[ken7258]

It seems these are the two latest greatest that most have been waiting for. I'm upgrading from a Sony TA-E9000ES pre/pro. I'll be keeping my ATI 1505 as my amp.


I would probably just use the Anthem MRX 300 as the pre/pro since I have no need for amplication and paying for any other features of the 500/700 seems to be a waste.


ARC vs Audyssey and what are the other options of these two I should compare.


What would you buy and why? Thank you very much.

 

[ken7258]

Does anyone have an opinion of how the new Marantz AV7005 compare's to the the MRX series of AVR's just used as a pre/pro.

 

[ccotenj]

i think that any answers you get at this point will be merely guesses and "fanboy roaring", as it's unlikely that the same person has had both units at this point in time... they DID just come out (and the mrx-300 isn't even out yet, is it?)...

 

[Frohlich]

This was the actual decision I was coming down to a couple of weeks ago. I went with the Marantz for a couple of reasons that might not mean anything to another buy since we each have our own reasons for buying a given product. I was actually looking at the MRX 700 with a 2 channel anthem amp (which I already owned )versus the av7005 with the MM8003 8 channel amp. Some of the reasons I went with the Marantz was to 1)truly go separates 2)zone 2,which is important to me because of deck speakers, took two of the amp channels on the MRX and then I couldn't power all the other channels I needed 3)number of HDMI inputs on the MRX 4)looks (very subjective) 5) availability of the MRX 6)heigth and width channels options. Good luck in your search. Both options look very nice.

 

[ccotenj]

^^^


those all sound like good reasons to me...

nothing wrong with any of those...


edit: to the op. full disclosure. i also bought the marantz in question... and i like it a great deal...

 

[ken7258]

One major drawback to the Anthem is only one HDMI out. I have a flatscreen and projector. I hear many problems with HDMI handshakes, I could imagine installing a HDMI switcher would only add to these problems.


Those of you that have Anthem MRX receivers and have more then one projector/flatscreen, what do you do with only one HDMI output.

 

[pbc]

I think the only reason is if you prefer ARC over Audyssey MultiXT. The 7005 offers more convenience, namely:


1. XLR Preouts vs just RCA

2. Internet Radio (only available on the 500/700)

3. Can pass though an HDMI signal while turned off

4. No HDMI input on the front of the unit

5. 7.1 vs 7.2 outs

6. No updates via ethernet (only through an RS-232 port)

7. Upgradeable to Audyssey Pro kit (at added cost)

8. Two HDMI Outs


So really you need to decide what features are most important to you, and whether in your opinion ARC is better than Audyssey (impossible to judge without it being in your own room and comparing). I think someone in the MRX thread mentioned selling his SR-7005 and going with the MRX as it sounded much better FWIW.


If you don't need/care for the above features, the MRX-300 may be a hard to beat value at list of $400 or so less than the 7005.


I'm struggling with the same decision.