sz
Minor Hero
Posts: 54
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Post by sz on Jun 11, 2011 7:51:16 GMT -5
I've been using my UMC-1 and XPA-5 combo for a little over a month now and I must express how awe-struck & blown away I feel right now. I posted my initial review below dated 5/7/2011 and since then here is what happened which turned my  to  . First and foremost, a complete switch over to interconnects from Monoprice (5 thumbs up if you guys haven't seen their stuff, quality cables and lowest price anywhere I've seen on the face of the earth, I'm serious) made a change that I could only DREAM about. Please note that I have NOT been using "cheap" cables per se. I've been using interconnects purchased from target/best buy that are not cheap...i.e., Monster Cables, Sony, Belkin etc... However, after trying the lowest available gauge (which means thickest cable), especially RCA to balanced cables which are required for properly connecting UMC-1 to XPA-5, the sound from my spearkers has improved unbelievably, I'm talking about night and day difference. The power, the smoothness of the bass curve, the intimacy of each and every instrument with their own vivid colors, all left me speechless. In addition, after the newest FW update to UMC-1, the annoying ticking sound when changing volume has been drastically minimized (thank you Emotiva for this). Also, I haven't had any drop outs in video/audio signals. So, all in all, doing a little research about interconnects have really paid off for me and that's what turned my to . Now my next project is getting rid of my JBL Venue subwoofer (a trying subwoofer which will never get you there) to SVSound PC12-NSD DSP (I've heard some good stuff about this one). If anyone owns a cylinder sub from SVSound, I'd really appreciate if you comment here of how you like them. Thank you for reading :-D |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2011 8:48:14 GMT -5
"as if a veil was lifted"  |
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sz
Minor Hero
Posts: 54
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Post by sz on Jun 11, 2011 10:05:37 GMT -5
Yes very much so~
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Post by Porscheguy on Jun 11, 2011 10:11:46 GMT -5
Nice to hear that you're happy with your Emo gear sz. I don't want to rain on your parade, but having cables that are RCA to XLR should have no real effect on your sound as there is no way the XLR in helps when coming from an RCA output. It is also only useful for noise floor as low-z or XLR connections no nothing for sound quality. The only way to truly take advantage of low-z input/output is to have a fully balanced system meaning that you would need a preamp or receiver w/XLR outs that go to a fully balanced amp such as an Emo XPA-1 as it is the only balanced amp Emotiva makes. Even then, unless they're are noise issues there is no sonic benefit - at all. As to cheap cables, Monoprice are pretty inexpensive and pricing goes up from there. It is pretty well documented that unless your cables are complete "crapola" that they too have little effect on SQ... Nice that your happy though....... Rock on! :-)  |
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sz
Minor Hero
Posts: 54
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Post by sz on Jun 11, 2011 10:36:42 GMT -5
If there is no benefit in connecting RCA to XLR in terms of SQ, then my old crazy overpriced cables from Monster/Belkin/Sony must have been all "crapola" because I see such a drastic improvement on SQ! Thanks for your post Porscheguy~~~
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2011 10:38:31 GMT -5
Thank you for your patience in explaining this to the OP. I didn't have the patience. |
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Post by Porscheguy on Jun 11, 2011 10:41:16 GMT -5
Thank you for your patience in explaining this to the OP. I didn't have the patience. I'm in posting mode right now. ;D ;D ;D I also find that a lot of guys/gals don't truly understand the XLR connections and what they do. |
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Post by Porscheguy on Jun 11, 2011 10:42:20 GMT -5
If there is no benefit in connecting RCA to XLR in terms of SQ, then my old crazy overpriced cables from Monster/Belkin/Sony must have been all "crapola" because I see such a drastic improvement on SQ! Thanks for your post Porscheguy~~~ Well thats great. Emo is fine stuff and I'm thrilled you are having a good experience!!!! |
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stiehl11
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Give me available light!
Posts: 7,269
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Post by stiehl11 on Jun 11, 2011 11:08:37 GMT -5
I had a similar experience with my HDMI cables last year when I first bought my UMC-1. I had tones of issues and was about ready to send mine back. Then, after discovering and reading several post on the forum, changed out my HDMI cables and greatly reduced a number of the problems that I was having. Then I went through about 3 different cable boxes from Comcast (total turd of a company in terms of customer service) and finally got one that didn't send my UMC-1 for a loop.
As for as speaker cables and other interconnects; mine were very much crapola; my speaker cables were DIY from Home Depot and about 10 years old (complete with green oxidation under the insulation). Changing those out made a huge difference in SQ! ;D
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Post by moovtune on Jun 11, 2011 12:32:44 GMT -5
I'm curious? Where do you set the switches on the XPA-5 when hooked up RCA to XLR? As if low impedance or high? I've noticed about a 4-6db level increase when using XLR over RCA ins. If the OP is set for XLR on the XPA-5, and was RCA before, couldn't the extra level make it sound as if things improved?
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Post by red5ive on Jun 11, 2011 18:33:02 GMT -5
I'm curious? Where do you set the switches on the XPA-5 when hooked up RCA to XLR? As if low impedance or high? I've noticed about a 4-6db level increase when using XLR over RCA ins. If the OP is set for XLR on the XPA-5, and was RCA before, couldn't the extra level make it sound as if things improved? I was wondering the same thing. I had the same 6db increase switching from RCA to XLR. After I swapped out the cables I decided to take a listen before recalibrating. The difference was not only overtly noticeable (louder), but it also sounded worse to my ears. Recalibrating took care of everything, and while I haven't heard any difference with music, I like to believe that voice clarity for HT improved. Probably just in my mind, though. ;D |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2011 20:31:20 GMT -5
I stopped using XLR's because of the increase gain. RCA's work better for me |
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Post by moovtune on Jun 12, 2011 11:55:44 GMT -5
At first I liked the gain increase until I ran Audyssey. It lowered my front three speakers down -12 (the maximum). But it turned out my center needed to go down about 4 more db so I had to switch to RCA to give myself (and Audyssey) some tweaking room.
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sz
Minor Hero
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Post by sz on Jun 12, 2011 14:01:59 GMT -5
I did not notice any increase in db going from RCA to XLR and the autosetup from emoQ reflected pretty much the same results in terms of speaker levels. As I stated above, I did notice a dramatic improvement in just about every aspect of music I normally test (classical sacd, rock, bass heavy dance, vocal, R&B, new age, etc.). I've been very happy with the results I got from these upgraded interconnects. I did experience 2 drop outs in audio since I posted my review above. I'm wondering whether it could be the network cable (100ft) which is used to stream music files sitting on my computer upstairs, but when I stream music using PS3 this never happens so I doubt this might be it. Are people still experiencing audio dropouts after the latest FW upgrade?
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sz
Minor Hero
Posts: 54
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Post by sz on Jun 12, 2011 14:05:15 GMT -5
Moovtune-> Oh BTW, in the back panel of XPA-5, there is a switch for XLR balanced which must be on if you are connecting via XLR.
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sz
Minor Hero
Posts: 54
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Post by sz on Jun 12, 2011 14:09:59 GMT -5
Is anyone using Dolby V with UMC-1? I am not using it because I'm not sure what sort of artifact it might be introducing to the original recording.
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Pauly
Emo VIPs
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Post by Pauly on Jun 12, 2011 19:41:54 GMT -5
No, DV is atrocious.
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Post by moovtune on Jun 13, 2011 9:27:56 GMT -5
Moovtune-> Oh BTW, in the back panel of XPA-5, there is a switch for XLR balanced which must be on if you are connecting via XLR. Yes, I know about the switch. But you're coming from the RCA's on the UMC to XLR on the XPA. How does that effect impedance is what I was wondering. Your cables don't have an impedance converter built in do they? And from my experience, switching back to RCA's didn't have any effect on my sound quality. |
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Post by Nemesis.ie on Jun 13, 2011 10:12:43 GMT -5
If there is no benefit in connecting RCA to XLR in terms of SQ, then my old crazy overpriced cables from Monster/Belkin/Sony must have been all "crapola" because I see such a drastic improvement on SQ! Thanks for your post Porscheguy~~~ What are the cables you replaced those with for comparison? I'm using RCA to XLR to connect my UPA-1s, but that's mainly because the UMC-1 RCAs are a little weak. Thanks. |
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Post by Nemesis.ie on Jun 13, 2011 10:17:39 GMT -5
Agreed. It can be made to be "acceptable" and could be useful for TV viewing when channel surfing but it needs work. |
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to 
. First and foremost, a complete switch over to interconnects from Monoprice (5 thumbs up if you guys haven't seen their stuff, quality cables and lowest price anywhere I've seen on the face of the earth, I'm serious) made a change that I could only DREAM about. Please note that I have NOT been using "cheap" cables per se. I've been using interconnects purchased from target/best buy that are not cheap...i.e., Monster Cables, Sony, Belkin etc... However, after trying the lowest available gauge (which means thickest cable), especially RCA to balanced cables which are required for properly connecting UMC-1 to XPA-5, the sound from my spearkers has improved unbelievably, I'm talking about night and day difference. The power, the smoothness of the bass curve, the intimacy of each and every instrument with their own vivid colors, all left me speechless. In addition, after the newest FW update to UMC-1, the annoying ticking sound when changing volume has been drastically minimized (thank you Emotiva for this). Also, I haven't had any drop outs in video/audio signals. So, all in all, doing a little research about interconnects have really paid off for me and that's what turned my 
