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Emotiva RMC-1 AV Processor Review

DonH56

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Not sure why some think everything was perfect with setup when he was unable to get HDMI working.

That does not strike me as being a perfect setup.

Just playing devil's advocate.



But funny comment from the Emotiva Thread....

From KeithL:

Technical Guru at Emotiva

"I would point out that you are indeed correct... the AP x555 is a piece of state of the art measurement gear.
However, as with racing cars, you need a great piece of gear and a great driver to win the race."

WOW... Like they should be talking.... that is a very very hypocritical viewpoint!

Because HDMI is likely to exhibit worse performance and there is no reason to think his measurements were impacted by the inability to use HDMI?

I like Keith, as a person he is very dedicated and interesting to talk with, but as a technical guru he sometimes misses the mark.
 

SOWK

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If he was unable to use HDMI, then the Emotiva was indeed not working as it should have.

Again, more to blame on Emotiva.

The unit really messes with audio and everything once it get in it funky confused states.

I just want to make sure he understands that it very well could have been setup.
 

Thomas savage

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Not sure why some think everything was perfect with setup when he was unable to get HDMI working.

That does not strike me as being a perfect setup.

Just playing devil's advocate.



But funny comment from the Emotiva Thread....

From KeithL:

Technical Guru at Emotiva

"I would point out that you are indeed correct... the AP x555 is a piece of state of the art measurement gear.
However, as with racing cars, you need a great piece of gear and a great driver to win the race."

WOW... Like they should be talking.... that is a very very hypocritical viewpoint!
Sassy word salad won't help improve his product.

I'm sure it will play well with the home crowd however.

A low and telling ambition
 

Thomas savage

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I called him out on that comment. LOL


"Those in glass houses should not throw stones Keith....

The Emotiva Processors have their fair share of problems. Let's not put full blame on the reviewer."
He needs to work with us, come here and get to the bottom of the issues.

Put them right.

It's a ( free ) opportunity to be better.
 

mrmoizy

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Once again ASR is showing everybody how free speech in a free market is suppose to work. Proof of quality in products is displayed so consumers can accurately judge and have real, justifiable confidence in their purchases which causes manufacturers to excel or suffer reduced sales. Thank you Amir and ASR for showing the world how this system is suppose to protect consumers and promote better quality in products.

How many hifi manufacturers can you see changing for the better because of ASR's influence? One great example is Schiit slowly but progressively improving and displaying their own contestable proof in improved measurements. Also the many smaller savvy Asian manufacturers that are introducing hardware that will measure great and passes through ASR. Emotiva has a lot to protect so you can bet this thread will be taken to heart.

Keep watching ASR and you'll keep seeing its influence and growth. Show your appreciation by contributing to the panthers. ;)

I think we're already seeing this with Schiit. The initial response from the company was "boo you're measurements are meaningless", but now we're seeing much more competent designs that show robust in-house measurements were done (see their new headphone amps as an example). Companies are seeing that marketing alone is not enough to sell, stuff needs to perform. Where once there was only psychology, now there is transparency. Have been considering a donation, but I'm making mine today.
 

MonsieurAl

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Hello Amir,
I am an unfortunate user of this processor from France, I will have a question about Neural: X and DSU I noticed that with a LPCM 5.1 file or a 2.0 source for example from DSU to DTS Neural: X the sound down at least 7 dB Neural: X lack of dynamics is soft compared to DSU is this problem a software problem or an internal HW problem? I ask the question because I have grumbled several times at Emotiva about this since the firmware 1.4 is Emotiva have never repaired since!
Thanks for what you do.
 

SOWK

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Hello Amir,
I am an unfortunate user of this processor from France, I will have a question about Neural: X and DSU I noticed that with a LPCM 5.1 file or a 2.0 source for example from DSU to DTS Neural: X the sound down at least 7 dB Neural: X lack of dynamics is soft compared to DSU is this problem a software problem or an internal HW problem? I ask the question because I have grumbled several times at Emotiva about this since the firmware 1.4 is Emotiva have never repaired since!
Thanks for what you do.

"It must be your HDMI cable...." - KeithL (not an actual quote... )
:cool:
 

spacevector

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He also passed on the message that the company wanted to talk to me before I publish the review. So I fired off an email to them last Friday and sat on the review until now (late Monday). No response back. :( This being an expensive and large unit that is taking a lot of space in my lab, I decided to proceed regardless. If the company has feedback, they are welcome to share it now.
Oh man, just occurred to me that the folks over at Emotiva are probably kicking themselves for not responding to amirm sooner. Engaging with ASR would likely have bought them some time to either get the measurements sorted (long shot) or get their damage-control messaging in place.

Now it looks like a can of worms has been opened based on discussions here and other enthusiast forums.

Who knows though - with amirm's fast-and-furious style (I like it) - the outcome may not have differed much.
 

Robbo99999

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What's up with AV gear, why does it measure so poorly against headphone and other Hi-Fi equipment? It seems to cost an arm and a leg, and what are you left with...shoddiness!
 

RichB

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Because HDMI is likely to exhibit worse performance and there is no reason to think his measurements were impacted by the inability to use HDMI?

I like Keith, as a person he is very dedicated and interesting to talk with, but as a technical guru he sometimes misses the mark.

HDMI is likely worse but then again, it is the primary operating mode for this device.
It is possible that there are issues with the AES implementation which may have had very little attention.
I live by "if you don't test it, it doesn't work". Occasionally, you get lucky though.

- Rich
 

RichB

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From Lonnie:
Let me just say that I have no clue how he was testing and under what conditions, but I can say this. Everyone raves about the sound quality of our gear. That is the one constant that holds true. If the processor was as he says, would it not be reflected in the sound quality?

Think about it for a minute. In the meantime, I have asked Ray to put together test data that will be published in a little bit. I would simply publish our full test except its over 250 pages long and everyone would just get bogged down in the mire. So Ray is running an abridged version now to show the performance specs using industry standard test. When I asked him to do this, he wants to make a few technical comments as they relate to some of his comparisons and how comparing a HT processor to a desk top DAC is an apple to orange comparison and this goes for all processors, not just us.

Lonnie

Hopefully, there will be similar tests and compare results to enter into a technical discussion.

The front panel blue OLED Display and LEDs can be turned off.
The RMC-1 boot up time is in the 1 minute neighborhood which, I believe is similar to the HTP-1 and XMC-1.
I don't know why any of these processors take so long to initialize, it is annoying and makes it nearly impossible to program IR macros.

- Rich
 

Robbo99999

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I assume you were using the 1.8 Beta.

Just last night they finally released the official 1.8.
www.dropbox.com/s/41cim9og2x5sqr4/EmotivaUpdate-1_8-2020_02_24.dat?dl=0

If you still have the unit please do the following if you are willing.


Do a factory reset under Setup/Advanced
Turn off the unit
Unplug the unit and all HDMI
wait 1 min
plug the unit back in, no HDMI yet
install the official 1.8
Do a factory reset under Setup/Advanced
Turn off the unit
Unplug the unit with all HDMI still unplugged
wait 1 min
plug the unit back in, no HDMI yet
Turn the unit on
Make the changes you need in the setup menu
turn off the unit
Unplug the unit with all HDMI still unplugged
plug the unit back in, and the HDMI.
Retest with working HDMI Audio.


I know you think it is electronic design, but you might not know how truly incompetent their software team is!

I would seriously be shocked if the results don't change drastically.


And yes... I know the above process seems unreasonable, and it is. But its the only way to get the unit to work accurately. :(

Even something as simple as changing modes from Auto to Stereo and Direct can screw up the unit to start doing weird things and possibly have it start to measure differently.

So if you are going to test a particular mode, say Stereo reference you might want to do a full power cycle or reboot after each mode change.
And spin around 3 times with your fingers crossed whilst quoting the lords prayer...makes sense you know!
 

markus

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test data that will be published in a little bit

That was 4 hours ago. You guys are native English speakers, how much is a little bit. I was thinking like ten minutes.

Native English? That's simply Emotiva speak for "maybe never". Did you listen to their podcast "01.31.20"? Lonnie says firmware will be released "mid week". It was released about 3 weeks later. Lonnie says firmware would be "extremely stable". Well, see post 1 of this thread...
 

RayDunzl

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I have no Emotiva anything.

(unless it is somehow secretly embedded in the little toys I do have)

They used to build things for other companies, don't know if they still do that.

Ok, I'll get an N95 class filter for my aural safety.

*disclaimer: still satisfied with stereo, and, by golly, it just works.
 

Thomas savage

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test data that will be published in a little bit

That was 4 hours ago. You guys are native English speakers, how much is a little bit. I was thinking like ten minutes.
It's probably still booting up...

I think the whole firmware debacle is worthy of rendering this thing not fit for purpose.

" Yes darling I will put the bins out , in a little bit " ducks to avoid frying pan...
 

carlob

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Native English? That's simply Emotiva speak for "maybe never". Did you listen to their podcast "01.31.20"? Lonnie says firmware will be released "mid week". It was released about 3 weeks later. Lonnie says firmware would be "extremely stable". Well, see post 1 of this thread...

Don't take me so seriously man, I was joking. But I'm still curious to see what they are able to put together.
 
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