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Anthem MRX Receivers - 300, 500, 700 Owners Thread & Tweaking Guide - Page 4

post #91 of 14619
11/15/10 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by glennQNYC View Post

After finally getting a chance to experience an extended demo of an MRX-700 last week at Total Home Technologies in Roseland NJ (www.totalhomenj.com); I came away very impressed.
Due to space limitations, I have been looking to get away from separates, and into a AVR for my living room. I have hesitated for longer than I would like to admit; but the reason I haven't ever pulled the trigger is easy. Everything I have actually put an ear to has sounded completely uninspiring! The AVR category seems to be filled to the brim with AVRs that include every feature except the one that really matters... SOUND QUALITY. I guess it is not as easy to 'sell' sound quality, as it is to lure people with things like Netflix streaming, or iDevice control. :lame:
Probably the best complement I can give to the MRX-700 is that is sounds like an Anthem product! Extremely dynamic, open and effortless was my first impression. As I spent more time in Total Home's demo space, (I spent over 90 min going through the files I brought with me) I noticed a very low level of distortion that I dare to say exceeds many separate amplifiers I have seen in the wild. Very, very nice.
Let's hope Santa puts an MRX-700 under my tree next month! :fingers crossed:

Out of curiousity, what speakers was it hooked up to?

I have been in the market for a new receiver ever since I bought some Studio 100's and a CC-690 (about a year and a half now) and even without having listened to the MRX, I feel like this is the one for me. Now I had been flip/flopping between the 300 or the 500 but if the 300 is not available until the new year, then it's out of the question. I'm sure most of you are tired of answering this one, but I don't see any point for me to go up to the 700 just for more amplification I have no use for the HD radio). Does any one disagree? I've got some extra cash comming soon and I need this before the X-Mas break. (Need is such a stong word, I guess its more like really, really, really, really want )

Also, thanks to all of you who have chimmed in with your reviews. This AVR sound pretty solid.
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post #92 of 14619
11/15/10 at 3:27pm
i know that nick from anthem said that they will be releasing extensive serial commands in the next few months for the mrx, but does anyone know if the avm or d serial codes work as well for the time being? i need to program my urc mx980.
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post #93 of 14619
11/15/10 at 3:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by yanknuck View Post

Sounds great Brian! Post a pic or two when you get a chance, just to get an idea how the gui looks as well as structure.
Once the MRX has compiled all the info, does it access the music fairly quick? Oh, one other question...once the hard drive is connected, then disconnected to add more files...I'm guessing has to be compiled again once it is reconnected.
It seems as though it is a great indispensable feature for those who have more music than they know what to do with. The missus is gonna love that!
Peter

Access is nice and quick. I'll send pics of the GUI when I get it back from my New England rep. (normally I would be melting down from withdrawl, but with an MRX300 here, no worries!)
And yep, if you add more music then re-connect, it will compile again.
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post #94 of 14619
11/15/10 at 3:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cornchip75 View Post


Out of curiousity, what speakers was it hooked up to?

I have been in the market for a new receiver ever since I bought some Studio 100's and a CC-690 (about a year and a half now) and even without having listened to the MRX, I feel like this is the one for me. Now I had been flip/flopping between the 300 or the 500 but if the 300 is not available until the new year, then it's out of the question. I'm sure most of you are tired of answering this one, but I don't see any point for me to go up to the 700 just for more amplification I have no use for the HD radio). Does any one disagree? I've got some extra cash comming soon and I need this before the X-Mas break. (Need is such a stong word, I guess its more like really, really, really, really want )

Also, thanks to all of you who have chimmed in with your reviews. This AVR sound pretty solid.

I have the same speakers and Anthem tested this combo when beta testing the 500. They are great speakers and will go very well together.
John
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post #95 of 14619
11/15/10 at 3:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayray View Post

Are you the Brian who works in the eastern US. sales region?
John

Hey John!
Yessir, that be me. Did Brian@Paradigm tip you off? :-)
I has been really awesome to be part of the beta process for MRX. Hugely educational, and big fun if you are a geek.
As you know, Nick is a canyon of good, useful information. During the process, he was sort of the conductor over all of us. Never done this kind of thing formally before, and there can be no doubt his involvement, along with the engineers at PARC, is why MRX works, and SOUNDS the way it does.
Cheers!
Brian
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post #96 of 14619
11/15/10 at 3:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by yanknuck View Post

Has anyone hooked up a hard drive to the USB yet?

Peter

Yes. It is pretty cool. & no, this is not my music.



http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attac...1&d=1289864814
LL
LL
LL
LL
LL
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post #97 of 14619
11/15/10 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian@Paradigm View Post

Hey John!
Yessir, that be me. Did Brian@Paradigm tip you off? :-)
I has been really awesome to be part of the beta process for MRX. Hugely educational, and big fun if you are a geek.
As you know, Nick is a canyon of good, useful information. During the process, he was sort of the conductor over all of us. Never done this kind of thing formally before, and there can be no doubt his involvement, along with the engineers at PARC, is why MRX works, and SOUNDS the way it does.
Cheers!
Brian

You do realize I am Ron of Binghamton's brother. Good to have you posting here with your extensive experience using these receivers. And yes I have learned a lot from Nick and our very own Bob Pariseau.
John
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post #98 of 14619
11/15/10 at 4:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayray View Post


You do realize I am Ron of Binghamton's brother. Good to have you posting here with your extensive experience using these receivers. And yes I have learned a lot from Nick and our very own Bob Pariseau.
John

Wow, Binghamton, strange seeing that name on AVS. Was a nice place to grow up 25 years ago before IBM got out of dodge...I grew up there and went to grad school there. Left as fast as possible after graduation in 1998 and moved to Boston. Plenty of places to buy Anthem gear in Boston not so many in Binghamton
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post #99 of 14619
11/15/10 at 4:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gostan View Post

Yes. It is pretty cool. & no, this is not my music.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attac...1&d=1289864814

I tried it via and external drive...let's just say I will stick with spdif out of my Asus Essence ST sound card.
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post #100 of 14619
11/15/10 at 4:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PGriff1051 View Post


Wow, Binghamton, strange seeing that name on AVS. Was a nice place to grow up 25 years ago before IBM got out of dodge...I grew up there and went to grad school there. Left as fast as possible after graduation in 1998 and moved to Boston. Plenty of places to buy Anthem gear in Boston not so many in Binghamton

My bother in Binghamton is a Dr. And there are some nice places for him to drive his Ferrari after work Actually there is a place to buy Anthem, I think it's Olums.
Jihn
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post #101 of 14619
11/15/10 at 4:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PGriff1051 View Post

I tried it via and external drive...let's just say I will stick with spdif out of my Asus Essence ST sound card.

i understand. I use a 160GB Classic Ipod Lossless with a Wadia 171I Transport.
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post #102 of 14619
11/15/10 at 4:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayray View Post

I have the same speakers and Anthem tested this combo when beta testing the 500. They are great speakers and will go very well together.
John

Thanks John, I figured these would be well matched. I guess if I ever did need extra amplification it would be just as easy to add an external amp.

Nice pictures Stan, I like this USB music option, but I doubt it would get used alot in my home. Is there some sort of display on the AVR so that you dont have to have the tv on in order to use this?

Oh, and it looks like I'm commited now! I just orderd one of those keyspan adapters from buy.com canada. Only $32!
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post #103 of 14619
11/15/10 at 5:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayray View Post


My bother in Binghamton is a Dr. And there are some nice places for him to drive his Ferrari after work Actually there is a place to buy Anthem, I think it's Olums.
Jihn

Damn, olum's was basically all furniture when I lived there. If I see a Ferrari the next time I visit my family I know it's him.
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post #104 of 14619
11/15/10 at 5:15pm
Nice shots! I like the clean simple look to the GUI. The hard drive feature along with the Internet radio are probably the extras (or non essentials if you prefer) that I'm most interested in. It would be a little nicer to pop on WEEI in the living room for a listen, instead of the dungeon where the computer is.
Don't get me wrong though, it's all about the sound quality first and foremost. I definitely need a new AVR. The 500 just seems like the logical move to hookup to my Monitor 9's. I already have the all important WAF. Just a matter of getting a few more dollars together to drive one home. All in due time...
Peter
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post #105 of 14619
11/15/10 at 9:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by gostan View Post

Here is my brief initial take on the new MRX700.



Appears that I have to go into Setup to change Listening Mode.

Thanks for the great review. Note that "Mode" on D2 is "Audio" on MRX - press it then use up/down keys to select surround mode.
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post #106 of 14619
11/15/10 at 10:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony A. View Post

i know that nick from anthem said that they will be releasing extensive serial commands in the next few months for the mrx, but does anyone know if the avm or d serial codes work as well for the time being? i need to program my urc mx980.

There are hardly any serial commands in MRX right now but I'm trying to have them added as quickly as possible.

Oppo 1080p24 thing with Through mode was fixed last week. Software link on the web site is also on the agenda.
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post #107 of 14619
11/15/10 at 10:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michaelmorio View Post

I thought Anthem has been using its own DPS chips. But the DPS the picture shows is made by Texas Instruments. Is this a new move of Anthem for these new receivers? What about D2v?

MRX uses two TI - one is just for Dolby Volume. The DSP chips are used pretty much off the shelf except for adding ARC.

The prepros use Freescale (ex-Motorola) DSP chips. The decoding is used as it is but pretty much everything else is programmed in-house, from test noises to crossover algorithms.

The software running inside the chips and the jobs they accomplish are the important things, not so much which or how many chips there are or at what speed they run (it's all relative - AVM 2 needed only 3 seconds to boot up because it didn't run so many things).
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post #108 of 14619
11/15/10 at 10:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KB007 View Post

Are there any discrete remote codes for setting to Stereo mode?

Sorry, there aren't. For code list until web site has it please contact tech support.

This has come up a few times, just an fyi:

For HDMI Audio in the setup leave it on AVR unless you understand what the other choices do. With AVR+TV the source sends audio compatible with AVR and TV instead of just AVR, and that is 2.0 instead of multichannel.
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post #109 of 14619
11/15/10 at 10:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Mac View Post

Any idea if the analog input/ouput section of the MRX-500/700 is similar to that used in the AVM50v/D2v?

Unrelated.
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post #110 of 14619
11/15/10 at 10:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by locomo View Post
Anyone know if HDMI in can be output via the optical and/or coax ?
Almost never... it's copy protection and sources add it at their HDMI output even when the disc isn't protected.
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post #111 of 14619
11/15/10 at 10:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by azazel View Post
I'm seeing conflicting information on the official Anthem site and posts here versus the reviews.

Reviews say 7.1 channel surround, which is expected. Then anthem page says 7 channels, but photos of the back don't show two pairs of surround (sides and rears).

Also, I see 7 channels 120watts per channel, but then something about only 120 watts in 2 channel mode... and then 90 watts in 5 channel mode. What about someone with a 7.1 surround setup? how much power will be going to my Paradigm studio 100s?
You might be surprised. MRX 700 can power them and a CC-690 loud and clear for an average-sized room. In most cases a 3-channel continuous power spec can indicate much of what's going to happen. All-channel specs are more for the most critical applications, such as bass-heavy music in all-channel mode. This is what separates are for.

The MRX rear panel says "8 ohms" although 4-ohm speakers can easily be driven... just not by all channels at once at high volume.
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post #112 of 14619
11/16/10 at 2:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick @ Anthem View Post
Thanks for the great review. Note that "Mode" on D2 is "Audio" on MRX - press it then use up/down keys to select surround mode.
Nick, You just made my listening/viewing much easier and more enjoyable.

And, I now see that section 4.5 of page 33 of the manual- Audio Adjustments states "to change the Bass, Treble, Lip-Sync or listening mode press AUDIO to cycle through options. Adjust using the up/down keys. I obviously ran through this too quickly thinking that the Audio button was only to adjust bass and treble and missed it. I would have expected it to be referred to in section 4.6 Listening Modes.

I would suggest adding a pointer reference to Audio on the Remote Control introduction on page 5 and to both the Audio and Dolby Volume on the front panel picture on page 2.

I figured that I was missed something, but now I am not.
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post #113 of 14619
11/16/10 at 8:08am
im having an issue that im trying to figure out how to cure. im wondering if its the power supply taxing on the mrx500. i use klipsch kl650's for my LCR's that are 97dB efficiency. i have turned off all dynamic volume as this exasperates the issue. basically, voices through my center channel at times blare and sound a bit weird. its very hard to describe but its almost like the center channel volume is too high for my AT screen that it causes sound to bounce back from the screen and sounds like blaring. im wondering if its a setting (as using dynamic volume made this much more apparent) or if i should get a separate power amp with a lot of headroom. any thoughts?
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post #114 of 14619
11/16/10 at 9:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cornchip75 View Post

Out of curiousity, what speakers was it hooked up to?

I have been in the market for a new receiver ever since I bought some Studio 100's and a CC-690 (about a year and a half now) and even without having listened to the MRX, I feel like this is the one for me. Now I had been flip/flopping between the 300 or the 500 but if the 300 is not available until the new year, then it's out of the question. I'm sure most of you are tired of answering this one, but I don't see any point for me to go up to the 700 just for more amplification I have no use for the HD radio). Does any one disagree? I've got some extra cash comming soon and I need this before the X-Mas break. (Need is such a stong word, I guess its more like really, really, really, really want )

Also, thanks to all of you who have chimmed in with your reviews. This AVR sound pretty solid.

I went to my dealer yesterday and demo the new MRX 500 and 700. Listening to both of them, I couldn't tell the difference. The 700 in 5 channel 90 watts x5 vs the 500 75 watts x5. You would have to have super ears to tell the difference, I would just go with the 500. Why pay 500 bucks more for HD radio if you don't use it.

Sound wise they sound good, driving these small paradigm speakers. I just have a hard time deciding going pre amp with amp or buy the MRX 500 and then add amp later for more power.
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post #115 of 14619
11/16/10 at 9:23am
Are there any screenshots anywhere for the setup GUI and volume OSD (which I assume displays/overalys over any input)? Thanks.
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post #116 of 14619
11/16/10 at 9:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by crbaldwin View Post

Are there any screenshots anywhere for the setup GUI and volume OSD (which I assume displays/overalys over any input)? Thanks.

My Flickr page has some OSD images posted. The link is in my sig.
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post #117 of 14619
11/16/10 at 9:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by crbaldwin View Post

Are there any screenshots anywhere for the setup GUI and volume OSD (which I assume displays/overalys over any input)? Thanks.

On the previous thread there were some shots. It is quite detailed and user friendly. The volume OSD can be turned off so not to be a constant distraction.
John
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post #118 of 14619
11/16/10 at 10:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sirdrade View Post

I went to my dealer yesterday and demo the new MRX 500 and 700. Listening to both of them, I couldn't tell the difference. The 700 in 5 channel 90 watts x5 vs the 500 75 watts x5. You would have to have super ears to tell the difference, I would just go with the 500. Why pay 500 bucks more for HD radio if you don't use it.

Sound wise they sound good, driving these small paradigm speakers. I just have a hard time deciding going pre amp with amp or buy the MRX 500 and then add amp later for more power.

You will not require a separate amp for more power.
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post #119 of 14619
11/16/10 at 10:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayray View Post

The volume OSD can be turned off so not to be a constant distraction.

I tend to prefer to have a volume OSD but is it a "graphical bar" or just numbers? Also, does it display over all HDMI sources? Thanks.
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post #120 of 14619
11/16/10 at 10:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by crbaldwin View Post


I tend to prefer to have a volume OSD but is it a "graphical bar" or just numbers? Also, does it display over all HDMI sources? Thanks.

Displays as a graphical bar and on all hdmi sources I have it hooked up to, ps3, cable PVR.
John
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