Emotiva XMC-2 AVP Review (Sample 2)

[Blumlein 88]

Never heard of it either.

Cavern

Free room correction suite and Dolby Atmos decoder for PC. Improve the sound quality of your home theater and enhance your listening experience.

cavern.sbence.hu

I do see they have stolen one of my ideas. In floor speakers for object oriented sound. For the sound of slithering snakes in the grass or flooding waters etc. etc. Darn it! One more chance at fame or fortune lost.

 

[Jimster480]

So much money and it sucks.... what is the point of all these garbage devices? It is incredible how many of them there are.

 

[jam]

Thanks for this second time at bat review for the XMC-2 Amir. It's a strike 2 for big Dan on this unit alone... Considering the less than stellar reviews on some of their other products and all the bugs on their firmwares and ever long dragging delivery of major features such as Dirac Live and DLBC, I'll call it a strike out in my book for Emotiva, at least as far as AVPs go.

 

[MacCali]

I really don’t understand these companies. You got an analyzer, check the unit and if you see problems try to do some level of correction. I can’t understand how they manage to just let it out, and this isn’t directed at emotiva.

Really hope that damn Marantz processor is going to hit an all time high at 7k. If not this av crap is really crazy.

Is this just a run on Floyd toole’s study that once you get more and more speakers the difference is much harder to perceive? I’m not sure what they are banking on..

 

[peng]

I really don’t understand these companies. You got an analyzer, check the unit and if you see problems try to do some level of correction. I can’t understand how they manage to just let it out, and this isn’t directed at emotiva.

Really hope that damn Marantz processor is going to hit an all time high at 7k. If not this av crap is really crazy.

Is this just a run on Floyd toole’s study that once you get more and more speakers the difference is much harder to perceive? I’m not sure what they are banking on..

Fully agreed, I think it is more of the whatever they can get away with, less work, makes no audible difference anyway that kind of thinking.

That being said, Marantz is well aware of what's been said loud and clear on ASR and to lessor extent other audio forums, and they know full well sooner or later one of their upcoming models will get measure by the very stringent @amirm 's test bench and they also know Amir always call a spade a spade.

I am very hopeful that the new Marantz premp/processor will measure as good as the SR8015, in fact likely slightly better.

 

[Count De Money]

Wish someone could send Amir a Bryston sp-3 . I’m in Australia can’t send mine

doesnt do Siri, Alexa , Heos neptune or Uranus but it’s the best processor I’ve had in 15 years. Crystal clear sound, fantastic centre channel intelligibility. Fully balanced input to output. Class A topology.

I compared it to Trinnov in Melbourne and if you don’t need Crapmos The Bryston sounded better to my ears.

it’s a shame the industry has moved towards gimmicks and away from pure sound quality

 

[prerich]

Wish someone could send Amir a Bryston sp-3 . I’m in Australia can’t send mine

doesnt do Siri, Alexa , Heos neptune or Uranus but it’s the best processor I’ve had in 15 years. Crystal clear sound, fantastic centre channel intelligibility. Fully balanced input to output. Class A topology.

I compared it to Trinnov in Melbourne and if you don’t need Crapmos The Bryston sounded better to my ears.

it’s a shame the industry has moved towards gimmicks and away from pure sound quality

But, what will it say if @Amir was able to put the probes to it? That's the real question. That line of prepro measuring under 100db SINAD is long and prestigious....the Bryston sounds great...but what would the measurements say?

 

[strummr]

If you absolutely need 16 channels for something very specific right this second, sure. But on the other hand, the X3800H is already in pre-orders for $1700 and it's enough for 7.4.4. Plus it has power amps so you can pick and choose which channels need external amplification. And will have Dirac in 2023, a promise that I actually believe Denon will fulfill because their software is actually good, fairly reliable, and they don't have a history of promising major features and never implementing them.

The X4800H will have 13.4 I'd guess, and now that Denon is working with Dirac I would not even be surprised if they beat Emotiva to implementing DLBC at some product level, too.

This is what I'm hoping, as I have 7.4.4 system and have no intentions of expanding further - but would like to further/continue to optimize. My current Marantz SR7013 is fine for what I need currently - still using an Emotiva XPA-3 G3 for the LCR; which in light of the current AV discussion, is fine for producing decent power - but would like to see if improvements can be made with a Dirac-enabled system.

 

[Count De Money]

But, what will it say if @Amir was able to put the probes to it? That's the real question. That line of prepro measuring under 100db SINAD is long and prestigious....the Bryston sounds great...but what would the measurements say?

Measured fine at Secrets of home theatre and hi fi

 

[MacCali]

Fully agreed, I think it is more of the whatever they can get away with, less work, makes no audible difference anyway that kind of thinking.

That being said, Marantz is well aware of what's been said loud and clear on ASR and to lessor extent other audio forums, and they know full well sooner or later one of their upcoming models will get measure by the very stringent @amirm 's test bench and they also know Amir always call a spade a spade.

I am very hopeful that the new Marantz premp/processor will measure as good as the SR8015, in fact likely slightly better.

Hopefully it’s a generational thing. As in the last generation didn’t care, and now more consumers are becoming conscious of product quality/performance vs price.

I really can’t say much myself, with new 4K player my 7013 is on fire. The difference is night and day when it comes to streaming and I very much enjoy the experience even with the extra cost.

Even when I find it hard to imagine it’s crazy that it can get better I will still be taking my chances. I will be doing pre amp mode shortly to see if I can get any difference with a higher sinad. As we had discussed I like to experience modifications one step at a time

 

[prerich]

This is what I'm hoping, as I have 7.4.4 system and have no intentions of expanding further - but would like to further/continue to optimize. My current Marantz SR7013 is fine for what I need currently - still using an Emotiva XPA-3 G3 for the LCR; which in light of the current AV discussion, is fine for producing decent power - but would like to see if improvements can be made with a Dirac-enabled system.

I have Dirac as well as Audyssey MultEQ-X - I can only measure up to 7.1 on the Dirac as it is on my PC. It's users preference to me. I don't have the DLBC addition on mine, and I get a flatter measured response in the bass with Audyssey MultEQ-X than with Dirac.

 

[Nima]

Can someone please help me understand the different mesaurements? Does for example a low SINAD measurement have a direct impact on the soundquality? Or say does a Denon AVR X3600 sounds significantly better as a pre amp than XMC-2 due to its higher SINAD score? Please help a novice understand

 

[Deleted member 19122]

I don't think you are gonna be able to hear any difference between the two.Most humans can't reliably detect infinitesimal differences in sinad
Your decision should be more based on features,warranty what your particular needs are set up wise.

 

[Archaea]

I don't think you are gonna be able to hear any difference between the two.Most humans can't reliably detect infinitesimal differences in sinad
Your decision should be more based on features,warranty what your particular needs are set up wise.

Especially when the electronics are measuring in the .0X range of distortion (hundredths of percentage points) and your typical speakers are measuring in the X.X range. (Single digit percentage points).

I.E. Your amp and processor might be making .05 dB distortion while your speakers are making 3% or 5% distortion (or even higher as you turn it up) So 5.05% combined. You can clearly see where distortion is mostly based.

@Nima

 

[SinnerSaint]

On pure DAC performance, no. None live up to their price points.

Off Topic:

Is there any A/V Pre, at any price point, you would recommend using balanced outputs?

Thanks.

 

[Dj7675]

Off Topic:

Is there any A/V Pre, at any price point, you would recommend using balanced outputs?

Thanks.

The SINAD chart on the first page should be helpful… besides that, the best DAC performance is going to be a
Trinnov, using one of the 4 channels of digital outs, and using your own DAC. It would seem that once you are at 100+ on SINAD you have to be getting into the territory of it not being audible though it would seem to me…

 

[gran torino]

Puzzling as the RMC-1 you tested measured much much better than the XMC-2 but both have the exact same circuitry (for all practical purposes).

Russ

Can anyone please give a response to this? I've been wondering the same thing.

 

[Descartes]

On pure DAC performance, no. None live up to their price points.

How about the new Anthem AVM90?

 

[Descartes]

I had one of these for about 5 months and I was back and forth on whether to keep it or not. There were a few annoying functionality issues that was the main factor in my consideration. However, ultimately I started to think that if there are all these issues I am aware of then there has to be other issues that I’m not aware of. Also, I couldn’t stand their customer service on the phone. Anyway, these reviews are a good example of what I was worried about and definitely reinforces my thought process. Can’t give the benefit of the doubt in this hobby I guess.

I had the worst experience with Emotiva had to get my credit card company go after them!

 

[Robh3606]

They have a new software update 3.1

Rob