Pauly
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Post by Pauly on Mar 30, 2010 22:15:53 GMT -5
Maybe I missed it somewhere, but I'd like to know how the Dolby Volume feature is working out for you UMC owners. It sounds like a very useful feature at times, and I would hope that it is working out well for some of you. Are there any bugs with it? Or is it working as advertised? Thanks.
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Post by jgeiger on Mar 31, 2010 8:40:30 GMT -5
Define works.
I hit the button, the sound changes a bit, but I can't tell the difference between low, medium and high. When it is on, the only thing I really notice is that the bass is a lot louder. That's really about it. I hope it's bugged because if it isn't, it's pretty useless.
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ICBM99
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Post by ICBM99 on Mar 31, 2010 11:39:59 GMT -5
Personally I don't really like dolby volume as it is with the umc. Like the above post, it seems to just boost the bass and make everything sound muddy. Perhaps it can be fixed (if it is broken  ) in the future. |
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Post by marius on Mar 31, 2010 12:09:34 GMT -5
+1. I can't imagine using the current implementation under any circumstances.
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Post by markus on Mar 31, 2010 13:02:37 GMT -5
Dolby volume is actually two features in one (see www.dolby.com/professional/technology/home-theater/dolby-volume.html for more information). The first one "just" levels the loudness of all sounds. The good thing is that you can switch it off because who wants to loose dynamics? The second very useful feature of Dolby Volume is that it matches the sound to the "equal loudness contours" (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour). There's only one volume level for each recording that let's you hear it with the correct tonal balance. When listening to that recording at any other level, the tonal balance is corrupted. Typically there's a lack of bass when listening at lower levels because our hearing becomes less sensitive at lower frequencies. A level dependend EQ needs to be applied to correct for this effect. The correct curves look like this:  Hopefully the curves Dolby Volume applies are correct, otherwise the feature would be useless. I'll measure my UMC-1 as soon as it arrives and keep you posted. Best, Markus |
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Post by vincedog3 on Mar 31, 2010 15:49:09 GMT -5
Great post Markus, and thank you very much.
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Pauly
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Post by Pauly on Mar 31, 2010 18:10:09 GMT -5
The only time I would really like to have it is during normal TV watching, and having it cut down the volume when the commercials come on at 110 db lol. I would just turn it off when watching a movie though.
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Post by elwicksto on Mar 31, 2010 18:27:22 GMT -5
The only time I would really like to have it is during normal TV watching, and having it cut down the volume when the commercials come on at 110 db lol. I would just turn it off when watching a movie though. yeah, that is my expected usage as well, and it therefore it would be cool if Dolby Volume settings could be independent for different inputs (hdmi2 = tv = on, hdmi3 = bluray = off, ..). |
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hemster
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Post by hemster on Mar 31, 2010 22:05:38 GMT -5
The only time I would really like to have it is during normal TV watching, and having it cut down the volume when the commercials come on at 110 db lol. I would just turn it off when watching a movie though. yeah, that is my expected usage as well, and it therefore it would be cool if Dolby Volume settings could be independent for different inputs (hdmi2 = tv = on, hdmi3 = bluray = off, ..). For that kind of usage you really don't need input-dependent Dolby Volume. Just adjust it on the fly as you need to. It applies to whatever the current input is. IMHO, this is much better that way. |
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Post by markus on Apr 1, 2010 13:24:46 GMT -5
Hi guys,
got my UMC-1 yesterday and did some measurements. All I can say is "I'm shocked". I don't post the diagrams yet because Emotiva should have a chance to respond. Either my unit is defective or the firmware has some really serious bugs.
Keep you posted.
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Post by monkumonku on Apr 1, 2010 13:40:30 GMT -5
Hi guys, got my UMC-1 yesterday and did some measurements. All I can say is "I'm shocked". I don't post the diagrams yet because Emotiva should have a chance to respond. Either my unit is defective or the firmware has some really serious bugs. Keep you posted. Well if you've been following the threads here, you really shouldn't be shocked. That said, at least you are a bit closer to the FW update to fix these things! |
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Post by mysterymachine on Apr 1, 2010 14:59:54 GMT -5
Hi guys, got my UMC-1 yesterday and did some measurements. All I can say is "I'm shocked". I don't post the diagrams yet because Emotiva should have a chance to respond. Either my unit is defective or the firmware has some really serious bugs. Keep you posted. I thought they were holding all units till the new firmware was done... what is your firmware version? |
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Post by markus on Apr 1, 2010 15:18:11 GMT -5
It's the current one.
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Post by markus on Apr 1, 2010 15:22:03 GMT -5
Well if you've been following the threads here, you really shouldn't be shocked. That said, at least you are a bit closer to the FW update to fix these things! Didn't follow the threads so I was surprised to find problems of such scale. It's almost like they never measured any units before sending them out. And this is already the second firmware revision, right? |
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Post by jgeiger on Apr 1, 2010 18:59:11 GMT -5
Didn't follow the threads so I was surprised to find problems of such scale. It's almost like they never measured any units before sending them out. And this is already the second firmware revision, right? Welcome to the party pal. Really, I'm rather shocked they're shipping units without firmware v3. It kinda scares me since they put the "get it in people's hands" policy in place over the "get it right" attitude. I would guess the new firmware isn't as close as we had hoped. |
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hemster
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Post by hemster on Apr 1, 2010 21:43:31 GMT -5
^ What you are forgetting is that Emotiva is giving everyone a choice. If you want your unit shipped right now, it will not have the latest firmware but OTOH if you want it updated, then you will wait for the unit to be shipped. They're not forcing you take the units as they are.
Not knowing where they are in the testing process and how close to release the latest FW is frustrating but stating things like the above is pure conjecture on people's part.
BTW, I too am awaiting the latest FW like many others. In the meantime I continue to enjoy my processor.
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Post by jgeiger on Apr 2, 2010 8:24:20 GMT -5
I've got mine so I can't say what they've said to new people. The last official thing I read is that they were holding shipments until the new firmware was complete...
As someone posted in the firmware thread, people getting units now isn't a good sign. If the firmware was close they would have been held to avoid the upcoming "Why didn't the update work for me?" influx and the firestorm that will come.
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Post by markus on Apr 2, 2010 8:34:01 GMT -5
Just to clear things up, they said that there will be a delay in shipping because new units would be updated in the factory with the new firmware. They were also expecting a shipment with the old firmware and offered people the choice of getting one of these units without the update.
Best, Markus
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ratmice
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Post by ratmice on Apr 2, 2010 8:41:52 GMT -5
Maybe they should try updating those units just to see how much fun all their customers are having. Why would you even ship a unit with known outated firmware? That makes no sense, whatsoever - do the update as they go out the door.
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hemster
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Post by hemster on Apr 2, 2010 9:06:47 GMT -5
That's just it. "all their customers" are not having trouble updating. There are those that have had success, some even on their first attempt!
Consider that many people have been on the list for a while for their unit. They may want to take on the update process themselves and get the unit in their home. This is certainly true of some current forum members. Now those that don't want to try the update at home, they have a choice to wait for the updated units.
What Emotiva need to do is to provide us a status message on where they're at. But then, there's another thread for that isn't there?
Back OT, I tried to use Dolby Volume very late at night when watching movies and it just didn't sound right to me. Ended up just using a lower volume!
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) in the future.
