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Review and Measurements of Emotiva XMC-1 Gen 2 Pre/Pro

jjk

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I am MCH like you dudes.
I run 3 dacs through an I2S bridge from a PinkFaun streamer. That's 3 Matrix X Sabre Pros. EQ'd and DSP'd in JRiver.
On the output side I have the Benchmark and 3 NC400s.
The XMC-1 is in the middle. Only used as a switch and volume control...analog MCH inputs to the balanced outs.
But I do employ the HT function of the XMC through HDMI from Directv/Oppo.
I don't use Dirac as I never liked the bass management function, but I am proficient with REW and have produced a strong house curve.
Unfortunately, my room is a bit noisier than above, best I can get is high 30s.

So is the consensus that the XMC is the best I can do given the above?

And yes, MCH is just better. If you don't believe it, ask Floyd Toole as quoted above.
 

HLee

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In most home audio systems, acoustic space is far from ideal.
Thats why multichannel system with room corretion sounds better than measurements.
 

DonH56

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In most home audio systems, acoustic space is far from ideal.

True, though we tend to live with it (or fix it, in my case).

Thats why multichannel system with room corretion sounds better than measurements.

This does not make sense to me; could you please explain what you mean?
 

Trdat

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There is a growing number of us who prefer listening to multichannel music, and upmixed stereo to multichannel music.
In fact, I almost never listen to “2 channels only” reproduction anymore.

I would never consider buying audio equipment with 2 channels only.

So when you say upmixed I am presuming you mean stereo content that is upmixed in Jriver or something into a multi channel set up? My question is if we are listening to tracks that have been mixed in stereo(old music) for multi-channel would it be as good as you say multi-channel can be?
 

Dimifoot

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So when you say upmixed I am presuming you mean stereo content that is upmixed in Jriver or something into a multi channel set up? My question is if we are listening to tracks that have been mixed in stereo(old music) for multi-channel would it be as good as you say multi-channel can be?
Upmixed in auro3d or Dolby Surround.

I find upmixed stereo tracks much more enjoyable, than listening in native stereo mode.
 

MusicNBeer

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All these crappy reviews have me very disappointed in Emotiva. I have two of their XSP-1 analog preamps. The line stage in the XSP-1 is excellent, but the headphone amplifier is useless (no power whatsoever) and the phono stage is poor IMO. One of the two units died and needed a new PS cap after 1 year. I'm done with Emo.
 

Russ_L

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@DonH56 and @RichB both use the XMC-1. Either of you run into the muting issue while using your XMC1?

I have my XMC-1 for a little more than five years and have never noticed said “issue”. So not a problem in real use, or I didn’t know what to listen for??? But would feel better if the “linearity” measured better. :)
 

DonH56

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I have my XMC-1 for a little more than five years and have never noticed said “issue”. So not a problem in real use, or I didn’t know what to listen for??? But would feel better if the “linearity” measured better. :)

Not for you, fortunately, but for many others... I did not (or rarely) have problems in normal operation, mainly when switching inputs or starting a CD or movies, but some recordings would mute between tracks and miss the opening of the next track.
 

Russ_L

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Thank you. :D I think most of this site's reviews should have a disclaimer that says "though we would like things at -110 db for provable transparency almost all the gear measured spec to inaudible at way way higher distortion levels. Good luck hearing the difference between -70 db and a -120 db distortion in a dac in regular use."Otherwise we have people dragging manufacturers names through the mud when in reality these measurements don't actually matter.

You‘re missing the big picture Gar. If a host of inexpensive DACs can measure “perfectly“ than the big ($$$) boys should be able to do the same. And Amir usually points out when something is inaudible “anyway”.

Russ
 

garbulky

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You‘re missing the big picture Gar. If a host of inexpensive DACs can measure “perfectly“ than the big ($$$) boys should be able to do the same. And Amir usually points out when something is inaudible “anyway”.

Russ
Well Amir tends to like his inaudible at "the sound of butterfly wings flapping". I'm talking more uh, down to earth :D FWIW, the XMC-1 has powerful room correction features with cheaper DACs lack. So have to take the features in to account. Personally though I've never cared for room correction including their implementation of DIRAC, but perhaps I haven't heard it done right.
 

Russ_L

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@Lonnie Welcome to the forum.

If I've captured the gist of your first post correctly, it seems that you feel that subjecting AVRs to instrumented testing is unfair due to the unique way they operate. Setting aside the excellent point made by @amirm about pass through and pure direct modes of operation, may I offer the following?

If AVR manufacturers wish to be exempt from independent scrutiny on whether they meet hifi standards, perhaps they should stop advertising their units as high fidelity, SOTA, high performance, transparent, etc. Furthermore, they should post clear and complete specifications, using standards established by relevant authorities (such as AES, FTC) so that consumers can make informed decisions about where products lie in the grand scheme of things.

If I’ve captured the gist of Lonnie‘s post correctly he’s saying it’s unfair to compare the test results DACs vs. AVRs. NOT that testing AVRs or prepros is unfair.

Russ
 

Russ_L

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Whoops. Did not read Lonnie’s response before I posted. But it is the same as I posted just above.

Russ
 

Russ_L

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Now let's see the graphic showing where each of the AVRs sit relative to the amps and DACs tested by Amir...

Yeah, neither you nor an industry rep want to see that one!

But I am glad you're happy. It's important to be happy in life.

But it seems, by your bias (to anything?) you are not a happy person.

Russ
 

Tonygeno

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I have my XMC-1 for a little more than five years and have never noticed said “issue”. So not a problem in real use, or I didn’t know what to listen for??? But would feel better if the “linearity” measured better. :)
Play an opera with many tracks but no silence between tracks. It will mute for a second between tracks. Unlistenable. I have an NAD 777 with Dirac and it exhibits no such behavior. I just heard from customer service and the problem has still not been fixed.
 

Russ_L

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Thanks for elaborating but while I’m a big classical music fan I do not listen to opera. So for me in my real world use the XMC-1 works flawlessly. But I see now that that is not the case for everyone.

Russ
 

Tonygeno

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A Mahler Symphony with many tracks per movement (and there are several recordings you can check), same issue.
 

Russ_L

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Thanks for your suggestion Tony. I'll listen carefully to see if I can detect the issue. Best chance of doing so of what I own would be:

No. 1 MTT and the San Francisco
No. 2 Kaplan and the London
No. 4 Reiner and the Chicago
No. 6 Gergiev and the London
No. 8 Solti and the Chicago

???? Thanks.

Russ
 
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Tonygeno

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Thanks for your suggestion Tony. I'll listen carefully to see if I can detect the issue. Best chance of doing so of what I own would be:

No. 1 MTT and the San Francisco
No. 2 Kaplan and the London
No. 4 Reiner and the Chicago
No. 6 Gergiev and the London
No. 8 Solti and the Chicago

???? Thanks.

Russ
You won’t need to listen carefully. The effect is very jarring. But, if each movement is a separate track, you won’t notice anything. The issue is when there are multiple tracks within a movement.
 

monkey132

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Just today, in the XMC2 thread on Emotiva Lounge, KeithL from emotiva responded with more detail from an XMC2 owner that is experiencing the issue when using a sonos connect via optical. So the behavior is still in the XMC2. Whether it occurs or not seems to be depend on specific criteria occuring. Here is what KeithL had to say:
"Just to put this in perspective...

Most commercially recorded songs include a "lead-in" or "fade-up".... where the song takes a few seconds to actually start.
And virtually all commercially produced digital audio, including CDs, is dithered... (and most recording apps do so automatically).

The digital muting on the XMC-1 only engages after a string of several samples of undithered silence...
And, when it engages, it takes a maximum of 120 mSec for it to disengage (1/8 of a second)...

Therefore, it is only noticeable.....
- if a song contains unusual stretches of pure undithered digital silence
- if a song starts directly on the first note with no lead-in whatsoever

These are situations that very rarely occur in real life."


Hi all, this is my first post after lurking for quite a while. I had to sign up to chime in on this!!

I'm thrilled to see this muting get documented because I have had this muting problem since I first got the XMC-1 and support/Keith was zero help. The muting problem is HORRIBLE. I was distraught when I read that the XMC-2 and RMC platforms have the SAME issue and that Emotiva is ok with it. This particular issue is the only thing I hate about the XMC-1 and couldn't wait for the XMC-2, but it WILL force me to use another brand if that is the case.

The XMC-1's aggressive muting of silent passages DOES NOT only happen in obscure circumstances, but in real world, common situations as well.

Many people do not experience the issue (or do not notice it), based on their content/sources but for certain content/sources it makes things unlistenable. It will not happen during a song or movie but happens to me all the time when listening to podcasts, lectures or watching youtube videos with a person talking in a quiet area or studio.

The problem with the muting is the time it takes to "unmute". If the person speaking pauses, then resumes, it chops off the first syllable of what they said. This can happen easily 10 times in every sentence on the worst offending content. There are several youtube channels and podcasts I can no longer watch through my XMC-1 because of this awful muting.

People speaking directly into microphones in a quiet studio or even on stage (Ted Talks) is a common thread to the problem, particularly headset microphones make the XMC-1 muting circuit go crazy.

I did a LOT of troubleshooting and, from memory, the problem existed when playing a problematic youtube video on 3 different model Rokus, a PS3, and my PC. It happened using HDMI, Coax and USB inputs of the XMC-1.

HOWEVER, what was very interesting was that when I set my PC's audio output to 16 bit, the muting went away.

24 bit = muting, 16bit = no muting. Very strange. This is the only way I can watch certain content if I want it to go through my AV system, PC only, no roku, and change to 16 bit output in windows.

I wish you still had the XMC-1 to confirm this and I would love some more insight if what I shared contributed to solving the mystery at all!

I think, maybe, it is a way to cheat specs and appear to have a lower noise floor. You can crank the volume on silence and hear no hiss, not because the unit is SO good, but because it turned off its internals.

I did make a video of the muting happening, maybe I can upload it here?
 
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