Anthem MRX 1140 fan noise

[peng]

Well, Anthem is not meeting my expectations. I bought an 1140 to go with our new room and the fan noise made me crazy enough to push my local retailer. They did the right thing and got me a new one. The bad news is that the replacement is just as noisy if not even a little more! 8 to 10 db of noise from this @#$% cheap fan they chose. Doesnt even seem to variable speed. Its either on and noisy or off, nothing in between. Its fine for most movie watching, but for 2-channel listening, especially to well recorded acoustic, its hugely distracting.

I worked with Anthem support and installed the beta 2.2.203. No difference on noise level. The beta only seems to delay when it comes on (higher threshold) but does nothing to alter fan speed/noise.

This is REALLY disappointing and its clear they know they have an issue (all of us are complaining and they bothered to do a firmware change). After spending this much having a noisy cheap fan is a rude slap in the face. I guess I have to buy one of those AC Infinity units. They must be partly owned by Paradigm/Anthem? :-/

When I complained about the fan, they told me to contact the dealer to arrange for a repair. The unit was brand new, but I waited more than a month so may be that's why. It really wasn't an issue as one 120mm acinfinity fan on low speed fixed it. I eventually traded it in and the 2nd one is fine.

Replacing the fan yourself should be easy to do. I took a photo of it, but its for the AVM. The MRX likely has the same one but I can't be sure. It certainly is a cheap noisy fan. Doing it yourself may void the warranty. Is your dealer not willing to send you another one?

 

[2inquisitive]

I have not yet asked for them to give me a third(!) unit. I'm getting tired of the uninstall-reinstall cycle. Maybe at this point a $20 quiet PC cooling fan sitting on top is more palatable than fighting with the dealer and/or anthem. Nothing like spending a pretty penny on the 1140 only to have a hacked fan situation sitting on top. Maybe I will do that until the warranty expires then replace the internal one.

 

[Chrispy]

I know people like the looks of the T8 as they seemed to tailor made them for AVRs/AVPs. Unfortunately, as their specs indicate, they are not quiet enough. The cheap and ugly (not really too bad, due to the black color, if used with black color AVRs) S7 are quieter, that's 19 dB vs the T8's 24 dBA. Even the S8, or S5, it is only acceptably quiet (to me anyway, from 10-11 ft) if set to the lowest speed. So, the 120 mm ones are better, because then you can just place one on top or blow from back to front, at the lowest speed.

The really quiet ones are some of Noctua's, I have the NF-S12A ULN, it's spec is 8.6 dBA at maximum speed. They don't offer USB connection so there is a little bit of work to put one to use, and I am not sure if they make a black one. For quietness, I am not aware of anything better.

Amazon.ca

Well, the T8 is nicer looking than my coolerguys unit I'd used in the same room before, and a new avr with a slightly shorter height gave me enough room for the T8, so thought I'd try it (but I generally don't care about the aesthetic of appearance, I don't find audio gear anything to fondly gaze upon). I noticed the higher rear exhaust dB spec, over top exhaust, but stayed with rear exhaust as there was still so little room above the fan (and wonder if the close boundary might not increase the sound of even the top exhaust). I did expect at lowest speed a bit quieter performance, tho with the thermostat it's not always on either (but is noticeable in a quiet passage if it kicks on, otherwise I usually only notice it when turning everything off and the fan is on because its above target temp). How did you power the Noctua?

 

[peng]

How did you power the Noctua?

I was too lazy to buy the proper cables and connectors and adapt it to one of my cheap variable dc voltage adapters accumulated over the years, so I just strip a couple of wires and hardwired the fan. It came with a low noise adapter to lower the noise to 6.7 dBA but I think it needs to use 3 wires. I just use two wires with the adapter but with the variable voltage adapter I was able to use the lowest speed that I know is food enough. 5 V should give you enough cfm and it will be near silent from even 2 ft.

If you don't have any of those old adapter, you can grab something like the following from Amazon:

Amazon.com

 

[ban25]

Something like this would give you a plug & play solution from AC mains to a 3 or 4-pin fan:

Coolerguys Fan Power Supply 100-240v AC to 12v DC 1A Output 3pin or 4pin PWM Connector

840556072294 Coolerguys is proud to launch our most cost effective branded power supply. We simplified to have a 2510 (3+1) fan connector to power either a 3pin and 4pin PWM fan. The native cable is 5ft (1.5m), but can easily use any standard 3pin or 4pin extension or splitter. 100-240vAC...

www.coolerguys.com

 

[PortableMusic]

Hi Gentlemen:

new 1140 current gen (8K version) owner here. just got it.

my av installer put basic set up on the AVR, as my tv hasn't arrived yet.

however, i discovered that the Anthem app merely recognizes the 1140, but immediately, it has a pop up that says: need to update to new firmware. i didn't know how, so i called Anthem, they helped me, and i discovered that there are different modules that all need to be updated.

then when all was done, nothing would play!!

my installer looked remotely into my system and said: all settings were lost! it was similar to a factory reset!

why in the world would Anthem do that? that would be a lot of settings that are lost!

may i ask if anyone can confirm that the settings are always lost after a firmware update please?

thank you.

eager to hear.

 

[Chrispy]

Hi Gentlemen:

new 1140 current gen (8K version) owner here. just got it.

my av installer put basic set up on the AVR, as my tv hasn't arrived yet.

however, i discovered that the Anthem app merely recognizes the 1140, but immediately, it has a pop up that says: need to update to new firmware. i didn't know how, so i called Anthem, they helped me, and i discovered that there are different modules that all need to be updated.

then when all was done, nothing would play!!

my installer looked remotely into my system and said: all settings were lost! it was similar to a factory reset!

why in the world would Anthem do that? that would be a lot of settings that are lost!

may i ask if anyone can confirm that the settings are always lost after a firmware update please?

thank you.

eager to hear.

Some firmware updates will do that. Sometimes you just avoid updates unless it addresses something you particularly need "fixed". Saving your settings for easy re-loading can be done on some avrs, too.

 

[Beershaun]

Hi Gentlemen:

new 1140 current gen (8K version) owner here. just got it.

my av installer put basic set up on the AVR, as my tv hasn't arrived yet.

however, i discovered that the Anthem app merely recognizes the 1140, but immediately, it has a pop up that says: need to update to new firmware. i didn't know how, so i called Anthem, they helped me, and i discovered that there are different modules that all need to be updated.

then when all was done, nothing would play!!

my installer looked remotely into my system and said: all settings were lost! it was similar to a factory reset!

why in the world would Anthem do that? that would be a lot of settings that are lost!

may i ask if anyone can confirm that the settings are always lost after a firmware update please?

thank you.

eager to hear.

I have not experienced that when I upgrade the firmware on my Anthem. My settings have all been retained.

There is an option to store your settings separately as a backup in case something like that happens. I'd recommend using that feature.

 

[Beershaun]

I have not experienced that when I upgrade the firmware on my Anthem. My settings have all been retained.

There is an option to store your settings separately as a backup in case something like that happens. I'd recommend using that feature.

Also, you mentioned your Installer looked remotely into your system. Do you have some sort of home automation system that it is connected to? If so, could the issue be with something that changed that broke whatever integration your installer set up with that home automation system?

 

[rocketroberto]

I'm still enjoying the MRX 740 and yet to hear any fan noise. I went with the Anthem after trying both Denon and Arcam. The Denon was returned because I just didn't think it sounded very good. Lacked any dynamics and sounded flat in my system. This was despite investing in the MultEQ app to try to help things. The Arcam had a serious bug that affected the way it operated in my system in that it would not pass LFE to the front speakers when set to Large. Arcan Support confirmed the bug, but could not give any estimate on when it would be fixed in firmware, so it was also returned. It did sound far more dynamic than the Denon during testing though.

The Anthem worked straight out of the box. It sounds far better with both movies and music. Especially noticeable on Concert Blu Rays, which I actually have more of than movies, so this was very important to me. For stereo music, it sounds very good too, but in such cases, I usually listen direct from my Lyngdorf TDAi 3400, which is better still and has my FL & FR speakers connected to it along with my subwoofer. So for stereo, yes I tested the Anthem, as I did with the others, but although the Anthem sounded the best in my opinion, it wouldn't have been a deal breaker due to the Lyngdorf being in circuit.

On a non-sound aspect, I've also found the Anthem to have a fast strat-up and is super flexible in use. ARCg can actually be used in conjunction with Lyngdorf's Room Perfect correction system, which is a first as Audyssey and Dirac caused phase issues. The front display is much better on the Anthem too as it is very clear from my seating position, although the Arcam was very good too.

Hope this helps.

Steve

hi steve, I was thinking of getting the 740 instead of the Denon x4800x (I have an external amp: emotiva xpa-5). I am planning on having 2 'zones' (one being a 3.1 for tv/movies with some bookshelf speakers, and another being a 2.1 for music with KEF R7s) Does the 740 support having 2 zones like this, and allow for having a different ARC profile for each one? (though for music, I may install DIRAC on my mac mini where I'll be running apple music and controlling it with the itunes remote app, as that mac will be connected to my AVR with HDMI.)

 

[Steve356]

hi steve, I was thinking of getting the 740 instead of the Denon x4800x (I have an external amp: emotiva xpa-5). I am planning on having 2 'zones' (one being a 3.1 for tv/movies with some bookshelf speakers, and another being a 2.1 for music with KEF R7s) Does the 740 support having 2 zones like this, and allow for having a different ARC profile for each one? (though for music, I may install DIRAC on my mac mini where I'll be running apple music and controlling it with the itunes remote app, as that mac will be connected to my AVR with HDMI.)

Not sure I can answer your question as I don't use Zone 2 and have no need for it. Perhaps someone else on here will be able to answer or go onto the AVS Forums as there is a separate thread on these models with some extremely knowledgeable folks on there. Sorry I couldn't help.

 

[famasfilms]

I've just got an 1140 and I can definitely hear fan noise, admittedly it's drowned out by the volume of the content unless a scene goes dead silent.

It's actually a similar volume to the fan on my Western Digital MyCloud EX2 nas drive which is inside my tv cabinet

 

[Steve356]

My fan on my MRX740 8K was occasionally coming on when it was hot in the room and I could also hear it during quiet passages. I fixed it easily using this and the fans have never come on since. Although this fan is on all the time the AVR is on, I can't hear it even if I put my ear close to it. Also, you can feel how much cooler the MRX runs now.

Amazon.co.uk

 

[HiFiLower]

Hello,community!

Need some help here,bought Anthem 1140,but it is very noisy for my ears,I live in a flat and I hear the noise in silent moments(sofa is like 3m away from Anthem) which is no good!Any solutions how to fix it?Some ppl say that I need to install two Noctua fans inside to replace original fans,will it help?I bought AC Infinity AIRCOM T9 to try,but now I hear both Anthem and Infinity ),so maybe it helps from overheating,but the noise is still there...Any thoughts or recommendations ,pls?The firmare is the latest,I guess,Sep 2023.I reside in Europe.

Thank you

 

[zuli]

I was about to replace my MRX1140 due to fan noise, but I think I’ve finally found a solution.

Quick recap of this masterpiece of engineering: there are two internal fans—one 80mm fan in the middle, which pulls air from the power amp heatsink and pushes it towards the rear (where the video card, the hottest component, is located), and a noisier 40mm fan at the left rear. Both fans run simultaneously based on two internal thermal sensors: one on the amp heatsink and another, likely, near the video card.

My first attempt to solve the issue was requesting a replacement from Anthem, but they stated it was "working as designed." Later, they claimed that somehow fixed this "working as designed" issue with a firmware update. .

I replaced both internal fans with quieter ones, which helped but wasn’t enough, and I didn’t have time to investigate further. A couple of weeks ago, I revisited the problem and was close to giving up and buying a quieter AVR. I tried the Aircom T10, but even at its lowest speed, it was louder than the internal fans.

Then, I discovered that the rear fan was noisier because it was pushing air through the poorly designed rear grill. Using a Dremel, I removed the grill, which made the MRX quieter but still not silent.

Next, I tested additional fans and found that placing a 120mm PWM fan on the right side could pull enough air to prevent the video card’s thermal sensor from triggering the internal fans. And since the 120mm fan is PWM-controlled, it’s completely silent!

Now, I’m testing this setup: using the rear USB to power a relay that controls the external fan. So far, so good!

 

[Steve356]

This has worked perfectly for my MRX740 when my room gets warm in the summer and the internal fans tend to switch on. I place it on top of the 740 so that it draws hot air out. It's positioned slightly on the right of the AVR (looking at the front of the unit) and towards the rear, where the greatest heat is. The fan is silent and prevents the internal fans coming on. It's driven easily by the USB output of the Anthem and is a relatively cheap fix.

Amazon.co.uk

 

[peng]

For those who still have noise issue, the following fan is virtually silent, for $14.

It should be an easy mod, but it would void your warranty because you would have to remote the cover to do it, obviously.

If one doesn't mind the look, just let it blow from the rear, or from the top (in that case, use rubber pad or feet of some sort though it is not a must.

Amazon.com

 

[peng]

This has worked perfectly for my MRX740 when my room gets warm in the summer and the internal fans tend to switch on. I place it on top of the 740 so that it draws hot air out. It's positioned slightly on the right of the AVR (looking at the front of the unit) and towards the rear, where the greatest heat is. The fan is silent and prevents the internal fans coming on. It's driven easily by the USB output of the Anthem and is a relatively cheap fix.

Amazon.co.uk

I use a lot of those but would no longer recommend them if one is very sensitive to fan noise. I found that those fans do make audible noise even from my mlp (11 ft), but some does much better than others, no idea why, maybe QS control is lacking? With the USB connections, they are super easy to use and that's the big plu.

 

[HiFiLower]

zuli and the rest,thank you for your nice help!My life situation is bad,I was living in Ukraine,but the war started and I moved to my brother in Estonia,so I am living right now in Tallinn and cannot return Anthem for obvious reasons!Yes,I think the same as you do,it is real masterpiece,I like it very much,but the fan noise ruin everything,unfortunately ( My ears are perfect,so I hear it all the time....I tried Infinity T9,but it did not help,I guess nothing will help unless I change the fans inside.I`ve already ordered 2 Noctua fans,when they arrive I will try to change them and see how it goes.

As I understood,zuli is the only one who changed the fans inside,can you tell me,after this fix,was it better and silent?Or still you heard the fans?Also,if nothing else works,I will try to follow your tutorial and do as you did,but English is not my mother tongue,so I need some photos or maybe video to show me how to do it if you can.

Anyway,maybe somebody has some other suggestion or way to eliminate this damn noise,guys???What will happen if I just remove those fans? )

Thank you

 

[Steve356]

I use a lot of those but would no longer recommend them if one is very sensitive to fan noise. I found that those fans do make audible noise even from my mlp (11 ft), but some does much better than others, no idea why, maybe QS control is lacking? With the USB connections, they are super easy to use and that's the big plu.

Can't hear mine even if I put my ear right next to it. Completely silent. Maybe I was lucky and got a good one.