The magnetic resonance apparatus comprises a carrier (8) to position an object (7), notably a patient to be imaged in an imaging volume V, first magnet system (2), a second magnet system (3), a power supply unit (4), an RF transmitter and modulator (6), an RF transmitter coil (5), a plurality of receiver elements (18, 19), a transmitter-receiver circuit (9), a signal amplifier and demodulation unit (10), a processing unit (12), an image processing unit (13), a monitor (14), and a control unit (11). The gradient coils (3) are fed by the power supply unit (4). The RF transmitter coil (5) serves to generate RF magnetic fields and is connected to the RF transmitter and modulator (6). The transmitter coil (5) is connected to the signal amplifier and demodulator unit (10) via the transmitter-receiver circuit (9). Receiver elements (18, 19), positioned at their respective locations L1, L2 on the carrier (8), are arranged to detect a response of the object to the RF magnetic fields. The control unit (11) controls the RF transmitter and modulator (6), the power supply unit (4) and automatically selects suitable receiver elements (18, 19) to detect the response of the object (7) to the magnetic resonance excitation.