Friday, December 20, 2013

Anthem's MRX 710 receives a 4.5 Star Review and Best of 2013 Award from Home Theater Review


Due to high customer demand, very few new MRX review samples have made it out of the building, but boy are we ever glad that Home Theater Review's Dennis Burger received one of the first few. Not only did Dennis love the MRX 710 and thus gave it a 4.5 star product rating, it also made the cut (just in the nick of time) for the Best of 2013 awards!


"Anthem's newest top-shelf receiver almost failed to make our 2013 list - not because its performance is lacking in any way but because it's so new, the review almost didn't make the 2013 schedule... The new MRX 710 delivers the sound quality we loved in its predecessor but with even better room correction and custom integration."
- Home Theater Review Staff 

…if pure audio performance is what you're looking for, if you're itching for a surround sound receiver that performs shockingly well with five channels tied behind its back when you're listening to stereo sources, or if you're hunting for an AV receiver that would also make for an amazing (not to mention affordable) preamp when your budget allows, I can't encourage you enough to audition the MRX 710.” 
- Dennis Burger, Home Theater Review

Click here! to read the full Anthem MRX 710 review.
Click here! for the full list of "Best of 2013" awards.
Click here! for more info. on the new Anthem MRX receivers.



Friday, December 13, 2013

Video: Anthem MRX Series A/V Receivers

Check out this short video on our next generation MRX Series receivers—featuring outstanding sound quality, ease of integration, tons of power, and best of all, include ARC™—the Anthem Room Correction system.




Click here! for more info on Anthem's MRX receivers. 


Friday, November 1, 2013

MRX 710 & MRX 510 Now Shipping!

It's official! The Anthem MRX 710 and MRX 510 are now shipping. (And man, they are flying out the door!)


Click here! to view the MRX receivers on the Anthem website.
Click here! to view the official MRX receiver press release.


Friday, October 25, 2013

Anthem Launches Brand New Consumer Website!


For more than 20 years we've focused on manufacturing award-winning high-end audio/video equipment for music, home theater and distributed audio.

We've listened to feedback from our customers, family and friends, and have updated our website with you, our fans, in mind:
  • Connect with Anthem: We've moved our social links to the top of the site's new navigation bar. Facebook, Twitter, our Blog and Flickr are just a click away.
  • Find Products Fast: Our product search feature was built from the ground up, and whether you're new to the world of high-end audio, or a die-hard Anthem fan, we make it easy to find the perfect solution at a glance. Need some extra help? Just click on the "what's this" link on the product search page for helpful search tips.
  • View our Collections: We have two distinct collections of products; Performance Collection for those that want rock solid performance with great value, and the Signature collection for those that want the absolute best. Take a look at both product collections to help you find a the solution that fits your application and budget.
  • High Resolution Photos: Sometimes it's hard to really understand the beauty of something online when you're looking at a tiny screen, but every product is now linked to stunning high-resolution photography on Flickr that lets you see every detail without squinting—just click on the "gallery" tab when looking at any product.
  • Find an Anthem Dealer: Seeing our products is one thing, but listening to them is where you'll fall in love with music all over again. Our updated dealer locator will find the closest store where you can listen to and take home your next Anthem equipment.
  • Register Products: Keep track of all your purchases quickly and easily by registering products on our website. In the coming months you'll be able to review your products online and share your enjoyment with the world!

We love feedback, so if you've got some free time, send us a message about how we're doing, we'd love to hear from you! 

Enjoy the website: www.anthemav.com


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Anthem's MRX 710 Wins a 2013 Technology Integrator EXC!TE Award


We are proud to announce that the upcoming Anthem MRX 710 is a 2013 Technology Integrator EXC!TE Award winner!

Members of our Marketing team picked up the award during CEDIA EXPO in Denver, Colorado at the EXC!TE Awards Party last month. Pictured below from left to right: Carol Campbell - Technology Integrator, Mark Aling - Anthem, Erin Phillips - Anthem, Justin Bright - Anthem, Maureen Jensen - Technology Integrator.


Above: Anthem's Marketing team accepting the EXC!TE Award at CEDIA EXPO

Click here! for the list of 2013 EXC!TE Award winners.
Click here! for more info on the Anthem's upcoming MRX 710.


Monday, October 7, 2013

"Overachievers on the Edge of the State of the Art" - SoundStage! HiFi on the Anthem Statement M1

SoundStage! HiFi recently published an article called "Overachievers on the Edge of the State of the Art: Anthem Statement, Aurelia, Meitner Audio, Simaudo". In this article Doug Schneider talks about four such products and one of them happens to be our very own M1...



"Obviously, the M1’s high power output is impressive, but I’m more taken with how it sounds at low volume levels: extremely quiet, highly resolving, and with a sultry midrange smoothness that I’ve heard from no other class-D design. Fellow-reviewer Jason Thorpe called the M1’s sound “sophisticated” when he used a pair of them to review the Monitor Audio Platinum PL200 speakers for SoundStage! Ultra; while editor-in-chief Jeff Fritz, in his SoundStage! Ultra review of the M1 in January, described it as “darn near the ideal of a straight wire with gain” -- in short, extremely neutral. I agree with Jason and Jeff, which is why a pair of M1s has been part of my review system since I received them several months ago. The M1’s combination of high power, sonic refinement, and modest price makes it an extremely good value -- try a pair and you’ll hear."

Click here! to read the full article from SoundStage HiFi.
Click here! for more info on the Anthem Statement M1 amplifier.



Friday, September 20, 2013

"For being the best A/V processor we ever tested, we proudly award it the 'Editor's Choice' recognition" - Canada HiFi on the Anthem D2v 3D

After sending Suave Kajko of Canada HiFi off with a smile on his face and a D2v 3D in his arms, we knew he would enjoy his time with the industry-respected processor. However, we weren't quite prepared for the level of "enjoyment" he would experience. Earning a 5 star review, Editor's Choice award and even being named "the best A/V processor we ever tested", we are honored to call the D2v 3D our very own.

Multi-channel Musical Performance
"I listened to the 5.1 audience mix.  This was without question the most engaging, musical performance I’ve heard in my home theatre to date... sounded breathtakingly real. The guitar strings played with the fullness and richness that I’m used to hearing when I play my own guitar. Every string picked, every chord strummed, played with a remarkable texture."

The D2v processor’s transparent quality allowed every instrument to shine through with superb tonal accuracy, offering all the textural details.  I enjoyed this disc many times before through various A/V receivers in my system but this was an almost entirely new experience.  The Anthem D2v processor, along with the Axiom Audio ADA-1500 amplifier presented me with a heightened level of realism, which resulted in a hair-raising musical performance.  I loved every part of it."

"...this duo once again showed its true strengths and demonstrated the benefits of using separates in a multichannel system.  I rarely ever listen to classical recordings in my home theatre simply because they don’t sound nearly as good here as they do through my two channel system.  To my delight however this was the very first time that I was presented with a true high-end two channel performance in my home theatre."

2-Channel Musical Performance
"All the best qualities of a great two channel system were offered here in spades: tonal accuracy, soundstaging, dynamics, detail extraction and overall engagement and musicality.  Even when listening to the loudest of passages at high volumes, the soundstage kept its composure, along with its impressive depth and width.  The overall presence and dynamics of the sound were superb.  The macrodynamics – orchestral crescendos and bass drums – were presented with a great sense of impact and power.  The microdynamics, such as small percussion instruments and triangles, were delivered with fine, realistic textures with proper decay.  When classical music sounds this good, it leaves you – at least it left me – air conducting."

"All of the tracks that I listened to from these albums played with a great balance, with instruments never over powering one another.  Some of the digital harshness that I associate with these recordings on lesser quality systems was virtually entirely cleaned up by the D2v.  The soundstaging was also more three dimensional here than I would ever expect from a home theatre component."

The Sonic Benefits of ARC
"The bass response was remarkable, with each note articulated very well and with great tightness.  I knew I had the D2v’s ARC system to thank for this.  Not only does the ARC clean up the frequency response from all the speakers unlike other room calibration systems I’ve tested, it does a remarkable job at flattening out the bass response as well.  The sonic benefits of the ARC are just awesome."

Movie Performance
"The Anthem/Axiom duo did a remarkable job when tasked with sorting out all of the individual components of this challenging passage. Each of the sonic components was clearly defined within its own space, yet combined seamlessly into an exhilarating audio experience that carried the movie forward.  Yet amidst all the action, the character voices were presented with the outmost clarity.  The D2v demonstrated an uncanny ability to transport me sonically right into every scene."

"The audio was hyper realistic and so transparent that I felt emotionally connected to the characters during the quieter chapters. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the battle sequences felt frighteningly real with bullets zooming between the channels and explosives blowing up all around me.  The presentation offered bountiful power and fantastic dynamics."

Conclusion
"The Anthem D2v is a highly advanced machine that brought me pleasure unlike any other A/V processor in my home theatre.  Two-channel music, multi-channel Blu-ray concert discs and movies have never sounded better.  Every time I sat down to enjoy music or watch a film, I was rewarded with a remarkable sound performance.  Thanks to its top-notch video processing lower resolution and interlaced video sources also looked fantastic.  If you desire nothing but the very best for your home theatre, I can’t think of a better component to place at the heart of your system.  The Anthem D2v A/V processor is a winner in every regard and hence deserves our highest level of praise.  For being the best A/V processor we ever tested, we proudly award it the “Editor’s Choice” recognition."



Click here! to read the entire review from Canada HiFi.
Click here! for more info. on the Anthem D2v 3D.



Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Anthem Cleans Up in Stereophile's 2013 Recommended Components!

Stereophile has published its 2013 Recommended Components and among the shining stars is, not one, not two, but three Anthem products have made the prestigious list! Stereophile determines its Recommended Components list like so:

"Components listed here have been formally reviewed in Stereophile and have been found to be among the best available in each of four or five quality classes. Whether a component is listed in Class A or Class E, we highly recommend its purchase."

Components are categorized from Class A to Class E. We've only provided definitions for Class A and Class B below, as these are the categories you'll find Anthem in this year...

Class A
"Best attainable sound for a component of its kind, almost without practical considerations; "the least musical compromise." A Class A system is one for which you don't have to make a leap of faith to believe that you're hearing the real thing."

Class B
"The next best thing to the very best sound reproduction; Class B components generally cost less than those in Class A, but most Class B components are still quite expensive."

So without further ado, here are Anthem's winning products...

Music Surround-Sound Components: Class A

Anthem Statement D2v 3D
"The latest enhancement of the Statement D2 audio/video processor is the Anthem Room Correction kit (ARC), which includes a calibration microphone and stand and all necessary software and cables. Its versatile controls allow the user to modify the recommended crossovers, insert a variable room-gain bump, and set the upper-frequency limit for corrections. With the ARC's settings in place, soundstages were wider and more open. "Using the optimized ARC Advanced settings elevated my system's performance to a new level," said Kal. The "honest immediacy" of ARC's v1.2.5 upgrade benefited movies and video."


Music Surround-Sound Components: ClassB

Anthem MRX 700 
"Made in China, the 90Wpc MRX 700 is Anthem's top-model audio/video receiver. It has all the requisite A/V connections, including USB and Ethernet inputs; is compatible with HD radio and iTunes tagging; comes with a complete Anthem Room Correction kit; and uses a large toroidal power transformer."


Two-Channel Power Amplifier Components: ClassB

Anthem Statement M1
"Despite its relatively slim proportions (19.25" W by 2.25" H by 18.75" D; 20 lbs), the class-D Statement M1 is rated to deliver a whopping 1000W into 8 ohms. An internal heat-pipe cooling system allows multiple M1s to be stacked without the need for cooling fans or heatsink fins. The tidy rear panel holds balanced and single-ended inputs, a balanced-output gain switch, various trigger options, and a single pair of output terminals."

Click here! for all Stereophile 2013 Recommended Components.

Click here! for more information on Anthem's Statement D2v 3D.
Click here! for more information on Anthem's MRX 700.
Click here! for more information on Anthem's Statement M1.



Thursday, July 4, 2013

Anthem Integrated 225 featured on cover of CanadaHiFi magazine


Click here! to visit the Canada HiFi website.
Click here! for more info. on Anthem's Integrated 225 amplifier.


Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Adventures in Upgrading My Old Anthem D2v to Shiny New 3D - Dennis Burger, Resi Systems


When the Anthem 3D upgrade kit was first introduced, Dennis Burger of Residential Systems took a keen interest in having us ship him one for review. With some hesitation, we did (only because this upgrade is solely performed by the Anthem tech team and authorized Anthem dealers)... but with a lifetime of experience tinkering with tech toys, we figured Dennis could handle it - as long as he promised to wear the grounding strap!

Below is a summary of his thoughts, but if you are an installer interested in the details of each step of the upgrade itself, we highly recommend that you read the review in full.

"...when Anthem announced a 3D Upgrade Kit for its D2v and AVM 50v AV processors, I knew I wanted one for my own D2v... It wasn’t so much that I wanted the 3D upgrade, but I wanted to perform the 3D upgrade, not only to satiate my inner tinkerer, but also as part of my never-ending quest to be as custom installer-y as I possibly can."

"I'm loving my new 3D-capable Anthem D2v... not entirely academic after all."


An Anomaly

"There’s that, and there’s also the fact that the Anthem 3D upgrade kit is a bit of an anomaly in the high-end AV market... you’re usually stuck with what you bought when it comes to ultra-high-end home theater gear..."

 "... the upgrade process was also complicated for me by the fact that I have one of the earliest D2vs, which aren’t eligible for the simple mezzanine board replacement for units manufactured later. Still, I wanted to give you guys a glimpse at the upgrade process, in case you have any old D2vs in the field that haven’t been upgraded yet."

Dennis then went through detailed (and pictorial!) step-by-step instructions on how the upgrade/install is done. Click here! to read about this process in full.

Half an hour tops
Pictured above, the completed upgrade.
"Honestly, the trickiest part of the entire upgrade process for me was labeling all of my interconnects, digging the D2v out of my rack, and re-installing it once everything was done. The upgrade process itself took about half an hour, tops. On a scale from 1 to No Freaking Way, I’d peg the difficulty level of the entire upgrade process as falling somewhere between replacing the video card in your PC and swapping out its processor and heat sink."

Noticeable Improvements
"What’s most interesting for me, though, is the fact that although I embarked on this upgrade process for the sheer academic pleasure of doing it, I’m loving my new 3D-capable Anthem D2v. The first four HDMI inputs now switch so much faster (so, so much faster), and not only that, but it’s allowed me to simplify the cabling behind my rack, routing my OPPO Blu-ray player’s HDMI output entirely through the D2v, rather than splitting the audio and video signals and running the latter directly to my display, which my Control4 system appreciates very much. So the upgrade ended up being not entirely academic after all."


Want to upgrade your Anthem processor?
Contact your local dealer to see if your model is upgradable.

to read Dennis' 3D upgrade review with step-by-step instructions.


Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Jeff Fritz of Ultra Audio picks Anthem's Statement M1 as one of select amplifiers he'd buy for himself!

Jeff Fritz of Ultra Audio
Soundstage! Network Editor-in-Cheif, Jeff Fritz, writes an opinion piece on the Soundstage! Xtreme (www.ultraaudio.com) area of the site called What I'd Buy.

"...these lists I compile are, by definition, limited to the types of products I like enough to pay for with my own money."

And in the piece published on May 1, Jeff focused on power amplifiers.
"Along with loudspeakers, power amplifiers have always represented the largest financial investments I’ve made in my audio system. It’s been my experience that I shouldn’t skimp on amplification, and that once I find a great power amp, it’s easy to stick with it over the long term. (Though whether any audiophile, including myself, actually does so is another subject altogether.) A great amp today will still be a great amp ten years from now."

 Included in Jeff's 'What I'd Buy' powered amplifier list is our very own Anthem Statement M1.

"A terrific laundry list of technologies... massive amounts of power into any load"

"The Anthem Statement M1 monoblock ($7000/pair) is the most powerful amplifier on this list at 1000W (8 ohms), and the only class-D model. It’s an original Anthem design, though -- not ICEpower -- and contains a terrific laundry list of technologies that push its sound into rarefied air. Not only is its sound quality almost beyond reproach, but the M1 is almost unique in its ability to deliver massive amounts of power into any load."

Click here! to read Jeff's full list of recommended amplifiers.
Click here! for more info on the Anthem Statement M1 amp.


Thursday, April 25, 2013

"Before ARC, I had never heard a system with a subwoofer that had not been degraded in the crossover area."- Secrets of Home Theater, (Part 2)


We're going to assume you've already read Part 1 of the Secrets of Home Theater ARC review, brilliantly written by David Rich. If you haven't, you really should stop what you're doing, click the link above (blue text) and once read, come back and read on for Part 2. 

Part 1 of the review looked at ARC's firmware in the SSPs and AVRs which have a reduced filter bank size. Whereas Part 2 focused on adding a subwoofer to the mix using the full SSP version of ARC.

We cannot recommend enough that you read Part 2 of the review in full, but to get you started, here are the Coles Notes...

"Below I show my acoustic measurements for the complete system after all the equalizer filter coefficients, bass management filter settings, distance, and level correction have been downloaded to the Anthem D2 Pre/Pro. This plot highlights the remarkable success of the ARC system."



"...the ARC system is able to join main channels and a subwoofer seamlessly."

"Of the room correction systems I have tested, only the Anthem ARC has the ability to create the correct filter shapes for each channel correctly, with the corresponding flat total response curve.

"Before the Anthem ARC, I had never heard a system with a subwoofer that had not been degraded in the crossover area."

"How many equipment reviewers who work in the domain of two-channel music systems are using subwoofers?  If these reviewers had access to an Anthem product with ARC, some minds might be changed."

Just like Part 1, the above summary doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the detail that David Rich has put into Part 2 of his ARC review. Click here! to read Part 2 of David's review entirely.

ARC can be purchased from authorized Anthem dealers 
and is also included with the following products:
 
To find your local authorized Anthem dealer, click here!


Friday, April 12, 2013

"Among the numerous room correction systems ... I have tested, ARC currently stands out as the best" - Secrets of Home Theater ARC review: Part 1


It has been a few years in the making but alas, it's here... 
David Rich of Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity has published Part 1 of his intensive Anthem Room Correction (ARC) review and we are ecstatic with his findings! 



This is by far the most thorough analysis of a room correction system we have ever seen. So whether you're an audiophile or an audio enthusiast, this is a read you can appreciate.

For a sneak preview, here are a few snippets from the review that we are happy to brag about...

 "Among the numerous room correction systems (automatically adjusts speaker delay, frequency response, and loudness, with respect to the listening position) I have tested, the Anthem ARC currently stands out as the best for consumers." 

"I never saw any sign of the system failing to produce a good solution for correcting the room and speaker aberrations."

"My room measurement system, which offers many more measurement functions than just the plots above, is about $600. For less than twice the price, Anthem gives you the ability to make accurate frequency response plots, provides the hardware to do the real time room correction, and tosses in a completely functional AVR."

"The three curves are text book examples of how an electrical room correction should work. This is the best result I have seen."

"I also listened to numerous other speakers, full range, and found the result ... to be the best I have achieved using an electrical room correction system."


"My room measurement system, which offers many more measurement functions than just the plots above, is about $600. For less than twice the price, Anthem gives you the ability to make accurate frequency response plots, provides the hardware to do the real time room correction, and tosses in a completely functional AVR."

"It is impossible for you to understand the depth of the intellectual property Anthem has amassed over the years of this system's development to produce this result, not just for this example but with other speakers in different sized rooms."

The above summary doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the depth that David Rich has gone into in Part 1 of his ARC review.  

Click here! to read Part 1 of David's review entirely.

ARC can be purchased from authorized Anthem dealers 
and is also included with the following products:
 
To find your local authorized Anthem dealer, click here!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of David's ARC review, coming soon!