What happened at the head-to-head?

(If you want the quick and dirty answer, skip to the bottom of this posting.)

As Kevin has already mentioned, he and I did a head-to-head of the Anthem AVM20 to the Outlaw 950 on Wednesday of this week. If you have been following this thread, you know that I declared following a head-to head in a local high-end stereo shop, that the Outlaw 950 paled in comparison to the Anthem. I believe that I said that the Anthem stack “buried the Outlaw 950/770 pair with neither last rites nor a funeral”.

First, the following speakers were used on both tests:

Front Speakers: JBL S312
Center Channel: B.I.C. DV62CLR
Surrounds: Klipsch Quintet
Subwoofer: Infinity HPS-250
Cables: 4 Monster and 1 DIY Cat-5

So, having now performed a shootout between the two units, what can I conclude?

Having listened very closely and critically, I can now say that the Anthem does, in fact, produce better quality sound. The highs are much cleaner, the bass is tighter and the soundstage is much more airy. Listening to the same Diana Krall CD I used for the in-store head-to-head, I was struck by the clarity of the cymbals, guitars and, most noticeably, her voice. This unit sounds amazing.

Further, the Anthem is infinitely configurable. You are presented with a myriad of choices, from timing adjustments to account for video delay, to level adjustments that allow you to compensate for an especially hot audio source. Also, the Anthem unit can be upgraded, pushing out its window of obsolescence. (Outlaw’s decision not to include an upgrade path was, in my opinion, a fundamental mistake.)

As a musician, when I listen to a recording, I want the experience to mirror the original event as closely as possible. I am looking for nuance and accuracy. If I close my eyes, I expect to be sitting in the studio, watching the session. I want to hear the placement of the instruments and vocalists. While listening to the Diana Krall CD during the head-to-head, I said to Kevin, “I can almost hear the spit in her mouth.” The Anthem provides that level of accuracy in an A/V pre-amp.

In terms of home-theater performance, the Anthem offers every digital decoding scheme you could want, including THX-Ultra2. Watching the crash scene at the beginning of “Pitch Black”, the Anthem sounded amazing. Watching the Matrix last evening, my girlfriend actually jumped with surprise on at least two occasions. I could not hear any hiss unless I stuck my ears on the tweeters.

In terms of build quality, the Anthem is a solid, well-designed unit. The front controls are somewhat busy. But, as Kevin mentioned, this unit has heft. Further, the Anthem offers balanced outputs to ensure minimal noise is introduced on the interconnects between the pre-amp and the amplifier. In short, the Anthem AVM20 is well designed and it offers most everything a home-theater enthusiast could desire… at a $3000 price tag.

On to the 950…

The 950 does not offer the same sonic quality or flexibility. In terms of sound, the 950 produces highs that are flatter and mushier. The soundstage is not as apparent. The bass is more muddled. The vocals are less defined and not as spacious. The 950 is well built but it does not possess the same heft as the AVM20.

The Outlaw is certainly not as configurable. There are some settings on the Anthem that I think the 950 could certainly use. If the Outlaws had included an upgrade mechanism on the 950, those features could have been added later. (Hint, hint, Outlaw!)

How does the 950 compare?

In terms of home-theater performance, the 950 certainly holds its own. It has most of the digital decoding schemes a home-theater enthusiast would want. The sound quality is very good.

When listening to music, I have to give the Anthem the clear edge. (Anthem 9 - Outlaw 7.) The Oultaw did not provide the same soundstage and clarity that the Anthem offered. That conclusion does not change.

Does the Outlaw 950 pale in comparison? Well, yes and no. It depends upon your criteria. Does the Anthem sound better? An emphatic “Yes!” I could hear subtle yet, to my ears, very noticeable and important differences between the Outlaw 950 and the Anthem AVM20. The Anthem handles music substantially better than the Outlaw. For movies, the differences are not as great. I would give the Anthem’s cinema peformance a “9” to the Outlaw’s “8”.

The fundamental question…

Is the Anthem AVM20 worth the added expense? I can only answer that question with a question. What is the added sound quality and functionality worth to you? I hear a difference and that difference makes all the difference. The Anthem is certainly a better sounding unit.

Does it bury the Outlaw? Well, the Anthem pre/pro and amplifier combo costs just over twice as much. Therefore, for its price, the Outlaw represents an amazing value!

So, I guess I’ll stand by what I said in the original post…

You get what you pay for!

I will, however, add an amendment…

In my opinion, Outlaw Audio has succeeded in its mission. The Outlaw 950/770 still sounds amazing. For the price, I don’t think you can beat it.

If money is an object, the Outlaw 950/770 is a great value. However, if you have the wherewithal, buy the Anthem. You will not regret it!

As for me, I am truly torn. I have to choose by Wednesday night. I’ll let you know.

Regards,
Santa Clara Jim