved than any other receiver. Anyone purchasing these amps are going to expect their dealer to provide all the technical support they require for no extra cost, this of course in reality has to be factored into the price and margin the dealer makes on the product.

Stepping down off my soapbox, I would suggest contacting your local Anthem dealer and create a rapport with them as that will be of much more value to you in the long run.

Cheers,

Chris.

[TopMeTom]

Chris, there will be a message from me at work for you tomorrow.

[Crustyloafer]

Originally Posted by TopMeTom

Chris, there will be a message from me at work for you tomorrow.

Thanks for letting me know. I have been on holiday for the last week and a half and will have a bazillion emails to catch up on so I may not get back to you straight away.

[Andris L]

Originally Posted by Crustyloafer

There seems to have become a bit of a culture for just expecting a discount on something just for buying it. Discount should be regarded as something that a dealer offers as a reward for loyalty and past purchases not the other way around by offering it in an attempt to gain loyalty.

Well said Chris and I couldn't agree more!

[Rock Danger]

Originally Posted by Buckster

if you are not using any of the power amp side of things and only using it as a pre-amp you'll only be using a tiny proportion of the available power

That has absolutely no relevance whatsoever. It's simply down to how it's built /designed and how it handles current. You can be damn sure that the psu used in the Anthem processor is absolutely top notch, yet it's not driving any speakers - do you think they shoved something like the MRX 700's psu into it?

Originally Posted by Buckster

actual re size of psu - can prove one way or another - several review sites have measured the pre-amp stages, compare the results for the MRX300 and 700 say SNR, etc etc

Links? Any actual credible independent sources saying this in black and white?

[Buckster]

Originally Posted by Rock Danger

That has absolutely no relevance whatsoever. It's simply down to how it's built /designed and how it handles current. You can be damn sure that the psu used in the Anthem processor is absolutely top notch, yet it's not driving any speakers - do you think they shoved something like the MRX 700's psu into it?



Links? Any actual credible independent sources saying this in black and white?

I don't think the pre-amp/processing stage of the Anthem will be pulling much current - ask them on avsforum if there is any difference as a pre-amp, 300 vs 500 - other than features.

actually I found on hometheater review measurements for 300 and 700 - and to be fair the 700 pre-amp figures were slightly better but not a lot in it

[TopMeTom]

Over there they say no difference at all if using as pre amp as thats what i've always done. Had a p7 before

[Andris L]

Originally Posted by TopMeTom

Andirs in the menu on the anthem(the ones on tv) youll find your levels for the speakers arc set? What are they?

Are you talking about setting in Bass Management or Level Calibration menu?

[Rock Danger]

Originally Posted by Buckster

I don't think the pre-amp/processing stage of the Anthem will be pulling much current - ask them on avsforum if there is any difference as a pre-amp, 300 vs 500 - other than features.

actually I found on hometheater review measurements for 300 and 700 - and to be fair the 700 pre-amp figures were slightly better but not a lot in it

Why would I need to ask them that on AVS forums? If I wanted to compare graphs or settings then I'd use them for that.

Don't you think.. oh I dunno, the opinions of the people who sell, work and install them on a frequent basis and who have a close working relationship with the people who actually make the things isn't good enough just because some guy on the internet said different??

Besides, it's me buying it not you. I'll take the word of my dealer/s on it if it's all the same.

[Buckster]

lol - someones got a bee in their bonnet ! I suggested asking on avsforum as Anthem themselves post replies to questions such as the one I am posing to whether there is any difference as a pure pre-amp MRX300 vs 500.

and I'm in the market for a new receiver too -as it happens ! I never take what dealers tell me as black and white - whether its me being sold a car or an av receiver.

[TopMeTom]

Originally Posted by Andris L

Are you talking about setting in Bass Management or Level Calibration menu?

Hang on ! Ill check!


Edit level calibration?

[Rock Danger]

Originally Posted by Buckster

lol - someones got a bee in their bonnet ! I suggested asking on avsforum as Anthem themselves post replies to questions such as the one I am posing to whether there is any difference as a pure pre-amp MRX300 vs 500.

and I'm in the market for a new receiver too -as it happens ! I never take what dealers tell me as black and white - whether its me being sold a car or an av receiver.

I don't have a bee in my bonnet, I just don't know what you expect me to do? If I wanted advice on what to purchase I'd be asking or I'd pick up the phone and call Anthem themselves if I couldn't get a satisfactory answer and so far that hasn't been the case.

If you have trust issues with dealers then surely that's your concern, right? I don't and with good reason too, which frankly isn't your business when all is said and done.

If you're in the market for a new receiver then ask the users instead of worrying what I decide to buy.

[Buckster]

buy the MRX500 then - let us know how it sounds though ?

anyone know any dealers in the S-East that will do a home demo of an Anthem ? Since a key selling point is Arc - anything other than having a home demo would be like driving a demonstrator car around a carpark - its just non representative.

I think my "nearest" dealer is Kent HC ?

[Andris L]

Originally Posted by TopMeTom

Hang on ! Ill check!


Edit level calibration?

There you go!

I still need to go over the manual with fine-tooth comb to understand all settings.


Also, this probably is for Chris to answer, when I was running ARC it didn't make any adjustments to speaker distance and all values was left at defaults so I ended changing speaker distance manually prior re-running the ARC. When running ARC does speaker distance really matters or does ARC just adjusts everything without actually changing the values?

[Buckster]

oooh the Anthems have Dolby Volume ? didn't realise that - thats a huge huge positive - when I had my Arcam AVR500 (which I had to return) - DV was a feature that wow'd me most - in fact far more than the lossless codecs

because I could listen to films and be immersed but at low-mid volumes

[TopMeTom]

Originally Posted by Andris L

There you go!

I still need to go over the manual with fine-tooth comb to understand all settings.

Also, this probably is for Chris to answer, when I was running ARC it didn't make any adjustments to speaker distance and all values was left at defaults so I ended changing speaker distance manually prior re-running the ARC. When running ARC does speaker distance really matters or does ARC just adjusts everything without actually changing the values?

It doesn't you just enter the distances yourself either before or after apparently does not matter.

Your sub is within the -3 +3 threshold that the guys at avs love!

[TopMeTom]

Originally Posted by Buckster

buy the MRX500 then - let us know how it sounds though ?

anyone know any dealers in the S-East that will do a home demo of an Anthem ? Since a key selling point is Arc - anything other than having a home demo would be like driving a demonstrator car around a carpark - its just non representative.

I think my "nearest" dealer is Kent HC ?

Where are you?

[Buckster]

Chelmsford area

[Crustyloafer]

Originally Posted by Buckster

Chelmsford area

Here is a list of your nearest dealers

http://www.anthemavs.co.uk/dealers?n...aler_category=

[RICKYJ]

Originally Posted by Crustyloafer

Here is a list of your nearest dealers

http://www.anthemavs.co.uk/dealers?n...aler_category=

There may be others that are not on the list yet too

[Andris L]

Originally Posted by Buckster

oooh the Anthems have Dolby Volume ? didn't realise that - thats a huge huge positive - when I had my Arcam AVR500 (which I had to return) - DV was a feature that wow'd me most - in fact far more than the lossless codecs

because I could listen to films and be immersed but at low-mid volumes

Off to read the manual!

[Andris L]

And a few more pics over there: Honey, what happened to the Dining Room?.

[Canti1982]

I am hoping to have sold my Arcam AVR600 very soon, I was thinking about giving up on AV receivers altogether but this one has sparked my interest.

The Anthem MRX700 sounds like it could pretty much replace my 600 and do pretty much everything I need. I would have to lose the multichannel from my Oppo 95 but I don't mind that provided the HDMI audio works as it should.

Before I seriously think about getting this I was wondering if anyone had found any issues with it yet? The 600 has made me susperious

I am assuming that there are not hdmi related quirks, such as popping on format change or random lockups?

Also with the Arcam if I left it in standby and the unplugger everything on plugging it back in the 600 would turn itself on rather than go into standby. I'm assuming the Anthem does not do this?

I also assume the Anthem plays nice with 24hz (23.976)?

There appears to only be one dealer here in Holland and lacking a car getting a demo could be very tricky so I want to make sure that it will do what I need before buying.

[Rock Danger]

Popping, locking up, green screen, purple screen, no audio, no video etc etc are all HDMI faults that can appear on any HDMI equipment combo. Popping does not seem to be an issue other than freak cases of it. I've heard 2 TV sets do it now.

Yes it does 23.976hz in through mode and ironically uses the same scaler chips as the AVR600. The standby thing I dunno.

[TopMeTom]

I turn mine off and on via remote, no problems on standby front?

[Buckster]

interesting if it uses the same scaler chips that with the latest firmware (apparently) the Anthem will output 1080p24 passthrough only

yet the Arcam won't ? without a hardware upgrade

[Rock Danger]

The same chips are used in a lot of different electrical devices all with varying degrees of functionality, just depends on the design and coding.

[Canti1982]

Originally Posted by Rock Danger

Popping, locking up, green screen, purple screen, no audio, no video etc etc are all HDMI faults that can appear on any HDMI equipment combo. Popping does not seem to be an issue other than freak cases of it. I've heard 2 TV sets do it now.

Yes it does 23.976hz in through mode and ironically uses the same scaler chips as the AVR600. The standby thing I dunno.

Have you had a chance to compare it with your AVR600? I know will always have a few weird glitches but if it is more reliable than the Arcam then I would certainly be interested.

As long as I can play a blu-ray or a movie from my htpc without too many weird glitches I will be happy. I just don't want to potentially buy something that is as inconsistent as the 600.

[Rock Danger]

Originally Posted by Canti1982

Have you had a chance to compare it with your AVR600? I know will always have a few weird glitches but if it is more reliable than the Arcam then I would certainly be interested.

As long as I can play a blu-ray or a movie from my htpc without too many weird glitches I will be happy. I just don't want to potentially buy something that is as inconsistent as the 600.

Not in the flesh no, but I intend to drop a power amp on the end of my MRX, most likely a p777, so it wouldn't be a fair comparison. If I had to guess on sound performance the Arcam would be better, but on the DSP processing side and room correction the Anthem would be the clear winner. You're starting to get into a 'preference' of sound at this price point really.

The thing with HTPC is that there are many variables, but my Arcam went from a total pain in the ass to almost perfect with it via FW updates, the only thing changed was the sub, so you'd think it was the power amp in the sub right? - no.

I have the same speakers running on almost the exact same pc on a £400 yamaha and it hasn't even blinked or done anything mad at all, it really makes you wonder what the hell is going on.

I'm pretty sure there isn't a 7 second mute of audio when pausing a DTSMA track on blu ray, maybe one of the owners could comment on return to audio times for say pausing SkyHD, HTPC .mkv and Blu Ray DTSMA?

[rjrodders]

I'm pretty sure there isn't a 7 second mute of audio when pausing a DTSMA track on blu ray, maybe one of the owners could comment on return to audio times for say pausing SkyHD, HTPC .mkv and Blu Ray DTSMA?




No delay here - had mine for nearly a year now and its been rock solid. The only quirk is I may have to press a input button twice to connect - example going from fm tuner to sky on first press it shows no signal - then i press BD then sky and it connects. That honestly is the only quirk I have encountered