ARC users?

[Mike-48]

I'm wondering how many other ARC users there are here. I'm looking for a good place to ask and answer questions about ARC and the equipment I'm using (Anthem STR Preamp).

Mike

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I'm wondering how many other ARC users there are here. I'm looking for a good place to ask and answer questions about ARC and the equipment I'm using (Anthem STR Preamp).

Mike

I’ve only used the one built into their subwoofers. It’s on my review list to get some gear from Anthem, but I’ve had to put that on hold so don’t expect to get to any of this until end of summer.

Feel free to ask. We have good connections to Anthem and like to think we know a thing or two generally.

 

[Mike-48]

Thanks, Matthew.

I did drop Anthem a few questions about model-specific matters.

More generally, I wonder how other owners make use of the tone controls vs. the four profiles. I'm using the profiles to hold corrections based on different target curves, but very similar results can be gotten by simply adjusting tone controls.

Mike

 

[Mike-48]

OK, Matthew, I remembered a tougher one. Maybe with your connections to Anthem, you can get a sensible answer. This is when using the STR Preamp, but I'd imagine it's the same on other devices that use ARC.

When one is adjusting targets in ARC Genesis and wants to get back to default values, there are two options to choose from: (a) "Auto-Detect (System-Wide Target and All Channels)" and (b) "Auto-Detect (System-Wide Target)". When I asked Anthem tech support about them, they said that "Your crossover points, roll off, as well as the levels of all of your channels are all factors in using [method (b)]. These factors are ignored using [method (a)]."

That answer is not computing for me. Since crossover points, etc., are determined by ARC, why would ARC ignore them in any case? Why would a user ever want to ignore them? Also, why does Room Gain (and apparently only Room Gain) change between (a) and (b)? [Room Gain is Anthem's terminology for bass boost near the low end of the target curve.]

In short, can we get a practical explanation, in plain English, of the intended purpose of (a) and (b) and when one would use each option?

 

[Mike-48]

So, I'm guessing by the total lack of response that very few, if any, readers of AV NIRVANA are using Anthem products with ARC. I'll see if I can find a forum with more coverage.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Sorry Mike... you might find an answer over at AVS... if you can weed thru the threads there. Sometimes people will pay attention to your questions there. We are rather new, so we just haven't had that many people hanging out that have Anthem gear.

 

[Mike-48]

Thanks, Sonnie. AVS seems the place, though as you say, they cover so much, it can be difficult to find exactly what one is after. Best of luck with AV NIRVANA as it grows. No doubt, a central spot for REW information is a valuable service.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Hey @Mike-48, ARC is definitely one of the suites that you rarely see discussed. I have to admit, I have zero experience with it. I've heard good things about it... hope to give it a whirl at some point in the future.

I'm curious, this is your first experience with it? What are you jumping from?

 

[Mike-48]

Hello, @Todd Anderson . Yes, this is my first experience with ARC. Previous experience was with a TacT 2.2X, which was essentially stolen from me by a mod shop in California.

After I lost the TacT, I tried an analog equalizer (Audient ASP-231), digital equalizer (Weiss EQ1), and a preamp with built-in digital xover and PEQ (Classe CP-800). In setting up all of those, I used a Dayton Omnimic2 system and a very tedious measure-adjust-remeasure cycle. It was particularly tedious after I hooked up my subs, as I had to do it for each of 4 channels independently.

The Anthem is much quicker -- and considerably better, to my ears. Its DSP is more transparent than anything I've used before (possibly excepting the Weiss), perhaps because the processing is done at 192 kHz (and 32 bits, I think). I also like that it measures at multiple positions and therefore avoids correcting problems that are sensitive to small changes in position.

My only wish for the STR preamp would be a midrange control with adjustable f and Q. It already has bass and treble controls that are quite useful (and transparent); and one can adjust the target curves with a fair amount of flexibility, if not quite as much flexibility as in the Dirac system. (I have a little experience with the latter through using a miniDSP SHD in our living-room, TV-based system.)

 

[Todd Anderson]

Wow. Thats not the answer I was expecting ... those are definitely less common EQ options!

Are you primarily looking for EQ in the bass region?

 

[Mike-48]

Wow. Thats not the answer I was expecting ... those are definitely less common EQ options!

Are you primarily looking for EQ in the bass region?

Todd-- Yes, most of the EQ is below 300 Hz, but in my room, I also trim the half octave or so around 6kHz by a few dB. This reduces sibilance and gives a more natural sound. ARC makes a few other tweaks in the midrange, but they are not strikingly audible.

I am not looking for other product recommendations at this point. I bought the Anthem STR just recently, and it's working better for me than anything else has. I had considered the DSPeaker X4, miniDSP SHD, Trinnov Amethyst, Legacy Wavelet, and waiting for Classe's new Delta Pre, but I eliminated all but the X4 for various reasons. When I auditioned the Anthem, it sounded so good that I took the plunge.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Looks like you have a super high-end system, Mike. If you get a chance, definitely make a showcase post and show it off. I bet it's gorgeous!

I'm glad you found us... hope you stick around!

 

[Mike-48]

Thanks, Todd. It is a nice system, the culmination of 50 years+ of audiophilia. I get a lot of pleasure from spending a few hours with it.

Next time I have it neat enough to take photos, I'll post some.

Thanks for the welcome.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

I fell in love with the Janszens at one of the audio shows... and may own some one day. I can't remember the model, but they were very nice.

Would love to see pics of your system.

I have had the ARC system, but it was years ago, and it has certainly improved since then. I used it with my MartinLogan 13A's when I had those about a year or so ago. Did a great job on the bass for those, but it was the simple version of ARC... not anything like your version.

 

[Mike-48]

I've set up a couple of photos of my system as a showcase post.

 

[ILikeOLED]

I fell in love with the Janszens at one of the audio shows... and may own some one day. I can't remember the model, but they were very nice.

Would love to see pics of your system.

I have had the ARC system, but it was years ago, and it has certainly improved since then. I used it with my MartinLogan 13A's when I had those about a year or so ago. Did a great job on the bass for those, but it was the simple version of ARC... not anything like your version.

I just joined the forum, funnily enough because I read that ARC’s results benefit from REW beforehand. I’m not an obsessive AVer, and I don’t mean anything negative by the comment, but I had to Google REW to find out what it was. So, I joined and will learn and probably use it when my MRX740 and new speakers arrive.

I have used ARC with my Anthem STR/ML ESL X/ML Dynamo 800X system in the living room and Anthem 520/Atlantic Technology System 20/ML 800X In the media room. Results were astoundingly good in dealing with some acoustic issues in our new home. I am replacing the speakers in the home theater with some MartinLogans (30XTi for LR with AFX on top for Atmos, FX for surround, 50XTi center) and upgrading receiver to Anthem MRX740.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Welcome to the forum!

Funny... I think the mere fact that you've used ARC and discerned notable differences makes you more of an obsessive AVer than you think ;-). I'd hazard to guess that most folks skip EQ altogether!

 

[ILikeOLED]

Welcome to the forum!

Funny... I think the mere fact that you've used ARC and discerned notable differences makes you more of an obsessive AVer than you think ;-). I'd hazard to guess that most folks skip EQ altogether!

Thank you for the welcome!

Back in the day, with my aktiv Linns and Theta Casanova processor etc. etc. etc., yes I was obsessive.

When we bought this house, it already was wired for 5.1, had Atlantic Technology System 20s in wall, a massive Marantz receiver. It sounded powerful, but not good. So, I bought some bass traps and absorbent panels, and we already had the lucky feature of a stone wall on one side to reduce the parallel wall problems. Sounded better but meh. I bought an Anthem MRX520, less powerful than the Marantz it replaced, and in 20 minutes of setup ARC made it sound good. I am sold on ARC or similar.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Thank you for the welcome!

Back in the day, with my aktiv Linns and Theta Casanova processor etc. etc. etc., yes I was obsessive.

When we bought this house, it already was wired for 5.1, had Atlantic Technology System 20s in wall, a massive Marantz receiver. It sounded powerful, but not good. So, I bought some bass traps and absorbent panels, and we already had the lucky feature of a stone wall on one side to reduce the parallel wall problems. Sounded better but meh. I bought an Anthem MRX520, less powerful than the Marantz it replaced, and in 20 minutes of setup ARC made it sound good. I am sold on ARC or similar.

ha! Well, there you go. You proved my point :-). Do you happen to remember what kind of Audyssey that Marantz was running? Was it XT32?

 

[ILikeOLED]

I don’t remember the Marantz having any version of Audyssey; it didn’t last long in the theater before being sent to the graveyard, along with the Marquee 9500LC CRT projector the previous owner left for me to get off the ceiling. The Marantz I kept, thinking I might use some channels of amplification some day, or perhaps one of the kids would use it.

 

[pratul]

I can help answer basic questions on ARC. I am using it with AVM70. Did setup the speakers with REW first.

 

[ILikeOLED]

I can help answer basic questions on ARC. I am using it with AVM70. Did setup the speakers with REW first.

I guess my question relates to REW as I’ve used ARC twice before (2.1 system and 5.1). What benefit did you derive from doing REW in addition to ARC? Have you used ARC without REW?

 

[pratul]

So ARC in it's current state doesn't do the following:
1. Set speaker distances. I.e. doesn't time align speakers
2. Doesn't setup two or more subs.

So before using ARC, I use REW to do the following:
1. I have 2 subs so I use REW to align them and to adjust the levels, etc.. so I get the best combined response.
2. I am using MiniDSP to combine the subs. So I EQ them using MiniDSP and REW.
3. I then use REW to time align all the speakers and subs.

Once I am done with the above steps, I use ARC to EQ all the speakers and subs. I use ARC to do two measurements:
1. At the music listening position, measure and EQ the subs and front L & R Speakers.
2. The movie watching positions, measure and EQ all speakers and subs.

That is my process. Hope that helps.

 

[ILikeOLED]

Thanks. I might want to learn how to use REW, because that sounds like a useful process.

 

[pratul]

Thanks. I might want to learn how to use REW, because that sounds like a useful process.

Feel free to reach out if you need help.