Let’s start with something different this time. Instead of going straight to the features and what I liked about it…let us face it head-on what I disliked about this AVR. Let’s get rid of the elephant in the room for a change and I will also take this opportunity to address or rather debunk some of the rumors and some of the burning questions in everyone’s mind pertaining to the new Anthem MRX series. I will do this in a question-and-answer format.
TOP 10 QUESTIONS
#Q1: How come there is so little buzz or review on the new Anthem MRX series?
There is a worldwide shortage in chipsets and this not only affects the PC and other electronic gadgets like Apple products and electric car makers like Tesla, but it also affects home audio-visual makers like D&M, Yamaha, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Anthem is no exception. I have read that Anthem has had just managed to clear their backlog orders in Mar this year. The backlogs were as far back as Nov last year. Hence my MRX 1140 unit is considered a “new” order. The fact that Anthem is rushing to fulfill the backlogs, there isn’t any demo sets lying around in the warehouses to be sent to reviewers for review. You should be seeing more reviews coming soon. Case in point, AVForum (UK) just released their review: https://www.avforums.com/reviews/anthem-mrx-740-av-receiver-review.18921
#Q2: I heard a lot of negative buzz surrounding the new MRX and AVM series, ranging from “noisy fans” to buggy software. Is this true?
In short, yes, all are true. For the “noisy fans”, only a handful of users are experiencing it and it only happened after a firmware upgrade. For me, I did not experience it myself even though I am on the latest firmware. Anthem technical team reason for the fan going at full blast is to dissipate heat and prolong the lifespan of the AVR but many didn’t buy the reasons as the AVR itself did not run very hot and I can attest to that, it is barely warm to the touch during normal operations UNLESS you are performing many rounds of Anthem ARC calibration which utilize a lot of on-board CPU resources which will ultimately put stress on the AVR. For the Anthem ARC Genesis calibration software, it is STILL at a beta stage, meaning Anthem hasn’t rolled it out as an official (bug-free) software to say the least. However, it DOES NOT mean it is unusable. At the time of this writing, the latest beta version (1.5.4) has had resolved most of the bugs - e.g. unusually high trim level (gains) on every channel. Some users have argued that it was the “new” silver calibration mic that was the cause of these inaccurate readings. I believe this could be the case since some users have resort to the old mic from the previous generation and the trim levels are “normalized” but we have yet to receive a confirmation on this “mic bug” from Anthem. In summary, the latest beta version has resolved all the major calibration bug woes and I am expecting an official release of a more stable ARC Genesis calibration software coming soon.
#Q3: I read that there is still no Roon and Spotify Connect?
According to Anthem, they are still in the midst of finalizing the licensing details with Roon and we should expect it to be ready soon. For Spotify Connect, I have no idea what’s holding Anthem back.
#Q4: What are some of the cons of the new MRX series?
Actually, I only have one complaint and it is not something new. I have been clamoring for the addition of a phase adjustment feature for Anthem MRX AVR since the last generation. To my dismay, the new Anthem MRX 1140 still omit this critical feature which ONLY existed in their STR integrated Amplifier series. The importance of getting a proper time alignment between the main speakers and the subwoofers could not be over-emphasized here. Just like the previous generation, one will need to input the distance (or delay in acoustic terms) for the subwoofers. As a rule of thumb, the distance will need to be key into the setting by the user and unlike speakers where physical distance is all it takes but for subwoofers, we need to know the “acoustical distance” so as to get the subwoofers to be “in-phase” with the mains at the correct crossover settings. It is NOT that Anthem does not have such a feature, it has in the menu the Phase Frequency built-in but it is not enabled. The STR integrated amplifier comes with an auto phase control feature and here’s hoping that it can be implemented via firmware. Fingers-crossed. Long story short, users will need to use third-party apps like Room EQ Wizard (REW) + UMik 1 to get a good reading of the distance (or delay in ms) to be applied to the setting for your subwoofers if you want optimum integration between your mains and subwoofers. But even without providing a more accurate distance, ARC Genesis is already very capable of correcting the domain frequency range and resolve those peaks and valleys to give you a smoother frequency response.
#Q5: You say it can rival some of the “big powerhouse” like Lyngdorf’s RoomPerfect EQ? Are you being hyperbolic with your claims here?
Let me clarify before I am swarmed with attacks. I am talking in terms of the “value-to-performance” ratio here. Trinnov and Lyngdorf’s AV processors are some of the best in the AV community and the results speak for themselves in numerous reviews and that is a fact that I cannot deny. However, it also cost a bomb as well…My argument here is that Anthem ARC can “rival” some of the powerhouses when it comes to its features like the ability to dedicate various profiles for a more personalized listening experience. A new Anthem MRX costs nearly half the retail price of a Lyngdorf AV processor but can still hold its own if you have a good setup - i.e. proper placement of your speakers and subwoofers, MLP, and room treatment. Remember EQ can only do so much to help elevate your listening experience regardless of the amount you spent on your AV gears. Anthem MRX series is able to deliver an equally good and engaging home theater listening experience but at a more reasonable price.
#Q6: How much is the cost of upgrading to HDMI 2.1?
According to some forums, it is about a US$500 upgrade as it needs to change the entire HDMI board. Unless you are a hardcore gamer and crazy about 8K, I do not see the need to rush and upgrade to HDMI 2.1 any time soon. Based on Anthem’s product lifecycle, this new MRX AVR will last about 4 - 5 yrs. It is good to know that there is an option to upgrade the HDMI board in due course if there is a need.
#Q7: Between Audyssey XT32 and Anthem ARC, which one is better?
Sound is subjective, what sounds good to me may be mediocre to you. Apart from the omission of the auto phase adjustment feature which I have mentioned earlier, Anthem ARC is indeed more superior to Audyssey XT32 in every way, from implementation to features and of course, the sound quality at the end of the day. Anthem ARC is far superior when it comes to correcting each individual speaker frequency and able to determine each crossover point with more precision (IMO) compared to Audyssey’s stock crossover settings. Anthem’s execution is pretty much like Dirac but it makes implementation much more user-friendly and makes you want to “tweak” more since the user interface is very user-friendly to use and changes can be easily uploaded to the AVR in a matter of seconds.
#Q8: Is Anthem MRX or AVM series any good for hi-fi listening?
In fact, Anthem’s strength is in the reproduction of music. Hi-fi lovers will love it!
#9: Speaking of music, what is the DAC used in the MRX and AVM series?
Based on Anthem’s whitepapers, it is using the same AKM chipset AK4458VN found in the discontinued Oppo BDP-203/205 4K UHD universal players. And yes, it is an older chipset but this chipset has been touted as one of the musically sounding ones despite it is almost 6 yrs!
#10: Where can I get my hands on the new Anthem MRX or AVM series in Singapore?
The Experts Group is officially appointed as the main distributor here in Singapore. Stock is scarce and in limited quantity due to the global shortage in chipsets (as mentioned earlier), you may want to check with them or get in touch with Arvind from 1877 located at Adelphi.
All Anthem sold here comes with 2 years local warranty. :
