XSP-1 Preliminary Review

[ramatam]

So the XSP-1 arrived yesterday and to my disappointment......no free holiday 1M pair of x-series XLR cables. D'Oh!

Called Emotiva this morning and they were very nice and are shipping them out today but I'll have to wait til Monday to get them. Bummed.

In the meantime I thought I'd post my initial thoughts using RCA interconnects.

Immediately noticed that there was something way different with this preamp....and in a good way. Three words come to mind: Smoothness, “blackness” and dimension to the sound stage.

The silence in between the notes was very pronounced….. It's as if the XSP-1 had this tight rein around the notes. When there was a stop between notes, there was a STOP between notes. No slop at all. Just amazing. There was just this “black” between things. This term has been used effectively by some others here as well.

Sound stage: . My USP-1 had sound stage but the XSP-1 just left the USP-1 FAR behind. Where with the USP-1 there was a 2D wall of sound, the XSP-1 was more 3D, with space around the instruments. Each instrument has it's own place in the space. There is one particular recording that I downloaded as a 192/24 flac. file from a website called 2L.com ( Note: this is a highly recommended site. Many free, system challenging, hires downloads for free). The particular track is called “Undring” by Sigmund Groven and Iver Kleive (track: 2L-077-stereo-192khz_21.flac). Harmonica and Pipe organ.
For the first time I heard the organ separated into banks of pipes each in it's own space rather than on a 2D canvas.....At the end of the piece I heard a bank of pipes in the center of the field, but way up high towards the ceiling, like I was in a church! I think, in the dark, I looked up when they sounded. Never have experience that before.....height.

This is very preliminary. Need to do more listening but summing up:
The XSP-1 has a way of giving that 3rd dimension to the instruments, it sorts them out of the cacophony and puts them in their proper place and I'd swear, you can almost look round behind them. The Preamp controls the space in between notes very well and the tones are reproduced very smoothly.

Up to this point I’ve spent years listening to low fi and then mid fi. I think for the first time my ears are hearing Hifi and it's night and day...I know people who have had the good fortune to own expensive high end gear might not be as impressed as myself (or would they?) but my first impressions are VERY favorable. Can't wait til I get the XLR's and it has more time to break in.

KP

[ramatam]

Woops, I gave the wrong address for 2L. Not.com but .no

www.2L.no

Do yourself a favor and check this site out. Lot's of well recorded, hires, music here.

And no I'm in no way affiliated with them.

kp

[Golden Ear]

I agree with you with USP because of its aggressive volume and the sound was sharp and in your face sound. However, after placing inline attenuator the sound became sweet and spacious and no harshness whatsoever. If not for attenuator, I would have sold this unit. XSP correct the volume issue by using digitally controlled analog volume.

[Topend]

If the XSP-1 is that much better than the USP-1, I better get myself an XSP-1.

I would have thought the difference between these two preamp would have been more subtle.

Dave.

[Topend]

Ramatam, what amp and speakers do you have?

I'm on my iPhone so can't see a signature if you have your gear listed.

Dave.

[boomzilla]

I couldn't compare the USP-1 to the XSP-1 since I never owned the USP... I did, however, own a UMC-1, and I can say that the new XSP is audibly superior, and not in a trivial way.

Just my two cents...

[goat1981]

I never had a USP-1 either...

but the XSP-1 is amazing. It REALLY opened up and defined the soundstage in my system. I am very happy with it.

[Golden Ear]

When USP first came out, people raved how good the sound. XSP came out and the description became from 2D to 3D sound from USP. Did emotiva changes its sound signature why all of a sudden the sound became night and day? I know there would be subtle difference but for someone claim how flat USP maybe because they have defective unit on why such a big difference as ramatam describe. I agree with topend if XSP is that much better I would sell my USP and purchase XSP and expect intergalactic sound quality changes.

[yeeeha17]

FYI- there is an XSP-1 for sale on audiogon for $650. I'm very tempted to get it but can't dip into the XMC fund. Someone please get it so I can't buy it!!!!

[boomzilla]

For $650, you could buy it, try it, and STILL sell it for a profit if you didn't like it.

[jackfish]

Nov 29, 2012 17:53:16 GMT -5 Golden Ear said:

I agree with you with USP because of its aggressive volume and the sound was sharp and in your face sound. However, after placing inline attenuator the sound became sweet and spacious and no harshness whatsoever. If not for attenuator, I would have sold this unit. XSP correct the volume issue by using digitally controlled analog volume.

Golden Eye what attenuator did you get?

[Golden Ear]

Nov 29, 2012 20:38:40 GMT -5 jackfish said:

Nov 29, 2012 17:53:16 GMT -5 Golden Ear said:

I agree with you with USP because of its aggressive volume and the sound was sharp and in your face sound. However, after placing inline attenuator the sound became sweet and spacious and no harshness whatsoever. If not for attenuator, I would have sold this unit. XSP correct the volume issue by using digitally controlled analog volume.

Golden Eye what attenuator did you get?

Harrison Lab 12db, its just barely reduce the gain and I think 18 or 24 db would allow more fine tuning on volume. The high gain on USP's volume is overloading the amp input causing it to sound harsh on top end. These attenuators did not loose any quality as I thought they would. USP reveal its true nature in sound once the gain has reduce. The transparency is downright impressive. I do not like warm sound as I find it dull because of roll of highs and I don't like bright as it cause my ear to ring and fatigue. On cymbals, I find warm sound to be lacking in realism, rhythm and precision. Neutral is the ultimate expression of high fidelity.

[paintedklown]

Nov 29, 2012 15:52:09 GMT -5 ramatam said:

Immediately noticed that there was something way different with this preamp....and in a good way. Three words come to mind: Smoothness, “blackness” and dimension to the sound stage.

The silence in between the notes was very pronounced….. It's as if the XSP-1 had this tight rein around the notes.

Each instrument has it's own place in the space.

Never have experience that before.....height.

The XSP-1 has a way of giving that 3rd dimension to the instruments, it sorts them out of the cacophony and puts them in their proper place and I'd swear, you can almost look round behind them.

Excellent review Ramatam, these were my findings exactly.

I feel that I am finally getting that elusive "holographic" sound stage that, up until now, I had only read about.

I have always felt the sound stage my B&Ws throw out is decent enough from left to right, but with the addition of the XSP-1 they have better "front to back" imaging, as well as having height.

I found that to be quite impressive, as like you I had never experienced height in my sound stage prior to the XSP-1. It is literally like everything finally has room to breathe, and it's own spot in the sonic landscape. It's definitely a great sounding pre, and I feel that it easily took my my system up several notches.

The sound stage, and separation the XSP-1 provides, seem to be a re-occurring theme among the reviews on here. It's nice to see that re-affirmed over and over again, by many users. At least I know I am not just imagining the differences. ;D

Congrats on the new gear, glad to see you are enjoying. Please keep us updated with your continuing thoughts once you get your XLR cables.

-Dave

[ramatam]

To answer a couple of questions.
Topend: I have Oppo-BDP-93, two XPA-1's and a pair of Von Schweikert VR-33's. Before I had an original pair of Vortex Screens (made by the same company). Von Schweikert in some ways is like Emotiva in that they give you very high value and sound for the $$.

@goldeneye: Interesting about the attenuators...maybe I should have tried that first.

I know my review sounds a bit like a "rave" but to reiterate; I have only once had a chance to hear truly high-end equipment. In the late '90's my band recorded at a guy's house who worked for the Smithsonian as an archivist. His equipment was all top 'o' the line Levinson. Probably well over $70K. Nothing since has touched that system...wow it was amazing! But now I am listening to a real top end preamp (and amps) that should cost a lot more than it does for the first time at home. So, it's exciting to my ears, and I might be a tad over enthusiastic if that makes sense? I am really trying to write down what I'm hearing though, on first impression.
When I ordered the XSP-1, my thinking was that this would be, at most, a subtle improvement and not a justified expense. I'd be sending it back. Well, I think that in the audio world, after a point, improvements are of the subtle nature and I think that it applies here as well.... but it's BIG subtle. That's why I suggested that people try the church organ tune at the top of this thread. It will give your system a run for it's money. With the USP-1 it sounded great, big, expansive, deep bass, but where, with the nature of the instrument itself, and the echo of the church and all, I kept thinking that it was sonically a bit "tangled." The XSP-1 does a significantly better job of untangling the sound and getting things better placed in their space. We all have different ears, systems and listening rooms... so, your mileage may vary.

I really like the USP-1 and to say that it's flat and 2-D is not fair. I'm not a reviewer nor a very good writer. Of course, it throws a very nice sound stage L to R and front to rear. What the XSP1- seemed to do was to give the instrument more separation in the sound stage which gives that 3-D "illusion"...but I what hear, for the first time, is height to the sound stage and I haven't heard with any other pre I've owned. That's why I urge others to download that tune and see if they get the same effect. I'd be curious to know.

I will be keeping the XPS-1 if not for this reason: This pre has a bigger, shielded, regulated toroidal PS as opposed to the smaller unshielded "EL-Core" type in the USP-1 (at least it looks like and EL-Core in the photo so don't hold me to that). Power supplies can have a big influence over stability of the sonic image which is why large toroidals are found in the better components. Shielding controls hum which is equal to noise which also can smear the image. I think the smoothness, sound staging and dynamics could be attributed to this feature alone. IMHO.

Again this is my take on what my ears hear. I'm pleased but I am not trying to sell anything. I really think that since Emotiva offers an in home 30-day trial, you should take advantage of that if you are on the fence.
BTW, the Von Schweikerts are offered at an in home trial for 90 days. At what they cost, you know I took full advantage of that offer! ;D

KP
Sorry I'm soooo wordy

[monkumonku]

Haha... I like that "BIG subtle" description. ;D

Thanks for your review! Not too wordy at all, I enjoyed reading it!

[Golden Ear]

Ramatam, I read about how XSP improved sound over USP in subtle way. The way you describe the change makes me wonder if your USP is working right. Wow your review is telling me the difference its like riding from a bike to formula one car. I may sell my USP if that's the case. I will keep that in mind Mr. Ramatam, thanks for the review.

[Topend]

The Von Schweikert VR-33 look like very nice speakers. I think they would take advantage of the SQ of the XSP-1 and XPA-1 amps.

I wonder if they can ship these speakers to Oz?

Dave.

[Topend]

I can't get on the Von Schweikert website. Can anyone else see it?

Dave.

[ramatam]

Golden Eye, I think the thing to do here is to read as many reviews of this preamp that you can find. I did that before I even considered ordering the XPA-1. I'll say this... there was one review on this forum where the guy (whose name escapes me) really didn't hear much of a difference between the USP-1 and the XSP-1. I took that into consideration and in the end, the many outweighed the one and I just went ahead and took a chance...after all, you can return it, no questions asked.

I'll say this...when I buy anything, I always look harder at the negative reviews than the positive ones. I find that the negative ones are more telling...for what that's worth.

This review is one opinion and should be thrown in with all the rest and it should be taken as part of an "average" after reading them all. Because, like I said, each of our ears are different and your mileage may vary.

I don't think that there's anything wrong with my USP-1. It sounds great. I was happy with it for a year. I'd like to keep it for a bedroom system. All I'm saying is that from where I'm sitting the XSP-1 bested it and believe me I wanted to be as objective as possible, even though I was unconvinced going in, it could sound better than the USP-1.

This review is my 2 cents...wait til you've got a dollar's worth then make your decision. ;D

[Golden Ear]

An intergalactic changes of SQ because of XSP. Wow, I like that. I hope my Polk Lsi15 will create a soundstage as big as a universe. This will become marvel in the history of intergalactic history.