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Emotiva or Anthem or Something Else?

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience comparing Emotiva to Anthem?

I am about to buy a new system for the livingroom that we are building over here.  This system in this space will be tasked with driving a 5.2.4 home theater system for TV and Movies but it will also need to provide excellent sound quality for listening to music. The sound quality for the music is a top priority.  The source material for this system will be Netflicks and Apple TV for the video content and Amazon HD Music for the Music.

I am considering either the Emotiva RMC-1L processor and XPA9 Gen3 Amp combo or the Anthem MRX 1140 8K.  The Emotiva combo is a bit more expensive and would also require a network streamer for Amazon HD Music which will be a bit more $$.

What is considered to have the better sound quality between these two options? 

Is there something else that I should be looking at?

 

128x128melchionda
erik_squires
15,678 posts
 

Not the amps, but the processors. It’s been a very long time, but after my Theta Casanova the Onkyo and Emotiva were not even close to natural sounding. Really thin, AM radio kind of digital presentation.

I ended up with Oppo and then Anthem for a variety of reasons.

I will say that if it still sounds the same it is super easy to tell the difference. I mean, you don’t have to listen to me, listen for yourself.

If you are buying used, 100% stick with Anthem.  If you are buying new, I would still recommend the Anthem but I probably don't have a very good idea of what the Emotivas sound like anymore.

soix
8,681 posts
 

Absolutely Anthem all the way.  Great reliability, room correction, and sound.  Emotiva has had issues with their processors, and I frankly wouldn’t trust them especially when there’s Anthem as an option.  If 2-channel is important you should incorporate a good stereo integrated using the front L/R preamp outputs on the Anthem.  No AVR can compete with a good stereo integrated.  Period. 

melchionda's avatar
melchionda OP
15 posts
 

Thanks.  Although I have read a bunch of reviews of people talking about issues with the software on the Anthem products too.  

How would I incorporate a separate 2 channel system via the Preamp outputs on the Anthem?  I was actually trying to figure out how I could do this but wasn't sure if it was a thing.  I almost feel like I need two systems.  A 2.1 system for music and a larger system for movies and such.

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