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Anthem Reliability?

19K views 54 replies 29 participants last post by  e30cabrio 
#1 ·
I'm thinking of buying a Anthem MRX-720 very soon....my ? is how are the Anthem's AVR's when it comes down to problems with them as I just read that the only dealer that has to service a unit is the one you buy it from which for me presents a problem as the best deal I can get on the unit is out of town(I live in London Ontario...would be buying the 720 from a store in the greater Toronto area ) So that is my problem thanks for any help!!!:)
 
#2 ·
From my reading, there seems to be a general consensus among owners that their product design and support is very poor.

They seem to put out products that have problems and then try to fix them with software updates that are often unsatisfactory.

I would recommend a NAD or Cambridge Audio AVR for a better receiver overall and better support.
 
#4 ·
What's with the constant bashing of Anthem equipment?

That is not what my research revealed before buying my refurb unit direct from Anthem.
I have only had my MRX510 since Christmas but it is superb in every way and hasn't given me a moment of grief.
 
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#7 ·
I would definitely replace my Anthem MRX-510 with another if the need arose. It has been great. Initially in its ramp up days I had a configuration issue, which customer service resolved. From the brief time I needed some support, Anthem was responsive over the phone, as well as e-mail.
 
#10 ·
@commsysman offered his opinion and made it clear it was based on his reading. He also used the words "seem" and "seems". Finally, thou protesteth too much. This is not a campus "safe place" where only pro Anthem opinions are honored. As far as I know Anthem has a great reputation based on limited reading. I did visit the AVM60 thread and did notice that people needed an update from Anthem for the Wifi to work. That's an active discussion as of less than a week ago.
 
#11 ·
I live near Detroit, Michigan. I took advantage of NAFTA and the exchange rate an bought my Anthem products from Live Wire Audio in Windsor, Ontario who are unfortunately closed now; he retired.

However, when I needed service under warranty or otherwise, Anthem gave me the option of returning the unit to the store or returning it direct to the factory. All that was necessary was a copy of the purchase receipt. You pay the shipping to the factory and the factory pays the return shipping if it's under warranty. I have no reason to believe this has changed, but it would be easy to make a phone call to Anthem and ask the question rather than solicit answers that are uninformed or have people respond and tell you you're making a bad decision buying Anthem.

The only time I needed to do this was for an upgrade to the pre-pro that required a board swap; the turnaround was less than one week. I've since moved on to a different pre-pro because of changes in Blu-ray codecs but I still have my Anthem amplifiers and have never had any kind of problem with them; more than excellent products.

Anthem builds some of the best audio equipment that is available anywhere in the world IMHO and I would not hesitate to buy anything that they build today.

I don't think what you are describing is any different from any other manufactures' dealers that provide after sales service which is in a way part of what your buying with the new product. In other words buying for a discounted price from someone else and expecting another dealer to give you his time if you have a problem. However, a good dealer will usually help hoping to win your business in the future. And of course, if you're not willing to support a local dealer, he's not likely to be around very long either.
 
#12 ·
I've had mine an Anthem for 5 years and had a speaker connector loose. You can just send it to Anthem in Cananda a repair. I'm in the US and mine went to Canada to be fixed. Mine had been rock solid other than that speaker connector that was so tight it pulled off the receiver's connector.
 
#14 ·
I purchased a MRX-300 soon after its release, and I've been very happy with it. I use an external 2 channel amp for the front mains and let the receiver power the other five speakers. I went with Anthem because they focus on sound quality and don't cram a bunch of features in I would never use. I feel the Anthem outperformed the Denon 2807 I owned prior, especially with the ARC room correction system. I have an unsolved electrical issue in my house which occasionally cuts the sound out and makes the screen go all purple. I workaround it by switching inputs, no big deal to me anyway. I would not hesitate to buy another Anthem product again, perhaps separates one day!
 
#16 ·
My dealer used to carry Anthem. I was interested in buying the I225 amplifier but he said he no longer carried the line because reliability was not that great and he had gotten poor support from the company.

I am looking at the Emotiva line but I read that their products are somewhat spotty as well. Another issue for Emotiva (or most limited brands) is that while they are shipped free in the 48, Alaska and Hawaii buyers have to pay for shipping which is quite prohibitive ($400+) for what I want. But I could say the same for Pioneer, Onkyo and Sony. The only brands that seem to be reliable are Marantz and Denon but what do I know.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Just another over-priced boutique brand for the percentage who have "moved on" from
or would scream at the thought of a Denon, Yamaha or Onkyo in their rack.

Usually behind the curve in features (also usually worn as a badge of honor as they focus on the - wait for it- better sound they offer).

Less places to purchase (return/receive service, etc) adds to their exclusivity (read: allure). These people do not want something that can be purchased from best buy or another peasant-village-common-man-apple-cart.

I would SERIOUSLY doubt they're any more (or less) reliable than another $2k avr or pre pro but I suppose anthem has a different room correction system that you can bet every owner will "swear" is better than any other available. Go figure.

Mine was ok- I wanted more multi-zone capability, features, and better GUI so I went elsewhere and was the better for it.

Good luck
James
 
#18 ·
I've had my Anthem MRX-300 for just over 5 years now and never
Had any issues at all. I would probably buy Anthem again too.
I'm very pleased with the ARC room EQ FWIW.
 
#19 ·
Happy Anthem Owner

I purchased my AVM 60 about 8 months ago and have enjoyed the product since my purchase. I had an issue with one of the HDMI inputs and had the unit replaced within the first 30 days by the merchant I purchased it from.

Since that time I did experience connection issues related to Play Fi however I did recieve good support from there product support group. Part of my issue was lack of understanding of what Play Fi could and could not due. My expectation was that Play Fi was DLNA certified which was not the case. I also expected that I could stream Hi Definition from my libaray to the Anthem unit which was also related to Play Fi functionality.

I found the AVM 60 to be musically sound and exceeded my expectation as a consumer. This product is preforming better than the Integra 80.3 that I stop using after the 3rd HDMI board failure. I'm very satisfied with this purchase and would recommend this product to others. I run two system a 2CH music set up and a Home Theater set up. 5.1 is all I need. I have not updated to dtsX or tried out Atmos yet maybe next year. I'm not a reciever person therefore the choices available in this price range were very limited.

If I had to find something to critize about my unit it would be the use of Play FI.
 
#20 ·
Here are my honest thoughts about my 720:

1. It's not overpriced IMHO for what you get - right from the get go taking out even just the microphone tells you it's good quality (and yes, it's way better than the competition, sorry)

2. I didn't purchase the unit for exclusivity - I did my research and came to the conclusion that this was the best for me.

3. Initial setup was a bit of a chore WRT connectivity, but it's sorted out now.

4. The sound is, to my ears, leaps and bounds better than my Onkyo (which was relegated to TV duty upstairs and the HDMI board took a dirt nap). This right here is more important than anything else.

5. I get the random odd low level pop from the front speakers when there are HDMI switches which I never got when I had my Onkyo. Not a deal breaker - it's rare and once the movie starts it's non-issue.

6. I love how you can have multiple room correction config settings - I have one for when it's just me watching the movie and one for when I have people over.

7. It's not bloated with a bunch of features I'll personally never use, it's just mainly focused on good sound.

8. No reliability issues yet

Ok, so would I buy it again? I think I would, but I would have really liked to try out the equivalent Marantz to do a comparison. Since that wasn't an option, I had to make a choice. For me I feel it was the right one.
 
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#21 ·
Where did you read that? You can take an Anthem product to any Anthem dealer or deal directly with Anthem far as I know.

From my reading, there seems to be a general consensus among owners that their product design and support is very poor.

They seem to put out products that have problems and then try to fix them with software updates that are often unsatisfactory.

I would recommend a NAD or Cambridge Audio AVR for a better receiver overall and better support.
I think your reading has been limited or misinterpreted! I've only heard and read quite good things about Anthem support. I'd imagine NAD and Cambridge have their share of issues too - no company makes a perfect product or had a perfect support record! Can't win 'em all. ;)

However, when I needed service under warranty or otherwise, Anthem gave me the option of returning the unit to the store or returning it direct to the factory. All that was necessary was a copy of the purchase receipt.
Or just register your product with Anthem and they'll have it all on file if you ever need service! :)

Just another over-priced boutique brand for the percentage who have "moved on" from
or would scream at the thought of a Denon, Yamaha or Onkyo in their rack.

Usually behind the curve in features (also usually worn as a badge of honor as they focus on the - wait for it- better sound they offer).

Less places to purchase (return/receive service, etc) adds to their exclusivity (read: allure). These people do not want something that can be purchased from best buy or another peasant-village-common-man-apple-cart.

I would SERIOUSLY doubt they're any more (or less) reliable than another $2k avr or pre pro but I suppose anthem has a different room correction system that you can bet every owner will "swear" is better than any other available. Go figure.

Mine was ok- I wanted more multi-zone capability, features, and better GUI so I went elsewhere and was the better for it.

Good luck
James
Your tone somewhat smacks of the very condescension you imply that Anthem owners of might have....:eek:

Those are your opinions and you're certainly entitled to them. The AVM60 is my very first pre-pro ever, and it took quite some time to make the decision. I work with a lotta blokes familiar with AV gear, as well as my local dealer (Anthem, Integra, Sony, McIntosh...) and the Anthem is very-well regarded. And in talking with folks that are familiar with ARC and Audessey, and based on the reading that I've done pre-purchase, ARC seems to be the more popular of the two, and the better performer overall - a quite capable EQ system - which I have yet to use on the AVM60k but have used on Paradigm's PW 800 - and it is pretty amazing. Only game in town, of course not.

My decision had nothing to do with snobbishness or badge of honor - it had a lot to do with those very EQ capabilities I knew I'd need for a less-than-ideal listening space. Feature set is just fine for me, a few things I would have like to have seen in the AVM60 that are not there, no deal breakers though. And as for there being "fewer" places to purchase (sorry, count vs. non-count is one of my things....:D) - who cares? You can buy direct from Anthem if there are no dealers in your area. I shop at BestBuy by the way, it's not beneath me. Same with Walmart and Target with the rest of the peasants. But I also shop at Whole Foods, so....

You'll find plenty of folks that have had issues with the other brands you mention as well you know.

Since that time I did experience connection issues related to Play Fi however I did recieve good support from there product support group. Part of my issue was lack of understanding of what Play Fi could and could not due. My expectation was that Play Fi was DLNA certified which was not the case. I also expected that I could stream Hi Definition from my libaray to the Anthem unit which was also related to Play Fi functionality.

I found the AVM 60 to be musically sound and exceeded my expectation as a consumer. This product is preforming better than the Integra 80.3 that I stop using after the 3rd HDMI board failure. I'm very satisfied with this purchase and would recommend this product to others. I run two system a 2CH music set up and a Home Theater set up. 5.1 is all I need. I have not updated to dtsX or tried out Atmos yet maybe next year. I'm not a reciever person therefore the choices available in this price range were very limited.

If I had to find something to critize about my unit it would be the use of Play FI.
And although I've only used it once with the AVM60, Play-Fi worked perfectly for me right out of the box! Of course the first thing I did was update the firmware before trying since the thing sat in its box for a month and a half! :eek:

Here are my honest thoughts about my 720:

1. It's not overpriced IMHO for what you get - right from the get go taking out even just the microphone tells you it's good quality (and yes, it's way better than the competition, sorry)

2. I didn't purchase the unit for exclusivity - I did my research and came to the conclusion that this was the best for me.

3. Initial setup was a bit of a chore WRT connectivity, but it's sorted out now.

4. The sound is, to my ears, leaps and bounds better than my Onkyo (which was relegated to TV duty upstairs and the HDMI board took a dirt nap). This right here is more important than anything else.

5. I get the random odd low level pop from the front speakers when there are HDMI switches which I never got when I had my Onkyo. Not a deal breaker - it's rare and once the movie starts it's non-issue.

6. I love how you can have multiple room correction config settings - I have one for when it's just me watching the movie and one for when I have people over.

7. It's not bloated with a bunch of features I'll personally never use, it's just mainly focused on good sound.

8. No reliability issues yet

Ok, so would I buy it again? I think I would, but I would have really liked to try out the equivalent Marantz to do a comparison. Since that wasn't an option, I had to make a choice. For me I feel it was the right one.
AMEN brother! :)
 
#24 ·
I would suggest purchasing from a local dealer if it is possible, with an ability to contact him with repair issues.
I owned 720 for a month, install new software from the get go and have no issues at all, including Play-Fi and ARC. perhaps I am lucky.
Sound is superb and beats my old Pioneer Elite like a drum, not to mention simplified operations. With or without ARC.
According to some views Yamaha were the most reliable receiver brand for years - but I could not stand their sound.
 
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#25 · (Edited)
I've owned two anthem recievers over the years. I bought both from a local dealer.

The first model was the anthem 300. Both the original unit and the new replacement unit had to be returned due to issues. The third new unit (after the initial purchased unit and the replacement unit) had no issues.

The second model was the Anthem 510. I no issues over the time I owned it. I would have bought another anthem reciever, if they were offering atmos at the time of my purchase.
 
#31 ·
Update

Hi: Just got off the phone from chatting with a Anthem rep....if I buy the unit out of town that is the only dealer that is obligated to service my unit.......therefore that is a setback in buying a Anthem mrx....as I now have to factor in the shipping costs as well as no dealer in my city carries Anthem as a reg stock item which means paying full retail a likely deal breaker for me!!!This service issue will not exist with Anthem's competitors!!!! I'll just have to weigh the risk factors.
 
#33 ·
Hi: Just got off the phone from chatting with a Anthem rep....if I buy the unit out of town that is the only dealer that is obligated to service my unit.......therefore that is a setback in buying a Anthem mrx....as I now have to factor in the shipping costs as well as no dealer in my city carries Anthem as a reg stock item which means paying full retail a likely deal breaker for me!!!This service issue will not exist with Anthem's competitors!!!! I'll just have to weigh the risk factors.
That's what happens when you deal with a company that puts a high priority on selling a product with any hype needed, but puts a low priority on supporting their product later on. Buyer beware.
 
#37 ·
I hear the complaint about using the early adopter consumer as beta testers. I think to some degree that's a fair statement.....BUT,

if I were to divide the consumers into two camps, first being early adopters and second being plug and play consumers....I think it's a fair assumption that those that are early adopters will encounter bugs in the software that require firmware updates. I know that those of us who have just bought the recent JVC projector models (that can accept 4k signals-though not 4k projectors) and combined that with the only current UHD/4K blu ray player from Samsung available in the US market....well there were bugs. Both companies came out quickly with firmware updates that took care of many of the bugs...there are still other smaller concerns that will be addressed too.

Would I recommend the average friend from work to delve into this arena...no, but those of us that spend time on AVS should able to handle these issues that come with the latest tech. I consider it par for the course. Just to be clear I am not talking about a unit breaking down or faulty equipment.

Ron
 
#40 ·
Here is a direct quote from the Anthem website...

"Should servicing be required, contact your nearest Authorized Anthem® Dealer or Import Distributor (outside the U.S. and Canada) to arrange, bring in or ship prepaid, any defective unit. Anthem reserves the right to improve the design of any product without assuming any obligation to modify any product previously manufactured. This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties expressed or implied, of merchantability, fitness for any particular purpose and may not be extended or enlarged by anyone. In no event shall Anthem, their agents or representatives be responsible for any incidental or consequential damages. Some jurisdictions do not allow limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so this exclusion may not apply to you."

IMHO...
The basic situation is if the Anthem dealer does in fact have their own service department, they don't want to work on and/or repair another Anthem unit unless they sold it...
The dilemma is that the AVR brands typically have a lower labor rate for in-warranty work compared to out-of-warranty. So unless the Anthem dealer sold the unit and they made a profit on the original unit sale, they would lose $ by doing in-warranty work on Anthem units they did not sell....


Just my $0.02... ;)
 
#41 ·
Thanks that is the same way car dealerships used to work(not sure if it the same now I'm referring to back say early 2000's etc). I think what I'll do is simply confirm my choice of the 720 go to my local dealer & ask for 10% off the special order at least when I'm ready if they say no I'll likely pick the Yamaha 2050/3050 so either way I win thanks M code!!
 
#44 ·
^ Yes, you'd call tech support and if it's determined that the unit needs repair they'll e-mail an RMA. Proof of purchase from authorized dealer required for warranty. After that you do what it takes to get the unit here safely - dropoff during business hours is another option in case you're making your way into Toronto (we're just two lights from the 401), and we pay within 3yr warranty to ship it back - this applies to Canada and 48 states.

That's pretty much everything you need to know, and details are on pages 1 and 47 of the manual:

www.anthemav.com/products-current/type=av-receiver/model=mrx-720/page=reviews
 
#48 ·
While most companies don't notify the purchaser of their equipment of the fact, if you live in California by state law there is more warranty protection. During the warranty period shipping both ways for warranty service is free to the owner of the equipment. During the warranty period the owner can also take the equipment into any dealer of that product in California for warranty service even if the equipment wasn't purchased from that dealer. If the equipment is of a nature that it can't easily be shipped, such as a refrigerator, the warranty service has to be provided onsite at no extra cost. These are very important consumer protections available to California residents. I'm not a lawyer so do some searches if you want the details. For example, Cuisinart warranties have excellent explanations of California warranty law.

I've found that companies are aware of California law, but often will only follow it a specific claim is made under the law. I've used it for inexpensive items that have "lifetime" warranties, such a tape measures, but require shipping of the item back to the manufacturer, which makes the warranty essentially worthless. I also use it for more expensive cookware. The protection would be very valuable for audio equipment if the manufacturer doesn't cover shipping both ways as a standard warranty feature.
 
#47 ·
Interesting read. After months of reviewing specs, "deciding" on a unit, then looking at another and landed here, on the 720. I spoke to Anthem who I was able to get on the phone immediately, the rep was friendly and helpful.
 
#50 ·
They are easy to get on the phone, friendly, and helpful. I've contacted them a few times to ask questions specific to setup on the AVM60, no problem.

But now I get to put them to the real test - as my new AVM60 with hardly any mileage is misbehaving, I believe beyond any sort of software issues at this point. I could be wrong, will see what Anthem says about my specific issues (multiple) and how (quickly) they get resolved.....
 
#51 ·
I'm sorry your 60 is misbehaving and hope it resolves quickly.

Anyone have insight into CEC not working? I have it on and my Sharp TV was turning the HK 3700 the 720 replaced on & off.

The manual said to r&r the HDMI cable which I did without fixing it.
 
#52 ·
Thanks, this is still a "work in progress" - a beta-firmware update, and doing what Anthem wanted me to do to try to correct the hum issue I now have (that I didn't before) - and still got hum. Anthem is convinced it is not the AVM60, and they may be right. But I have done a LOT of stuff to test out the problem as to what is generating the hum, and so far no luck - I went from a silent system to a system that has a significant hum to it now - this all started on the 3rd time the AVM would not power up - had to disconnect power - let sit - replug, got power - and a lovely buzz to contend with. The thing has also powered itself on TWICE. :confused: Anthem and I were hoping the firmware update would fix these issues - and maybe it has, too early to tell as the problem seems to occur randomly, and it has only been a day since the update.

The buzz though - need to further explore this.....
 
#53 ·
I hope it's fixed, that would drive me crazy.

I can't get CEC to work with my Sharp TV or ROKU 4. After trying everything I called today. They said sometimes it does not work (although it worked with the HK 3700 as set up)

It's not that big of a deal but I'd like it to work.
 
#54 ·
Well, the good news is that the AVM does not seem to be the problem - took to a local dealer that tested it and could not replicate the issue, and it immediately reappears in my system, so the hunt for the problem continues.....

That would be frustrating too, the CEC issue you are having. I haven't gone down that road yet. Sometimes I think these electronics are just too dang complex for their own good! I miss the old days....:D
 
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