Emotiva XMC-2 Review (AV Processor)

[MC_RME]

I posted in the xmc review about an issue they currently have (on the xmc and rmc since they share the same platform) that has incorrectly boosted bass output (under all use conditions where the bass is boosted as little as 4 db and as much as >20) --- The net effect = blew my sub driver.

That would explain the bass noise boost - looks exactly like a shelf filter. And I don't see any frequency response measurement here that indicates otherwise.

 

[sam_adams]

Very limited picture materials available on the internet for the XMC-2.

 

[enricoclaudio]

I'm so glad I jumped out of the Emotiva wagon 3 years ago when I sold my XMC-1 for good and refused to upgrade to the XMC-2 for $600. I owned the XMC-1 for 2 years and those 2 years were the most frustrating (audio and video wise) years of my life. A new firmware almost every 2 weeks to fix the unfixable. That thing got broken for good from the day I put the new 4K HDMI Board inside. Emotiva processors for me never again!!!

 

[ctbarker32]

Could somone explain how the "two channels being out of sync" manifests itself when actually listening. I understand we want things to be perfect but how does this actually affect the sound quality?

Also, I wish Amir had tested the XLR Balanced two channel input while setting the input mode to "Reference Stereo". My undersanding is this is a direct path to the volume control with no DSP enhancements. It would have been nice to see the SINAD on this type of connection. I guess we will never know.

 

[Promit]

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Had to return once for repair as front display died.
System is so slow to react to switching (either from remote or front panel) it becomes virtually impossible to use as Amir alluded to.
A slight workaround is if you have the presets set, using them to switch is better. Not good, just better.
Kludged Dirac implementation. It finally works but it was only years late and barely usable when finally released.
I posted in the xmc review about an issue they currently have (on the xmc and rmc since they share the same platform) that has incorrectly boosted bass output (under all use conditions where the bass is boosted as little as 4 db and as much as >20) --- The net effect = blew my sub driver.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...av-processor-review.11673/page-60#post-870857

There are plenty more issues that are related to functionality and usability issues but not measurements as I have no way to do that..
The Dirac support team is excellent but the rest of it done with their ears plugged as any time the are presented with issues/bugs they not only dont acknowledge there is a problem but just as important, they are non-transparent and keep the problems swept under the rug instead of informing affected owners. I could go on but caveat emptor.

I really dont see, at least the current way the company is operated, them being in business much longer or at least narrowing down their product offering. They are seriously leaking oil.

I gave up after my disastrous XPR purchase.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

Emotiva has really only done well on amps IMO, and those too were built by ToneWinner.

Doesn't seem to me as though they have the engineering chops to go out and build products from the ground up like this.

I guess you never tried the XPR.

 

[Rottmannash]

Emotiva has really only done well on amps IMO, and those too were built by ToneWinner.

Doesn't seem to me as though they have the engineering chops to go out and build products from the ground up like this.

ToneWinner?

 

[LightninBoy]

Using the better of the two SINAD scores, the XMC-1 lands in the poor category of all AV products tested:

I think you meant "XMC-2" there.

Thanks for the review!

 

[Todd74]

Denon 6700’s like….

 

[beeface]

I would settle for something more feasible but equally unlikely to ever happen: Denon release a processor that's basically the same as their current receivers but with balanced XLR outputs replacing the amplifiers, and without charging customers extra for the privilege.

Following up on this. I understand Amir has contacts at D&M and this would be a relatively niche product, so here's the pitch: group buy funded ASR x Denon processor.

 

[Lsc]

Interesting - my XMC2 is way better than what this review is saying. Maybe there are variations in manufacturing but my XMC2 is serving me well. From 2 channel listening to Dolby Atmos.

 

[digicidal]

Following up on this. I understand Amir has contacts at D&M and this would be a relatively niche product, so here's the pitch: group buy funded ASR x Denon processor.

I don't think @amirm has contacts that run deep enough to sponsor the development of a new/niche product offering. Add to that the fact that even if every member of ASR was in on the group buy... that's barely a blip on the balance sheet of a company that large. I'd guess the changes in the production line alone (assuming everything was already designed and ready) wouldn't be offset by a few thousand units margin... unless they were charging much more.

 

[Rottmannash]

I don't think @amirm has contacts that run deep enough to sponsor the development of a new/niche product offering. Add to that the fact that even if every member of ASR was in on the group buy... that's barely a blip on the balance sheet of a company that large. I'd guess the changes in the production line alone (assuming everything was already designed and ready) wouldn't be offset by a few thousand units margin... unless they were charging much more.

...but we can dream.

 

[amirm]

I think you meant "XMC-2" there.

Thanks for the review!

Thanks. Fixed.

 

[amirm]

Could somone explain how the "two channels being out of sync" manifests itself when actually listening. I understand we want things to be perfect but how does this actually affect the sound quality?

That would depend on the reason they are out of sync. If it is constant delay then you can adjust it in the menu. But from what I can tell, the delay is variable and depends on frequency. This points to one channel processing data N samples before the other. If so, you can get some weird cancellation effects although in a room you already have this so maybe not very audible. It just shouldn't be there.

 

[tomchr]

Did you try with the optical input by any chance? A coax can still introduce a ground loop, which could be the cause of all the spurs in the FFT. An optical link would break the ground loop for good.

The 1/f noise is odd. As is the delay between channels.

Tom

 

[amirm]

Did you try with the optical input by any chance?

I did. It is in the review. I tried both Coax and Toslink.

 

[tomchr]

That would explain the bass noise boost - looks exactly like a shelf filter. And I don't see any frequency response measurement here that indicates otherwise.

Wouldn't a shelving filter have boosted the mains hum too, though? You can see the 300 and 360 Hz harmonics, but the 60, 120, 180, and 240 Hz are buried in the noise. Also, 50 dB would be a pretty serious shelving filter.

Tom

 

[tomchr]

I did. It is in the review. I tried both Coax and Toslink.

Read. Comprehend. My bad. I missed it.

So not a ground loop then. My mind is still blown. It makes me wonder about their design process. Did they just not plug it into an audio analyzer or did they and accepted what they saw as "good enough"?

Tom