Marantz Vs. Anthem

[Barry]

 I made a big  mistake and I just fixed it. 

First both my brother and I both had a Marantz 7011, an Oppo 4k, An LG 77 OLED TV, but he has SVS floor standing speakers for his main unit and I use these components with Sonance speakers for my “upstairs” second unit.
 
We were convinced over the years that Anthem made great products and, I guess being bored and shut in over last year, we both bought an Anthem 140.  Big Mistake. Really.
 
First the Marantz had an FM tuner and streaming capabilities, absent from the Anthem. The Marantz streaming was not great, Sonos was better, but at least it was there.
 
Second, and this was a major “biggy” for me. The Setup, equalization and the use of settings and controls and just switching inputs were simple and easy on the Marantz and an impossible and a constant struggle on the Anthem. It took so much time on the Anthem and so much effort went into fixing it. And you could do almost nothing on screen with a remote.
 
Tech support: Marantz wins again. Neither responded quickly enough, but Marantz answered our questions and Anthem just blamed external sources, such as wiring, rather than help. We were losing picture and sound often.
 
Surround Sound on Cable Streaming and 4k Discs. Both systems were about even on both of our systems of the first two, but 4K and Blu Ray discs sound a bit better and fuller on the Anthem. Not by much, but it did. But wait!!!
 
Stereo: Another HUGE factor, my brother and I use the system at least 50% of the time for SACDs and CDs. By a huge difference, the Marantz was a winner. Bass was so muddy and indistinct on the Anthem, if it was there.  We couldn’t and wouldn’t listen to our discs anymore.
 
We had traded in one of the 7011 so my brother put our remaining one back in his system and was very happy! I didn’t shop much and I bought an 8015 not just because it was great, but, honestly, because nothing else was in stock so I didn’t compare.
 
Well, remember when I said the Anthem was a bit better in surround? Well, the 8015 kills it. I guess because it is newer that the 7011.

I cannot tell you how frustrated and worn out we were with the Anthem and how relieved and happy we are to return to the Marantz.  

[Paul Heroy]

Wow, that really surprises me. I've been using an Anthem AVM-60 (processor version of the AVM-1120, which is the predecessor to the AVM-1140) for 5 1/2 years. Note that I do use a Harmony remote that I've set up such that it sets inputs for me. I've used ARC to do the EQ/setup a few times and the sound quality has been good and I thought it was an improvement on my previous Yamaha receiver (YPAO). In fact bass is where ARC by default focuses its processing - if you don't change it in the program I think it's looking at 500 Hz low pass. 

Admittedly I have a separate 2 channel system so I rarely use the Anthem for stereo music. And the new generation probably has updated the interface so it may be different than my older unit, but it just surprises me that it's that difficult.

[David Vaughn]

I made a big  mistake and I just fixed it. 

First both my brother and I both had a Marantz 7011, an Oppo 4k, An LG 77 OLED TV, but he has SVS floor standing speakers for his main unit and I use these components with Sonance speakers for my “upstairs” second unit.
 
We were convinced over the years that Anthem made great products and, I guess being bored and shut in over last year, we both bought an Anthem 140.  Big Mistake. Really.
 
First the Marantz had an FM tuner and streaming capabilities, absent from the Anthem. The Marantz streaming was not great, Sonos was better, but at least it was there.
 
Second, and this was a major “biggy” for me. The Setup, equalization and the use of settings and controls and just switching inputs were simple and easy on the Marantz and an impossible and a constant struggle on the Anthem. It took so much time on the Anthem and so much effort went into fixing it. And you could do almost nothing on screen with a remote.
 
Tech support: Marantz wins again. Neither responded quickly enough, but Marantz answered our questions and Anthem just blamed external sources, such as wiring, rather than help. We were losing picture and sound often.
 
Surround Sound on Cable Streaming and 4k Discs. Both systems were about even on both of our systems of the first two, but 4K and Blu Ray discs sound a bit better and fuller on the Anthem. Not by much, but it did. But wait!!!
 
Stereo: Another HUGE factor, my brother and I use the system at least 50% of the time for SACDs and CDs. By a huge difference, the Marantz was a winner. Bass was so muddy and indistinct on the Anthem, if it was there.  We couldn’t and wouldn’t listen to our discs anymore.
 
We had traded in one of the 7011 so my brother put our remaining one back in his system and was very happy! I didn’t shop much and I bought an 8015 not just because it was great, but, honestly, because nothing else was in stock so I didn’t compare.
 
Well, remember when I said the Anthem was a bit better in surround? Well, the 8015 kills it. I guess because it is newer that the 7011.

I cannot tell you how frustrated and worn out we were with the Anthem and how relieved and happy we are to return to the Marantz. 

Anthem used to have great customer service...I wonder what happened? I've used both Marantz and Anthem pre/pros and have liked them both for various reasons. Both sounded good in my system. I'm glad you found something that works and makes you happy Barry. 

[AVSJeff]

I made a big  mistake and I just fixed it. 

First both my brother and I both had a Marantz 7011, an Oppo 4k, An LG 77 OLED TV, but he has SVS floor standing speakers for his main unit and I use these components with Sonance speakers for my “upstairs” second unit.
 
We were convinced over the years that Anthem made great products and, I guess being bored and shut in over last year, we both bought an Anthem 140.  Big Mistake. Really.
 
First the Marantz had an FM tuner and streaming capabilities, absent from the Anthem. The Marantz streaming was not great, Sonos was better, but at least it was there.
 
Second, and this was a major “biggy” for me. The Setup, equalization and the use of settings and controls and just switching inputs were simple and easy on the Marantz and an impossible and a constant struggle on the Anthem. It took so much time on the Anthem and so much effort went into fixing it. And you could do almost nothing on screen with a remote.
 
Tech support: Marantz wins again. Neither responded quickly enough, but Marantz answered our questions and Anthem just blamed external sources, such as wiring, rather than help. We were losing picture and sound often.
 
Surround Sound on Cable Streaming and 4k Discs. Both systems were about even on both of our systems of the first two, but 4K and Blu Ray discs sound a bit better and fuller on the Anthem. Not by much, but it did. But wait!!!
 
Stereo: Another HUGE factor, my brother and I use the system at least 50% of the time for SACDs and CDs. By a huge difference, the Marantz was a winner. Bass was so muddy and indistinct on the Anthem, if it was there.  We couldn’t and wouldn’t listen to our discs anymore.
 
We had traded in one of the 7011 so my brother put our remaining one back in his system and was very happy! I didn’t shop much and I bought an 8015 not just because it was great, but, honestly, because nothing else was in stock so I didn’t compare.
 
Well, remember when I said the Anthem was a bit better in surround? Well, the 8015 kills it. I guess because it is newer that the 7011.

I cannot tell you how frustrated and worn out we were with the Anthem and how relieved and happy we are to return to the Marantz. 

You have a really nice system! Edit - referring to the listing of your current equipment.

[TRainH2O]

I too own the Anthem AVM-60 and love it. 

In my experience, their room correction software works much better than the Marantz'a Audyssey, my previous Marantz preamp had. I will say that I forget which version of Audyssey my Marantz had but the Anthem ARC offered more adjustable parameters.......making it a bit more complex to set up.

It is a completely different setup, for sure, and it took me a couple of tries to get it working properly. It might have been a quicker process had I actually read the directions first. 

As for two-channel music, I absolutely hated the Marantz. It was too flat and lifeless and despite anything that I tried. While I like the results using the Anthem much better, it still isn't as much to my liking as running an old-school two-channel preamp. I tend to think that most consumer-level room correction tends to take a bit too much soul from music.

However, if the Marantz works better in your system that's great. We all have different equipment and rooms.

[Barry]

I too own the Anthem AVM-60 and love it.

In my experience, their room correction software works much better than the Marantz'a Audyssey, my previous Marantz preamp had. I will say that I forget which version of Audyssey my Marantz had but the Anthem ARC offered more adjustable parameters.......making it a bit more complex to set up.

It is a completely different setup, for sure, and it took me a couple of tries to get it working properly. It might have been a quicker process had I actually read the directions first.

As for two-channel music, I absolutely hated the Marantz. It was too flat and lifeless and despite anything that I tried. While I like the results using the Anthem much better, it still isn't as much to my liking as running an old-school two-channel preamp. I tend to think that most consumer-level room correction tends to take a bit too much soul from music.

However, if the Marantz works better in your system that's great. We all have different equipment and rooms.

Thanks for posting this, it’s important that we’re share our different opinions and perspectives. The Anthem requires a laptop computer, which I do not have, Imhave a desktop. The Marantz, as I recall, has the Mike plugged right into it. I haven’t done that yet.
The anthem has a great many people who love it. Most of the people I have met who do you like it so much used primarily for home theatre and not two channel sound. 

[TRainH2O]

Barry, as long as the Anthem has a connection to your home router, you can use their ARC software on a desktop too.

If the new Marantz is like the one that I had, yes, you simply plug the included mic into the front. All in all, it's a simpler process. 

The Anthem requires a more complex connection. I have mine plugged in via Ethernet to my router and my laptop uses WiFi to connect the two together. Mine has an antenna for WiFi connection but my Ethernet switch is close by so I use a cable. After it takes the various measurements, you have to view the results and then run the correction. After that, you save and upload the results to the Anthem. The first time I did it, I didn't fully understand the process. I ran the calibration measurements but didn't realize the additional steps required to apply the correction and upload it to the AVM-60. It's........different for sure.

[TRainH2O]

OK........I just looked up the Marantz that you bought. It is a serious piece of equipment. 

It uses Audyssey MultEQ XT32 which is a later version of Audyssey than my earlier preamp had. I haven't had the opportunity to use XT32 but if it's later, I assume it's better.

I think mine had the earlier MultiEQ XT. As good as it was with Blu-ray movies (it really was), it was equally bad at 2-channel stereo.

[Barry]

OK........I just looked up the Marantz that you bought. It is a serious piece of equipment.

It uses Audyssey MultEQ XT32 which is a later version of Audyssey than my earlier preamp had. I haven't had the opportunity to use XT32 but if it's later, I assume it's better.

I think mine had the earlier MultiEQ XT. As good as it was with Blu-ray movies (it really was), it was equally bad at 2-channel stereo.

Tracy, as you explained you have to be a complete audiophile and a computer tech to run the Arc on the Anthem.  This took an enormous amount of time and energy.  My brother had three visits of three hours from the Tech at his dealer and they could not get it right.  They were planning a fourth visit with two  more techs when we cancelled. (This also cost a lot of money.)

The Marantz was simple and clear cut. Now I have not yet run the Audyssey yet on my 8015 but I ran on my 7011 and actually just copied over the settings.  MY brother and I will do it this week. Believe or not we consider this fun when made easy. I'll post on how it went.

The ARC and the setting up of the Anthem is confusing and they just give you a 15 page instruction booklet. Marantz gives you a 300 page book with every setting listed and explained. Marantz has a 50 “page” on screen direction to help set up, in fact, my dealer made two corrections after watching this. Anthem has nothing.

I easily find things on the Marantz and the TV screen shows my settings. Nothing from the Anthem and you have to come close to read the setting on the machine itself, in small print, but you do not know what is there.  There are no listing for its settings.

It was one hour of work to perfectly set up the Marantz and get great sound. And the “Movie” and “Music” buttons were very helpful.

It was many hours for the Anthem and we still could not get it right. For me the Marantz Atmos settings were far superior on the 8015 than on the 1140.

Also, without question, my brother and I preferred the two channel sound on the Marantz but a huge factor. But you are right, both do NOT give the sound of a two channel preamp. In fact, my brother wants to get a two channel amp to use with his 7011. Not me, however.  For two channel sound, sacds, cds, phono, etc I generally use my McIntosh 170 downstairs.  I use the FM upstairs primarily for the Yankees and Mets and background noise when I read. But in testing things lout thee Marantz was best.

I forgot to mention that the anthem constantly lost signals. I could not find the arc Leaving from my TV and streaming and therefore I offend, most often, I did not get sound. Then if I went back to cable I will get a black outside now. My brother also had this problem. That’s a major reason I’m happy with my new unit. I don’t think I’m not getting picture or sound.

[TRainH2O]

As long as you and your brother like the results, I'm sure you'll get many years of service out of that Marantz.

Back to the 2-channel discussion. My longest and closest friend recently had his 2-channel preamp die on him. He debated several different brands, tube vs. solid state........he finally made a decision and I went for a visit yesterday.

McIntosh C220. I was impressed with the added width to the soundstage and the literal separation of the individual instruments. It was great with Rock but really shined with Jazz and most anything Acoustic.

[Barry]

Of course I am a McIntosh. Fan too. I love the 2 channel,and Atmos sound of my McIntosh 170. Something you advised me on!

[Barry]

As I mentioned before I changed from the Anthem 1140 to the Marantz 8015 and I could not be more pleased. It’s important to stress that Anthem puts out fine products and many good audiophiles prefer them.  But I am enjoying the 8015 much more.

My brother and I both had the Anthem and not only did we spend hours using and adjusting their EQ system (called ARC) my brother also has hours of tech support from his dealer.  Neither one of us could ever get it just right, especially when jt came to 2 channel sound.

On the Marantz we used their Audyssey system, which we had been told was ultimately not a good as ARC. The ARC system requires the use of a computer, not saw with Audyssey. It took us about a half an hour and we got it to just about where we want it.  We did tinker a little after that.  Heck, we always tinker.

One IMPORTANT factor is that the Marantz comes with a 350 page instruction booklet that answered every question we had without searching. The Anthem has a 20 page book that says relatively little. Second the Marantz gave information on setting ON-SCREEN and we found that helpful. In fact, in installing the 8015 we found their on screen guidance very helpful.

Finally, the switching from one input to another on the Marantz has been totally flawless.  The Anthem often did not produce sound when we changed.

So if you believe the Anthem produces better sound just be aware that the will probably be a lot more time in setting it up and using it’s settings. Gosh, we are happy with the Marantz.

   I should mention that the Marantz apps work well. And with HEOS we get internet streaming and internet Radio, not on the Anthem.