Flagship processor worth waiting for
Home Cinema Choice|Summer 2022
Anthem's AVM 90 has been a long time coming, but it heralds the completion of the Canadian manufacturer's upgraded AV lineup. And while first announced in October 2020, the delayed arrival of this top-of-the-range processor hasn't seemed to harm it. Rather, it means Anthem has been able to offer HDMI 2.1 compatibility out of the box, certainly a demanded feature when a product sells for a cool £6,749.
Flagship processor worth waiting for

This new flagship processor joins the previously released AVM 70 (HCC #326), and a trio of AV receivers: the MRX 1140; the mid-range MRX 740 (HCC #321); and the entry-level MRX 540. While the receivers have their own built-in grunt, the processors can be partnered with Anthem's matching power amps: the two-channel MCA 225, the three-channel MCA 325, and the five-channel MCA 525.

No stone left unturned

Now, the AVM 90's asking price is admittedly a sizable chunk of cheddar, but backing it up is an uncompromising approach, with a discrete 15.4-channel experience - Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and IMAX Enhanced - on the menu.

At this point you might be thinking, should I instead look to the AVM 70 and save myself three grand? Well you could, but there are a number of important differences between these two models.

First of all, while both support the main object-based audio formats, the AVM 90 decodes and processes them using a total of 19 channels with four independent subwoofers. If that sounds like overkill, I'll explain why four subs are a useful addition later in the review. But basically, it means you can run a fully discrete and insanely immersive 9.4.6-channel system.

The AVM 90 also features a comprehensively overhauled interior, and one that Anthem believes represents the 'culmination of everything we know'. A new 32-bit/768kHz ESS Sabre DAC stage applies conversion to all 19 channels, while an 'oversized, high-efficiency toroidal power supply is employed to help isolate 'high power signals' from the critical audio circuits.

Denne historien er fra Summer 2022-utgaven av Home Cinema Choice.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra Summer 2022-utgaven av Home Cinema Choice.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA HOME CINEMA CHOICESe alt
AV Avenger
Home Cinema Choice

AV Avenger

You should think twice before accepting an invitation to play Resident Evil 4 with spatial audio in a haunted prison, warns Steve May

time-read
2 mins  |
May 2023
Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney
Home Cinema Choice

Catalogue classic Star Wars: Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi → Ultra HD Blu-ray, Disney

Forty years on from the movie's cinema release, Anton van Beek ponders what might have been if things had gone a little diff erently during the making of Return of the Jedi…

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
Feedback
Home Cinema Choice

Feedback

Got an axe to grind? Need to comment on current tech? Want to share your knowledge with our readers? Team HCC is here to help

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
M&K Sound V12
Home Cinema Choice

M&K Sound V12

TIME ON TEST: Three years REVIEWER: Steve Withers

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded
Home Cinema Choice

Sony 'bar demands to be upgraded

This well-specified Dolby Atmos soundbar may have a mid-range price tag, but you'll soon want to spend more, cautions Steve May

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2023
Short and sweet
Home Cinema Choice

Short and sweet

Marantz's compact AV receiver returns with a new look and boosted features – Jamie Biesemans slips it into his AV rig

time-read
5 mins  |
May 2023
Discreet delivery
Home Cinema Choice

Discreet delivery

A slim, stylish Scandinavian on-wall system impresses Mark Craven with its handling of the sweet stuff

time-read
5 mins  |
May 2023
One project, two rooms
Home Cinema Choice

One project, two rooms

Dan Sait reports on a custom install where a JVC PJ/ Atmos system is joined by a stylish media den

time-read
2 mins  |
May 2023
THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD
Home Cinema Choice

THE KING OF B RDA HOLLYWOOD

Three of his movies have taken over $2billon at the global box office, he's pioneered SFX and 3D technologies, and he's been to the very bottom of the Pacific Ocean. That's James Cameron by the way, not Anton van Beek

time-read
10+ mins  |
May 2023
System selector!
Home Cinema Choice

System selector!

Given three similar budgets, Mark Craven, Steve May and John Archer assemble three different AV setups focused on movies, streaming and gaming

time-read
8 mins  |
May 2023