Anthem STR Preamplifier – Analog Preamp

Anthem STR Preamplifier

The revolutionary STR Preamplifier is a new type of audio component that gives you more control and more refinements, including more connection options and more advanced technology, in a single, easy-to-use component. Designed, engineered, and Crafted in Canada, it combines the benefits of an advanced preamp with the power of a processor, as well as functions like leading-edge DAC, onboard Anthem Room Correction (ARC), customizable bass manager for mono or stereo sub outs, and MM and MC phono inputs.

• Designed to pair with STR Power Amplifier (sold separately)
• Anthem Room Correction (ARC)
• 2 independent Subwoofer outputs
• Asynchronous USB input supports 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD 2.8/5.6MHz
• Coaxial, optical, and AES/EBU digital inputs
• MM and MC phono inputs
• 6 pre-RIAA phono curves
• Balanced XLR and single-ended RCA analog inputs
• Analog Direct Mode
• Up-sampling to 32-bit/192kHz
• Home Theater Bypass
• Graphical front panel display
• Crafted in Canada
• 5 Year Warranty

Highlights & Key Technologies

Anthem Room Correction (ARC)
A True Scientific Solution to the Problems of Your Room. Anthem Room Correction (ARC) is a proprietary digital signal processing system that allows you to quickly and accurately optimize the performance of your audio equipment to better suit the unique parameters of your room. By listening to your room's acoustic signature, ARC can tune your equipment to correct for the performance-robbing effects (reflections, resonances, standing waves, etc.) of the various surfaces and other obstacles in your room. You'll actually hear the difference ARC makes. ARC digitally compares a room's acoustic signature to that of the lab standard. It measures the response of each speaker relative to the listening area. Then it uses advanced algorithms to eliminate the negative effects of the obstacles in the room, adjusting response and correcting phase effects. When ARC removes the obstacles, what's left is the lab standard performance. ARC is easy to use, and just a few simple steps can optimize your speakers for your unique listening space. ARC is sophisticated, one of the most accurate and detailed digital room correction technologies available today. The STR Preamplifier includes the newest and most powerful generation of Anthem Room Correction (ARC), with 50% more processing power than any other version of ARC. This proprietary calibration tool, with its easy-to-use interface, automatically shapes the acoustic signature of your speakers for the best possible sound quality in your unique listening space. This is especially important for the lower frequencies.

High-Resolution DAC and Signal Processing
The STR Preamplifier includes a high-resolution preamplifier and digital section, which supports asynchronous USB up to 32-bit/384 kHz PCM and DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz sources, and uses signal processing that employs 64-bit accumulation and feedback to preserve the finest detail in the music and to avoid degradation. The digital to analog conversion section was designed to faithfully duplicate all the sounds in the original source. To help achieve that effect for all input resolutions, a dedicated asynchronous 32-bit / 192 kHz sample rate conversion is used. This way, the DAC stage's anti-imaging filter is optimized for this sampling rate alone, resulting in an audio frequency range that's unmatched in purity, regardless of input format. In the process, the data gets reclocked, providing immunity from performance-marring source jitter. Through the rest of the DAC circuitry, thin film high precision resistors and super low noise op-amps are used for lowest distortion, lowest noise, and most transparent sound. Other DAC units may boast about the performance of the DAC chip all by itself, but we view DAC stage design as a whole — there are no crippling bottlenecks anywhere in the DAC stage of the STR Preamplifier.

Asynchronous USB Audio Input
The high-quality USB audio input transforms digitally stored audio from your Windows or Mac computer into warm, natural analog sound. Get premium sound quality from your Windows or Mac laptop with support for 32-bit / 384 kHz PCM and DSD 2.8 / 5.6 MHz sources.

Advanced Bass Management
The STR Preamplifier gives you more options for subwoofer configuration. Use one subwoofer or two for both channels, or two independent right-and-left channel-specific subwoofers. The bass management in conjunction with ARC is uniquely engineered for seamless subwoofer blending, achieving incredibly accurate and lifelike performance.

Moving Coil and Moving Magnet Phono
Anthem has also taken into consideration the resurgent popularity of vinyl records, and has included separate inputs for moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, with the phono section completely shielded to maintain a clean signal. The transparency and refinement of the STR Preamplifier reveals the hidden magic of classic media. In addition, the phono curve is continuously adjustable for proper playback of any record that predates the RIAA equalization standard. The STR Preamplifier provides six pre-RIAA curves plus adjustable settings for playing older records accurately, allowing you to create or fine-tune any curve for optimal playback of records from different eras and labels.

Home Theater Bypass
The concept of combining a stereo preamplifier with a home theater system is taken to a whole new level. The STR Preamplifier supports two subwoofer channels in addition to the two fronts. XLR as well as RCA connection is provided for all channels, and HT Bypass mode engages while the preamp is on standby. This way, you don't have to turn it on when watching movies. To allow the purest signal path, relays are employed to hard-wire the input jacks to the outputs — the STR Preamplifier essentially becomes a straight wire.

Premium Components and Design
Aside from its cutting-edge technology, one look tells you that the STR Preamplifier is a different animal altogether. The display on the front panel gives you surprisingly easy control through an easy to navigate setup menu, and the luxurious and elegant new contemporary design is available in two beautiful finishes, Black or Silver. Clarity is maintained using carefully selected components, many of them engineered exclusively in-house at Anthem. We believe that two-channel listening demands attention to detail, with flawless signal integrity being the benchmark of stereo performance. To that ultimate end, the Anthem STR Preamplifier is designed with the shortest possible signal paths, and differential analog to digital circuitry to cancel artifacts and keep noise to a minimum.

Details & Specifications

MODEL INFORMATION
Model: STR Preamplifier
Warranty: 60-month warranty (Canada & USA)
Available Finishes: Black, Silver
Designed and Crafted in: Canada

PHONO PREAMPLIFIER
Input Impedance: 100 Ω (MC), 47 kΩ || 270 pF (MM)
RIAA Response (20 Hz - 20 kHz): ± 0.1 dB
Gain (1 kHz - volume set to 0 dB): 61 dB (MC), 41 dB (MM)

DSP Mode:
Maximum Input (at 1 kHz for <0.01% THD 20 Hz - 20 kHz): 3.6 mV (MC), 38 mV (MM)
THD+N (at 1 kHz 20 Hz - 20 kHz BW, 2 Vrms output): < 0.015% (MC), < 0.003% (MM)
THD (at 1 kHz 20 Hz - 20 kHz BW, 2 Vrms output): 0.001% (MC), 0.001% (MM)
SNR (IEC-A, 2 Vrms output): 86 dB (MC), 103 dB (MM)

Direct Mode:
Maximum Input Direct Mode (at 1 kHz for <0.01% THD 20 Hz - 20 kHz): 11.8 mV (MC), 129 mV (MM)
THD+N (at 1 kHz 20 Hz - 20 kHz BW, 2 Vrms output): < 0.008% (MC), < 0.002% (MM)
THD (at 1 kHz 20 Hz - 20 kHz BW, 2 Vrms output): 0.001% (MC), 0.001% (MM)
SNR (IEC-A, 2 Vrms output): 90 dB (MC), 110 dB (MM)

PREAMPLIFIER PERFORMANCE
Frequency Response:
Digital-in, 192 kHz: 10 Hz - 50 kHz (+0, -0.5 dB)
Digital-in, 96 kHz: 10 Hz - 45 kHz (+0, -0.5 dB)
Digital-in, 44.1 kHz: 10 Hz - 20 kHz (± 0 dB)
Analog-in, DSP mode: 10 Hz - 40 kHz (+0.00, -0.20 dB)
Analog-in, direct mode: 10 Hz - 80 kHz (+0.00, -0.10 dB)

THD+N (20 Hz - 20 kHz BW, 2 Vrms output):
DSP mode: 0.0006% Digital in, 0.0017% Analog in
Analog Direct Mode: 0.0016%

SNR (at 1 kHz, IEC-A, 2 Vrms output):
DSP mode: 113 dB (digital-in), 108 dB (analog-in)
Analog Direct Mode: 120 dB

Maximum Output (<0.1% THD):
RCA connectors (direct and DSP modes): 3.3 Vrms
XLR connectors (direct and DSP modes): 6.6 Vrms

XLR Configuration: Pin 1: Ground, Pin 2: Normal, Pin 3: Inverted

DIGITAL INPUTS
USB Audio Input: Asynchronous USB, supports 32-bit/384 kHz PCM and DSD 2.8/5.6 MHz
Coaxial Digital Inputs: 2x RCA (up to 192 kHz PCM)
Optical Digital Inputs: 2x Toslink (up to 192 kHz PCM)
AES/EBU Digital Input: 1x XLR (up to 192 kHz PCM)
Sample Rate Conversion: Asynchronous 32-bit / 192 kHz

ANALOG INPUTS
Balanced XLR Inputs: 2 (configurable for Home Theater Bypass)
Single-Ended RCA Inputs: 4 (RCA 3 and RCA 4 configurable for Home Theater Bypass)
Moving Magnet Phono Input: 1x RCA pair
Moving Coil Phono Input: 1x RCA pair
Phono Ground Terminal: 1x screw terminal

OUTPUTS
Balanced XLR Outputs: Main L/R plus 2 subwoofer outputs (mono or stereo)
RCA Outputs: Main L/R
Subwoofer Outputs: 2x RCA (mono or stereo, L and R labeled)
Line Outputs: Fixed-level RCA (suitable for headphone amp or recording device)

BASS MANAGEMENT
Subwoofer Configurations: Off, 1 Mono, 2 Mono, 2 Stereo
Crossover Frequency Range: 20 to 160 Hz in 5 Hz steps, or Off
Subwoofer Polarity: Normal or Inverted (independent L/R)
Subwoofer Phase: 0 to 180 degrees in 5 degree increments (independent L/R)

ANTHEM ROOM CORRECTION
ARC Version: ARC Genesis (50% more processing power than previous versions)
Measurement Positions: 5 to 10 positions supported
Equalization: Automatic frequency response optimization with psychoacoustic target curves
Room Gain Detection: Preserves natural low-frequency reinforcement
Compatible Software: ARC Genesis for Mac and PC, ARC Mobile app for iOS
Microphone Options: USB microphone (included with ARC kit), dual-jack microphone, or iOS device internal microphone
Speaker Profiles: 4 configurable profiles with independent ARC settings

PHONO EQUALIZATION
Standard Curves: RIAA, AES, CCIR, NAB, Capitol LP, Columbia LP, London LP
User-Defined Curves: Fully adjustable
Bass Turnover Options: None, 150, 180, 200, 250, 280, 300, 350, 375, 400, 450, 500, 600, 629, 700, 750, 800, 1000 Hz
Bass Shelf Options: None (N), 20dB (R), 18dB (B), 16dB (A), 14dB (C), 12dB (X)
10k De-Emphasis Range: -25.5 dB to None in 0.1 dB increments
Rumble Filter: 10 to 60 Hz in 1 Hz increments, or Off

SIGNAL PROCESSING
Digital Processing: 64-bit accumulation and feedback
Analog to Digital Conversion: Up to 32-bit / 192 kHz
Analog Direct Mode: Signal processing bypass with relay-based direct connection
Virtual Inputs: Up to 30 configurable input configurations

CONTROL & CONNECTIVITY
Front Panel Display: Graphical display with easy navigation
Network Connection: Ethernet (RJ45) for IP control and ARC
RS-232: DB9 connector for serial control
Baud Rate Options: 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200 (default), 38400, 57600, 115200
IR Control: Front panel IR receiver plus IR input jack for external IR repeater
12V Trigger Output: 12 VDC / 50 mA maximum
Firmware Updates: Via network or USB connection

OPERATING MODES
Listening Modes: Stereo, Mono, Both = Left, Both = Right
Home Theater Bypass: Relay-based hard-wired connection in standby mode
Level Calibration: Individual channel level adjustment -12.0 to +12.0 dB in 0.5 dB steps
Distance Calibration: 0 to 29' 6" in 2-inch increments or 0.00 to 9.00 m in 5 cm increments
Bass/Treble Controls: Adjustable on-the-fly

POWER SPECIFICATIONS
Power Requirement: Single phase AC, 108V to 264V at 50 or 60 Hz
Power Consumption - Standby: 0.38 W (120V), 0.45 W (240V)
Power Consumption - Standby + Network: 1.1 W (120V), 1.2 W (240V)
Power Consumption - Typical Use: 10 W

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions (W x H x D): 17" x 3-8/9" x 14-5/6" / 43.2 x 9.93 x 37.69 cm (depth not including power cord)
Weight: 16.8 lb / 7.6 kg (unpacked)
Power Cord Inlet: IEC C18 type

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES
STR Preamplifier
Operating manual
Remote control with batteries (AAA batteries included with 120V models only)
USB Type B cable for USB audio input
USB Mini B cable for software updates and ARC (PC version)
IEC power cord (country-specific: US / UK / EU / CN supplied by factory)

OPTIONAL ARC KIT INCLUDES
USB Microphone with calibration file
Dual-jack microphone
3.5mm microphone cable for ARC Mobile app
Microphone clip
Telescopic microphone stand with boom
USB Mini B cable for microphone
CAT5 Ethernet cable