Just joined the Anthem AVM20 list of owners.... yahoo!! (1 Viewer)

[MikeAF]

Well, I've waited and waited for the Outlaw 950 but from the last email it appears I may be waiting awhile and since I have the budget, and a local dealer, I went ahead and ordered the AVM20 today. The only down side is it will take about 3-4 weeks before I get it Thanks to all of you owners and members here at HTF for helping me decide this was the right pre/pro for me. I have the manual so as I look through it while I wait I will probably have questions for those of you who have the Anthem. If anyone has anything to add let me know, thanks. Now all I need to complete my audio side is 2 good in ceiling speakers but I will ask about that in another thread.
Mike

 

[Mark Dubeau]

Congrats man.. you're going to love it.. Paradigm makes pretty good inceiling/inwalls..

 

[Dennis Oblow]

Welcome to the club. About the only thing this baby won't do is make hotel reservations. What kind of Amp are you using?

 

[MikeAF]

Dennis,
I have a Cinepro 1K2SE for my Diva 6.1's, and a 2K6III for the C3 and R3's. I just have an old pair of Bose 100
's for my rear surround now so you know why I'm looking to do better. Can't wait to get the Anthem:b

Mike

 

[Camp]

Congratulations. Silver or black?
Have you made a hole in your A/V rack for it yet?

 

[Evan S]

I still drool over mine and I've had it for over three months now. I listen and smile everyday

 

[ben hunt]

Holy Crap. I just looked that thing up and it's a beast.

Looks great...now I have more to aspire to.

 

[Mifr44]

"I still drool over mine..."
Evan, too many jokes came to mind when I read this!
Seriously, I wonder how long it will be before the AVM-20 upgrade is released? I have been patiently waiting, but then I read about the Integra Research RDC-7's upgrade email over at AVS and started to get impatient again.
The strange part is that I have had a few emails in recent weeks with Nick at Sonic Frontiers about a few features to consider for the AVM-20. I don't know if this means they have not settled on the software yet, or if they are readying themselves for a followup software release after the DPL-II upgrade.
Michael

 

[Mifr44]

Ben,

The AVM-20 is a fine piece that has not disappointed very many people. The biggest complaints have been that the AVM-20 has too many features (tuner and video switching are mentioned as being excessive) and that it doesn't quite match up with the $10k+ processors (I would love to see the test comparisons with the $10k+ processors!).

If you don't have anywhere near $10k for a surround processor but are interested in separates, give the AVM-20 an audition.

Michael

 

[Michael Langdon]

A contact at Sonic Frontiers had this to say about the upgrade:

1) New units are not shipping with the upgraded Motorola chip. (I had previously been assured during a different phone call that they were out of the older chip and were only using the new Motorola chip even though the software is not ready. I was given a guarantee that if I ordered then (about a week ago) that my new unit would have the new chip and I could simply wait for the new software release. I was also told that no damage can be done to an older unit without the newer Motorola chip if you try to apply the new software when available. The unit will simply give an error message at the start of the attempt to apply the new code.)

2) DPL II and THX Ultra2 may come first with DTS ES Discrete and Neo:6 to follow later. Previously DPL II, DTS Discrete and DTS Neo:6 were said to come first followed by THX Ultra2 later. The reason given was the complexity of signals to which DTS Neo:6 could be applied and generally the new DTS format implementation as a whole.

3) Best way to found out about the upgrade is to watch the website!


I don't know about you, but I think I got a frustrated programmer/coder on the phone when I last called. Hey, I can relate as I am a programmer (interfaces in the Healthcare industry) also.

Later,

Mike

 

[Camp]

I have had a few emails in recent weeks with Nick at Sonic Frontiers about a few features to consider for the AVM-20.

Michael,

I would love to read your suggestions. It would make a nice thread, "what improvements to the AVM-20 would you like to see".
True Discrete codes for the surround formats would be on my list.

Thank you for the info on the upgrade. My dealer has gone silent on the topic.
Will I need to be running 7.1 to get any benefit from THX Ultra 2? -or will my 5.1 system be OK?

 

[Jeffrey_S]

Mike,

Welcome to the club!

Jeff

 

[MikeAF]

Since my unit will take about 3-4 weeks I was hoping maybe it would come with the new Motorola chip as I'm aching to get to 7.1 as quickly as possible. I hope the Anthem upgrade will be available soon as I'm a very impatient person, just ask my wife . Hope you're all enjoying your Anthems.
Mike

 

[Camp]

I kind of like having two separate upgrades (and a bit of a wait doesn't bother me). It's like everything is new all over again.

 

[MikeAF]

Camp,
Sorry I missed your question in the above post, but I ordered black to match the rest of my equipment. I had a custom home entertainment system made and it has a place waiting for it now, though that space is now taken with the Pioneer Elite receiver I've have for almost 3 years now. It's good the wait is not bothering you, but as far as processing it seems until the upgrades are in the only new mode I will get is THX Surround EX, and you can correct me if I'm wrong. At least I'll be able to hook up my 2 rear speakers separately from my side surrounds and watch The Phantom Menace in all its glory.

Mike

 

[Bob-N]

Congrats. I also emailed SF earlier this week and they said "mid-summer" for the first upgrade to be available. I would be surprised if you unit would come with the upgrade (hard and software) unless they come out a bit early.

Interesting news about what format will be provided in the first and later upgrades. I didn't ask about it specifically. I just asked "when?".

 

[MikeAF]

I was wondering if any of the AVM20 owners were running dual SV subs with their unit and if so are you using both sub outputs to the sub amp. I have dual 20-39CS's with the Samson S700 amp and was wondering if there would be any benefit to using both sub outputs as opposed to a single sub output as I'm using now and running the amp in parallel mode? Also if anyone have the Diva 6.1's, C3 and R3's with their AVM20, what crossover point are you using? Thanks to anyone who can help me out in what will undoubtedly be numerous posts requesting setup tips on the Anthem.

Mike

 

[Mifr44]

Camp,
"I would love to read your suggestions. It would make a nice thread, "what improvements to the AVM-20 would you like to see"."
Beyond what appears to be coming in the first upgrade (or two) to the AVM-20 (DPL II, THX Ultra 2, DTS ES, etc.), here is what I would like to see:
1) Separate crossovers by speaker. I am not sure how much improvement this would provide to my system, but I am sure those with smaller center and/or surround speakers than their mains might benefit from this.
2) The ability to use all DSP modes with digital sources/connections. For instance, if you have a DD2.0 DVD movie, you can not use Cinema Logic or All Channel Stereo unless you use the analog connections from your DVD player. If you use the digital connection, you will in most cases be limited to DPL. The odd part is that the analog signals are converted to digital before being passed to the DSP logic, so why not use the digital signals directly?
The last issue is what led to my recent discussions, because I was curious how the DPL II logic was going to be implemented. Apparently, with the upgrade, all DD2.0 and DPL sources will default to DPL II Movie, with the ability to override this to DPL II Music and plain DPL. Sonic Frontiers is considering the addition of Cinema Logic and other DSPs to this override list, but the default will be DPL II.
Other than these two issues, I wouldn't change a thing, unless Lexicon would license Logic 7 to Sonic Frontiers. Then again, DPL II may be enough.
Michael

 

[Joe e h]

MikeAF
I am not using dual SVS Subs, but am using 2 sub-outs. I am using one for the Sub. THe other I have running to a Kenwood 125wpc amp. This is used to power to Clark Tactile Transducers. Well that was the plan.
I have the gear in place and was stripping the Belden casing when I slipped with the Razor Knife. I did miss 2 of my fingers :frowning:
I will finish the connections this weekend. If I find I need to crossover the TT's at a lower set-point I have a Paradigm X-20 I can put in line. I am currently have the crossover set at 60Hz.
As far as you question I figure using the 2 outputs would be better then splitting the signal with "Y" connector.
Joe

 

[Camp]

Joe,

Since you're using both sub outs perhaps you can clear this up: A member at another forum asked if the Anthem could run the subs in stereo. I looked all over the manual and nothing gave any indication the AVM-20 could do this...so I assume it cannot.

Michael,

For instance, if you have a DD2.0 DVD movie, you can not use Cinema Logic or All Channel Stereo unless you use the analog connections from your DVD player.

Are you sure about that? I watched a DD 2.0 movie on HBO the other day and engaged Cinema Logic. It worked fine (and my DirecTivo is connected via optical digital).

I would like the ability for more than one video input to be assigned to the same optical digital input. Due to the AVM-20's multi-zone design that is not possible in it's current version.

I'd like to see stereo subs too.

I read here (a few months back) a rumor that SF was planning a software upgrade of Cinema Logic to follow the Motorola upgrade. It would be nice to see SF put more resources into making Cinema Logic a premier post-processing scheme.