Anthem ARC and SDAs

Gofastr

I recently ran the Anthem Room Correction (ARC) program on my Anthem MRX540 receiver with my SDA SRS 2.3s and a Klipsch R-112SW sub, and the results are less than satisfying. The 2.3s are playing so brightly it's pretty fatiguing - now I understand what people mean when they use that term - and the bass response of the sub is feeble. I can increase the gain on the back of the sub to get acceptable lows. I've used the bass/treble controls on the MRX to bring down the brightness and improve the midrange of the 2.3s, but now this seems like it's defeating the purpose of the ARC. Interestingly, I only notice this brightness when listening to music through the 2.3s alone in stereo, and not when watching/listening to movies in 5.2 sound.

I'm thinking that it may be better to run ARC with the SDA interconnect disconnected, so that L/R cancellation effect of the SDA drivers isn't potentially confusing the ARC functionality when setting up my stereo music listening profile. Does anyone have experience with this?

Emlyn

Most people recommend disconnecting the SDA cable when running an auto calibration. I always have to follow up with a "reality check" on the auto calibration regardless of the system by doing a manual reassessment with a sound pressure level meter. I have found Marantz products to be pretty close to accurate but still needs minor tweaks to suit my preference. For example, I like the center channel a bit higher than neutral.

There should be a pure direct mode or something equivalent on the receiver that eliminates all processing for two channel use. That would show the true character of the speakers in the listening space.

What tweeters are in the 2.3 speakers?

Gofastr

Thanks Emlyn. Tweeters are SL2000s. I'll try running an auto cal with the SDA cable disconnected.

Yes the Anthem MRX can run in either ARC on or off (pure) modes. The off mode sounds much fuller and not near as bright as with ARC on - I prefer a brightness somewhere in between the two. There's a "pro" setting that one can use in the ARC Genesis version that can probably be used to tweak that. I'm just not familiar enough yet with the program to go there and have been using the treble/bass adjustments as noted to get the sound I'm seeking - I just can't yet figure out how to save these adjustments to one of the profiles on the MRX.

I too like the center channel gain higher than what ARC puts it at - and that's easily adjustable on the MRX, as is the sub gain. Overall I really like the Anthem MRX, with the one exception that I cannot reassign/bridge the unused front speaker amp with the center channel amp to boost the output.

Emlyn

Anthem gear is nice for sure. Could be that its resolution is just revealing the true nature of the SL2000 tweeters. The ice pick in the ears frequency spike can best be tamed by replacing the tweeters with the RD0194 model.

gmcman

I'm incredibly happy with my recent Anthem purchase, but with regards to the SDA line, I want to say while the ARC is very good, it will likely want to change the volume level of the speakers individually. If that's the case, I would think that would totally throw off the imaging as well as the dimensional driver functionality.

pitdogg2

The out of phase SDA signal messes with all auto calibration software I've used. In fact even the smallest noise like a refrigerator kicking on or the slight water rippling noise from an aquarium has a detrimental effect. I've found to use those auto calibration systems it's best to throw the wife, kids and dog out of the house an hour or so and shut everything off as even the slightest noise affects it.
This also includes your furnace kicking on ANYTHING you can hear period.
They are insanely sensitive you need tomb quiet for best results.

Emlyn

gmcman wrote: »

I'm incredibly happy with my recent Anthem purchase, but with regards to the SDA line, I want to say while the ARC is very good, it will likely want to change the volume level of the speakers individually. If that's the case, I would think that would totally throw off the imaging as well as the dimensional driver functionality.

My auto calibrations usually result in the L800s being 0.5 dB different from each other. Not because the speakers are different from one another but because of the acoustical properties in different rooms. When I had SDA 2.3TL in the same space the result was the same. In theory 0.5 dB shouldn't be an audible difference but it does trigger me to change it. That's one reason I always do a manual check afterwards and set the FL and FR speakers to be equal.

gmcman

Emlyn wrote: »

My auto calibrations usually result in the L800s being 0.5 dB different from each other. Not because the speakers are different from one another but because of the acoustical properties in different rooms. When I had SDA 2.3TL in the same space the result was the same. In theory 0.5 dB shouldn't be an audible difference but it does trigger me to change it. That's one reason I always do a manual check afterwards and set the FL and FR speakers to be equal.

-.5 db is about a 17% drop.

The thing is, iirc, the dimensional drivers need to keep the neutral balance from L to R along with the stereo drivers. This way the cancellation can be even, resulting in your defined center image and how your brain perceives the enhanced L to R depth that the SDA is designed to do.

I just love how well the Anthem sounds for an AVR, it's pretty much a very good preamp with some AVR capabilities, not the other way around.

For watching movies, I leave it flat, too much going on IMO with the soundtrack that would want me to sweat some small discrepancies.

Me personally, I would have some LSiM's if I was to use the ARC, or just non-SDA's

I do hear what your saying..for movies a .5db difference isn't alot, but hard to say how the SDA's respond to that.

pitdogg2

Any pin/blade model SDA will still output sound from the dimensional drivers to get the information needed for the RC software. On my Denon and Yamaha AVR's it would often say one or both SDA was out of phase with cord in place during the correction process.
Ymmv

Try it both ways. See which way sounds better. With many now days you can store several of the programs to compare.

F1nut

Too many think the calibration programs are infallible, they are not. At best the programs can establish a base line. Use your ears as they are still vastly superior.

Gofastr

Thanks everyone for the input.

The Anthem MRX allows one to save at least 5 profiles on the receiver itself, so I'll run a cal without the SDA cable and see how it goes... and to pitdogg2's point, on a day when the wife is away, the heater off, no wind outside, proper phase of the moon, etc. I did note that my "party" RC run, where I placed the microphone farther from and to left of center of the 2.3s to represent where most people hang out in my big cave (some 60' front to back, pool and ping pong tables), resulted in a +0.5dB for the right speaker. My "movie" RC run was done with the microphone centered on the speakers and TV yielded no difference between L/R. Yes, F1nut, I agree that the RC is just a start, and I have been tweaking to what suits my ears.

The MRX is a really versatile receiver; the manual leaves a little to be desired, at least for a relative newbie who hadn't bought any new electronics since 1996.