The Upgraded Anthem AVM-20 2.0 Thread (1 Viewer)

[rich farren]

Looks like I am having the same problem with my AVM 20 that others have reported. After a year of problem free use, last week I had the upgrade put in. Software is V 2.09. I started getting some “ pops” They sound very similar as the igniter on a gas stove. Then the center channel went out. I went to the front panel and tried to change the mode. The unit powered off when I pushed the mode button. I turned the main back on. The display did not light up, but I could see some writing on it. Then about 3 seconds later it powered it’s self off. Did that several times, till I disconnected it from the wall outlet. Waited awhile, and tuned it back on normally. I have only watched 4 DVDs after doing the upgrade. The power problem has not repeated. But the pops and center channel has several times. Looks like I will have to replace the board.
Rich

 

[Bari]

I am having trouble with my IR emitters and receivers. I have e-mailed Anthem and I am not closer to a solution.

Here is the situation. I have wired a 45-foot run of wire (un-shield) downstairs for an IR receiver. It is connected to the AVM20 upstairs. I then wired an emitter from the AVM20 to my DVD upstairs. I am getting some type of interference in this system. Once I Plug in the Emitter upstairs to the AVM20 the IR receiver starts flashing as if it is receiving an IR signal.

Here is what I have tried, switching the emitters. I have tried 3 different types. I have tried wrapping foil around some of the wires that run close to my audio cables. I have not attempted to shield the emitter wires.

I think that I may have a ground loop problem or some major interference.

Help.

 

[Brian Fitterman]

Is the IR receiver exposed to alot of sunlight? Sunlight can mess up some IR receivers.

 

[Neil Potter]

Anthem AV20 2.9 problems continue...FYI! Unit received last Tues with new series serial.
After reading volumes of reviews and pondering over various competitors and also selling my equipment, i decided on the Anthem!! The anticipation was that of a "hot" date!(sleepless night's..you know what i mean you audiophile degenerates)
Well....So much for QC @ Sonic Frontiers(Anthem). I cannot believe it! This thing pop's or sparks in Sat and DVD. As posted earlier it loses all center information, however if you stop and replay it will play , say 2 minutes...not bad for a $3300 pre amp!!
The good new's is that stereo mode is incredible Krall, Barber,SACD simply stunning... Other good new's is that Anthem has another unit on the way..so i'm told(we'll see).
Why me dear Lord...I've been a good boy...
The "Endless Pursuit" continues......:frowning: :frowning:

 

[Mifr44]

Neil,

Why don't you get something else? There is certainly a variety of HT processors available in the AVM-20's price range (+/- $500), some of which have better QC than the AVM-20.

Michael

 

[jason willder]

Hey Michael,
I have been following this forum for quite a while now. The tale of the AVM20 sure has it's ups and downs. Seems to be at a low right now. I was watching The Fifth Element on HBO the other day and got the popping. I changed the source on the AVM20 and then back again and voila, the sound was back. Do you think I am having the same problem as everyone else? I hope not, it is the only time I have had a problem with it. I wonder how many AVMs get sold a month vs. competitors. How do they compare for QC with other companies on a per unit basis. I know they have grown alot recently. I wonder if they aren't keeping up with the growth very well. I hope they stand behind there products as well as they seem to have in the past.I had issues with my Servo-15 and was not thrilled with the service I received. I have had it for two months and it has been in the shop over two weeks of that.By the way who makes the DSP boards for them. Are they made in Asia or N.America. Sorry to babble on like this. Thank you for your time and help.

 

[Mifr44]

Jason,

I would like to think that Anthem is having some growing pains, but at some point it becomes "put up or shut up". As Neil alluded to, the AVM-20 is a wonderful sounding processor when it is not hampered by software or hardware issues. Anthem has almost always made good from a customer service standpoint, but it is a bit unnerving for new and old owners alike.

It may sound like I am being a bit harsh here, but a lot of people purchased the AVM-20 based on the opinions and discussions from this very thread. As such, it bothers me when these same people start to experience problems with their AVM-20s.

As far as the DSP boards are concerned, which I believe are the culprit in the current rash of AVM-20 issues, I am not sure who makes them, but I have been led to believe it is not Anthem. It is possible that the group that produced the AVM-20's digital circuitry (along with the Ref50 and Halo C1/C2, among others) may have produced these boards. Maybe someone on the inside knows that answer.

Michael

 

[Neil Potter]

Jason if your not having the loss of signal to the center while playing a dvd, or hearing 20 pop's per movie(minimum) i'd bet you don't have the bug. I ran Harry Potter(new one) and it was horrible...it almost seems like EX movies are worse?! Processor?! I also could switch inputs or source and cure the issue but just for a short period.
Wishing you much luck!

 

[jason willder]

Michael,

I have to tell you that watching this thread helped me in my decision to by the Anthem. More than that it made me feel better about the decision I already made in the back of my mind. This is a large purchase for anyone, it was a ridiculously large one for me. I was in the market for a good receiver and ended up buying the Anthem. I don't regret it at all. I am very pleased, with the sound. I think if Anthem "puts up" in a timely fashion and remedies the apparent QC problems we will all feel a little better.

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

I have been told that B&K designed & manufacture their own boards.
I think you can remove them from this list.
I was just on the phone today with Jerry at B&K.
Was speaking to him about the new firmware and processor board.

 

[jason willder]

I will be watching the Harry Potter movie tommorrow if I can get my five year old to not be scared of the spiders. Wish me luck.

 

[Mifr44]

Jerry,
I am basing my statement on what John Kotches said over at AVS on the thread below:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...40#post1559140
I will ping John to see if he has updated information.
Michael

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

Thanks for the link,
I remember that one.
This is indeed incorrect!
The B&K design has been their own proprietary self design and has been proprietary since 1993, Anthem enter the Symphony market just a few years ago, as did Sunfire and a few others.
Yes Anthem does source-out their board.
B&K does NOT.
This is as current as a few minutes ago from the horses mouth B&K (not that I am referring to Jerry as a horse)
The implementation of software between B&K & others in comparison greatly differs in many ways after the basic logic. (even in the front End Digital)They really only share the same Motorola Symphony 56367 engine, it stops at that point, As many know B&K is the only company that works hand in hand with Motorola in the development of this engine & code.
Is the B&K competition knock-offs?
I really do not think so, Even with B&K's part needs, I find that Motorola would need many more part sales to even consider the development.
These parts became a standard shelf part with basic logic available for anyone to purchase which includes code from B&K research.
It would be up to the manufacturers own software developers or out-source to further upon this code to add personal touch extras or better it in some ways.
The work that B&K does goes into the dsp logic for others to use with this Motorola Symphony 56367 chip-set.
As well as a few prior models.
B&K does not share all their work. can't blame them.
I suppose it's possible that B&K may not be forth coming here and could be feeding me a line of bs, I do believe what they say as they know it should not be very difficult to prove otherwise.
Yes you can blame B&K for some basic dsp code errors if any are to be found.
But not the problems that Anthem has been having,
Or these would be also found with B&K & others in the digital realm.
Sorry for entering into your Anthem thread again with B&K talk. Please this is not a troll reply.

 

[Evan S]

Neil, I respect your frustration with your "buggy" unit and venting on this thread is both respected and encouraged. We are only here to help.

With that being said, and like I posted on AVS, to create a thread saying "Beware! AVM-20 V2.09 is BUGGY!" is both irresponsible and slanderous. There are plenty of us on this forum who are using the same DSP board as you running the same software version with NO ISSUES. I have a healthy appreciation for what you are going through with your unit, but take it from some long time AVM-20 veterans, Sonic Frontiers will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to make you a happy customer. If they are having growing pains with the increased demand and having QC issues with the DSP board, it WILL be straightened out soon, I'm sure. They have been incredibly responsive to customer inquires and troubles in the past and I expect them to be as forthcoming in the future.

Just because your incident is isolated does not give you the right to throw out a blanket statement like the thread header you put on AVS, because a blanket statement like this is simply not appropriate to this situation.

 

[Marc_E]

Damn,
I leave for a while to build a HTPC and look at the ugliness that has popped up (oh, I should not have said 'pop'). I have been running 2.09 since its release without issue. My unit is wonderful and I love it! I have only had a power supply issue that was handled with the most amazing service I have ever experienced (they called ME to update me as to when they got it, how it was going and so forth!!). Anthem is the company that is redefining customer treatment and really listens to feedback to incorporate into the product. Even with these small issues, you can not go wrong with the AVM20. My wife who has always been skeptical of my upgrades over the last 5-7 years characterizes the sound as 'perfect' and she even missed the AVM when it was out for repairs! She couldn't wait to get rid of the loaner (H&K AVR325) and get our wonderful machine back where it belongs.
I can't stop saying good things about this unit or this company.
Marc

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

A cut&paste from my reply at AVS.
The Key words the poster (neil) made was Has-Caution!
Even though I find it very hard to personally not reply back to the same type of threads made in references to my beloved B&K Ref50.
I feel the title and post falls well within his rights.
He feels somewhat cheated, and for good reason.
Do you really feel that someone will not look any further prior to purchasing a product. I think in away you are saying that the potential owners of Anthem products are shortsighted with limited comprehension.
Look at it this way, I pay huge amounts of money for season tickets to my beloved Minnesota Vikings. Say they play as they did a few years back in the NFC championship game vs the NYG.
Now say if they would have just won only one more of those games during the regular season, Boy they gave some away.
Now that championship game would have been here in Minnesota.
Now say the final score was the same "what 42-0, Vikes loss".
Many non-fans & fans may have said something to the sorts of you guys stink-suck-are broken down babies.
I guarantee it would have been far worse then this:
Are the statements true? Yes maybe to that PAYING fan.
Would these words stop the real fan from coming back again?
Maybe, maybe not.
Those that jump in only to follow the crowd would jump off.
As hard as it is for myself not to get irritated over very similar threads,
as I have. He has every right to post his feelings, He paid for the right when he made that purchase. I respect his feelings more so then those few that post an opinion on something they never owned just to follow a crowd.
Try to give him a break!
He paid for his right to voice his opinions in his own words.
Jerry

 

[Dennis Oblow]

It seems to me that the issues lie with the upgraded motorola chip and the subsequent code for it. I have a Version 1.12 and have had no problems with it since I purchased it in December '01. Anybody else with a Version 1 having problems, I'm curious?

 

[Mifr44]

Dennis,
I think there were very few issues reported about the AVM-20 v1.00 except for a couple with hardware issues, although the software version is 1.12, so there were some fix releases to the v1.00 software.
At this point in time, I feel that the issue is related to the DSP boards and it would seem recently released ones at that. Sounds like a QC issue to me. It is possible that it is a software issue, but no one seems to have gone down that path yet.
I haven't asked owners about the details of their problems and setups because I have been distracted with some personal issues in recent weeks. If AVM-20 owners wish for me to help address the latest problems, I will be glad to (unless someone has information indicating that Anthem knows of the problems and the solutions).
I made my suggestion to Neil of trying another HT processor, but I haven't received feedback to this response. I guess I am trying to get a feel for how much commitment Neil has to a product that failed him at the onset.
To all AVM-20 owners, I would like to see us help solve this problem, or at least isolate it to the software or hardware. To everyone else, please stop thread farting. You are not helping here.
Michael

 

[ChrisHeflen]

I am also still running version 1 and have had no real problems. Clicks, pops, drop-outs, runny nose, coughing fits, or irregular bowl movements.
I'm not in a hurry to upgrade because the only thing I really want is Pro Logic II. Should I wait 'til they "fix" things? Are they aware of these issues? What about the next upgrade that was talked about that should be coming up? Are they even gonna go forward with that now?

I can't remember if this was asked before so please forgive if it was. Does the AVM up-sample? And if so what is it actually doing when it does. If it doesn't, what is it doing if it could?

 

[Mifr44]

Chris,

I can't remember if this was asked before so please forgive if it was. Does the AVM up-sample?

If you are talking about digital audio up-converting, no. If you are talking about video up-converting, no.

Michael