Anthem AVM 50 V2 Top Reference Surround Processor 7.1-channel Audio & Video Pre Processor with Anthem Room Correction (ARC).

As new, a best example of a Anthem AVM 50 V2

This is the Non 3-D version.  Wes $6,499 now a steal at $1,095.

As new likely in better than 8/10 condition.

Double factory boxed, remote, calibration pieces and ready to be enjoyed by you !

Serial # 144695

The most The most  affordable high-end multizone controller on the market puts the full A/V experience in your hands!

The same award-winning platform as its more expensive sibling, the D2v. 7-channel A/V processor with 8 HDMI inputs and 2 parallel HDMI outputs, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, PCM 24/192, highest quality 1080p upscaling, 1080p24 compatibility. Includes Anthem Room Correction (ARC).

Anthem AV – a sister company of Paradigm is well known for their high-end AV receivers, amplifiers and processors. Having not reviewed a high-end dedicated AV processor solution in the recent past, I was eager to see what the $6,499 MSRP AVM 50v 3D could do. Despite not being a major player in the mainstream A/V receiver market Anthem has a reputation for quality and innovation. Their ARC (Anthem Room Correction) technology gets rave reviews from many enthusiasts who own their products and is often touted as a viable alternative to Audyssey.

The AVM 50v 3D is actually a refresh of Anthem’s AVM 50v – their first iteration of the model with HDMI 1.3 and ARC. The 3D version adds HDMI 1.4 and 3D support, in addition to several firmware enhancements. Existing owners of the AVM 50v can have their unit upgraded at the dealer, where the HDMI mezzanine board can be replaced.

Features & Ergonomics:

In a processor costing this much, you expect a lot in the way of connectivity; in the case of the AVM 50v 3D, Anthem delivers. It’s hard to imagine a rear panel any more densely packed than this one. With 8 HDMI inputs, 2 HDMI outputs, XLR and RCA pre-outs, in addition to all the S-Video, Composite and Component video inputs you could ever need – the AVM 50v 3D is a well-equipped unit.

Packaging, Fit & Finish:

The AVM 50v 3D arrived in a very dense double box and was totally encased in closed cell foam. The box included the processor itself, a manual, a power cord, the remote and a kit containing software, a boom stand and microphone for ARC.

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The AVM 50v 3D itself is good looking unit. Offered in standard black and silver, the unit features a brushed aluminum faceplate full of inset silver buttons with a rotary volume knob to the right of the LCD display. The overall appearance of this product is more aggressive than most processors, though somewhat less avant-garde than products from competitors like Classė.

Specifications:

VIDEO SWITCHING Bandwidth from input jack to output jack Composite and S-Video 70 MHz Component: Y 110 MHz Component: Pr 90 MHz Component: Pb 80 MHz All analog video inputs and outputs are 75 O, 1.5 Vp-p. ANALOG AUDIO Input Impedance 20 kO Output Impedance Main–RCA 300 O XLR 600 O Zones 2/3 and Record 51 O Rated Input 2.0 Vrms Maximum Input 5.3 Vrms; 3.0 Vrms for 6-Ch input Minimum Load 5 kO Rated Output (100 kO load) 2.0 Vrms Maximum Output RCA 6.3 Vrms XLR 12.6 Vrms Headphone Output 100 mW into 32 O at 0.2% THD+N Volume Control Range Main -95.5 dB to +31.5 dB (in 0.5 dB increments) Zones 2/3 and Headphone -62.5 dB to +10.0 dB (in 1.25 dB increments) Crosstalk (at 1 kHz) 82 dB between channels; 86 dB between inputs XLR Pin Configuration Pin 1: Ground, Pin 2: Positive, Pin 3: Negative DIGITAL AUDIO Crossover High-Pass Slope (small speaker setting) 12 dB/octave (2nd order) Low-Pass Slope (subwoofer) 24 dB/octave (4th order) Frequency (adjustable) 25 Hz to 160 Hz (in 5 Hz increments) Tone Control Filter Type Shelf Range ±12 dB Bass Turnover Frequency 200 Hz Treble Turnover Frequency 2 kHz Analog-to-Digital Conversion S/N Ratio(at digital Rec output) (IEC-A Filter) 100 dB All digital inputs and outputs comply with HDMI , S/PDIF or AES/EBU standards. MAIN PATH (RCA and XLR Outputs) Frequency Response and Bandwidth Analog Direct Inputs 10 Hz to 20 kHz (+0 -0.2 dB), 1 Hz to 120 kHz (+0 -3 dB) Analog-DSP Inputs at 24/96 10 Hz to 20 kHz (+0 -0.3 dB), 2 Hz to 37 kHz (+0 -3 dB) Digital Inputs at 24/96 10 Hz to 20 kHz (+0 -0.2 dB), 1 Hz to 39 kHz (+0 -3 dB) THD+N (at Rated Input and Output) Analog Direct Inputs 0.006% (80 kHz BW) Analog-DSP Inputs at 24/48 0.006% (AES17 Filter) Digital Inputs at 24/48
0.004% (AES17 Filter)
IMD (CCIF at 15 kHz and 16 kHz) Analog Direct Inputs 0.001% Analog-DSP Inputs at 24/48 0.003% Digital Inputs at 24/48 0.001% S/N Ratio (ref. 2.0 Vrms, IEC-A filter) Analog Direct Inputs 106 dB Analog-DSP Inputs at 24/48 100 dB Digital Inputs at 24/96 104 dB ZONE 2 and ZONE 3 PATHS Frequency Response and Bandwidth 20 Hz to 20 kHz (+0 -0.1 dB), 3 Hz to 140 kHz (+0, -3 dB) THD+N (at Rated Input and Output) 0.06% (80 kHz BW) IMD (CCIF at 15 kHz and 16 kHz) 0.06% S/N Ratio (ref. 2.0 Vrms, IEC-A Filter) 97 dB FM TUNER Sensitivity 50 dB S/N 13 dBµ typical, 25 dBµ max IHF 10 dBµ typical, 20 dBµ max S/N Ratio Mono 75 dB typical, 65 dB min Stereo 69 dB typical, 60 dB min Distortion Mono 0.2% typical, 1.0% max Stereo 0.3% typical, 1.5% max Stereo Separation 40 dB typical, 25 dB min Alternate Channel Selectivity (±400 kHz) 70 dB typical, 60 dB min Frequency Response 25 Hz to 15 kHz (+0 -2 dB) AM TUNER Sensitivity (20 dB S/N) 49 dBµ typical, 56 dBµ max S/N Ratio 50 dB typical, 43 dB min Distortion 0.7% typical, 2.0% max One-Signal Selectivity (±10 kHz) 24 dB typical, 18 dB min CONTROL Infra Red Carrier Frequency 38 kHz Maximum 12 V Supply Current 150 mA Maximum Emitter Current 60 mA per output RS-232 Interface Connection DB-9F, straight-wired Pinout (processor side) Pin 2: Tx, Pin 3: Rx, Pin 5: Ground Baud Rate 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200 Configuration 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity bits, flow control (RTS/CTS, none) Trigger Outputs Polarity tip positive, sleeve ground Maximum Current at 12 VDC 300 mA between all three triggers Sequential Delay 250 ms POWER REQUIREMENT Power Consumption Maximum 150 W DIMENSIONS (height includes feet) Height 5-7/8 inches (14.9 cm) including feet; rack-mounting: 3 rack units without feet Width 17-1/4 inches (43.8 cm) Depth 14-1/2 inches (36.2 cm) Weight (unpacked, not including 8 lb (3.5 kg) ARC microphone kit) 30.7 lb (14 kg)

The basic initial setup of the Anthem was a breeze, simply swapping all connections 1:1 was a relative snap and didn’t take more than 5 minutes. Following that step and powering the unit on, I was greeted with a somewhat more challenging task. The menu system on the Anthem is extremely granular and looks deceptively “old school” – you’ll see a bright blue background and white blocky text reminiscent of a 1985 VCR. Next to the modern AVR’s and pre-pro’s from the big manufacturers, the menu system on the Anthem is downright sad - but that doesn’t mean it lacks functionality.

The Anthem allows up to four sources to be run by a single input – also allowing a single source to be up to four different components. It also has the ability to assign different settings for each. An example could be “CD” using HDMI 1 from your Oppo player with all audio processing on the Anthem. You could also assign HDMI 1 to DVD and use analog audio outputs instead of HDMI audio. The options here are almost endless – and I think something custom installers and picky consumers alike will enjoy thoroughly.

After reading the sizeable manual (a step not to be skipped lightly!) and spending a few minutes assigning inputs and settings as desired – it was time to run ARC.


In the case of the AVM 50v 3D – there was only a single technical caveat as it were, but it was a fairly substantial one in terms of annoyance. Occasionally, and without warning when switching inputs, I would find the Anthem making a pulsating digital hum. After a great deal of testing and frustration, I determined that the problem wasn’t the usual transient issue that rebooting the source in question or removing and reinserting HDMI cables clears up. The only way to solve this problem somewhat consistently was to reboot the Anthem itself. This wasn’t always successful, but it did resolve the problem 90% of the time.

While it’s typical to alert the manufacturer to an issue like this immediately, I chose to complete the review without bringing this to Anthem’s attention. In part – because I believe a buyer could go through the same experience. When a processor of this caliber is purchased, the buyer has the full backing of the dealer and manufacturer if a problem is encountered, and I do believe that this would have been resolved in the course of normal troubleshooting and support.

In the grand scheme of things, this is a minor complaint about an otherwise stellar piece of equipment, yet I still feel it deserves mentioning in the review due to the tier at which this product competes. Any processor that retails for over $6000 should not have HDMI handshake issues at this point in HDMI’s lifecycle, irrespective of firmware updates or other devices in the chain. Over the past two years I have had many processors in my system with identical peripherals and the Anthem was my first taste of persistent and annoying handshake issues. Is this something Anthem could have fixed? Absolutely. Should a product that costs $6499 even make it out the door without this being discovered? I don’t believe it should when you’re paying this much.

Conclusion:

The Anthem AVM 50v 3D is a sonic and visual wonder. There is no question that it sounds clearer and cleaner than anything I’ve had in my system, and that the video performance is second to none. Anthem Room Correction is a truly remarkable room correction technology that enhances the performance of an audio system drastically. This is the first competitor to Audyssey MultiEQ XT/XT32 I have encountered that matches and perhaps outdoes it. The sheer flexibility of this device in terms of options, signal routing and “tweakability” is staggering and likewise deserves notice. On the downside, the OSD menus look dated, ergonomically the Anthem remote and interface is clearly inferior to its mainstream competition, and perhaps most importantly - this is an incredibly expensive piece of equipment.

Value is a hard thing to quantify in the high end market, as a product like this clearly faces the same issue of diminishing returns other flagship products do. As incredibly well as this unit performs, I have a verydifficult time calling it a good value. With the AVM 50v 3D priced more competitively at $4000, I would not hesitate to praise its value proposition. At its current MSRP of $6499, the AVM 50v 3D is in this reviewer's opinion - overpriced.

Is the Anthem AVM 50V 3D perfect? No, and I doubt that any product truly is. If your demand in a processor is for benchmark audio and video performance, a level of control and configuration that you cannot get in consumer class gear, and bulletproof build quality, I think this product is about as close as you’ll get. For a price.

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Feel free to call with questions, I can be reached in my Los Angeles Audio & Video showroom weekdays (11-4PM) 310-472-8880 or after hours and weekends (10-10) on my cell 310-927-2260 or e-mail me directly at: [email protected]

Contact:  David Weinhart best to CALL with questions in Los Angeles Showroom from 11-4PM @ 310-472-8880 or my cell after hours and weekends from 10-10PM @ 310-927-2260 or e-mail me directly at [email protected]     

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          one system at a time,

                  David Weinhart 
             Weinhart Design, Inc. 
                 President & CEO 

       e: [email protected] 
          www.weinhartdesign.com 

       The Audio and Video Expert 
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