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28 Posts
Hi everyone,
This is my first post on these forums. As a bit of background, I'm located in western Canada (Calgary), and I do quite a bit of work with pro audio products. While I'm familiar with the pro audio/mixing realm, I'm fairly clueless when it comes to the mid to high-end home AV receiver market. I figured I'd sign up here, and seek some advice. The mods are more than welcome to delete this post if it goes against the rules, or has been beaten to death. To date, I've narrowed down my search to the Anthem MRX1120 & Arcam AVR550. Both seem to be decent quality pieces competing in the same market space.
Here's my questions/comments regarding the Anthem MRX1120 and Arcam AVR550:
I certainly don't plan on buying anything prior to trying. I wanted to acquire more insight from these forums, prior to hassling dealers. IMO, it's very hard to compare audio products unless you're testing in the same room.
Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hearing the responses.
Kind regards,
Phil
This is my first post on these forums. As a bit of background, I'm located in western Canada (Calgary), and I do quite a bit of work with pro audio products. While I'm familiar with the pro audio/mixing realm, I'm fairly clueless when it comes to the mid to high-end home AV receiver market. I figured I'd sign up here, and seek some advice. The mods are more than welcome to delete this post if it goes against the rules, or has been beaten to death. To date, I've narrowed down my search to the Anthem MRX1120 & Arcam AVR550. Both seem to be decent quality pieces competing in the same market space.
Here's my questions/comments regarding the Anthem MRX1120 and Arcam AVR550:
- I'm primarily concerned with quality. Which receiver has the better build quality, and which one features the best internal components?
- I may be able to pick up an Anthem MRX1120 for over a $1000-$1500 less than the Arcam AVR550. Price certainly has to be a factor, but I'm willing to pay for quality.
- I plan on pairing the receiver with either the Focal Chorus or Aria line. Which amp matches best with the Focal brand? I'm familiar with the Focal speakers, and have heard numerous demos at local dealers. Unfortunately, I've been unable to test them with the listed amps. I believe the dealer was using an Onkyo at the time.
- I realize that the Anthem MXR 1120 has a higher amplifier channel count. I'm not too concerned with this, especially if I'm sacrificing quality (versus the Arcam).
- Lastly, I prefer a more 'relaxed' sound for long listening sessions, especially with movies. I'd prefer a home audio setup that can smoothen a harsh or unideal mix. Since I won't be mixing on this setup, I'm not necessarily going for accuracy. I'm going for fun. I mix on PMC TWOTWO near field speakers. I'd consider them forward and bright, which is great for dealing in FX, EQ and compression. However, they're a little bit overkill (IMO) in terms of my budget/style for home theatre.
- Feel free to offer some suggestions with regards to a nice speaking pairing with either AV receiver. I like the idea of going with Focal (as I've heard their home audio line), and I'd consider their pro line to be a fun, and more relaxed speaker (versus Barefoot/ATC/PMC).
I certainly don't plan on buying anything prior to trying. I wanted to acquire more insight from these forums, prior to hassling dealers. IMO, it's very hard to compare audio products unless you're testing in the same room.
Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hearing the responses.
Kind regards,
Phil