Anthem MRX Receivers - 300, 500, 700 Owners Thread & Tweaking Guide - Page 396

It was Andrew who suggested a 'tuner reset' and he mentioned that it would reset everything, I just assumed that ARC has to be run again, I never thought of uploading saved ARC files.

Does ARC software automatically saved the last run and user could upload the file again if needed? Newbie on this one. Thanks.

Pretty much the same issue I'm having for the past 2 - 3 months, FW updated from 50.23 to 50.24 beta and now 50.25 without any success. Probably a reset is waiting for me.

This was not an issue when I picked up my 700 about 6 months ago, at first I thought it was my aging Panny BD player but then the lost of sound is no longer source dependent, even straight DD 5.1 has that problem.
Edited by breadvan - 8/15/12 at 7:02pm

Before I update to 50.25 tomorrow I want to do a complete reset........whats the correct way to do a total factory reset?

This is what I got from Andrew @ Anthem, anyone who knows something different please chip in, and do this at your risk !

TUNER RESET

- With the unit OFF
- HOLD down the TUNER button on the front panel then press the power on button on the front panel .
- Wait until the unit powers up.
- Once the units relays click and it powers up let go of the TUNER button.
- Power on the unit

Just to be clear here: My issue, to which the response cited by you was, is not a unit failure or an issue fixable by firmware update; Anthem said so themselves. It is a design flaw in the DSP that cannot be repaired, and concernes every single unit produced. Fortunately most people don´t notice it.

Exactly what I have had happen multiple times.

Dean, the Authorized Dealer here in Miami is Sound Components. Incidently when I took it in for the tech to look at it I also brought my center channel. He suggested upgrading the 50.25 firmware just to cover the bases before contacting Anthem.

I was there for the testing and the sound was still there, the static was coming from the center speaker input channel only and not any other speaker channel input.

I left both the unit and center channel there, he upgraded to the 50.25 and the static is still there so the firmware doesn't correct it. I don't have any data to support it, but it would only be logical to assume this will be the same outcome for anyone else experiencing this issue.

My personal opinion is that i've been the 'test dummy' for a product that seemingly should have had a more extensive research and development program before being sold to the public. And to be fair, the quality of the sound when performing as it should is phenomenal, but the problems in my experience in the past month overshadow the performance.
Edited by keefy6 - 8/16/12 at 6:43am

Quick Q:

The MRX300 has Dolby headphone....but does it also have the ability to select between DH1, DH2 or DH3? Or is it locked in an unspecified mode?

Also, say I were to subscribe to the theory that room correction above the transition frequency does more harm than good, could I set the ARC cutoff as low as 300hz if I so desire?
Edited by bd2003 - 8/16/12 at 7:35am

Getting ready to set up my MRX 300 in my new home, with better speakers than I was using in my old home. A couple questions.

First, I forget if it's possible to overlap mains and subs in ARC. IIRC (I can't see it right now, for the reason below) ARC has a disclaimer that the numbers you pick for EQ are not the crossover cutoffs. Will ARC allow, say, a 50Hz highpass on the mains, AND a 150Hz lowpass on the sub?

Second, if one sets the mains to "Full Range xover" (I think that's the right term; going by memory) and the subwoofer to, say 120Hz, will the MRX also redirect main-channel bass to the subwoofer?

Third, the other thing I'm considering is just feeding the three front inputs and the sub input into my active crossover box, and using its matrixing capability to get the crossover frequencies I want. (I'm using an active crossover on my LCR mains, with separate amplification, but that leaves two output channels free on my miniDSP. I could route one of those outputs to my subwoofer processor.)

(Not interested in a debate about the merits of my proposed setup methodology. I have "just listened to what ARC does," and it's manifestly inferior to what I do manually with multiple overlapping sources to smooth response in the modal region. If you would like more information on what I'm trying to do and why, see http://seriousaudioblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/two-great-articles-on-multiple.html)

And computer question. Anyone running ARC successfully on VMware or non-Parallels virtualizer? I'm mad at Parallels, because of how they just abandoned people who bought their software all the way back in 2011 by not keeping it current for Mountain Lion, AND for not offering any accommodation at all for bona fide purchasers who duly registered to upgrade to their newest package, while they do have a deal going for people switching from a competitor. (They also didn't even any offer any notice that upgrading to Mountain Lion would brick Parallels 6! Given that one isn't going to get relevant and material notices, why should one bother to register and provide the firm with one's email address?)

Have you plugged the center channel into a different speaker?

So, I called my local dealer to inquire about an MX300, and he told me he stopped carrying them a few months ago because he got so many returns due to software bugs, lockups and stuff. He said he'll order me one if I want to take my chances.

So am I basically to understand that the ARC is screwed with the factory firmware, and I have to jump through hoops and email anthem to get a beta that solves the issue?

Amazing. I better go buy some lottery tickets because you'd think I'm the only one with a perfectly functioning MRX (500)!

Not all units were affected but the official firmware does fix it for those with the issue. So you just have to download it from their website. Remember that forums are where people with problems go to vent or get help from other users. Bound to be more issues here for that reason.
John

Well include me in the group with a perfectly functioning MRX-300. Couldn't
Be happier. However, I don't know about that lottery ticket thing. Bought 5
Powerball tickets for last nights drawing... Didn't match a single number.
Back to work today;)

Include me too! I've had a unit since December 2011 and no issues at all

My unit came with 50.12 and went from firmware 50.12 to Beta 50.24 without issue. There was no change in the sound quality before or after as my unit didn't have the equalization bug.

I have a perfectly functioning MRX-300...however, it is my second unit. The first unit would not allow me to upgrade the firmware. It would get stuck halfway through the process. I took it back to my dealer, 90 miles away, who hooked it up and tried to update and ran into the same issue. He called Anthem Support, talked to Piero and they concluded I had a bad unit. I left my bad unit at the dealer and three weeks later he called and said my new unit had arrived. Haven't had any issues since.

FWIW, my dealer told me that this was the first time he had run into a bad Anthem unit of any kind. And, by the sounds of the way they treated him when he called, he sells a ton of Anthem stuff.

My dealer said the same thing.
John

So it appears I am not the only one who is suffering from this, did you manage to fix it at the end?

I reset my 700 last night and waiting for a chance to test it since only at loud volume the loss of audio would take place, which is embarrassing to say the least if you are watching a movie with friends or even family.

Yeah, that part I understand, although my dealer's opinion carries a bit more weight than random forum posters. Seems like this is Anthem's first AVR, so they probably have a few growing pains....so I think I'm going to wait it out for version 2.0.

Not completely true, since it was Anthem's decision to swap out my 500 twice already due to the firmware not correcting Lock Up issues under a variety of circumstances. The 500 I have now continues to lock up even though it was tested at the factory before shipping with x50.23 preloaded. Now with the dead input channel I have...I'll have gone through 3 brand new MRX500's all experiencing different problems...the latest being a hardware failure. If what I've been experiencing is "luck of the draw"...I'm the one who should run out and pick up lottery tickets, because it appears that I'm getting a winner (losing pos unit) every time.

If I hear that the retailer is going to put me into another Anthem product after this failure rate...I'm going to be more than a little disappointed.

No resolution. Only happened once since I upgraded to the new firmware. Didn't happen with 50.23 but did with 50.12. What is weird is that 50.12 was perfectly fine for months before it started happening. I think the issue is that when the codecs change that is when the sound goes out but it I don't pause or anything then it will stay working. Very weird! I have not contacted Anthem since it happens so infrequently and to be honest, since I got a new TV for my upstairs I haven't watched a lot of TV where the Anthem is located.

Well shame on me for tempting fate! Today my zone 2 is DEAD! I have several sources, none of which are playing in zone 2 (pool area). I CAN get audio to the backyard if I put the audio into "All Channel Stereo Mode", but that means I'm playing the same source indoors and out.

I should have known better damnit! Now I'm no longer in the perfect MRX group

Guess I'll look at the instructions to do a full reset as a last resort. I've already done the full power cycle.

Update: Talked to my installer. Not sure why this worked but he told me to go through the quick setup menu and set speakers to "5". That solved my zone 2 issue. I'm back on the "no issues with Anthem" bandwagon!!!
Edited by scirica - 8/17/12 at 10:36am

I referenced my dealer which deals with a large volume of Anthem products and they said they have had very few issues. That doesn't mean their issues are invalid, obviously they are frustrating and Anthem tech should be working with them to resolve these problems.
John

I think that customers who returned their Anthems greater than two times should ask for a refund. Anthem AVRs are not for everyone.

Ones that don't work aren't for anyone, but those that do could be for anyone.
John

You can only use Zone 2 if you are not setup to be a 7.x environment. This make sense, as the rear/height speakers used for the 6th and 7th speaker of the 7.x configuration are the same speakers used for Zone 2. So when you set your system to use "5" speakers (5.x), you freedup the rear/height speakers to be available for use with Zone 2

This is all great, but the fact of the matter is I was using zone 2 for over a month before it went quiet. There were no changes to my system other than running ARC earlier this week. When running ARC I always uncheck the box for "rears" as I only have surrounds. It's still a mystery as to why it worked, then somehow thought I was configured 7.x. I'm suspecting something happened when I ran ARC.

I had the same thing. After running arc you have to go into the setting on the Anthem setup and change that to rear speakers to Zone 2. it appears that by default they get reset to Aux.

Interesting. I'm surpirsed ARC would do this, it seems more likely it is something that perhaps a firmware update might have done, but it is possible. I will admit that as I do not use Zone 2 I have not made it a point of checking this lately! I'll have to go in and have a look at what my receiver thinks it is set to when I get home!

Correct! Some users don't know this.