Should I buy Anthem 1120 for a 11 speaker system or Sony 5000 ES

Anthem dealer here, we just installed in the last six months a few MRX 720 and the 1120, the Anthem ARC is just amazing.

We had a client with a really weird room open on one side with french doors on one end, and the seating was at one corner,

We listended to the system without the Anthem Room correction and then did the correction and boom with ARC tiny details emerged, the overall presenation was smoother and the dialog was clearer.

ARC is very impressive and the new ARC Genesis promises even further improvements.

Really hard to beat at the price point.

We have also sold and installed many other receivers including Onkyo, Marantz, Denonns and Yamahas and again never heard anything for the price better the Anthem.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Anthem dealers

Gallerybob,

The Sony ES may indeed be excellent and it may be less expensive and it may have more amplifier channels. 

The question is what methodology did you use to compare the two?

Where they both in the same room? Where the testing of both units through a speaker comparitor? Was each unit calibrated to the specific speaker system?

Also what room correction does Sony use? 

In the case of most stores that have multiple loudspeaker lines it is rare that they have calibrated the system for more than one loudspeaker line if they even have the calibration files loaded.

In the case of the Anthem we have noticed night and day improvements in sound with ARC engaged and although the Anthem units sound good without it they tend to sound signfigently better with ARC other receivers we have tested with Audessy for example the differences between calibrated system and non were less audible. 

Also after doing this for 30 years, we find it very dubious that a store had anything to do with designing a product from Japan.

Many stores that sell Sony electronics in the past had to push the line aggresively to make Sony direct dealer status which requires something like $250k a year in sales in order to get good pricing. 

Best bet is to borrow both receivers hook them up identically, run  room correction for both and then see which one you prefer. 

Just food for thought. 

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ

why would you need multiroom video?

 

all you need is an in inexpensive hdmi splitter to split the reivers hdmi  output to the other room and a balum with ir