Emotiva Reviewed by Secrets

[DOJ]

There is a nice review to read at Secrets about the Emotiva gear . I'm no good at posting links , So if anyone would like to do that , It's cool with me .

 

[MDS]

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13_1/emotiva-dmc1-ssp-mps1-amp-3-2006-part-1.html

All you have to do is paste the url into the message window. It is automatically parsed and surrounded by url tags.

 

[DOJ]

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_13_1/emotiva-dmc1-ssp-mps1-amp-3-2006-part-1.html

All you have to do is paste the url into the message window. It is automatically parsed and surrounded by url tags.

Thanks , I'll have to try that some time . I'm still learning this computer stuff .

Hell , I'm still trying to figure what side of bread to butter

 

[The13thGryphon]

Hmmm...

I'm afraid I can't agree with everything stated in the review; particularly the conclusion, where it states that "the Emotiva DMC-1 surround sound processor and MPS-1 multi-channel amplifier pair are big, bold, and beautiful."

Sorry, they just don't do it for me. They may be big and bold, and they may sound wounderful and perform flawlessly... but in my opinion they're ugly as sin! Talk about garish. Yuck. I wouldn't have them in my theater.

I know, looks should be the least of my worries, and it is. However, if I'm going to spend something in the neighborhood of $4,000 to $4,500 on a pre-pro and amp, it better be something that I'm proud to own and proud to show off. It had better sound good, work good, and look good too.

I must also point out that there are other companies -- Parasound Classic and NAD Masters Series, for instance (and others as well) -- that are in the same ballpark in terms of price and performance. And in my opnion (yours may very), they look classy and refined... not like the cockpit of a flying brothel.

 

[ZoFo]

I agree

I think they went a little over the top with the blue lights & winki-tinkies. I have heard complaints about how Outlaw's products are too plain and it looks like AV123 went the other direction. I wonder why they used WOOD for the sides of both the Pre/Pro & Amp, I thought wood went out in the late 60's?

I really like that modular-amp design and the ability to add 2-channel block to go to 14 channels; nice for other Zones.

The Pre/Pro does not look like that great of a deal, no DVI/HDMI switching and no auto-setup on a $2,500 Pre/Pro? The Outlaw 990 at $1,100 seems like a much better deal and I seriously doubt the Emo sounds $1,400 better; would love to see a comparison between these two.

 

[craigsub]

We have McIntosh, Parasound Halo, and Emotiva gear - and all three are gorgeous in person. The Emotiva's lights can be dimmed, and can also be turned off completely. As for the wood sides - the wood sides are also removable, and the units even come with rack mounts, should that be desirable.

The "wood" sides, by the way, are finished in a Piano Gloss Black, as are many high end speakers. They add, IMO, a touch of elegance.

Look for some comparisons of the Halo C-2 and the Emo DMC-1 in the near future. It will be interesting to see how the $2500 EMO stacks up to the $4000 Halo.

 

[Hi Ho]

The Pre/Pro does not look like that great of a deal, no DVI/HDMI switching and no auto-setup on a $2,500 Pre/Pro? The Outlaw 990 at $1,100 seems like a much better deal and I seriously doubt the Emo sounds $1,400 better; would love to see a comparison between these two.

I'd go for a Yamaha 2600, based on what Audioholics said. Didn't they say that is measured as good or better than virtually all of the dedicated processors they've tested? For $800 street price that is one hell of a deal. Add Behringer A500 (or other, better looking models if that really matters) and you still come in under $2,000.

 

[gene]

I'd go for a Yamaha 2600, based on what Audioholics said. Didn't they say that is measured as good or better than virtually all of the dedicated processors they've tested?

Yes the 2600 would be my pick for best A/V processor under $3k, though some may prefer using a dedicated pre/pro from the same manufacturer as their amp to match them aesthetically. Also, the 2600 runs hot even in idle which is a consideration for those with limited rack space for venting it.

 

[craigsub]

Hi Ho - You can get pretty good sound from a receiver/amp combo as you described. It will not match the sound quality of good separates, but it is a good value.

Granted, the combo you described is 75-80% of the performance of something like the Emotiva DMC-1/MPS-1 for 1/2 the price, but that is the price one pays in any hobby for extra performance.

 

[gene]

Hi Ho - You can get pretty good sound from a receiver/amp combo as you described. It will not match the sound quality of good separates, but it is a good value.

I wholeheartedly disagree. This is an old stereotype that "separates" must be better which simply isn't true. The preamp sections in many of today's receivers such as the Yamaha RX-V2600, Denon AVR-2807,etc and up are top notch and give up nothing in performance when compared to dedicated pre/pros costing many times more. In fact, the 2600 bench tested better than the Emo DMC-1 and Parasound Halo which are both excellent processors to say the least.

 

[craigsub]

I wholeheartedly disagree. This is an old stereotype that "separates" must be better which simply isn't true. The preamp sections in many of today's receivers such as the Yamaha RX-V2600, Denon AVR-2807,etc and up are top notch and give up nothing in performance when compared to dedicated pre/pros costing many times more. In fact, the 2600 bench tested better than the Emo DMC-1 and Parasound Halo which are both excellent processors to say the least.

Gene - I based my opinion on a direct A/B with the Yamaha driving my Emotiva amp vs. the DMC-1 driving the Emotiva amp. It was a listening test only, but I, and every other person who was here, thought the Emotiva was a better sounding unit - better bass, superior soundstaging, and the surround modes were more immersive with the Emotiva.

I don't do "stereotypes", by the way.

 

[Audioholics]

I guess that's why DBTs can be so important. It's hard to separate bias out of the equation - both ways. We know the measurements are cleaner, yet others say the opposite sounds better.

 

[gene]

Gene - I based my opinion on a direct A/B with the Yamaha driving my Emotiva amp vs. the DMC-1 driving the Emotiva amp. It was a listening test only, but I, and every other person who was here, thought the Emotiva was a better sounding unit - better bass, superior soundstaging, and the surround modes were more immersive with the Emotiva.

Which Yamaha were you comparing it too? How did you level match the two processors? Did you have the same bass management settings, speaker delay settings, trim calibrations, etc? I don't doubt your listening preference as much as the method you used to compare the two units.

 

[craigsub]

Which Yamaha were you comparing it too? How did you level match the two processors? Did you have the same bass management settings, speaker delay settings, trim calibrations, etc? I don't doubt your listening preference as much as the method you used to compare the two units.

Gene, I am not trying to mix it up with you here. I have been working with this stuff since 1978 - you may well rest assured I can properly level match and calibrate a system. Check with Dr. Hsu, Ian Colquhoun, or Mark Schifter if you like. We have been through a few conversations about systems together.

If someone thinks the 2600 (which we used, BTW) is the match for the Emotiva DMC-1, and goes that direction, in my opinion, as long as he/she is happy, that is all that matters.

 

[gene]

If someone thinks the 2600 (which we used, BTW) is the match for the Emotiva DMC-1, and goes that direction, in my opinion, as long as he/she is happy, that is all that matters.

That is good advice and yes they are all great products with their own associated strengths and weaknesses. The DMC-1 and MPS-1 is a great combo, one to be very proud of. I am a big fan of the MPS-1 which is why I use it in my family room system

 

[craigsub]

That is good advice and yes they are all great products with their own associated strengths and weaknesses. The DMC-1 and MPS-1 is a great combo, one to be very proud of. I am a big fan of the MPS-1 which is why I use it in my family room system

We have dual MPS-1's here. As power amps go, it is an absolute GEM. The 2600, BTW, would be a recommendation for someone who likes an easier set up... talk about easy user-interface !

Nice review on the RBH system, too. They appear to be yet another great company - and deserving of the praise you gave them...

 

[gene]

Nice review on the RBH system, too. They appear to be yet another great company - and deserving of the praise you gave them

Yes with all the gear you play with, you owe it to yourself to check their stuff out. I think you will be most impressed.

 

[mike c]

gene, you say the 2600 is a match for any pre-amp ...

what is your opinion on "more watts = better sound" and the "separate amp is better than the receiver amp"?

 

[gene]

gene, you say the 2600 is a match for any pre-amp ...

No I don't say that. I do however feel it is a match for any preamp in the $3k or less price category with respect to performance, bass management, and feature set.

what is your opinion on "more watts = better sound" and the "separate amp is better than the receiver amp"?

That depends on a # of factors including room size, speaker type, listening preferences, room characteristics. More power isn't always better and there is more to a power amp than just a raw power figure.

 

[mike c]

No I don't say that. I do however feel it is a match for any preamp in the $3k or less price category with respect to performance, bass management, and feature set.
That depends on a # of factors including room size, speaker type, listening preferences, room characteristics. More power isn't always better and there is more to a power amp than just a raw power figure.

right, thanks.