Hi there, , I wondering if you could answer a question for me, I’m looking to buy a AV system but hopefully it can play music as well, but the AV system is the most important for me.

I was looking for the Anthem D2 Processor and A5 multi channel; also I’m looking at the Oppo 95se Blue ray player and M&K THX Ultra S-150 Speakers with the 350 sub, that’s my starting system.

The salesperson also said if I went with the Anthem, I would not need the Oppo because I was wasting money on the processing of the Oppo 95 and to get a Blu ray player with the best mec in it, Have you any ideas?

The salesman also said the best way to run a av system is to go passive, get a really good pre amp and power amps like the Leema system and add the Oppo 95 to run all the processing, I said to the salesman, does this not cut out all the extra processing, like the new extra wide extra high and so on,of the new processors, weather that are any good I don’t know, which is the best way to go, and is this system I’m looking any good? Or can you think of something better.
Thank you
Oz Jameson

Without getting into too much specifics on brands, I think the salesperson is a bit off on his idea of a great system nowadays.

For example, the Anthem processor that you are considering is an AMAZING piece of technology, and its room correction capabilities (ARC) are second-to-none. Its video processing is amazing as well, and certainly make everything plugged into it shine.

So, with that, is spending an extra $500 on a bluray that is capable of all of that internally worth it? Maybe. If you have already budgeted for that player, get it. Experiment with it and the Anthem and see who does a better job decoding TrueHD and DTS-MA stuff. See if the video is better processed by the Anthem or the Oppo. The 95 is the best player that Oppo makes - certainly not a bad idea.

That said, if you were stretching to get the 95, get the 93 and you will STILL love the Anthem and the performance.

Hi there, I’ve talked to a few High end, 2 channel guys, and they keep telling me that ill lose too much money buying a anthem, they say I should use analogue amplification connected to an Oppo 95 to get the best sound, and not digital, they both say the analogue will sound better than any Anthem.
Both can get anything I want so I don’t think there trying to get me to buy something of theirs. Whatever I get they are going to have to order it in anyway,
But now I’m wondering are they right about the sound from the analogue amps compared to the likes of the anthem.

Well, first off, you said that AV (I assume theater) is primary for you - the Anthem is best at that. Period.

Secondly, the Anthem IS analog amplification - the A5 is an analog amp, and connected to the D2 with balanced analog audio cables. The digital stage stop in the processor.

And while the Oppo has great processing capabilities inside of it, it does NOT have the room correction capabilities of the Anthem.

Your room is the biggest unknown in ANY system. You can have the best gear that money can buy, and if it isn’t tuned TO THE ROOM, it will sound like crap.

My suggestion is still the Anthem, and use their ARC - it’s amazing.

i’d wait for Ivy Bridge and the new Nvidia GCs coming this April.

I really think you are making a mistake by not going to a 5.1 system.  I say this because for years I used a Bose 901 system for the audio portion of my AV system.  As good as those Bose speakers were for stereo music listening they could not deliver the surround sound found in the rear channels found in 5.1.

Thank you so much for the list. I love the way your portrayed and explained how to be successful in real estate.
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