Anthem AVM 70 - Initial Impressions (1 Viewer)

[GeorgeHolland]

It's entirely possible Kris did.

I observed him do the calibrations and there were a few differences in the STR stereo preamp from Anthem home theater processors at the time. I don't think the AVM 70 was out yet. The differences were positive though, the ability to calibrate the subwoofers separately in mono or stereo and the automated phase correction were new to him and a welcome enhancement. The STR was new and Kris did have some questions. With his connections at Anthem he was able to get quick detailed answers though his previous main contact had been layed off. He also was concerned with the subwoofer reports. Seems I hadn't made the correct adjustments in the amps DSP and since I had my amps in the crawl space, he agreed to come back after talking to Anthem for clarification on an issue or question he had that I don't remember what is was about anymore and to give me a chance to correct the amps dsp settings. They were messing with what we wanted the STR to manage. I needed to research how to change the settings and Kris ran another calibration that still sounds amazing the next time he was in the area. I also remember Anthem at the time going through some layoffs that impacted support and likely other areas due to covid. I'm not sure if they have increased headcount since then or not.

I don't have a need to upgrade my home theater processors or AVR's any time soon but would put Anthem high on my list of options to consider. To bad it didn't work out for you. I'm also not as interested in spending time calibrating and tweaking systems as I once did anymore. I'm at the point I just want to enjoy the watching and listening part of the hobby and no longer bother calibrating projectors myself. Denon and Marantz on the other hand are so easy I don't mind setting them up.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

It's entirely possible Kris did.

Maybe time to see if Kris Deering can come calibrate the whole HT setup for you (and maybe order another AVM-70 just for that, if he's familiar enough w/ it?).

_Man_

 

[John Dirk]

Maybe time to see if Kris Deering can come calibrate the whole HT setup for you (and maybe order another AVM-70 just for that, if he's familiar enough w/ it?).

_Man_

Nope. I'm a DIY guy. If the equipment requires that much fuss it's simply not for me. I'm not saying this is universally true for Anthem in general or the AVM70, just my experience. Now if they ever improve that horrendous OSD, I'd be happy to buy it again.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Nope. I'm a DIY guy. If the equipment requires that much fuss it's simply not for me. I'm not saying this is universally true for Anthem in general or the AVM70, just my experience. Now if they ever improve that horrendous OSD, I'd be happy to buy it again.

Oh, I'm pretty much the same way too... except I've also never spent 5 figures on a PJ/display before...

I was actually thinking more for the video calibration than audio... although Deering seems great at both (and apparently had very substantial audio expertise long before getting into the HT industry).

IF I buy something like an NZ8, I'd most likely also wanna hire someone to calibrate the whole video setup -- the audio side is basically just an added bonus (hopefully not costing too much extra) if he's already there doing the video anyway...

_Man_

 

[Robert Crawford]

IF I buy something like an NZ8, I'd most likely also wanna hire someone to calibrate the whole video setup -- the audio side is basically just an added bonus (hopefully not costing too much extra) if he's already there doing the video anyway...

_Man_

Any calibration is going to be expensive whether it's only audio or video or even both. You won't get much of a financial break having both done at the same time.

 

[John Dirk]

IF I buy something like an NZ8, I'd most likely also wanna hire someone to calibrate the whole video setup

I'm already mostly satisfied with the NZ8 out-of-the-box but JVC also offers a free tool called Autocal which, in conjunction with a relatively inexpensive Colorimeter, achieves near professional results. I'll start there.

 

[JohnRice]

I'm already mostly satisfied with the NZ8 out-of-the-box but JVC also offers a free tool called Autocal which, in conjunction with a relatively inexpensive Colorimeter, achieves near professional results. I'll start there.

The Spyder is a great tool. I’ve been using them on my computer monitors for years. Of course I do a lot of color critical stuff on them. I’d think it is worth the price for such an expensive projector.

 

[GeorgeHolland]

I calibrated succeeding models of my JVC projectors for years and always thought the results were good. Calibration seemed easier since I’ve had a Lumagen in my Theater since having an NEC XG85. I kept trading up and later Lumagen models allowed for automated calibration paired with ChromoPure. Most prefer CalMAN and I considered it but never bothered to learn how to use it. That worked well until wanting to play 4k content on my RS500. That is when I started calling Kris. Paired with the Lumagen he was able to get my RS500 to play 4K/UHD/HDR content beautifully even though the RS500 is not a native 4K projector.

I have a few sensors including a Spyder 5 and i1 Display 3 that I used to calibrate projectors with, and as a photographer I still use them to calibrate my monitors.

I agree the new JVC’s look good out of the box and Auto Cal compensates for individual unit variances improving it even more. Since I use a Lumagen for DTM, all the Lumagen features start to get more challenging to optimize. Kris runs the JVC autocal before starting his calibration. I seem to remember him running it twice, each time with a different sensor.

4K/UHD/HDR added a lot of complexity. Kris with his top end equipment and experience can get the absolute best performance possible out of my RS3100 and Lumagen. Part of me misses the hobby aspect of DIY calibration but I get over that quickly when remembering the hours or even days of inevitable frustration when running into problems. While I understand those that prefer the DIY route, I’m over it and since I have a pretty good calibrator local to me, I decided to speed up the Anthem ARC audio learning curve and just hire a pro and had him calibrate my LG CX77 while he was at it.

 

[JohnRice]

I observed him do the calibrations and there were a few differences in the STR stereo preamp from Anthem home theater processors at the time. I don't think the AVM 70 was out yet. The differences were positive though, the ability to calibrate the subwoofers separately in mono or stereo and the automated phase correction were new to him and a welcome enhancement. The STR was new and Kris did have some questions. With his connections at Anthem he was able to get quick detailed answers though his previous main contact had been layed off. He also was concerned with the subwoofer reports. Seems I hadn't made the correct adjustments in the amps DSP and since I had my amps in the crawl space, he agreed to come back after talking to Anthem for clarification on an issue or question he had that I don't remember what is was about anymore and to give me a chance to correct the amps dsp settings. They were messing with what we wanted the STR to manage. I needed to research how to change the settings and Kris ran another calibration that still sounds amazing the next time he was in the area. I also remember Anthem at the time going through some layoffs that impacted support and likely other areas due to covid. I'm not sure if they have increased headcount since then or not.

I don't have a need to upgrade my home theater processors or AVR's any time soon but would put Anthem high on my list of options to consider. To bad it didn't work out for you. I'm also not as interested in spending time calibrating and tweaking systems as I once did anymore. I'm at the point I just want to enjoy the watching and listening part of the hobby and no longer bother calibrating projectors myself. Denon and Marantz on the other hand are so easy I don't mind setting them up.

George, I am definitely curious about the Anthem STR. I've been using a similar type of two channel preamp to integrate better music playback in my HT, and was hoping to finally go with a single surround preamp that has the music quality I want, but that just doesn't seem to be in the cards at the moment.

However, the STR could achieve what I ultimately want, while allowing me to use a less than astoundingly expensive surround preamp for video media.

I don't know if I have any specific questions about it, just wondering how you use it and how pleased you are.

Then again, maybe I should start a dedicated thread, but you are in this one. I guess I'll see how things go with the Cambridge CXN v2 I have on the way and go from there.

 

[John Dirk]

While I understand those that prefer the DIY route, I’m over it and since I have a pretty good calibrator local to me, I decided to speed up the Anthem ARC audio learning curve and just hire a pro and had him calibrate my LG CX77 while he was at it.

Understandable, especially if you've already traveled that road and have a trusted local resource. On the video side, the NZ8 is already such an extreme improvement over my [great for what it is] Epson 6050, so the Autocal calibration may likely be all I want. On the audio side I still have a lot to learn. I was prepared to do this with ARC Genesis but, sadly, the AVM70's UI was just not something I wanted to get used to. I really hope they are working on something better, especially at AVM90 prices.

 

[GeorgeHolland]

George, I am definitely curious about the Anthem STR. I've been using a similar type of two channel preamp to integrate better music playback in my HT, and was hoping to finally go with a single surround preamp that has the music quality I want, but that just doesn't seem to be in the cards at the moment.

However, the STR could achieve what I ultimately want, while allowing me to use a less than astoundingly expensive surround preamp for video media.

I don't know if I have any specific questions about it, just wondering how you use it and how pleased you are.

Then again, maybe I should start a dedicated thread, but you are in this one. I guess I'll see how things go with the Cambridge CXN v2 I have on the way and go from there.

I have a decent two channel system in the bonus room over our garage. The problem is I only use it when working out and I prefer getting out and about for my workouts and found I just didn’t use it very much and found we wouldn't use the room much just to listen to music.

I’d been wanting to add a dedicated 2-channel system featuring a record player in our family room since that is where we spend most of our time. While I do pretty much what I want in the dedicated basement theater and the bonus room, my wife has final say in the family room. Her requirements; she wanted minimal visibility of components and wires and no tower speakers. By placing all the amplifiers in a cabinet I built in the crawlspace under the family room, I was able to fit all the other components in a small cabinet and added cooling fans to even close the cabinet doors when desired.

In my research I was looking for something with Home Theater Bypass and based on space, preferred something with a quality built in MM/MC phono preamp. I also wanted a preamp with bass management. I planned on using a pair of DIY Scan-Speak 32W/4878T Revelator 13" Subwoofer’s I built. While we use the LG CX77 a lot, I wanted to prioritize 2-channel music. I understand McIntosh makes excellent stereo preamps but I never considered them, mostly because I don’t like the way they look and assume they have a premium price. The Parasound P6 looked interesting and I’m sure a few other options came up but the STR checked all the boxes.

Home Theater Bypass, MM/MC phono preamp, bass management, USB input, DSP or Direct modes, XLR or RCA and the powerful and flexible ARC system that works especially well with subwoofer integration.

I use Home Theater Bypass with a Denon AVR-X6500H and this not only allows me to use the same FL/FR mains, subwoofer pair and external amps but also allows me to use ARC when using the STR and Audyssey MultEQ XT32 on the Denon with the same FL/FR speakers and subs when watching movies or TV. This required some research since bypass works while the STR is in standby and the STR trigger doesn’t turn on the amps in that mode. I needed to build trigger Y-Cables with a diode in-line to prevent back loading the trigger cable that is connected to both the Denon and STR at the same time. With my amps in a cabinet I built in the crawlspace below the family room manually turning on the amps is not an option.

It has given my wife and I many hours of enjoyment. It has been a revelation getting back to listening to LP’s the way the artists intended for them to be listened to, I had gotten so accustomed to random play lists and while I still enjoy playing music that way, putting a record on is so much more focused and engaging. I've saved all my CD music as FLAC or Apple Lossless and with an Apple camera connector can bypass the iPhone DAC and use the STR DAC's for pure high res playback of the lossless files.

2.2 system: Anthem STR Preamp, Bryston 6BSST amp, QSC PLD4.2 amp, 2 ea. Dynaudio Contour 20 Monitors, 2 ea. Scan-Speak 32W/4878T Revelator 13" Subwoofer’s, VPI Prime Turntable, Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze Cartridge.

5.1 system/STR HT Bypass: Denon AVR-X6500H, LG 77 CX, 3rd Dynaudio Contour 20 for Center Channel, 2 ea. Infinity Cascade Model Nine surrounds, Apple 4K TV, Panasonic DP-UB820, Xfinity XG1v4. Zone 2, Crown XTi2 4002 Amp for in-house speaker system (six pairs, mostly in-wall ADS and a pair of outdoor patio speakers.)

 

[JohnRice]

I have a decent two channel system in the bonus room over our garage. The problem is I only use it when working out and I prefer getting out and about for my workouts and found I just didn’t use it very much and found we wouldn't use the room much just to listen to music.

I’d been wanting to add a dedicated 2-channel system featuring a record player in our family room since that is where we spend most of our time. While I do pretty much what I want in the dedicated basement theater and the bonus room, my wife has final say in the family room. Her requirements; she wanted minimal visibility of components and wires and no tower speakers. By placing all the amplifiers in a cabinet I built in the crawlspace under the family room, I was able to fit all the other components in a small cabinet and added cooling fans to even close the cabinet doors when desired.

In my research I was looking for something with Home Theater Bypass and based on space, preferred something with a quality built in MM/MC phono preamp. I also wanted a preamp with bass management. I planned on using a pair of DIY Scan-Speak 32W/4878T Revelator 13" Subwoofer’s I built. While we use the LG CX77 a lot, I wanted to prioritize 2-channel music. I understand McIntosh makes excellent stereo preamps but I never considered them, mostly because I don’t like the way they look and assume they have a premium price. The Parasound P6 looked interesting and I’m sure a few other options came up but the STR checked all the boxes.

Home Theater Bypass, MM/MC phono preamp, bass management, USB input, DSP or Direct modes, XLR or RCA and the powerful and flexible ARC system that works especially well with subwoofer integration.

I use Home Theater Bypass with a Denon AVR-X6500H and this not only allows me to use the same FL/FR mains, subwoofer pair and external amps but also allows me to use ARC when using the STR and Audyssey MultEQ XT32 on the Denon with the same FL/FR speakers and subs when watching movies or TV. This required some research since bypass works while the STR is in standby and the STR trigger doesn’t turn on the amps in that mode. I needed to build trigger Y-Cables with a diode in-line to prevent back loading the trigger cable that is connected to both the Denon and STR at the same time. With my amps in a cabinet I built in the crawlspace below the family room manually turning on the amps is not an option.

It has given my wife and I many hours of enjoyment. It has been a revelation getting back to listening to LP’s the way the artists intended for them to be listened to, I had gotten so accustomed to random play lists and while I still enjoy playing music that way, putting a record on is so much more focused and engaging. I've saved all my CD music as FLAC or Apple Lossless and with an Apple camera connector can bypass the iPhone DAC and use the STR DAC's for pure high res playback of the lossless files.

2.2 system: Anthem STR Preamp, Bryston 6BSST amp, QSC PLD4.2 amp, 2 ea. Dynaudio Contour 20 Monitors, 2 ea. Scan-Speak 32W/4878T Revelator 13" Subwoofer’s, VPI Prime Turntable, Ortofon MC Cadenza Bronze Cartridge.

5.1 system/STR HT Bypass: Denon AVR-X6500H, LG 77 CX, 3rd Dynaudio Contour 20 for Center Channel, 2 ea. Infinity Cascade Model Nine surrounds, Apple 4K TV, Panasonic DP-UB820, Xfinity XG1v4. Zone 2, Crown XTi2 4002 Amp for in-house speaker system (six pairs, mostly in-wall ADS and a pair of outdoor patio speakers.)

View attachment 180381

Yep. That's essentially what I'm doing in my HT, with less expensive electronics. The main problem is my music playback is a little antiquated and clunky. Step one is I have a Cambridge CXN v2 streamer on the way, which I will mainly use to play back high res files and stuff ripped from CD. It also has an internal DAC. The next step would be to replace the Emotiva XSP-1 preamp I have now with the Anthem STR, at which time I would probably stop using the CXN's internal DACs in favor of the Anthem's DACs, as well as being able to take advantage of ARC for music. The Emotiva XSP-1 is a similar component to the STR, except it doesn't have DACs, but it does do bass management, allowing me to customize my subwoofer calibration for music.

 

[DaveF]

I'm already mostly satisfied with the NZ8 out-of-the-box but JVC also offers a free tool called Autocal which, in conjunction with a relatively inexpensive Colorimeter, achieves near professional results. I'll start there.

Do some research before buying. I’ve read these are not well suited for laser projectors. IIRC they’re maybe ok for gamma but give bad color cal results. I’ve read enough to be deterred from DIY autocal because it’s not cheap hardware to do the full job myself.

 

[John Dirk]

Do some research before buying. I’ve read these are not well suited for laser projectors. IIRC they’re maybe ok for gamma but give bad color cal results. I’ve read enough to be deterred from DIY autocal because it’s not cheap hardware to do the full job myself.

It's endorsed by JVC.

 

[JohnRice]

It's endorsed by JVC.

That looks like an awesome calibration tool. I'd think it would be an automatic to get the SpyderX and do it. Plus, then you'll have it and can periodically re-calibrate. On my computer monitors, what really strands out is the grey scale tracking. If you watch much B&W stuff, I suspect you'll see a noticeable improvement in how neutral it is.

BTW, I notice they keep calibrating the color temperature to 6500K, which is what they also recommend for computer monitors, but I find 5800K is a lot more neutral. If you have the SpyderX, you can easily try both and see what you prefer.

 

[DaveF]

Tutorial and tips and tricks on using autocal. Go to top off page for the start. This is quick note on meter capabilities.

JVC Autocal Software V12 calibration for 2019 RS1000/RS2000/RS3000/NX5/NX7/NX9 - page 1 - Premium Projectors - AVS Discussions

JVC Autocal Software V12 calibration for 2019 RS1000/RS2000/RS3000/NX5/NX7/NX9 - page 1 - Premium Projectors - AVS Discussions

JVC Autocal Software V12 calibration for 2019 RS1000/RS2000/RS3000/NX5/NX7/NX9 - page 1 - Premium Projectors - AVS Discussions

discuss.avscience.com

The Spyder X Pro / Elite is very similar to the 5 except that it's about twice as fast and it reads off the screen, not off the lens. No point in buying the Elite unless you want to use a feature locked in the Datacolor software, which the JVC Autocal doesn't care about. It's still not usable for color unless its accuracy has been confirmed by a trusted meter. An i1pro2 is still recommended for color calibration, but the Spyder X Pro is a nice upgrade over the 5 for gamma calibration. You need the f/w V3.10 and the Autocal V12 (see post #2 for links) to use the Spyder X.

 

[JohnRice]

If you read the entire article that’s linked, the Spyder sounds like a very reasonable compromise, and the current XRite model is $1,800 vs about $130 for the Spyder. Earlier in that article it says it’s 90% as good for 1/15th the price. Seems like a decent trade-off.

 

[John Dirk]

Here's a guy I respect having issues with this processor.

 

[JohnRice]

Holy crap. It fried a speaker and an amp?!?

 

[DaveF]

Yikes!