Emotiva RMC-1 AV Processor Review

[Sal1950]

What do you consider real Atmos?

Atmos on steaming is the same audio, same channels, same objects. It’s just lossy compressed rather than lossless. Like MP3 compared to FLAC.

There shouldn’t be that much difference.

Does your AV component recognize Atmos off a streamed Atmos file?

 

[Olli]

Emotiva processors have a reputation of being buggy, and it appears this one is no different. It is the lowest cost 16 channel processor available so that's commendable. Currently my theater is 7.4.4 as there wern't any affordable processors that could do more, and apparantly there still aren't. I did pre-wire for 9.6.6 though and have the drivers and amp for two more subs if I ever get around to building them. Whether or not I ever go to the full 9.6.6 is yet to be seen.

There is a realtively cheap way to add channels for subs - you could manage the 6 subs with a Mini DSP and MSO by just using one of your 16 outs:

https://www.minidsp.com/applications/home-theater-tuning/ddrc-88a-multi-sub-optimizer

 

[Dimifoot]

I'll have to upgrade my 2012 Sony blu-ray player I guess? It does have Dolby True HD but I'm not sure how it deals with Atmos

All Blu-ray’s will “deal with Atmos”, so no need to upgrade for this reason alone.

 

[BFerr]

Does your AV component recognize Atmos off a streamed Atmos file?

I'm in the process of upgrading my audio system, so still trying to wrap my head around moving from 5.1 to 7.2 or beyond with four ceiling speakers for 5.4. I have a 4K Sony TV which has Arc (not eArc). Will be buying an AVR soon if all goes well.
Thanks!

 

[LibranRabbit]

Will there be a re-test now that Firmware V1.10 is out?

 

[Dj7675]

I'm in the process of upgrading my audio system, so still trying to wrap my head around moving from 5.1 to 7.2 or beyond with four ceiling speakers for 5.4. I have a 4K Sony TV which has Arc (not eArc). Will be buying an AVR soon if all goes well.
Thanks!

Atmos/DTSX Is worthwhile in my opinion. If in ceiling wiring is difficult installing height speakers on the front/back wall is also an accepted setup. You will see it referred to as Front Height/Rear height. You would install them at ceiling height o the front/back wall. A good atmos track is a lot of fun. If you have a largeish room in length, I find the rear channels also worthwhile.There are quite a lot of movies in 7.1.

 

[Mocs123]

Atmos/DTSX Is worthwhile in my opinion. If in ceiling wiring is difficult installing height speakers on the front/back wall is also an accepted setup. You will see it referred to as Front Height/Rear height. You would install them at ceiling height o the front/back wall. A good atmos track is a lot of fun. If you have a largeish room in length, I find the rear channels also worthwhile.There are quite a lot of movies in 7.1.

I found going to Atmos (7.4.4) from 7.1 a more significant upgrade then going from 7.1 from 5.1. I like the Synthesized Atmos and DTS Neo X as well.

 

[BFerr]

Great, thanks all for your helpful responses. Now I need some local stores to reopen for some listening and hands on.

 

[SmoothR]

OK, here is the re-test of the Emotiva RMC-1 with the version 1.9 firmware.

Conclusions
The big turn off for me in the original review was not just one thing, but so many things not working right. The new version cuts out the number of problematic tests way down, resulting in much improved performance. I can't yet recommend the processor due to lack of Dirac support as of this writing. If that were to become available, I would give it that.

FYI, I spoke to Emotiva folks about an hour. Much better people than I gave them credit for prior to that. They have a tough job to do, integrating a number of black boxes without much leverage on their many technology suppliers. I have been in their shoes (and the other side as technology provider), and feel the pain. I offered my help on their future development should they need it.

I have a questions regarding the RMC 1L. Are there measurements for this unit, either or is it the "same" like the RMC 1? I think the only difference, I know so far, is that the L Version is not extendable and there is no Mono DAC for each channel. Is this correct? Thx in advance for an answer.

 

[timg]

I have a questions regarding the RMC 1L. Are there measurements for this unit, either or is it the "same" like the RMC 1? I think the only difference, I know so far, is that the L Version is not extendable and there is no Mono DAC for each channel. Is this correct? Thx in advance for an answer.

RMC-1L and RMC-1 are the exact same other than expansion slots. There's no reason to buy the RMC-1 unless you want the expansion capabilities. Only the XMC-2 has a different audio architecture.

Tim

 

[Worth Davis]

I don't think its safe assume measurements across models, see the varying denon reviews

 

[SmoothR]

Hi guys, thank you very much!
If there are some measurements, with at least the 1.09 FW, out there let me know, please! It will be great to see RMC 1 vs. RMC 1L

 

[Mocs123]

I wonder how the XMC-2 compares. It's still too pricey for me, but seems to be an excellent value in a pre-pro that can do 9.1.6 and have Dirac (one day).

 

[RichB]

Hi guys, thank you very much!
If there are some measurements, with at least the 1.09 FW, out there let me know, please! It will be great to see RMC 1 vs. RMC 1L

Yes, the link was on the first page:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...av-processor-review.11673/page-46#post-344170

- Rich

 

[Russ_L]

I don't think its safe assume measurements across models, see the varying denon reviews

The circuits in the -1 and the -1L are identical. They should measure the same other than minor unit to unit variations.

Russ

 

[SmoothR]

The circuits in the -1 and the -1L are identical. They should measure the same other than minor unit to unit variations.

Russ

Thx! So, in this case the 1000,00 $ you have to spent additionally is just for the upgrade possibility to 28 channels?! Someone out there who knows about HMDI 2.1 for RMC 1 and RMC 1L?

 

[DonH56]

Supposedly hardware supporting 2.0 will support 2.1 but deciphering HDMI specs is a fool's errand. At least for this fool. As is determining Emotiva's schedule for anything.

 

[digicidal]

Supposedly hardware supporting 2.0 will support 2.1 but deciphering HDMI specs is a fool's errand. At least for this fool. As is determining Emotiva's schedule for anything.

I'm pretty sure even Emotiva itself has no idea what their release schedule is...

 

[Sal1950]

I'm pretty sure even Emotiva itself has no idea what their release schedule is...

Ah come-on, they're not that bad.
The DC-2 DAC, replacement for the discontinued DC-1, was only announced in June of 2017.
Should be here any day now.
https://emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/50256/dc-2

 

[digicidal]

Ah come-on, they're not that bad.
The DC-2 DAC, replacement for the discontinued DC-1, was only announced in June of 2017.
Should be here any day now.
https://emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/50256/dc-2

Yeah that thread has given me many a hearty laugh. Especially with the latter posts. However, in Emotiva's defense... developing a DAC that can compete in both price and features/performance of the best models coming out of China now - is ridiculously difficult. To a large extent it's just reinventing the wheel at this point - it's not like you can get "more" transparent than fully transparent, nor are there any requisite features that are missing from the majority of competing devices.

This is where the high end guys have a much easier time. You can provide provably inferior performance for a 10K% markup... and people will fight each other over how much better is just has to sound. Unfortunately for them, Emotiva hasn't chosen that market - instead targeting those with smaller budgets and much less religious adherence to "brand superiority".

It's quite similar to the computer market (for the same reasons) - unless you have the price, materials, and logo of Apple... people aren't going to pay $5K+ for outdated technology. If you are Apple however... people will pay you $400 for adding tiny casters to it:

Seems reasonable... Also far less work than adding Dirac to a processor I would imagine. LOL!

 

[Vasr]

Yeah that thread has given me many a hearty laugh. Especially with the latter posts. However, in Emotiva's defense... developing a DAC that can compete in both price and features/performance of the best models coming out of China now - is ridiculously difficult. To a large extent it's just reinventing the wheel at this point - it's not like you can get "more" transparent than fully transparent, nor are there any requisite features that are missing from the majority of competing devices.

This is where the high end guys have a much easier time. You can provide provably inferior performance for a 10K% markup... and people will fight each other over how much better is just has to sound. Unfortunately for them, Emotiva hasn't chosen that market - instead targeting those with smaller budgets and much less religious adherence to "brand superiority".

It's quite similar to the computer market (for the same reasons) - unless you have the price, materials, and logo of Apple... people aren't going to pay $5K+ for outdated technology. If you are Apple however... people will pay you $400 for adding tiny casters to it:

I am not sure that is the problem with Emotiva. Schiit has done a pretty good job doing exactly that (I mean as commercial success not necessarily competing in the SINAD ladder). Both have a loyal following and so they are both doing something good and are not failures by any means.

Schiit has been very successful because of the razor focus they have on the product line even within the DACs and Amps without spreading themselves thin over multiple very different products, and have a very well thought out lineup to address different price points and niches and not getting into devices that are beyond their core skill sets - like those that require a lot of firmware/software.

Emotiva, to me, is like a startup with bad product management - easily distracted into multiple different products and not able to do justice to or effectively support all of them before they are pulled into something else or the next iteration. They just seem to like building new products or new iterations without allocating sufficient resources or making hard decisions on what not to do. And so they bite off more they can chew. Not that the products are necessarily bad, they wouldn't have the following they have if they were. Just like many tech companies that always seem to have 80 or 90% complete products with vaporware claims all the time because of spreading themselves too thin over too many products. They also land up reducing their margins by subsidizing premature upgrades so as not to piss off the earlier model customers because of glitches never fixed or features never implemented.

Even the ones they OEM, they are unable to devote the resources needed to ensure that they are glitch-free and problems get taken care of or curated well before introduction (something Outlaw is much better at). The number of products they have in the lineup for their size is just nuts.

But any company that has been able to achieve what they have done in this tough space deserves respect even if one can only shake one's head at their product management decisions.