• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Recommended receiver for my system

Joejoe123

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
0
Hi guys I’m new to the site my current set up is I have a pair of klipsch Rf7iii and rc64iii and rf52ii and rb51ii for sourrounds, along with sw112 klipsch subwoofer. And for recover I have the mrx720 and for the power amp I have the parasound halo a31 to power the front sound stage. I recently saw the review that Aamir did on the MRX 520 and the review he did on the MRX 1120 and how he didn’t recommend the MRX 520 but he did recommend the MRX 1120 I am wondering if he would’ve done a review on the MRI at 7:20 if he would’ve recommended it and if it would be that much of a difference to return my current receiver and upgrade to the MRX 1120, what do you guys thanksI With my current set up in the speakers I have and the power amp what do you guys think would be the best match and the money that I’m willing to spend would there be any better receivers out there or maybe just any better preamps or any better integrated amps type of set ups or anything any different type of roads I could go down besides an AVR just curious? But my main concern is about the avr situation. I’m wondering if it’s worth spending the extra thousand dollars to upgrade to it and or if there’s any other receivers out there that are better than the anthem in terms of performance sound quality durability and all that jazz? what do you guys think. I need all the recommendations I can get. I have about two weeks to return the mrx 720 if I do choose. I’m happy with the sound but if I can get better I’d be willing to spend more money, maybe a thousand more. What’s the best option for home 2 channel music also? Thanks so much guys appreciate you! Also right now I am mostly just listening to music because I have a concussion so I can’t really watch TV without it hurting my head but once my head gets better I will get a TV and will have a home theater set up but as of right now I’m just listening to music so I’m doing a lot of stereo listening but also surround sound.
 
Last edited:

Darvis

Active Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
142
Likes
164
Location
Belgium
Your receiver is great and certainly not the weak link in your system. Enjoy the beast!
 
OP
J

Joejoe123

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
0
Your receiver is great and certainly not the weak link in your system. Enjoy the beast!
But what about the rest of my questions? ;( I’ve had my eye on the Yamaha aventage 3080, I wonder how that would compare?
 

Wes

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
3,843
Likes
3,788
it’s not worth spending the extra thousand dollars to upgrade any of that

Tell us about the speaker positioning, the room dimensions, surfaces & treatments...
 
OP
J

Joejoe123

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
0
it’s not worth spending the extra thousand dollars to upgrade any of that

Tell us about the speaker positioning, the room dimensions, surfaces & treatments...
What are some other people’s opinions. I hear one person saying yes do the upgrade and another saying no. I don’t mind spending the extra thousand if it would be a decent improvement and definetly since Aamir (Sorry if I’m spelling it wrong) recommended it. Also the yammy aventage 3080 is like a 1000$ cheaper. Room is about 17 by 18 with a hallway that extends to the bathroom making 17 by 21’ and 8’ ceilings. Carpet flooring and no treatments. Just starting out at this hobby. I’m not even using room correction at this point cause I’m not delving into it doing all the fine tuning and I don’t like how it sounds. I’m going for the beat sound quality and all around performance. Any other avrs out there for the same amount of money as the mrx 720 and mrx 1120 that could compete or beat them in pure sound quality and sheer performance. I know it’s a lot of questions just please help me as much as I can. Trying to soak in as much information as I can as fast as I can. I have only two weeks to return the anthem if I do choose to!
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,751
Likes
5,910
Location
PNW
Changing the electronics is probably the least effective route to change audio qualities. I'd look at speakers/room first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wes
OP
J

Joejoe123

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
0
Changing the electronics is probably the least effective route to change audio qualities. I'd look at speakers/room first.
That’s just not my main concern right now. I’m acually happy with my audio quality, quite happy indeed. I want to take things one step at a time. First I got my speaker taken care of and my power amp and for the most part my receiver. But just trying to figure out if I should rethink my receiver after seeing @amirm review of the anthems receivers. After I take care of that then maybe move on to a second pair of left and right floor standers or more and or better surrounds. And or then start working on room treating.
 

Astrozombie

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
388
Likes
144
Location
Los Angeles
Where do you even go from an Anthem? My understanding was that was pretty much the endgame for receivers. NAD? Might be a sidegrade
 

Chrispy

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
7,751
Likes
5,910
Location
PNW
That’s just not my main concern right now. I’m acually happy with my audio quality, quite happy indeed. I want to take things one step at a time. First I got my speaker taken care of and my power amp and for the most part my receiver. But just trying to figure out if I should rethink my receiver after seeing @amirm review of the anthems receivers. After I take care of that then maybe move on to a second pair of left and right floor standers or more and or better surrounds. And or then start working on room treating.
If you're happy with the audio quality....hard to understand what you expect.
 

Wes

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
3,843
Likes
3,788
If you're happy with the audio quality... and do not want to do the most effective things to improve SQ, as per above, then focus on looks and functionality of the receiver.
 

Darvis

Active Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
142
Likes
164
Location
Belgium
But what about the rest of my questions? ;( I’ve had my eye on the Yamaha aventage 3080, I wonder how that would compare?
The Yamaha would be a significant downgrade because you'd swap ARC, which is really good, for YPAO, which can be OK sometimes but more often than not is a bit shit. I believe Yamaha has other strengths, notably the reliability, but on a sound quality basis you'd downgrade.

You must realize that although those tests show indeed differences between receivers, the extent on how much it's perceptible is not clear. And in any case the shortcomings are dwarfed by the shortcomings of speakers.
 

North_Sky

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 31, 2019
Messages
2,741
Likes
1,553
Location
Kha Nada
I'd go an echelon higher...the 1120
 
OP
J

Joejoe123

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
0
The Yamaha would be a significant downgrade because you'd swap ARC, which is really good, for YPAO, which can be OK sometimes but more often than not is a bit shit. I believe Yamaha has other strengths, notably the reliability, but on a sound quality basis you'd downgrade.

You must realize that although those tests show indeed differences between receivers, the extent on how much it's perceptible is not clear. And in any case the shortcomings are dwarfed by the shortcomings of speakers.
It’s just my first impression of arc was garbage. Took all the bass away from my left and right speaker. Changing the crossover on the sub or in the bass management in the anthems menu did nothing to address the issue. There was still no bass. By no bass I don’t actually mean no bass there was some but maybe dual 2” not dual 10” kind of bass. I’m on the anthem owner thread and there’s just so much you can do with arc and I have yet to delve into it yet. But still it just seems a lot of people are unhappy with it. I have a medium sized room. Not a massive theater so many arc is right for my room and I’m sure if I had a professional come out and take his time and set everything up perfect it would sound better and I could get the bass back but even after that I’ve heard many people say the dynamics are gone. I mean and it’s like all room correction are like this. For my integra the room correction sounded awesome lol. If I didn’t want an avr. What other routes are there to take? I can think of a couple but would probably be a hell of a lot more money.. idk maybe once I had another professional come out and really go into arc and set it up perfect just the way I want it, it would be nice. And maybe even better for movies. But for now I just run it with it off. And the sound quality is amazing. Is anthem really the best quality recovers out there, what about martanaz and dennon(I know I’m spelling them wrong) and all dem other boys. I just don’t understand what the problem is with arc and it’s really annoying me. So really the room correction is really not even a concern of mone right now since I’m not even using it, I’m more concerned with the sheer build quality and Sonics and future proof (which I know no reciver is future proof but some are more than other right) of the unit. Still I’m thinking anthem has then all beat right. Just the damn arc is annoying me if you can’t tell. But then again like I said I’m sorry for repeating myself I think it’s pretty cool how you can go in and how you can simply just do so much with it and how you can do so much fine-tuning I think that’s pretty cool and down the road when and if I stick with anthem when I get to that point it’ll be pretty cool to delve into it and see how I can get them sounding but as of right now I love the sound without room correction on I’m just wondering from @amirm review if it would be worth it to do the upgrade I’m starting to lean towards yes. First off because the people I bought the MRX 720 from made me pay full retail. And at the point I was that I was just like screw it and paid it. But now after everything in calling around and talking to people realizing that I could get a percentage off I think I’m gonna do the return and get the MRX 1120 and get a nice little discount on it. Sounds good right. Or just get a nice little discount on the 720.
 

Darvis

Active Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
142
Likes
164
Location
Belgium
I'm pretty sure you won't hear any difference between the 720 and 1120. The 1120 is a little more powerful but you already have external power amps so you don't give two shits about that. Getting back a discount on your 720 is never a bad idea though ;)

For ARC it's a bummer. It was awesome in my room and I only ever heard good things from other people. I'm not a tinkerer, so I can't help you much, and I don't have the Anthem anymore. I know there are ways to fuck the process up though, make sure to avoid common mistakes.

If you really want to surrender to the urge of upgraditis (no judgment here, we're among equally deranged individuals ;) ) you could try something with Dirac.
 
OP
J

Joejoe123

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
0
I'm pretty sure you won't hear any difference between the 720 and 1120. The 1120 is a little more powerful but you already have external power amps so you don't give two shits about that. Getting back a discount on your 720 is never a bad idea though ;)

For ARC it's a bummer. It was awesome in my room and I only ever heard good things from other people. I'm not a tinkerer, so I can't help you much, and I don't have the Anthem anymore. I know there are ways to fuck the process up though, make sure to avoid common mistakes.

If you really want to surrender to the urge of upgraditis (no judgment here, we're among equally deranged individuals ;) ) you could try something with Dirac.
What receivers come with Dirac. And are you saying Dirac would be better than arc? What Reichert are you using now? And ya I don’t think I would tell a difference but if I wanted in the future I could add more speakers than with the 720 and it has a special type of donut shaped something, I forget what it’s called but it’s suppose to help with something lol. Sorry bout ready for bed and didn’t want to look it up
 

Darvis

Active Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
142
Likes
164
Location
Belgium
What receivers come with Dirac. And are you saying Dirac would be better than arc?
No, I wouldn't say that, but if arc doesn't work in your room there's a chance dirac will. And since you're itching to test something else anyway, it would be more interesting to test something else entirely.

That being said, my advice is to sit back and enjoy what you have.
 
OP
J

Joejoe123

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2020
Messages
11
Likes
0
No, I wouldn't say that, but if arc doesn't work in your room there's a chance dirac will. And since you're itching to test something else anyway, it would be more interesting to test something else entirely.

That being said, my advice is to sit back and enjoy what you have.
What receivers come with Dirac??? And I wouldn’t say it’s not working for my room, it’s not working with my speakers. I think I need to just delve into it and do a lot of fine-tuning it take some time with it. But what receivers come with Dirac???
 

Darvis

Active Member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
142
Likes
164
Location
Belgium
What receivers come with Dirac???
That's a difficult one to answer. You can check the list given by Chrispy. The "cheap" ones are from NAD but they seem a bit buggy and don't measure well. Their new 778 hasn't been tested though and it looks different enough in its conception. There's Arcam too, but same story basically. Emotiva seems interesting.

And I wouldn’t say it’s not working for my room, it’s not working with my speakers. I think I need to just delve into it and do a lot of fine-tuning it take some time with it.
Yeah, that's why I'm not the guy to ask, like I said it worked beautifully in my home without any effort (which is the way I like it, I'm not a fan of tinkering).
 
Top Bottom