This is a review and detailed measurements of the Emotiva XMC-2 Audio/Video Processor (AVP). It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $3,000.
The XMC-2 is surprisingly light for a high-end processor which my back appreciated as I carried it around:
Ironically, the remote is made out of metal and weighs a ton as remotes go.
Back panel is as you expect for this class product with balanced XLR outputs:
For testing, I performed a factory reset. I was hoping that this would get it to output video to my Samsung monitor but it would not. My HDMI interface would recognize it and I could pump audio through it but no picture.
Configuring the unit through the front panel was painful as some options would take as much as 5 seconds to take effect (e.g. User EQ). Worse yet, it would buffer all the clicks and then act on them in sequence making it maddening to operate.
The volume control as very soft detents that did not allow precise adjustments of the volume control. 0 dB for example sometimes would be at the peak of a detent rather than the notch. When in this situation, it would alternate between -1 and +1 dB and even +2 dB at times. Strangely it would change as I would rotate the volume.
There were other strange things like selecting the Direct mode and then back causing the output voltage to jump to 7+ volts. But the moment I would touch the volume control, it would go back to near 4 volts as I had it set.
Considering how little I use these products for just testing them, this level of problems is way too excessive and indicates a product that simply is not ready for distribution and needs to have a complete test run on it and many bugs fixed.
EDIT: A second sample was tested with a bit better performance but with similar overall issues: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/emotiva-xmc-2-avp-review-sample-2.37520/
XMC-2 Measurements
As usual, I start with testing the HDMI input. Here is our dashboard there:
We have so many issues here. Starting with top left we see that the two channels are out of sync. This issue was frequency sensitive which likely indicates one channel being N samples behind the other. Remember that I performed a factory reset so there should be no programmed delay.
Rotating to top right we see heavily rising noise floor as frequencies get lower. Why??? Distortion by itself is bad news enough at -88 dB or so. It doesn't need extra noise to make the situation worse. Speaking of noise we can measure it and see the frequency dependence of it:
We lose nearly 25 dB of dynamic range as frequencies go from 1 kHz to 20 Hz! [right side should say 15 bits, not 15 dB]
I figured I try Coax/Toslink inputs to see if there is a problem specific to HDMI but got more problems:
Using the better of the two SINAD scores, the XMC-2 lands in the poor category of all AV products tested:
It is also much worse than XMC-1!
I ran a jitter test and sure enough it also produces a ton of jitter and low frequency noise:
I didn't see a reason to keep testing the XMC-2.
Conclusions
The XMC-2 reminds me of getting a new job at a company and taking over a messy project with tons of problems. Lesson I learned there was to just ditch then thing and start over with a clean design. I think such is the situation with XMC-2. It clearly has a list of hardware and software design problems.
Needless to say, I can't recommend the Emotiva XMC-2. Get yourself a Denon AVR and use its pre-amp outs. Yes, you don't get balanced output but if you are not facing ground loops and connections are short, you should be OK. At least you get a working product with very respectable measurements.
----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
You may have noticed that the head of the headless panther has made an entrance here. It pleaded with me to get it glued back to its former body. I told it that I can't afford the money but if he starts "working" again as a model, maybe the membership starts to feel sorry for him and donates money toward this cause using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
The XMC-2 is surprisingly light for a high-end processor which my back appreciated as I carried it around:
Ironically, the remote is made out of metal and weighs a ton as remotes go.
Back panel is as you expect for this class product with balanced XLR outputs:
For testing, I performed a factory reset. I was hoping that this would get it to output video to my Samsung monitor but it would not. My HDMI interface would recognize it and I could pump audio through it but no picture.
Configuring the unit through the front panel was painful as some options would take as much as 5 seconds to take effect (e.g. User EQ). Worse yet, it would buffer all the clicks and then act on them in sequence making it maddening to operate.
The volume control as very soft detents that did not allow precise adjustments of the volume control. 0 dB for example sometimes would be at the peak of a detent rather than the notch. When in this situation, it would alternate between -1 and +1 dB and even +2 dB at times. Strangely it would change as I would rotate the volume.
There were other strange things like selecting the Direct mode and then back causing the output voltage to jump to 7+ volts. But the moment I would touch the volume control, it would go back to near 4 volts as I had it set.
Considering how little I use these products for just testing them, this level of problems is way too excessive and indicates a product that simply is not ready for distribution and needs to have a complete test run on it and many bugs fixed.
EDIT: A second sample was tested with a bit better performance but with similar overall issues: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/emotiva-xmc-2-avp-review-sample-2.37520/
XMC-2 Measurements
As usual, I start with testing the HDMI input. Here is our dashboard there:
We have so many issues here. Starting with top left we see that the two channels are out of sync. This issue was frequency sensitive which likely indicates one channel being N samples behind the other. Remember that I performed a factory reset so there should be no programmed delay.
Rotating to top right we see heavily rising noise floor as frequencies get lower. Why??? Distortion by itself is bad news enough at -88 dB or so. It doesn't need extra noise to make the situation worse. Speaking of noise we can measure it and see the frequency dependence of it:
We lose nearly 25 dB of dynamic range as frequencies go from 1 kHz to 20 Hz! [right side should say 15 bits, not 15 dB]
I figured I try Coax/Toslink inputs to see if there is a problem specific to HDMI but got more problems:
Using the better of the two SINAD scores, the XMC-2 lands in the poor category of all AV products tested:
It is also much worse than XMC-1!
I ran a jitter test and sure enough it also produces a ton of jitter and low frequency noise:
I didn't see a reason to keep testing the XMC-2.
Conclusions
The XMC-2 reminds me of getting a new job at a company and taking over a messy project with tons of problems. Lesson I learned there was to just ditch then thing and start over with a clean design. I think such is the situation with XMC-2. It clearly has a list of hardware and software design problems.
Needless to say, I can't recommend the Emotiva XMC-2. Get yourself a Denon AVR and use its pre-amp outs. Yes, you don't get balanced output but if you are not facing ground loops and connections are short, you should be OK. At least you get a working product with very respectable measurements.
----------
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
You may have noticed that the head of the headless panther has made an entrance here. It pleaded with me to get it glued back to its former body. I told it that I can't afford the money but if he starts "working" again as a model, maybe the membership starts to feel sorry for him and donates money toward this cause using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
Last edited:
