Anthem MRX720 Freezes Up

[macr56]

Hello to all & thank you for whatever input you may have: I have an Anthem MRX 720 AV Receiver which I love other than 1 nagging issue. This receiver will freeze up from time to time...meaning that during normal play it will just lock up & I can't shut down the receiver using remote or power switch on the receiver, I cannot scroll to or activate any other functions of this receiver BUT can continue to function in whatever mode I am currently in when receiver locks up. To get out of this situation I have to stop music & unplug receiver to get back to normal operation until eventually, it will lock up again.
I've contacted Anthem support & they were not able to help me...however, they did send a brand new replacement unit which I swapped into but problem continues which makes me believe the problem is on my end. Does ANYBODY please have any ideas what I might do to troubleshoot & hopefully fix this issue??

 

[Golfx]

Hello to all & thank you for whatever input you may have: I have an Anthem MRX 720 AV Receiver which I love other than 1 nagging issue. This receiver will freeze up from time to time...meaning that during normal play it will just lock up & I can't shut down the receiver using remote or power switch on the receiver, I cannot scroll to or activate any other functions of this receiver BUT can continue to function in whatever mode I am currently in when receiver locks up. To get out of this situation I have to stop music & unplug receiver to get back to normal operation until eventually, it will lock up again.
I've contacted Anthem support & they were not able to help me...however, they did send a brand new replacement unit which I swapped into but problem continues which makes me believe the problem is on my end. Does ANYBODY please have any ideas what I might do to troubleshoot & hopefully fix this issue??

Another very likely possibility is both Anthems have the same factory released flaw. How close are the serial numbers?

 

[peng]

Does it do that only when you are using a certain feature and/or a certain connections/setup etc.? If it can just happen any time regardless of what it is doing then I think it must be an Anthem problem, not your doing.

Have you done the factory reset thing yet? If not, you should try it.

 

[macr56]

Have you done the factory reset thing yet? If not, you should try it.[/QUOTE]
No factory reset yet but will try as a last resort...I got shit all tore a part now...found HDMI connections that I don't think were proper & eliminated an old Denon CD player....I mean like 30 yrs. old but it was a great old unit...ripped all CDs to HD & trying to set up music server now. I still have old turntable in the system & if problem continues I'll take that out next.


To Breedeng: Thinkin I'm the only one with problems of this kind as I've searched for other issues of this kind with none to be found....Anthem doesn't seem to be familiar with this issue....other than me...I believe them. They have done everything they could for me, including swapping out unit beyond warranty date....it's me...pretty sure.
Thank you guys for your help. It's nice to have someone to discuss with & get some ideas so much appreciated.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I have 520 and never had a problem. I never turn off or change modes. I guess if I did have problem, I would never know.

 

[Golfx]

PENG is our yoda. I would follow his lead. Sorry this is happening. I also wouldn’t put total faith in support people at Anthem. They have had their hands full and likely had to move in some newer people.

 

[Inner Space]

Random thought - where do you live? Is the air dry? I spent the lockdown year in a place where super-low humidity and static electricity have played havoc with three different units. Symptoms were kind of similar.

 

[macr56]

I have 520 and never had a problem. I never turn off or change modes. I guess if I did have problem, I would never know.

I think you would know Alice because the volume function doesn't operate either....it will only play in what ever mode it was in when it froze.

 

[macr56]

Random thought - where do you live? Is the air dry? I spent the lockdown year in a place where super-low humidity and static electricity have played havoc with three different units. Symptoms were kind of similar.

It's fairly humid here BUT dry air in winter. I have considered static because I've gotten nailed pretty good with static discharge from carpet but not that I can recall when operating stereo gear.... mostly done remotely....still a possibility though but haven't seen or heard where others have experienced my situation. I have everything all apart now rewiring & re-configuring setup. I've found some potential issues & have eliminated some equipment but it could take a couple of weeks for issue to occur again after everything is hooked up again...it is THAT random...in fact I've had periods where I've thought problem was gone & maybe had been eliminated by a software update & then...poof...locked up again.

 

[peng]

If the replacement (what you have now) is in fact a brand new one, then a factory reset will not make a difference, it might just the odds seem very low. Just another stupid question, when it froze, I suppose you meant it wouldn't respond to the remote but did any of the local controls work?

Also, is there anything else plugged into the same circuit that could have sent some sort of voltage spike that might have caused the processor to do something weird? You said you were sure it was you, so are you implying you have something unusual connected to the AVR, and/or use it in some ways that others won't? Sorry about so many questions, just trying to help troubleshoot, and as you said Anthem can't help you any more, and I am impressed that they actually replaced it with a brand new one after the warranty period.

By the way, did you follow up with them to see if they have found something wrong with the original unit?

 

[macr56]

If the replacement (what you have now) is in fact a brand new one, then a factory reset will not make a difference, it might just the odds seem very low. Just another stupid question, when it froze, I suppose you meant it wouldn't respond to the remote but did any of the local controls work?

Also, is there anything else plugged into the same circuit that could have sent some sort of voltage spike that might have caused the processor to do something weird? You said you were sure it was you, so are you implying you have something unusual connected to the AVR, and/or use it in some ways that others won't? Sorry about so many questions, just trying to help troubleshoot, and as you said Anthem can't help you any more, and I am impressed that they actually replaced it with a brand new one after the warranty period.

By the way, did you follow up with them to see if they have found something wrong with the original unit?

No I didn't think to follow up in regard to old unit, that would have been a good idea but when replacement started with same symptoms I assumed it must be on my end. I have not checked for voltage spikes or traced electrical circuit to see if maybe some unusual loads, though I can tell you that audio equipment is located away from any large appliances & is in living room where, other than audio gear, just lamps plugged into outlets. This is not a bad thought though....I have old touch lamp plugged into that circuit, you know you just touch lamp to turn on, no switch....If problem continues after I get everything back together this would be a good thing to check. Nothing unusual other than some other really old gear. I just eliminated one piece (CD player) & moved some things around so as soon as I get everything back together I'll start things up & keep ya posted. Please don't apologize for questions, this is helping & I appreciate it. Anthem has been pretty good to work with....it was just a few days beyond warranty but still they had no obligation to replace unit but did.

 

[Golfx]

I had one of those touch lamps. Would turn on by itself when I was gone. Hmmmmm

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I think you would know Alice because the volume function doesn't operate either....it will only play in what ever mode it was in when it froze.

Ohhhhh!

 

[Flacht-six]

I have a MRX720 and experience the same problem. It's just a minor annoyance for me as I only notice it when I try to turn the machine off, and it occurs maybe just a handful of times a year. Then I just pull the power cord and replug it in.

I live in a dry environment, no carpet, and 95% of the time just use it with my tv. No idea what's the cause.

 

[octo80]

Hi I have the same problem. It happens to me after using the anthem controller app on my iPhone, doing some adjusting and swiping away from the app really fast.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I use the remote. Never had a problem.

 

[octo80]

I use the remote. Never had a problem.

Exactly. The problem is in the app.

 

[AllessioV]

Hello to all & thank you for whatever input you may have: I have an Anthem MRX 720 AV Receiver which I love other than 1 nagging issue. This receiver will freeze up from time to time...meaning that during normal play it will just lock up & I can't shut down the receiver using remote or power switch on the receiver, I cannot scroll to or activate any other functions of this receiver BUT can continue to function in whatever mode I am currently in when receiver locks up. To get out of this situation I have to stop music & unplug receiver to get back to normal operation until eventually, it will lock up again.
I've contacted Anthem support & they were not able to help me...however, they did send a brand new replacement unit which I swapped into but problem continues which makes me believe the problem is on my end. Does ANYBODY please have any ideas what I might do to troubleshoot & hopefully fix this issue??

I am having a very similar issue.

Suddenly the 720 “locks up”; that is, it stays on but I can’t turn it off, can’t access its menu, can’t change inputs, basically DITW.

Since the unit is remote from my location, I have no access to it.

My music has stopped.

WTF?!

 

[peng]

I am having a very similar issue.

Suddenly the 720 “locks up”; that is, it stays on but I can’t turn it off, can’t access its menu, can’t change inputs, basically DITW.

Since the unit is remote from my location, I have no access to it.

My music has stopped.

WTF?!

If it only happens occasionally and can "unlock" it by unplugging and plugging the power cord, then I think you/we are going to have to live with it. If it takes more than that, it is an issue and you would have to contact Amthem support and be prepared to ship it out for repair.

 

[jrswoodal]

My MRX 720 suddenly started freezing up when I was trying to connect to my network. I have done a factory reset and unplugged it several times and it continues to freeze up both on the front panel and remote. Has anyone found a resolution to this problem?