StereoNET: Anthem MRX-1120 Product Review

FEBRUARY 2017

ANTHEM

MRX-1120 11.2 CHANNEL HOME THEATRE RECEIVER

REVIEW / ANTHEM / MRX-1120 11.2 CHANNEL HOME THEATRE RECEIVER

ANTHEM

MRX-1120 11.2 CHANNEL HOME THEATRE RECEIVER Distributor: Audio Active $4,999 RRP

“Like its parent company, Anthem rapidly established itself as a producer of high-end AV equipment”

Coincidently The Magnificent 7 Blu-ray arrived

Anthem produces a range of components

at the same time as Anthem’s MRX-1120 AVR

for 2 channel audio and home theatre

for review.

applications, including AV processers, power

Growing up in the pre-VCR days of the seventies, I can vividly remember watching

amplifiers and AVR’s. There are three AVR’s in the Anthem range.

the original along with other classic Westerns,

These start with the entry level 5 channel

such as High Noon and Rio Bravo. All

MRX-520 (RRP $2,099) and continue with

delivered courtesy of our 48cm Rank Arena,

the 7 channel MRX-720 (RRP $3,499) and

in luscious mono sound.

Anthem’s 11 channel flagship AVR, the MRX-

Of course, the good old Rank Arena couldn’t

1120 (RRP $4,999), the subject of this review.

hold a candle to the modern day blockbuster

The MRX-1120 has eleven channels of

on a 100” screen with multichannel sound.

amplification each rated at 140w continuous

Nonetheless, I still have fond memories of the

power into 8 ohms per channel.

original and with the credits barely rolling, the subsequent re-enactment which played out in the backyard and neighbourhood streets. So it was with a sense of eagerness and perhaps a little apprehension that I awaited watching The Magnificent 7 with the Anthem MRX-1120 at the helm.

Anthem was the brain-child of North American speaker maker Paradigm. With a solid reputation for building high-end speakers, Paradigm sought to introduce a range of highend AV components to match its successful speaker range. Paradigm then purchased Canadian company Sonic Frontiers, an audiophile-grade stereo components and DIY kits manufacturer, and so a new company called Anthem was born.

Like its parent company, Anthem rapidly established itself as a producer of high-end AV equipment. With its audiophile roots, components were built from the ground-up out of its Ottawa Research and Development facility. In an increasingly competitive market place, many manufacturers have been forced to move manufacturing offshore to reduce costs and remain competitive. Anthem however, has managed to maintain much of its original doctrine with only final assembly and chassis construction being entrusted to its offshore facility.

It will support a full 11.2 speaker configuration comprising 2 front speakers, 1 centre speaker, 2 surround speakers, 2 surround back speakers, 4 overhead speakers and two subwoofers.

Naturally, being an elven channel amplifier, the MRX-1120 will decode the newer Dolby Atmos and DTS: X soundtracks found on today’s blurays and Ultra HD discs.

With the addition of DTS Play- Fi, the MRX1120 expands on its Zone 2 capabilities, providing wireless multi-room audio and streaming. You can download the free DTS Play-Fi app to a smart phone or tablet to access music stored on a home server and apps such as Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, Tidal and Internet Radio.

Building on Anthem’s principal of in-house production, Anthem’s engineers have created their propriety Anthem Room Correction (ARC) software. ARC was heavily influenced by a three year study undertaken by Canada’s National Research Council, called The Athena Project. The project involved parent company Paradigm and legendary sound engineer Dr Floyd Toole*, who studied Perceived Sound In Rooms and the most effective way to apply automated room correction.

“perfectly at home in a rack of high-end AV components�

What’s in the box?

The MRX-1120 has a mottled black chassis

is any signal sent to connected subs will be

and its face plate is constructed of black,

summed, with both subwoofers playing an

brushed anodized aluminium. Much like

identical signal and being calibrated as a

the rest of Anthem’s range, the MRX-1120

‘single-sub’. Personally, I’m not a fan of this

has a very distinctive look, which would be

approach as it doesn’t allow for independent

perfectly at home in a rack of high-end AV

level control of both subs.

components. Its LED display is on the smaller side, but not small enough to cause this ageing reviewer to squint.

On face value, this seemed to be a glaring omission on Anthem’s part. However, after a conversation with Anthem’s Australian

The aluminium volume dial is located to the

distributors and some further research, there

right of the LED display, and on the left is a

are some very sound reasons (pun intended)

circular group of buttons for navigating the

for using parallel subwoofer outputs.

MRX-1120’s on screen menus. All sources (e.g. bluray, game) can be selected directly from buttons located below the LED display.

HDMI/MHL (mobile high-definition link) input, head-phone jack and USB port for software updates are located behind a small pull-down flap on the left hand side of the facia.

Independent subwoofer channels can create acoustical anomalies with calibration. For this reason, Anthem has deliberately opted for parallel subwoofer outputs. This means subwoofer placement will need to be more carefully considered, and ideally both subs should be equidistant from the main listening

Connectivity options abound, with the back

position. With a large body of research having

of the MRX-1120 having seven HDMI 2.0a

gone into its creation, I felt reassured but

inputs and two HDMI outputs, with audio

nonetheless still keen to judge this with my

return channel (HDMI output 1). In addition,

own ears.

the MRX-1120 has five analogue inputs, three optical inputs, two coaxial inputs, Zone 2 and line level inputs.

The MRX-1120 shipped with a microphone, microphone stand, USB and ethernet cables.

Gone was the ‘puck style’ microphone

For those who would like to add external

included with most AVR’s, replaced with

amplification, the MRX-1120 has pre-outs

a high quality cylindrical microphone to

for all of its 11 channels. Rounding out the

accompany the ARC software. Where most

MRX-1120’s connections are a pair of high

manufacturers do not include a microphone

quality speaker binding posts for each of the

stand, the MRX-1120 comes with an

11 channels, and a LAN input (however Wi-Fi

aluminium microphone stand.

connectivity is also built-in).

The long, slim remote shipped with the MRX-

There’s also IR inputs, 12v triggers and an

1120 has a well-considered button layout,

RS-232 interface for system integration.

with plenty of room between buttons. The

Gone but not missed in this reviewer’s opinion, were component video inputs. I suspect that most consumers will not need component video inputs in today’s HDMI world. They’d also be happy not to pay for unused connections, especially when their

shape of the MRX-1120’s remote meant it sat quite nicely in the hand and was easy to use. My only reservation was the lack of backlighting but sadly, this seems to have become commonplace with all AVR manufacturers now.

money can be spent on other, more relevant

It was refreshing to find that the MRX-1120

aspects of the MRX-1120’s design.

comes with a user manual. Not the quick

Of far more notable absence was the lack of independent subwoofer outputs, especially for an AVR at this price-point. While the MRX1120 does have dual subwoofer outputs they are connected in ‘parallel’. What that means

start guide that is typically supplied with most AVR’s but a good old fashioned, user guide that explains how to connect things and get the best performance from the MRX-1120.

Setup Connecting my speakers

manual and if you work through

downloading the software, you

and source components to

the menus systematically you will

will also download an offset

the MRX-1120 was relatively

be up and running in no time.

table that’s incorporated into the

straight forward, with ample room between the speaker binding posts.

Anthem’s Room Correction (ARC) software is not built into

software ensuring the best level of accuracy from your microphone.

the MRX-1120. It needs to be

While most automated calibration

With Anthem claiming

downloaded from the Anthem

systems will calibrate the full

“separates-quality performance in

website, or if you’re of the “Apple

frequency response of a home

a gutsy, feature rich AV receiver”,

persuasion” there’s an ARC setup

theatre system, ARC defaults

I began by connecting the MRX-

app available from the app store.

to an upper limit of 5kHz. This

1120 to a five-channel power

With most manufacturers building

can be overridden and extended

amplifier, only using two of the

room correction software directly

to 10kHz, 15kHz or 20kHz if

MRX-1120’s amplifiers to power

into their AVR’s, this may seem

you choose.

my overhead speakers.

a bit odd. But given its level of

The on-screen setup menu of the MRX-1120 is quite functional.

Whilst you won’t find extensive

customisation (see below), it’s far better suited to this style of interface.

demonstrations on how to

As the included microphone

connect your speakers, don’t

has been calibrated at Anthem’s

fret. This is dealt with in the user

Ottawa facility for accuracy, you will be prompted to enter the serial number when first downloading the ARC software.

This means that in addition to

With some acousticians firmly of the view that EQ should only be applied to lower frequencies, this puts both the choice and the control at the user’s finger-tips.

ARC supplies a detailed analysis of every speaker’s room response, both prior to calibration and after ARC has worked its magic. Having this sort of information opens a lot of doors for home theatre aficionados, including the ability to fine-tune speaker placement.

Performance With The Magnificent 7 in

With Chisolm riding into town, the

some serious sonic impact.

true story of the American Coast

hand and a bowl of Reece’s

sounds of the townsfolk going

However, the bass never

Guards most famous rescue

Buttercups at my trigger finger,

about their business and the rings

overwhelmed the soundtrack with

in treacherous conditions, it’s

it was time to hunker down for

from the smithy’s hammer are all

the MRX-1120 always remaining

a great watch. During quieter

some serious listening.

clearly rendered.

firmly in control and delivering

scenes, the Anthem AVR still

tight, clean bass.

conjured a huge soundstage

From the get go, it was clear

The MRX-1120 was also quick

that Anthem’s MRX-1120 was

to show me who’s in control,

With the level of sonic mayhem

capable of achieving some

putting any doubts I had about its

found within The Magnificent 7

serious volume levels, so much

parallel subwoofer inputs to rest.

soundtrack, it’s not uncommon

so that I couldn’t play at my usual

When the mines are blown early

to have to boost the level of the

volume levels without waking the

in the movie, I was startled as the

centre speaker so that dialogue

entire house.

explosions rattled the otherwise

can be clearly heard. In this

serene countryside; a rarity

case, the dialogue remained

these days unless I’m watching a

clear, whether it was within the

James Wan horror movie.

confines of the quiet church, or

No review would be complete

when Bartholomew Bogue’s army

without an appearance from

of cronies descends upon the

this reviewer’s favourite mutant.

citizens of Rose Creek.

In terms of audio performance,

The MRX-1120 created a huge, seamless soundstage that threatened to burst the seams of my small to medium sized home

Whether it was the sound of

theatre room. The soundstage

explosions or the ever-present

was seamless, with the MRX-

gunfire, the MRX-1120 delivered

1120 not calling attention to any

Impressed by performance so

particular speaker in the room,

far it was time to revisit some

but rather creating a unified

favourites. Whether 2015’s

sound-field.

Deadpool is your cup of tea or

Detail was in abundance.

As Chisolm makes his way through an unforgiving desert

not, the accompanying DTS-HD and Dolby Atmos soundtracks are top notch.

environment, the harsh winds

With Deadpool wreaking havoc

can be clearly heard whipping

on a busy Vancouver freeway,

around him. While there are

the MRX-1120 turned in a

plenty of AVR’s out there that are

powerful performance with loads

capable of turning in a detailed

of dynamic range. In fact, it made

performance, the MRX-1120 had

my own AVR sound ‘restrained’

a way of bringing detail to the fore

by comparison. I suspect

and giving it a sense of realism.

Anthem’s Room Correction software can take a fair share of the credit here, taming the all-important lower frequencies

bringing all the detail to the fore and with easily discernible dialogue. With the storm in full swing and the rescue from the SS Pendleton underway, the MRX-1120 gave a powerful performance reinforcing the strength of the huge waves.

2013’s The Wolverine has a lot to offer. The Anthem perfectly rendered the oftentimes frenetic action. With roof-hopping ninja giving chase to the Yakuza in Tokyo’s streets, the sense of spaciousness in the city streets was accurately conveyed.

Having a better understanding of what this flagship offering was capable of with external amplification, it was high-time to see if its own amplifiers could fulfil Anthem’s claims. Without the power-amplifier connected, I did have to nudge the volume up a little. But it was still well below the volume level I normally require.

without constraining the higher

Comparing the MRX-1120 on its

end frequencies.

own against my AVR connected

Disney’s 2016 release of The Finest Hours slipped under most people’s radar. Based on the

to an external 5-channel amplifier, I could barely pick the difference.

If there was any difference it wasn’t very discernible and that speaks volumes of the Anthem MRX-1120’s capability.

SPECIFICATIONS

PREAMPLIFIER

POWER CONSUMPTION

Maximum Output (<0.1% THD)

Typical Load

/ / 4.2 Vrms, subwoofer channel 5.2 Vrms

/ / 570 W

Frequency Response (2 Vrms output)

Standby

/ / 10 Hz — 31 kHz (+0, -0.25 dB)

/ / 0.3 W

Frequency Response, Analog-Direct (2 Vrms output)

Standby IP Control Enabled

/ / 10 Hz — 48 kHz (+0, -0.25 dB)

/ / 4.7 W

THD+N (2 Vrms output)

Standby HDMI Bypass Enabled

/ / -95 dB

/ / 8.2 W

S/N Ratio (2 Vrms output, IEC-A filter) / / 110 dB

DIMENSIONS Height

PREAMPLIFIER + AMPLIFIER (1 W output)

/ / 16.5 cm

/ / -88 dB channels 1-5, -75 db back/height

Height with Rackmount Kit

Conclusion With the Anthem MRX- 1120 in charge of the soundtrack this ole’ cowboy had a blast

/ / 4U

watching Antoine Fuqua’s reimagining of the

SPEAKER IMPEDANCE

Width

classic Magnificent Seven.

/ / Compatible with 4 Ohms or higher impedance.

/ / 43.9 cm Depth (not including power cord)

MAXIMUM CONTINUOUS OUTPUT (1% THD)

/ / 37.5 cm

Channels 1-5, Two Driven into 8 Ohms / / 140 W Channels 1-5, Two Driven into 6 Ohms / / 170 W Remaining Channels, Two Driven into 8 Ohms / / 60 W

WEIGHT 14.5 kg

Regardless of the source or content, the MRX-1120 delivered a massive, detailed sound-stage with lashings of sonic impact.

If I had to choose one word to describe the performance of Anthem’s MRX-1120, it would be ‘’cinematic’’. At the end of the day, this is what good home theatre is all about folks.

Remaining Channels, Two Driven into 6 Ohms / / 75 W

*If you’re interested in learning more about Dr Floyd Toole’s research into room acoustics (which continued after his work with the NRC), I can highly recommend his book “Sound Reproduction Loudspeakers and Rooms” (2008)