Overview

The Anthem STR Preamplifier is a high-resolution command center designed for the modern audiophile. It bridges the gap between traditional analog purity and advanced digital processing, featuring a premium 32-bit/384kHz DAC and integrated ARC Genesis room correction. Built in Canada, it offers an unprecedented level of control over your 2-channel environment, including independent dual-subwoofer management. Whether you are spinning vinyl or streaming high-bitrate digital files, the STR Preamplifier maintains a transparent signal path that reveals the true character of your music.

Simcoe Audio Video Insight

In our high-end stereo consultations, the STR Preamplifier is our top choice for solving room acoustic issues without degrading the audio signal. Most audiophile preamps avoid digital processing, but Anthem’s implementation of ARC Genesis allows us to fix bass-bloat and room-standing waves while keeping the mid and high frequencies pristine. We frequently use this model in "2.2" systems because it is one of the few preamps that offers a dedicated crossover for dual subwoofers. It is a sophisticated, "intelligent" front-end that provides a level of clarity and soundstage depth that traditional analog-only preamps simply cannot match.

Best for the Anthem STR Preamplifier: utilize the "Home Theater Bypass" mode if you want to integrate your high-end stereo speakers into a surround sound system; this allows your AV receiver to pass signals through the STR without interference. For digital playback, use the asynchronous USB input to bypass your computer’s noisy internal soundcard, ensuring the STR's superior 32-bit DAC handles all the heavy lifting for your high-res library.

More Details

Why It Wins

• ARC Genesis Room Correction: The most advanced software in the industry for aligning your speakers to your room's unique acoustics for a perfect frequency response.
• Advanced Dual Subwoofer Management: Provides independent settings for crossover, phase, and level for two subwoofers, ensuring seamless integration with your mains.
• Audiophile Phono Stage: Includes dedicated, high-performance Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Coil (MC) inputs that are fully customizable.

What Makes It Different

The STR Preamplifier stands out by treating digital and analog signals with equal reverence. It features a "Pure Analog" mode for those who want a direct path for their turntable or SACD player, yet offers the option to apply 32-bit upsampling and room correction to those same signals if the room requires it. The elegant front-panel TFT display provides a clear interface for deep system customization, a rarity in the world of high-end separates. Its low-noise toroidal transformer and premium component selection ensure a vanishingly low noise floor, allowing the subtlest musical nuances to emerge.

Technical Highlights

• 32-bit/384kHz DAC: Supports asynchronous USB, AES/EBU, and Optical/Coaxial inputs for studio-master digital performance.
• Fully Balanced Architecture: Features XLR inputs and outputs to maintain signal integrity and eliminate noise over long cable runs.
• TFT Graphic Display: A high-resolution screen that displays volume, input data, and menu settings with modern elegance.
• Customizable Bass Management: Allows for granular control over subwoofer integration, including "Mono" or "Stereo" sub configurations.

Buyers Guide

Who This Is For

• The Modern Purist: Those who want the best of analog sound with the corrective power of modern digital room calibration.
• The Multi-Subwoofer Owner: Audiophiles who utilize two subwoofers and want a preamp capable of managing them with professional precision.
• The High-Res Digital Listener: Users with extensive DSD or PCM libraries who require a reference-grade DAC and USB interface.

Ideal Use Case

• Reference Two-Channel Systems: Acts as the brain of an uncompromising stereo setup where transparency is the primary goal.
• Hybrid Media Rooms: Its HT Bypass feature makes it the perfect bridge between a dedicated music system and a surround sound cinema.
• Precision Listening Studios: Provides the neutral, accurate response required for critical audio evaluation and professional monitoring.

What To Pair It With

• Anthem STR Power Amplifier: The ultimate matching partner, providing the current and drive to complement the preamp's resolution.
• Paradigm Persona Towers: These high-resolution speakers benefit immensely from the STR’s clean signal and ARC Genesis correction.
• High-Quality XLR Interconnects: Use balanced cables from AudioQuest or similar to ensure a dead-silent connection between your preamp and power amp.

Alternative Options

The STR Preamplifier is Anthem's flagship stereo control unit. If you prefer the convenience of a single box, the Anthem STR Integrated Amplifier combines this preamplifier’s features with a high-current power stage. For those focused strictly on home cinema, the Anthem AVM 70 8K provides similar room correction features but with multi-channel processing. If you are looking for a simpler, analog-only experience without room correction, there are boutique options available, but you will miss out on the transformative benefits of ARC Genesis.