Anthem 720 MX Question!

[Blingleberry]

Hi! I have an 720MX, running 1.4.095 firmware.

I just added a small external amp to power the rear speakers and am trying to use the powered rear outputs now for front height speakers using the RCA outs. So I'm going for a 7.2.0 configuration.

When I go through Genesis ARC, ALL the speakers work and are tested by ARC. But when I am watching TV the height speakers do not seem to be working. And when I go to the levels option in the SetupMenu and turn on the white noise , all the speakers sound except the Front Height speakers.

The height speakers were working before I added the rear amp via the RCA's. I tried going back to 5.2.0 setup and that didn't make a difference. Not sure why connecting something to the Rear Preamp out RCA's would make a difference though

Any suggestions? Thx!!!

[curtis]

Do you have to reassign the internal amps to power the heights?

I'd send Anthem support an email on that one. In the past, I have found them to respond within a day, and helpful.

[racrawford65]

As Curtis noted, check the amp assignment. The 720 internal amps can only be configured for 5.1.2 or 5.1 + 2 zone 2 speakers. So, no powered rear outputs in the 720.

Just to clarify, are you going for 7.2.0 (which means no height/atmos but only fronts, center, surrounds, rears and 2 subs) or 5.2.2 (fronts, center, surrounds, 1 pair of heights, 2 subs)?

With a combination of 720 and external amps, I was able to run 5.2.4 (fronts, center, surrounds, F/R heights and 2 subs) although never tried with rear speakers (no good placement options in my room).

[Blingleberry]

Ah my bad for my config, it's 7.0.2. I got rid of my sub.

I contacted ascend and they recommended going back to using the amp for the rear speakers and using the preamp out (height 1) into my small amp, for the front speakers.

I did all that and ran through ARC again - and again all 9 speakers work in ARC testing mode. But the 2 height speakers don't work watching tv or checking the levels.

I don't really need the rear speakers. I never found they added much. But I do really like the front heights when they briefly worked! I should have stopped there instead of trying to get the rears to work again.

[racrawford65]

That's odd that you can't get it to work whilst watching tv or checking levels but it works in ARC.
Which firmware are you on - I recall there was one release which killed the test tones in the level menu for multiple users, myself included - The last final (1.4.095 does work, at least for me). I'm guessing that it's still something to do with how you configured the amps or inputs (e.g. you have assigned an upmixer to 2 and multichannel signals for the tv input).

[Blingleberry]

So Anthem support suggested it was related to the Dolby Volume settings. And Turning it off is easy from the Anthem Remote.

The only problem is my anthem remote died two years ago and I threw it out!!

I use the iOS anthem app when I need to do something like get to the setup menu, otherwise I control everything via logitech harmony. And so far I don't see a way to get to all the functions the Remote has.

BUT I managed to figure out how to get a button on my Harmony Remote to send the Dyn command and was able to turn this setting OFF.

I think I'm back in business.

Thank good for technology...

[racrawford65]

glad you got it sorted!

[Blingleberry]

It's all working great now. I have a bunch of small Orb speakers for side, rear and front height. They sound fine with the S2EX and duo fronts and take up a tiny bit of space. And I power the rears now with a simple monoprice amp. I'm super glad the 720 can do what I need. If only I'd read the full manual sooner!

Maybe someday I'll upgrade the fronts to Towers - after I see what upgrades Dave plans for them. And I'll keep an eye on the new Anthem 740 and see if it adds any must haves. Other than that all's good.