Emotiva XSP-1 preamp
Clipdat
Posts: 12,949
in Electronics
I'm good on preamps currently, but I like the looks of this Emotiva preamp. I also like that it doesn't have a built in DAC. I wonder how this bad boy sounds?
Looking for thoughtful discussion on it's merits/specs and sound quality, please refrain from outright bashing of the Emotiva brand name.
Here's some specs/bullet points I found interesting:
"Exceptional sound quality via an all-analog, fully balanced, differential signal path with vanishingly low noise and distortion."
"Level control via a high resolution (.5dB/step) digitally controlled analog resistor network."
"Full analog bass management with independent, individually configurable, Linkwitz-Riley 12 dB/octave high-pass and low-pass filters for the mains and subs."
"2 sets of balanced inputs, 4 sets of unbalanced inputs, one set of balanced main outputs, and one set of unbalanced main outputs."
"Tight-tolerance surface mount components and short, precisely matched signal paths deliver a superb, tightly focused acoustic signature."
Unbalanced Input to Unbalanced Output:
S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref +6 dBV): > 113 dB.
Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.015 dB.
THD + N (harmonic distortion plus noise, @ 1 kHz): < 0.0006%.
IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method, 60 Hz/7 kHz): < 0.001%.
Crosstalk (measured at +6 dBF, 10 kHz): < 102 dB.
Looking for thoughtful discussion on it's merits/specs and sound quality, please refrain from outright bashing of the Emotiva brand name.
Here's some specs/bullet points I found interesting:
"Exceptional sound quality via an all-analog, fully balanced, differential signal path with vanishingly low noise and distortion."
"Level control via a high resolution (.5dB/step) digitally controlled analog resistor network."
"Full analog bass management with independent, individually configurable, Linkwitz-Riley 12 dB/octave high-pass and low-pass filters for the mains and subs."
"2 sets of balanced inputs, 4 sets of unbalanced inputs, one set of balanced main outputs, and one set of unbalanced main outputs."
"Tight-tolerance surface mount components and short, precisely matched signal paths deliver a superb, tightly focused acoustic signature."
Unbalanced Input to Unbalanced Output:
S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref +6 dBV): > 113 dB.
Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.015 dB.
THD + N (harmonic distortion plus noise, @ 1 kHz): < 0.0006%.
IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method, 60 Hz/7 kHz): < 0.001%.
Crosstalk (measured at +6 dBF, 10 kHz): < 102 dB.
Comments
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I admit I giggled at "precision crafted" in China. -
I can appreciate the tech but their components do nothing for me aesthetically. Even the back using those oversized plastic washers are fugly.
Meh. Sorry just not feeling it. -
I haven’t heard this preamp but
I used their USP-1 pre and XPA1 Gen 2 monoblocks for several years. They sounded really good and never a single issue with it.
I’d have no hesitation purchasing one.Oh, Listen here mister. We got no way of understandin' this world. But we got as much sense of this bird flyin in the sky. Now there is a lot that bird don't know, but it don't change the fact that the world is happening to him all the same. What I am tryin to say is, is that the course of your life, well its changing, and you don't even see it- Forest Bondurant -
Wouldn't touch it with a 10' pole.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul! -
Never heard any Emotiva gear, but the digital controlled volume is not a personal preference of mine. The build quality and styling look nice to me.Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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It's what I would call another gateway piece into the world of separates for those moving off a receiver.
Then people discover what we mean by "rabbit hole".
HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
Impossible to talk about how it sounds without actually hearing it. Specs mean next to nothing when it comes to sounds quality, you should know that by now2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave
2 Channel Focal Kanta 3 I Modwright SWL9.0 Anniversary Pre I Modwright PH9.0X I Modwright KWA-150SE I VPI Prime Signature w/ Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC I Lumin U2 Mini I North Star Designs Intenso DAC I Audience OHNO ICs/Audience Furutech FP-S55N and FP-S032N Power Cables/Acoustic Zen Satori I Isotek Sirius -
I have no opinion one way or t'other re: Emotiva.
If one's philosophy runs towards more is more, this looks like an appropriate product.
Sure has a lot of ICs in it.
Not my cup of tea but some folks prefer complexity to gain flexibility.
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stangman67 wrote: »Impossible to talk about how it sounds without actually hearing it. Specs mean next to nothing when it comes to sounds quality, you should know that by now
'specially, I'd opine, in a preamp. -
I owned this unit at one time.
As you can see, it is flexible. If you have Sources w/ XLR you can lower
distortion a bit. (arguable, as you probably cannot hear the diff) The phono pre is good and you have a bit of control over things with the nice remote.
On the other side of the coin, the xovers are hard to tune in exactly.
I never was confident at the setting and tuning by ear.
AFA sound, preamplifiers are tough IMO. The best for me don't do anything
to the sound, yet somehow make it better. Ultimately, this didn't lift the
boat enough for me to keep it. There is a somewhat rabid fan base and
you would have no trouble moving it if it isn't your cup of tea.
As an aside,
If you like the looks its all there. I'm betting mods to this piece would
bring it up to muster. FWIW
Speakers: Polk Lsim, ATC SCM19 v2, NHT SuperzeroSpeaker Cables: DH Labs, Transparent, Wireworld, Canare, Monster: Beer budget, Bose ears -
I have the XMC-1 and I love it. I have had it since 2015. I use a Parasound A31 to power my Lsim 703's and 704.
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Personally, I don’t like having 40 blue lights staring me in the face. No need to have every button light up like that. To me, it makes it look cheap and detracts from not only the look of the product, but also the listening experience.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
It does, unfortunately, have something of that Pyle Pro look going.
Mind you, I still like the blue LED thing (passe though it may be) but one would be plenty.
Then again, de gustibus non est disputandum.
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stangman67 wrote: »Impossible to talk about how it sounds without actually hearing it. Specs mean next to nothing when it comes to sounds quality, you should know that by now
I asked about it's specs and it's sound quality. Two disparate things. -
nooshinjohn wrote: »Personally, I don’t like having 40 blue lights staring me in the face. No need to have every button light up like that. To me, it makes it look cheap and detracts from not only the look of the product, but also the listening experience.
FYI, the lights on all the front panel buttons and the volume control can be dimmed in ten brightness levels. Level 1 is barely noticeable, if at all, except in a very dark room.McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amp, LUMIN D2 Network Music Player, Yamaha Aventage RX-A840 receiver, Emotiva XPA Gen3 2 channel amp, Polk LSiM 703 speakers. Oppo UDP-203 Blu-Ray player, Polk LSiM 705 speakers. Polk Signature S20 speakers. -
I had it in a home theatre setup. I am not that adept at sound quality stuff, so I won't comment on that...but it was nice having HT bypass. I have since simplified my setup after realizing that I won't get to sit down and just listen to music for quite a few years until the little ones grown up a bit. I did like that it has dual sub outs. I wish the lights could be turned off as it sat under my PJ screen. I did like the look of the preamp thoughlsim705,lsim706c,lsif/x(4)+mc80(atmos)
rti6,csi5,fxi5 -
mark090852 wrote: »nooshinjohn wrote: »Personally, I don’t like having 40 blue lights staring me in the face. No need to have every button light up like that. To me, it makes it look cheap and detracts from not only the look of the product, but also the listening experience.
FYI, the lights on all the front panel buttons and the volume control can be dimmed in ten brightness levels. Level 1 is barely noticeable, if at all, except in a very dark room.
that's a plus.
