Can Emotiva Improve on their Preamps and Pre-pros?

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Many great preamps and pre-pros out there (Parasound, Mark Levinson, Krell, Acurus, and probably many more) have specs that are much better than the Emotiva.

For example, great ones have F.R. of 20Hz-20kHz +/-0.1dB, THD < 0.01%, Crosstalk/Channel Separation > 90dB, Output Impedance < 50 ohms, SNR > 100, etc.

The Emotiva preamps and pre-pros don't stack up very well to these products on the specs.

Emotiva Crosstalk/Channel Separation > 70dB, F.R. is +/- 0.5dB, THD and output impedance are higher, and SNR is lower.

Can Emotiva IMPROVE?

 

[Seth=L]

Wouldn't the less cross talk be better?

The differences in specifications are neglegible IMO, because it's not likely you could hear those differences unless your mental bias allows for it.

 

[mouettus]

You get what you pay for. And those equipment are dirt cheap for what they are.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Wouldn't the less cross talk be better?

The differences in specifications are neglegible IMO, because it's not likely you could hear those differences unless your mental bias allows for it.

The crosstalk for the Emotiva is -70dB and the Acurus is -90dB @ 1 kHz. @ 20 kHz, the crosstalk for Acurus is -70dB, for Mark Levinson (one of their preamps) is -70dB, & Parasound is also around -70dB.

So it looks like Emotiva needs to improve on their crosstalk to -90dB @ 1kHz & -70dB @ 20kHz.

And Linear Frequency Response of the others are +/-0.1dB, whereas the Emotiva is +/-0.5dB.

Output impedance on the others are <60 ohms, whereas Emotiva is > 100 ohms. My understand also is that you want output impedance to be as low as possible.

All I know is that all the High-End products have better specs and all the professional reviewers, including Audioholics, measure these specs so these specs must be important?

 

[Seth=L]

I honestly don't know. I have no active interest in such gear. I wonder how the Integra 9.8 thing stacks up.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You get what you pay for. And those equipment are dirt cheap for what they are.

Well the Parasound Model 2100 preamp is only $600 retail (less than that street price):
http://www.audioholics.com/news/press-releases/parasound-model-2100-preamplifier.html

From 20Hz-20kHz the Linear F.R. of the $600 Parasound is +/-0.0dB, and the Emotiva is +/-0.5dB?
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/1107/parasound_2100_2125.htm

 

[Seth=L]

Is SNR considered a SQ factor? The only way you are going to possibly hear it is at very low levels of output.

 

[Nomo]

I think for the money, the amps simply cannot be beat.
But as I've stated before the lack of internal EQ in the pre-pros is, for me, a pretty big deal.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Is SNR considered a SQ factor? The only way you are going to possibly hear it is at very low levels of output.

Yeah, like you said, all these specs may not add up to any significance, but sometimes some of us may wonder a little. It would have been really nice if the Emotiva preamps and pre-pros have identical or better specs than all the high-end products out there.

An example was the Acurus preamps. Their $600 L10 preamp had better specs than the $4,500 Krell preamp at that time. Of course, times have changed and Krell have better preamps now. But at the time, it was great for a $600 preamp to beat a $4,500 Krell pre-amp

I think Emotiva Amps have done that and beyond, but I was hoping Emotiva could do the same for their preamps and pre-pros.

 

[tomd51]

Having picked up one of their MMC-1s and listened to it fairly extensively over the past month or so, I think their Pre/Pro's SQ is very impressive, even more so considering their current price points.

I think Seth's made a good point in that its quite possible that the difference in some of the values noted may be inaudible, resulting in little to no effect on the SQ the listener experiences. Not having the proper equipment to do any evaluations on this, I can't say whether or not it has a noticable impact as well.

I will say, however, Emotiva could improve on the setting accessibilities and minor quirks several users have noted in their use of their pre/pros. Understandably, Emo hasn't been around a terribly long time, so there's bound to be some minor issues that users will experience in comparision to some of the more well known competitor's products, though much of this can be considered a trade-off for the SQ and price points they're able to offer... -TD

 

[highfihoney]

All I know is that all the High-End products have better specs and all the professional reviewers, including Audioholics, measure these specs so these specs must be important?

They are important in certian cases,for ht useage i'd think they are of extreme lesser importance,just because there is so much sound comming from everywhere at one time ,on the other hand for a 2 channel rig set up for critical listening they are important to some,me included.

Ive got preamps with specs like the emotiva & i have 2 preamps that have much better specs in all areas than any pre listed here,even better than any of the levinson or krell gear.

I can hear differences between the pre's especially in the background,or lack of background noise,what ive found out that any difference i can hear in preamps has been directly rated to it's specs,especially the blacker the background & better channel seperation,these 2 area's do lead to a pretty large improvement while critical listening at low to moderate levels,at extreme levels i cant hear s#!t for a difference, HUH.

Keep in mind though that in order for me to hear these improvements in my preamps they have to be ran with fully balanced amps,not just amp's with balanced connections,lucky i have both types

But.....................and much to the point,i find that when switching back & forth,that if i let go & my goal is to only have a good time,enjoy the music,sip on a drink or two(yes im keeping it under moderation at the wife's watchfull eye) & enjoy my music,both the state of the art preamp with much better specs & the 10 year old pre/pro with lesser specs deliever an equally kick a$$ sound.

Unless you just want to be anal like me & push the performance level to it's max i wouldnt worry too much about it.

 

[tomd51]

But.....................and much to the point,i find that when switching back & forth,that if i let go & my goal is to only have a good time,enjoy the music,sip on a drink or two(yes im keeping it under moderation at the wife's watchfull eye) & enjoy my music,both the state of the art preamp with much better specs & the 10 year old pre/pro with lesser specs deliever an equally kick a$$ sound.

Unless you just want to be anal like me & push the performance level to it's max i wouldnt worry too much about it.

Good point, HiFi. I think too often we (myself included) get so caught up in specifications and comparisions, we kind of lose sight of why we're so interested in this in the first place, to kick back and enjoy the music.

"Sometimes, you just gotta say, "What the f*ck"..." -TD

 

[jcPanny]

Pre-amp performance

Unless your 2-channel speakers cost 10's or 100's of thousands of dollars, I wouldn't worry about the +/- 0.5 dB FR and other specs on the Emotiva. Remember that the performance and/or impact of the pre-amp and amp are relative to your other gear and the speakers and the room are the most important components.

I am glad that companies like Emotvia are making high end seperates that more people can afford.

 

[The Chukker]

I am glad that companies like Emotvia are making high end seperates that more people can afford.

+1
I use a Denon 3808CI as a pre-pro and a MPS-1 for my amplification and I could not be happier at that price point. Kudos to Emotiva.

 

[highfihoney]

I am glad that companies like Emotvia are making high end seperates that more people can afford.

Same here JC,good specs,above average build quality,stunningly good looks,a hella bargin for what they charge.