EMOTIVA Thread Q&A [TECHNICAL TALK ONLY] - Page 520

I would say 6' of cable no issue with that length you'd likely need it just for routing cables.. with hdmi unless you have a cable tray for cabes, i would recommend keeping them as short as possible long cable length's can be heavy on the cable and can damage behind the input connector.. hdmi cables can quite delicate in that way, I answer this, this way because that has been my experience..

6' of rca cable I have no issue with anything past this point i'd strongly suggest xlr..

 

I use port savers for that reason.

 

These are pretty good.

 

But these are spectacularly good.

question....I am considering adding a ups-1 stereo preamp to my set up for 2 channel listening, so i figured now is the time as it is on sale. If it does nothing for me, then I will send it back. However, I am curious if I can listen to music streamed from pandora via the onkyo onboard ap through to the ups-1 then on to my xpa-5. I think I can if i connect my onkyo 809's zone 2 line out (which according to the manual only passes analog sources) to the usp-1's aux input. However I am concerned as I have never set up "zones" before and am not entirely sure if this would work or not. any assistance is appreciated.

I am also considering USP-1 to integrate in my HT system but I understand that it does not have full range HT pass-through. In that case how do I connect the USP-1 to my receiver(Sherwood R-972), amps & subwoofer so that there is no duplication of crossover in the receiver & USP-1. Don't want crossover in Sherwood & crossover in USP-1 interacting with each other.

KB whilst those hdmi plugs might legal to use in the states and the UK being compliant in other countries the not be, though they are a good idea though i still don't recommend running hdmi over a long distance without some form of cable tray 6' and beyond can be quite heavy and will proper support is required otherwise you damage the back end of the connection..

vinodk,

It is true that if you are using the USP-1's HT Bypass input you can not output a full range signal to your speakers. This is a design flaw (IMO) with the USP-1 not an issue of a signal from the inline processor. When feeding the USP-1 an analog signal from your source you will be using the analog bass management of the USP-1. The USP-1 will be downstream from the R-972 so the crossover settings of the R-972 will not apply.

Bill

Thanks Bill. My only concern is that in Sherwood the crossover settings are fixed by Trinnov therefore it would seem that crossover in Sherwood & USP-1 will both be active at the same time causing cascading crossover. Wondering if there is a way to work around this.

You will be all set as the R&L front preouts of the R-972 will go through the USP-1 untouched. In other words whatever signal you are sending from the R-972 will bypass all the circuitry of the USP-1.

Bill

 

Legal??  I didn't even know there were laws that governed the use of HDMI. Not here in the UK for sure. I agree that proper support is important, but the port savers are a cheap and easy solution in many cases.

Not in the US either, AFAIK!

 

:)  One of the links is just a short length of more flexible cable for the last 6 inches of the HDMI cable run to the AVR - can't see how that can be illegal anywhere TBH. 

 

The other link is to a flexible adapter with a female HDMI on one end and a male HDMI on the other end. It takes the strain off the connector that's all. I'd be interested how these could fall foul of any laws...

Is there a way to dim the lights on USP-1? I am planning to use it in darkened theater room.

If its anything like the xpa-5 then yes you can dim or turn the lights off

I have been reading about the usp-1 on the emo forums and from what I can tell, no. I also downloaded the manual and no mention of being able to dim the lights either.


on the plus side, I pulled the trigger...now the wait begins.

Unfortunately you can not dim the lights. You have a PM .

Bill

On the XPA-3 you can turn them off using a switch on the back. But no way to dim. seems like you get every answer but the one you need.

Its pretty simple the front panel lights on the USP-1 can not be dimmed or turned off. I know that to be fact as I owned one .

Bill

Ah, I missed your earlier post Bill. Thanks for pointing that out.

Here is a small review of the UMC-200 by a pro installer.

http://homecinemaguru.com/?p=3622

It's nice to see PEQ getting some respect. Aside from high end units such as Harman Synthesis, Krell and Classe, and some of the higher range Yamaha's (YPAO), PEQ was getting short shrift what with all the anti-PEQ dogma from Audyssey. But as Mr. Meier rightly points out, having direct control over the EQ can really yield a performance advantage.

Admittedly, no small task getting it set up right. One might even hire someone like AccuCal -- for the same cost as a UMC-200! Or use this as an opportunity to get REW or Omnimic up and running and start learning how to take control of one's EQ destiny. It's part of the fun of this hobby.
Edited by Roger Dressler - 2/26/13 at 3:09pm

I agree PEQ is getting ignored. I hear many systems and the best never use matrix algebra based black box systems for the higher frequencies. It sounds to me that they are losing the purity of the data present in high quality recordings along with frequently poor timbre. My data also does not show any significant improvement in phase response with these methods. That approach is more successful at frequencies below 120Hz, but even then they generally miss the mark because they lack the ability to adjust the subwoofer settings along with other problems in their methods.

I also hear many consumer attempts at audio setup and almost all (<1%) are way short of what is possible with their gear no matter the equipment they purchase. Human nature generally leads people to believe that someone else cannot beat them by a wide margin. However, the fact is most lack the rigor and knowledge to overcome the many obstacles that are present in most systems. It is fun to try, but if you want it as good as it can be you need to really understand all of the potential issues and know what the targets are along with having quality measurement tools. A background in analytical chemistry or other fields that teach one to be very careful is useful if one is going to uncover all of the flaws in their rig.
Edited by umr - 2/26/13 at 6:47am

Hi Jeff,

I saw the response plot in the report:



This is the average. Do you also provide the individual responses for each speaker? Thanks.

I do not normally provide that detail, but I do have the data. My service is focused more on adjusting their equipment than equipment evaluation. I try to keep the cost down buy reducing my time. For most people knowing the frequency limits of their subwoofer is where the most value in the data is for them to determine an upgrade path. I also can provide room acoustics information which is useful for changes as well.

accucal_room_acoustics.pdf 127k .pdf file
Edited by umr - 2/27/13 at 6:44am

Hi,I wanted to post this question on the correct XPR-2 thread but I read it and it was really all over the place. Does anyone have any experience with this amplifier and their thoughts on it? I m using a Marantz AV8801 as my pre/pro and a Sunfire 200~7 channel amp. Front speakers I'm looking to power are Revel F52's and they just want more power. I've heard a lot of good things about Emotiva but needed to know from the ones that own them.


Thanks,
John.

let me understand this, you have a Sunfire (Grand Cinema) 200 watt by 7 amp and you aren't satisfied and think an Emotiva might be better? From what I know about Sunfire, they are a quality premium brand. If that doesn't satisfy you, I can't think that any other brand will either.

I also can't see how that amp won't handle your Revel speakers. What are their power requirements and how loud do you drive them?

Was this in your opinion a dumb question or what? I don't understand how you assumed so much having never talked before. If I'm not happy with my amplifier situation then that's my prerogative. I'm looking for advice not someone picking apart my system. I've owned the Sunfire for 7+ years and its time for an upgrade and yes my Revel's would like more power. Sunfire makes a good solid amp, but it doesn't end with their amps.
Edited by comfynumb - 3/16/13 at 11:32am

Does anyone else have experience with the new XPR-2 amp?

You can also try the "emotiva lounge" The easiest way to find it is to google "emotiva lounge xpr-2" I can't comment on the XPR-2 but emotiva does make a nice product for the price.

I have an XPR-5 and have heard an older Sunfire 5 x 200 amp as well. I didn't audition the Sunfire with MY speakers, so I really can't comment on the SQ on both. The Sunfire was definitely " noisier " than my Emotiva but I attribute that to the crappy speakers the amp was connected to compared to my DefTechs. The topology of the Sunfire is very similar to the Emotiva in that they are both a modified A/B design to provide better efficiency. I consider both the Sunfire and Emotiva to have a neutral sound.

The XPR-2 is essentially the same design as the XPR-5 with the exception of a smaller transformer for its two channels. I think it is 2500VA, which is plenty for two 600 watt channels.

I think you would get more headroom with the XPR-2 but probably won't notice any difference at normal listening levels. All I can comment on is that my DefTech mains ( BP7000SC ) like the extra power. I can drive them higher without taxing the receiver but I find that most of the time I'm barely tapping 50% of the 400 WPC even when playing " hard-hitters " like Skyfall. Only the 1st LED shows during normal TV viewing. LOL

Emotiva has a 30-day trial, so you could try the XPR-2. I think you would have to pay to ship it back though. If you can hold off until around June/July, Emotiva has a summer sale and the amps will be discounted about 15%.