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.
