Emotiva XMC-1 Processor with Dirac Room EQ Review

[gene]

The USA made Emotiva XMC-1 7.2 channel AV processor is designed with audiophile performance in mind with its fully differential two-channel analog audio section. It is one of the few AV processors on the market implementing Dirac LE and Dirac Full ($99 upgrade) room correction and manual PEQ customization. You don’t get every possible feature found in a budget AVR, but you do get “High-End” performance and plenty of HDMI inputs with upgrade to HDMI 2.0/HDCP 2.2 on the way.

If you’re looking for a moderately priced processor that starts with excellent sonic performance and adds both Dirac and full-featured PEQ, then the XMC-1 is a worthy contender.

Read: Emotiva XMC-1 7.2 Channel AV Processor Review

Are there any fellow XMC-1 owners here? If so, please share your experiences and let us know how you like Dirac Room EQ.

 

[TheWarrior]

Do you feel Dirac adequately compensates for the limitations of other setup programs like MultiEQ XT etc? Considering Dr. Toole's recent article, do you feel Dirac is a worthy upgrade, or is it still an overly complicated marketing tool, rather than a room correction tool? A 'wall' of sound is not necessarily the objective for everyone.

The rest of this processor sounds delightful, though! I like the no nonsense approach and lack of concern applied to features such as Atmos and the gazillions of options available for streaming content. I also greatly appreciate the inclusion of XLR connections. Cables inevitably get tugged on. Why we got away from PC locking cables is beyond me, so the security of having a solid XLR connection is invaluable! I'm looking at you, HDMI!

 

[cawgijoe]

Excellent review. I will have to disagree on the remote however. It's solid and feels like quality. Much better than a cheap plastic remote.

At to Dirac, it's the best room correction system I have ever used/owned. I do have the Full version which allows extra tweaking. You do have to have a computer to run it as opposed to just plugging into the unit as on most AV preamps and receivers, but that's a minor thing.

 

[j_garcia]

I was really impressed with Dirac when I heard this unit at Emotiva On Tour.

 

[majorloser]

Still sitting on my discount from being the first UMC-1 owner. Just can't seem to get excited about starting all over again. So many other things I need to spend money on over something I want to spend money on. But reading good reviews does get me thinking about it again.

 

[darien87]

I love mine.

Dirac made a noticeable difference in my system. Not huge, but definitely an improvement.

Still a little annoyed at the pops and snaps when it locks on to an audio stream for the first time though. Hopefully they'll get that sorted out with a firmware update.

 

[RichB]

Do you feel Dirac adequately compensates for the limitations of other setup programs like MultiEQ XT etc? Considering Dr. Toole's recent article, do you feel Dirac is a worthy upgrade, or is it still an overly complicated marketing tool, rather than a room correction tool? A 'wall' of sound is not necessarily the objective for everyone.

I can say that Dirac Full produced much better results than I ever acheived with XT32 (standard). It does not makes sense to try Dirac without going for the $99 upgrade.

Toole makes a compelling argument for preserving early reflections. If you like the way your room/system sounds, why fix it?

I also tried other calibrated mic's that produced different in-room measurements and Dirac corrections. This enforced my skepticism that that omni-directional microphone measurements at higher/directional frequencies correlate well with human hearing. For one thing, they have no concept of direction and we do.

The rest of this processor sounds delightful, though! I like the no nonsense approach and lack of concern applied to features such as Atmos and the gazillions of options available for streaming content. I also greatly appreciate the inclusion of XLR connections. Cables inevitably get tugged on. Why we got away from PC locking cables is beyond me, so the security of having a solid XLR connection is invaluable! I'm looking at you, HDMI!

The XLR and two channel preamp is really excellent. The Oppo HA-1 sound fantastic via XLR in Pure direct.

- Rich

 

[RichB]

Excellent review. I will have to disagree on the remote however. It's solid and feels like quality. Much better than a cheap plastic remote.

At to Dirac, it's the best room correction system I have ever used/owned. I do have the Full version which allows extra tweaking. You do have to have a computer to run it as opposed to just plugging into the unit as on most AV preamps and receivers, but that's a minor thing.

Thanks.

No argument about the remote quality; It is well built.
I am not sure how much manufacturers should spend on their remotes since they most cannot control the whole system and many of us just put them away once we have a suitable alternative.

- Rich

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Is it just me, what essentially is two years old tech pre-pro for $2500 and they dare to ask another $100 to enable full functionality?
I know, I'm not in intended target market, but I guess it takes special kind of person to agree to wait for this "processor" to wake up (my 4.5 years old PC wakes in less than half of that time) or let it run full steam to equivalent of modern SIX 400 Lumens LED bulbs on at all time.

If I had this kind of money available to spent on toys - Denon AVRX7200WA would've been my choice.
/rant

btw: HDCP 2.2 is not a firmware upgrade. it must be hardware swap and I hope Emotive put some thought into this before making such grand promise. I smell marketing dept got involved here....

 

[dmusoke]

Why no detailed technical measurements in keeping with tradition of a reference product ?

 

[TheWarrior]

Is it just me, what essentially is two years old tech pre-pro for $2500 and they dare to ask another $100 to enable full functionality?
I know, I'm not in intended target market, but I guess it takes special kind of person to agree to wait for this "processor" to wake up (my 4.5 years old PC wakes in less than half of that time) or let it run full steam to equivalent of modern SIX 400 Lumens LED bulbs on at all time.

If I had this kind of money available to spent on toys - Denon AVRX7200WA would've been my choice.
/rant

btw: HDCP 2.2 is not a firmware upgrade. it must be hardware swap and I hope Emotive put some thought into this before making such grand promise. I smell marketing dept got involved here....

Well my fellow penny-pincher, perhaps a Marantz 7702mk2 would suit you better, and give you $300 to celebrate with! ($400 if you buy the full version, lol)

 

[flak2]

Very thorough review

it looks like the REW graph has been measured with no Dirac correction above 3/400 Hz, if that is the case may be it should be mentioned.

Flavio

 

[PENG]

Well my fellow penny-pincher, perhaps a Marantz 7702mk2 would suit you better, and give you $300 to celebrate with! ($400 if you buy the full version, lol)

Agree but like BSD I would get the X7200W instead because then I can pretend I upgraded my 8801 to 8802 avoided the feeling of having upgraded but also downgraded at the same time to a 7702.

 

[RichB]

Why no detailed technical measurements in keeping with tradition of a reference product ?

This was Freelance

Very thorough review

it looks like the REW graph has been measured with no Dirac correction above 3/400 Hz, if that is the case may be it should be mentioned.

Flavio

The REW graph is using the default target curve (Full Range).
I can't account for REW's wavy measurement. Dirac shows much flatter response.
At any rate, when you compare the two curves, Dirac is making small changes above 370 Hz.

Dirac Measurement and predicted response:

Clearly, these two programs are producing different results.

- Rich

 

[RichB]

btw: HDCP 2.2 is not a firmware upgrade. it must be hardware swap and I hope Emotive put some thought into this before making such grand promise. I smell marketing dept got involved here....

From the article:

Emotiva president Dan Laufman has stated that an HDCP 2.2 HDMI replacement board will be available by the end of the of the year and in-home upgradable for those who are comfortable with changing boards in a computer.

There will be a cost for the uprgrade that has not been announced.

- Rich

 

[KEW]

Definitely a product to wait until more adventurous sorts have "Guinea Pigged" and the upgrades are out and proven.
Emotiva's Amp history is pretty good, but their pre-pro history is rather sketchy to buy a product which has not been thoroughly proven.

 

[KEW]

I can't account for REW's wavy measurement. Dirac shows much flatter response.

Clearly, these two programs are producing different results.

- Rich

Maybe a couple of the creative tech guys from Germany made the move to Sweden after they finished designing the VW emissions control software!

Seriously, I bet another measurement system like Omni-mic would closer replicate the REW measurements.

 

[flak2]

Maybe a couple of the creative tech guys from Germany made the move to Sweden after they finished designing the VW emissions control software!

Seriously, I bet another measurement system like Omni-mic would closer replicate the REW measurements.

For transparency's sake let me say first that I may be biased in favor of Dirac Research.

Another measurement system would closer replicate the Dirac's graph that is representative of the average of the nine measurements, Dirac graphs are accurate... b.t.w. they have been validated by indipendent third parties but I cannot post the link because I don't have enough posts.

REW is accurate also... but I have serious doubts about that REW graph if it is a full bandwith one (that's the reason I conjectured that the correction had been limited to the low frequencies)
First I doubt that Rich would be satisfied listening with the garbled response above 400 Hz of that REW graph BEFORE the Dirac correction.
Second I doubt that the AFTER correction graph is representative of a proper Dirac correction, if any.

In a few words no creative tech guys moved from Germany to Sweden
may be something went astray in that REW measurement.
Flavio

 

[PENG]

This was Freelance


The REW graph is using the default target curve (Full Range).
I can't account for REW's wavy measurement. Dirac shows much flatter response.
At any rate, when you compare the two curves, Dirac is making small changes above 370 Hz.View attachment 16701

Dirac Measurement and predicted response:

View attachment 16702

Clearly, these two programs are producing different results.

- Rich

That's weird, you saw my REW graphs several times before so you probably knew they were much flatter and smoother than the ones you posted, using 1/12 smoothing as you did.

 

[KEW]

For transparency's sake let me say first that I may be biased in favor of Dirac Research.

Another measurement system would closer replicate the Dirac's graph that is representative of the average of the nine measurements, Dirac graphs are accurate... b.t.w. they have been validated by indipendent third parties but I cannot post the link because I don't have enough posts.

REW is accurate also... but I have serious doubts about that REW graph if it is a full bandwith one (that's the reason I conjectured that the correction had been limited to the low frequencies)
First I doubt that Rich would be satisfied with the garbled response above 400 Hz of that REW graph before the Dirac correction.
Second I doubt that the after correction graph is representative of a proper Dirac correction.

In a few words no creative tech guys moved from Germany to Sweden
may be something went astray in that REW measurement.
Flavio

First off, are you affiliated with Dirac? If so, in what capacity? You may want to include that in your signature so we will know your authority/bias/expertise/etc. Thanks!

My comment about VW was definitely tongue in cheek. However, the conflict between the measurements does beg further exploration.

When I managed a test lab, if we got conflicting results, best practices would be to to not release data until the conflict was explained/resolved. Sometimes, due to urgency, we had to release the data and followup with corrections as needed.

REW has been around a long time and has proven itself capable if the person running it knows what they are doing (and I believe Rich does).

Regardless, I hope some effort is made to determine why there is a conflict.

You are right in that Dirac certainly should have no reason to do anything different than what they claim. I can't see any extra cost to doing EQ right over doing it wrong. I could, however, see Dirac adding some extra smoothing to the results curve to make it look better. Businesses have a pretty solid history of that.
I have seen this with other EQ packages and would not be surprised if Dirac has, at a minimum, chosen a smoothing rate to make their results look pretty.