Overall, the Anthem MCA 525 was just a little smoother from top to bottom at high volumes, but the NAD does provide two additional channels for only $500 more -- a not insignificant difference if you're contemplating a seven-channel system. Rating: 100 % of 100. . The promotion photos for the MCA Gen 2s show them stacked on one another, with an AVM processor at the top of the pile. Anthem | MCA 525 GEN 2 | Overview (anthemav.com) "Higher Power into More Demanding Loads While most 5-channel amplifiers use a single power supply for front left and right channels and another power supply of the centre and surround, the new MCA 525 GEN 2 shares its two power supplies between all channels. So 180W of Anthem should be good. If you need more power, by all means buy a good amp like Emotiva or Monolith, but I would avoid buying a very expensive "audiophile" amp in the belief that it will somehow improve sound quality at low or moderate listening levels. They're both 400 watts into 4 ohms. To complement the NEW AVM 90 and AVM 70 A/V Processors, Anthem introduces the new MCA 525, 325, and 225 GEN 2 power amplifiers. Anthem's MCA 525 Power Amplifier is the flagship of the extraordinary MCA range which focuses on a single goal of obtaining leadership through innovation and technology. The A51 weighs more and is Class A / AB. JTRs with that much power is a bit insane IMO. This is a good thing in my book, as Im a big fan of the understated elegance of Anthems new design language. The MCA 525 turned in a similarly accomplished performance with my other test songs. Anyone wishing to rackmount one of these using the optional 4U rackmount kit will certainly need help unless theyve had their Weetabix. Anthem has announced the newest versions of its high-end multichannel home theatre and music audio hardware with the launch of the new MRX 540, MRX 740 and MRX 1140 AV Receivers, the AVM 70 and AVM 90 AV Processors and three GEN2 power amplifiers in the form of the MCA 225, MCA 325 and MCA 525 amps. The Parasound sounded more resolving with better details than the Rotel RMB-1585. Not much to base amp needs on. Lol so that website says, with 2 speakers, 101 sensitively, 1 watt amp power and distance of 12 feet, I'll get 95 decibels of sound. The one notable practical difference was that the MCA 525 has higher voltage gain (29dB) than my amps (26dB), which meant I turned the volume up slightly less for a given SPL. Not really an upgrade. No question about it. Thanks for the feedback. amps-preamps 154516-93863 McIntosh 255 vs Parasound Halo A51 vs Anthem MCA 525 Looking to replace my Yamaha MX-A5000 with one of the above 5 Channel Amplifiers. JavaScript is disabled. All three share the same core construction and outward appearance, with the only difference being the number of channels. Isn't there a Parasound office across town from you BD??? Emotiva XPA 3. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. So, if you're looking for more power, the Parasound A21 is the way to go. The MCA 525 may cut out due to thermal protection if it gets too hot, and its just generally a bad idea to mix heat and electronics. Parasound Halo A51 5 Channel Power Amplifier. I tested the MCA 525 connected via XLR to the AVM 90 that I had in for evaluation at the time. I'd put the old Anthem amps (with the exception of the tubed input stage hybrid design) more on par with Rotel during the time period they were built than Parasound, meaning a slight notch below Parasound's HCA series in build and sound quality. To complement the NEW AVM 90 and 70 A/V Processors, Anthem introduces the new MCA 525, 325 and 225 GEN 2 power amplifiers. Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint. Anthem MCA 225 (Gen 2) 2-Channel Power Amplifier. Beyond my paygrade. No, what I am saying is, its power supply does not look big enough for a 2 Ohm rating. For rig details, see my profile. That's a lot being shared but not very much compared to the likes of the Monolith, Outlaw and Parasound amps that don't share or at least not to the same extent for all channels (. "Let our rigorous testing and reviews be your guidelines to A/V equipment not marketing slogans", Get our latest product reviews and AV stories emailed to you weekly. Available in 5, 3 and 2-channel configurations, these new MCA amplifiers feature more robust and efficient power and heavy-duty reliability. Planning on using dual Captivator 2400s. None of this will tax the MCA 525. This means it can deliver huge amounts of power instantly to any channel that demands it. I ran through the same demo scenes in John Wick (the bathhouse shootout), Oblivion (the opening scene) and Ready Player One (the race scene), and in every respect the MCAs audio performance was outstanding. I currently have the following system in my home theater: British company IOTAVX knock it out the park! Pro amps are often capable of 2 ohm, it's a bit unusual in consumer amps, tho. Because of living overseas everything is at a premium so want as much information I can get before making a decision. The benefits that I perceive is a tad warmer sound and a slightly better mid and low end. Parasound A51 (click on specs) https://parasound.com/a51.php Anthen MCA 525 Gen2 (PDF spec download) I currently have and will use the Yamaha CX-A5100 Processor. Also, the spec says power consumption is 550 W typical and 1200 W high output. NAD's latest Master Series power amplifier delivers seven channels of Class D grunt thanks to Purifi's new Eigentakt technology. Cool. The MCA 525 took firm grip of my speakers as the familiar kick-drum beat filled the room, sounding punchy and dynamic, while every resonance of Lindsey Buckinghams dobro guitar played out across a deep front soundstage. The Anthem has specs for 2 ohms, the Parasound doesn't. The A51 has better damping factor, but the Anthem has better SNR. A51 costs me $4K and I can get A5 for around $3K so does $1K is worth for that extra power and what extra or sound quality I am going to get with that extra money. There's a similar duality to its sonic performance, with the Anthem capable of intimately detailed moments on the one hand and astounding dynamic transients on the other. The JTRs are rated at 2200 watts, the A51 is only 400 watts at 4 ohms so thought it might be short on power. The Anthem 5-channel amp is the MCA-525, which is considerably more power than your Marantz, so depending on what B&W speakers you have, it's possible at higher volume levels the Anthem may fair better. parasound and anthem are different company, so expect differences in sound. Parasound A31. Offering seven-channels of high-quality amplification for just over 1050 is the epitome of value for money vs. performance. Europe's busiest forums, with independent news and expert reviews, for TVs, Home Cinema, Hi-Fi, Movies, Gaming, Tech and more. In truth, it should have more power as the 2205 retailed for $2500 compared to $799 for the Emotiva. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Anthem MCA 325 (Gen 2) 3-Channel Power Amplifier. I dont think its an upgrade to get the Anthem if you already own the Parasound though. The JBL Studio 590 floorstanding loudspeaker brings professional-quality sound to the home experience. Great post, looking at the Emotiva, Anthem and ATI two-channel amps myself. Perfect passthrough of Ultra HD signals at up to 18.2 Gbps with Dolby Vision, HDR or Hybrid Log Gamma ensures optimal presentation of your visual media. Looking to replace my Yamaha MX-A5000 with one of the above 5 Channel Amplifiers. The amplifiers are all designed, engineered and manufactured in Canada. Which ones? Any input? . By all accounts the Anthem 1120 is one of, if not the, best receiver on the market with plenty enough power? McIntosh 255 vs Parasound Halo A51 vs Anthem MCA 525, The world's largest high-end audio community. Dead quiet, tons of headroom, superior driver control all make for a very tidy sound and it enabled me to start getting my AC infinity fans out of my rack. I found something from Anthem last night that said special circumstances required for 2ohm test. All sounds good, I too really enjoy my Parasound amps. I am wondering if I will get the same response from my speakers once I hooked them up to one of these amps I am reviewing. These JTRS are rated down to 30 hz, and I know many tower speakers are and it's always recommended to crossover at 80hz for numerous and various reasons and let the subs do the heavy lifting, but there are towers with 6" drivers rated down to 30hz, and then there's JTRs with dual 12" drivers rated down to 30hz, surely it'll be good to use those 12" drivers and not waste them, I have a MiniDSP to smoothen out response and integrate them with subs, but will 400 wpc be enough for the lower frequencies, surely lower frequencies use more power than that calculator would suggest? Yup. . In addition, compression drivers aren't made for residential use. The MCA 525 is fitted with two massive low flux toroidal power transformers which are shared between all channels. Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Class 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2. You must log in or register to reply here. Parasound contacted me quickly this morning and said that the amp will have no problem driving my speakers. JavaScript is disabled. It looks like it has 2X10 A slow blo fuses, that indicate it has two transformers with VA rating up to 750 VA each but not larger. More JTR? The amps on your list are very good ones and you probably wouldn't go wrong with any of them, however, I would recommend looking at the Rotel RMB 1585, big brother to mine, 5 channel though, but a monster for a great price. No regrets so far with the Parasound. Of the three, go with the Parasound A51 to match with the Studios.. Having owned several Paradigm speakers and Parasound amps in different configurations, they are a near perfect match. You at some great distance from the speakers or reaching for ear damage? It will also deliver an effortlessly dynamic performance when called upon. The Rotel 1585 is $3,000. The Studio 590 uses the technology that JBL engineers developed for pro-audio loudspeakers to deliver accurate, powerful sound to your living room. McIntosh 255 vs Parasound Halo A51 vs Anthem MCA 525, The world's largest high-end audio community. I looked up the spec on the speaker, and unless you have a monster size room, 4 ohm at 91db isn't that huge of a load. To comment on what you've read here, click the Discussion tab and post a reply. You will go farther in performance doing it this way than the latter. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=855660&highlight=d-sonic, Need help with floorspeakers and subwoofer configuration, Recommendations for Side, Rear, and Center Speaker Stands. They really are nice, with no sign of wobble or flimsiness. Theres also the expected 12V trigger option, as well a useful auto-on facility which powers on the MCA 525 when a signal is sensed. The Rotel RMB-1585 that was recommended by another forum member here is also another great choice but I would go with the Parasound Halo A31 of A51 if I were you. The Anthem Mca 225 has THD+N of 0.05%, while the Parasound A21 has THD+N of 0.03%. The speakers I'm looking to power are 4 ohms with compression driver if that makes any difference, JTR to be exact. Is this something that any system can benefit from or is it inherant to Parasound products? Thanks for the help! Hard to say, I can think of the following spec highlights for comparison, and you'll be the judge: Ah man Peng, major thanks for a detailed replied, that must of taken you a while to type up and research, I would buy you a drink if I could. I agree the MCA amp is the best among those but in my opinion it's transformer and the power supply as a whole, is actually not "huge" at all relatively speaking (to Outlaw, Monolith, Parasound's etc in the similar price range). . Need help with floorspeakers and subwoofer configuration, Recommendations for Side, Rear, and Center Speaker Stands, 2.2 kVA encapsulated toroid power transformer with independent, 164,000 F power supply filter capacitance, input impedance 47 k unbalanced; 94 k balanced, ACD 250 W/400 W, 8/4 Ohms, 0.2% THD at full power. Hope many more users of these amps will chime in and provide their thoughts. I have an Anthem AVM 60 with Halo A51 and A23, the Halo sounds great with the Anthem. Next, let's take a look at distortion levels. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Note that my old Lexicon amp measured as having significantly more balls than its rating. Monolith 3x. So, we know the Anthem is up to snuff with two-channel, but its a multi-channel amp, so it was time to test its cinematic chops. I was talking with Polk65 and he said it is not far from where he lives. Video support includes 7 HDMI 2.0 inputs with 2 outputs, plus eARC for seamless integration with smart TVs. It is a beautiful, muscle car of an amplifier, with sports car engineering. I guess the only major concern I have with amps is ending up with one that would make my speakers brighter then my AVR. Orotund Desert Theater;11.7.4,Suspended Floor,14'x20'x10',100amp service,JVC-NX9,120" ATwoven Screen,Carada Masquerade Masking,OPPO203 & Panny ub820, Monolith HTP-1 Full DLBC,mini DSP-2X4HD,3 D-sonic Amps 2 M3a-61007ch,28007ch, ACInfinity Fans,L,R Polk SDA SRS-2.3TL,CC RTA-15TL's Fully Mod'd Crossovers,updated tweeters in Custom Cabinets,WS-SS-BSSBS Inwall Triad Silver LCR,4 Atmos Core5, Subs 4x JTR CAP-6000ULF,3xNearfields behind 1st row,2 Rows of 3 Seatcraft Excalibur Lx Seats & more. It is a slightly more capable amp it seems. Just curious why you're adding an external amplifier? You must log in or register to reply here. Input impedance 10 k unbalanced; 15 k balanced, Damping factor: 300, 20-1,000 Hz (Note: 300 should be more than high enough). With the Marantz had in a tall cabinet with amps on then bottom, now with a Anthem I have the credenza version of stand (it is long and short with TV above) the amps are still one above the other. For evaluation I used the same demo material that Id listened to during my testing of the AVM 90 with my Hypex NCore-based amplifiers. The latest MCA Power Amplifiers are available in two (MCA 225), three (MCA 325) and five (MCA 525) channel configurations and are designed to be a perfect match for the AVM 70 and AVM 90 AV Processors both sonically and aesthetically. Available in 5, 3, and 2-channel configurations, these new MCA amplifiers feature more robust and efficient power and heavy-duty reliability. Both, based on specs are no better than the AVR-X3700H, SR6014, and much worse than the X3600H measured by ASR, but I guess only golden ears know the difference in use. It seems a trivial thing to note, but I always find it reassuring when I see good quality binding posts; it speaks of thoughtful craftsmanship. I have decided to purchase a new 5 channel power amp and would like some advice from our forum members. I had the AVM50 processor and MCA-50 amp (older model). I guess you can make the highs softer but will that work to reduce ear fatigue? Feb 23, 2016. Parasound is known for its bass extension. Buy both. it did lead me to question the value proposition of the MCA 525. Of the three, go with the Parasound A51 to match with the Studios.. Having owned several Paradigm speakers and Parasound amps in different configurations, they are a near perfect match. True though, with the added power you would have plenty of headroom to play insanely loud! The MCA 525 Gen 2 is a fantastically clean sounding amplifier, which renders detailed audio even at low volumes. ), My wish if I were a 30-40+ year old sealed LP - your latest NOS (New Old Stock) / sealed LP you bought, Dutton Vocalion - Surround SACDs from the UK, Multichannel Albums - Lossy Formats on DVD & CD. I don't care about footprint and I don't believe that the sound is better. Near Philly. When looking at the specs, the Anthem at first appears to be a much larger amplifier. Anthem MCA 525 GEN 2 Power Amplifier. It is a beautiful, muscle car of an amplifier, with sports car engineering. Introduction: What Is the Anthem MCA 525 Generation 2? The Anthem Mca 225 has a power output of 225 watts per channel, while the Parasound A21 has a power output of 250 watts per channel. I voted for Anthem because its the cheaper of the 2 options. I rode the volume dial up a few notches during the scene in Ready Player One and was at once deeply impressed by the clarity of the MCA 525 and AVM 90 combo, yet also terrified by the dynamic transients and raw power on tap. This second generation of MCA multi-channel Class A/B power amplifiers builds on that reputation, although represents a complete ground-up redesign of the forgoing MCA series. No way am I going to a class D amp. I briefly owned an AVM60 as a potential replacement for my Classe SSP800, but unfortunately was no match in sound quality so I sold it. I have decided to purchase a 5 channel amp and like the Parasound HCA-2205AT, but haven't quite figured out what the differences are between the Anthem PVA or MCA models. The overall dimensions are (H x W x D) 169mm, 438mm, 460mm. Sheeuut! Hopefully this time, it doesn't get damaged in shipping like the one a few weeks ago. If an amplifier needs two dedicated outlets, why would they not just use one 240VAC circuit? Anthem MCA 525 Gen 2 or Parasound A52+ (Decision Made) ar surround Jul 20, 2021 Help Support QuadraphonicQuad: ar surround 2K Club - QQ Super Nova QQ Supporter Joined Apr 3, 2010 Messages 4,255 Location New Joisey Jul 20, 2021 #1 I have decided to purchase a new 5 channel power amp and would like some advice from our forum members. If it is, there was something wrong with the other amps. Anthem MCA 525 Gen 2 5-Channel Power Amplifier Review & Comments Doug Pyper Sep 25, 2022 Review Specs Discussion (27) 1 2 N nacdale Novice Member Nov 18, 2022 #26 Im really torn between this amp and the parasound A51 or A52+. Look at Anthems AVM60. Read about our review ethos and the meaning of our review badges. $11,495. I don't want to introduce harshness to the mix at all. You must log in or register to reply here. The P5 is stable all the way down to 2 Ohm loads and is prodigiously powerful. I s'pose you could reproduce thunderclaps and jet engines realistically but you'd only be able to hear it a few times before you blow your eardrums into your sinuses .LOL 400wpc short on power with 101dB sensitivity at 12 feet. Now Available: Tech Talk Podcast with Scott Wilkinson, Episode 19 Click here for details. Pro amp for sure, but a 61 lbs class AB amp you and I both know there is something fishy about this one. 3. I would personally look at your preamp before the amp, especially because of the amps youre considering. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Please Help! The sensitivity does vary with frequency (and sensitivity measurements don't generally include lower bass), and lower frequencies could well demand a bit more power. Have the Halos in cabinet with open back and the front has perforations (to allow IR signal to pass etc). I currently have and will use the Yamaha CX-A5100 Processor. Anthem MCA 525 (Gen 2) 5-Channel Power Amplifier. There is, however, a but as 3,895 is a sizable wad of cash for a five-channel amplifier. Well I added a Rotel RMB 1555 amp to my Pioneer SC 57 receiver and don't regret it. Not too impressed by that. Out of those 3 choices that you listed above, I would highly recommend the Parasound Halo A31 or A51 if you need a five-channel amp. You would be correct, I'm a Curl head. $6,595. Whilst not exactly A/B side-by-side testing, I reasoned that the comparison might bring to light any obvious differences in audio performance. The Anthem MCA 525 Gen 2 tested here is the five-channel model in a new line-up that includes the three-channel MCA 325 Gen 2 and two-channel MCA 225 Gen 2. Add to cart. Thank you for the adviceit is appreciated! Being designed to accompany the AVM series, the MCA 525 will pair perfectly with the new processors, so AVM owners neednt trouble themselves thinking about gain structure. I'm wide open to suggestions. 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