Emotiva RMC-1 16CH Atmos/DTS:X AV Processor Preview

[gene]

Emotiva announced their long awaited RMC-1 Dolby Atmos/DTS:X AV Processor, a no-holds-barred model that supports full 4K UHD video, with high speed video switching. Armed with 16 fully balanced channels for Dolby Atmos and DTS-X object-oriented surround sound, including an all-analog preamplifier section, precision 32-bit AD/DA conversion, and an advanced 4K UHD video management system the RMC-1 leaves nothing for the audiophile or videophile to desire other than to wait for its unannounced shipping date.

Read: Emotiva RMC-1 16CH Atmos/DTS:X AV Processor Preview

 

[shadyJ]

$5k is a lot of scratch, but considering the current object-oriented sound mix processors that go beyond 7.1.4 cost waaaay more than that, this is pretty cool. This makes larger Atmos installations possible for those who don't want to spend six figures on their home theater. It will be interesting to see what kind of different speaker configurations this can handle.

 

[John Daddabbo]

I really hope Emotiva is going to use all of those channels to do a proper 9.3.4 setup? Sure, certain room shape / sizes / seating could benefit from a 7.3.6 setup, but ALL rooms (well, nearly all) would benefit from WIDE Channels / Speaker placement. Please tell me that Emotiva is going to do their Homework on this and therefore offer a 9.3.4 setup?

 

[rramacha]

This processor is long way off from being released. By the time this is released, may be few other options will be available.

 

[MR.MAGOO]

how many UHD blu-ray movies are available?

 

[RichB]

The RMC-1 looks like the processor for those who have been waiting to replace their Denon AVP.

Fully balanced, separate DACs per channel, Dirac processing at 192K on paper this is amazing. I also like the option board concept that permits add-ons for those that want them.

The XMC-2 Gen 3 will be fully balanced on FR, FL, and Center and process Dirac at 96K.

I'd like to see faster startup times (the XMC-1 is almost a minute), faster HDMI switching, and low power network standby for network based remote control.

- Rich

 

[panteragstk]

how many UHD blu-ray movies are available?

Actually a lot of "regular" blu-rays are coming with Atmos now. It isn't tied to UHD blu-ray. I've got quite a few Atoms movies that aren't UHD.

 

[RichB]

Actually a lot of "regular" blu-rays are coming with Atmos now. It isn't tied to UHD blu-ray. I've got quite a few Atoms movies that aren't UHD.

Yes, there are over 200 UHD titles (I read that somewhere) and a handful that are worth owning

I noticed that the Star Trek Into Darkness sound track sounded a bit better UHD version, which was upgraded to Atmos, even played on my 5.1 system. It seems to be a better mix.

- Rich

 

[nickboros]

This is cool that it is possible to get more Atmos height and ceiling speakers, at a price that some of us might be able to afford. But, I'm still scratching my head of the number of subwoofer channels. Why three? If someone is going with 7 on floor speakers and 6 height/top speakers, will they need the ability to setup subwoofers independently and would they choose three of them to do so? This is almost something specifically for someone with a nonrectangular room. If I was going to this extent of using 13 speakers, I would surely only do so in a rectangular room and then it is clearly established that I would need 2 or 4 subwoofers to get the more uniform bass from seat to seat. Having the ability to let Dirac independently get the subs dialed in for the best seat to seat performance at that point is not needed. Or is Emotiva trying to say that we are better than Denon with MultiXT 32 that can only do two subwoofers independently? Why not get rid of those extra subwoofer channels, or at least one of them and give the user the option of having wide speakers?

 

[erwinfrombelgium]

Well, the RMC-1 a 16 channel processor and the 13.3 chipset used is capable of up to a limit of 13 satellites and 3 subwoofer channels. Apparently, it cannot do 15.1 or 11.4. It's not Emotiva's choice. I am guessing sooner or later this will change, but for now, that's it. I'll take it!

BTW, if you "get rid" of one subwoofer channel , you still would be an output short for a pair of extra satellites (Wide or Height), don't you? And the kind of people who are going to use 4 subwoofers are surely technically and financially capable of inserting a miniDSP or something similar to sum a pair of subs to one output, no?

The picture of the rear of the RMC-1 clearly shows WIDTH hence 9.3.4 will surely be a possibility. Makes more sense than 7.3.6 IMO.

My home theatre would be perfect with 9.3.6 (adding Front Height @ 22.5° vertical above my screen) but hey! I'll take it anyway!

 

[SkipEO]

Anyone know what the speaker placement in the ceiling would be for six speakers? I just ripped my future home theater back to the studs and am wiring....want to make sure I get everything in before we put drywall back up.

 

[Pogre]

https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/dolby-atmos-speaker-setup/index.html

You might you find your answers in there.

 

[SkipEO]

https://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/dolby-atmos-speaker-setup/index.html

You might you find your answers in there.

Thanks...I've looked at that. My question is since Emotiva is billing this as a 7.3.6...meaning six speakers in the ceiling, where do those six speakers go? All the instructions I've read are for two or four speakers. However, I believe I got my answer from Emotiva today... I believe it's two more speakers in the front over the mains...

 

[Erik Coulombe]

3 sub woofers across the front left center and right. For all those who dont know how the .6 is set up it is like this,,2 over the front mains 2 in the center of the ceiling and 2 in the back ceiling.This way you have direction in all ways in the height channels,and all directions in the floor channels. If you ask me 2 subs in the front 2 height in the front 2 in the back is plenty unless you have a really long room.

 

[Cos]

Here are some extra PICS from Axpona, I hate my iPhone saved some others as video.

 

[BRIAN_PDX]

Very interesting component. One wonders as to the real utility and effectiveness of 8 or 10 or 14 speakers in most people's homes. Would it not be wiser to do a 5.1 system of very good speakers rather than 14.3 of lesser speakers? Then a zone two of good but lesser speakers in another room.

 

[erwinfrombelgium]

That's a very old and tired discussion. Who says you cannot have 16 very good speakers? I can afford them as I am building them from DIYSG kits with full blown Titan 615 as LCR for example.

And you can only listen in one room at the same time anyway.

Obviously, if you are only into Woody Allen movies, you don't need Atmos. But I can only imagine how 2001 A Space Odyssey would have sounded if it were created with Atmos 50 years ago.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Obviously, if you are only into Woody Allen movies, you don't need Atmos. But I can only imagine how 2001 A Space Odyssey would have sounded if it were created with Atmos 50 years ago.

It would have sounded significantly louder with a lot more surround speakers everywhere.

Key word being "surround" speakers, not the salient main 3 front speakers, especially the main Center speaker.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Very interesting component. One wonders as to the real utility and effectiveness of 8 or 10 or 14 speakers in most people's homes. Would it not be wiser to do a 5.1 system of very good speakers rather than 14.3 of lesser speakers? Then a zone two of good but lesser speakers in another room.

Oh, no, they want 16 very good speakers.

And if you offer people a 32Ch-processor, someone will buy 32 speakers for their HT room and place them everywhere on the ceiling.

That's how real life is like - you know, most of the sound comes from the rear or above you, not right in front of you or anything.

 

[ryanosaur]

OMG!
I just got an email blast from Emo...

(I don't know who I have to go down on to get off their stupid list, and I have tried!)

Emo is FINALLY releasing the first two versions of their RMC-1 expansion modules!
There will be a Phono Input module, as well as an XLR Input Module.

No channel expansion modules, yet, I guess... (Wasn't that one of their biggest promises?)

Oh well. Not my circus, not my Monkeys.

Good luck, Emo!