XSP-1

[knucklehead]

I run my main speakers full range without a sub. However I tried connecting 2 of my 3 subs and flipped the switches and set both filters to 50hz. The cable run is quite long. To the first sub its 25' of cable - the second one is an additional 15'. Both cables are DIY RG-6 with screw-on F connectors to RCA connectors. Resistance is much less than 1 ohm. The XSP-1 had no problem getting both subs to turn on from standby. You might want to check the resistance of your cables first -  if resistance is under 1 ohm I would suspect something is amiss with your XSP-1.

[Gary Cook]

I have swapped the sub output from my USP-1 a number of times from 5 metres long RCA to XLR and I can't really discern any difference. So aside from an RCA output / input problem compared to a perfectly functioning XLR output / input I doubt you would notice much difference from the change.

The fault finding process I follow is simply elimination, swapping out one piece of hardware (including cables and interconnects) at a time until I find the cause.

My first guess is always the source, is there much low frequency content in what you are playing? To avoid that doubt I use a known bass heavy track, the same one every time.

If that's OK then I try swapping one piece of hardware at a time while keeping everything else the same. Starting at one end, so either the source and work forwards along the signal path or the speaker first and work backwards. One at a time is the trick.

Cheers
Gary

[RCUBE]

knucklehead
I went through the manual again based on the para you quoted.
I then understood something very different from what's been said all the time to keep the switches pointed to each other (I.e, let the XSP do FULL bass management)

The trick was to not allow the XSP to manage the low pass crossover but allow high pass management.

The manual did mention some subs need to get the full signal.
I still need the Y adapter for the Jamo. But, both subs fire as expected

One further question please.
Even though I have the crossover set in the subs to 70hz, I can feel them localised.
Is this because they are on each side of the couch??

[klinemj]

May 25, 2015 20:46:29 GMT -5 RCUBE said:

Edited--
@ boomzilla and sahman
the XSP has cross over set at 80hz and the switch on XSP is positioned to do bass management. The left subwoofer out RCA from XSP is terminated with Y adapter and connects to the 1st sub. Output from subwoofer 1 is connected to subwoofer 2 again terminated using Y adapter.

Sub woofer 1 is daisy chained to subwoofer 2.

i have tried various combinations including using a single subwoofer. The ONLY way i seem to get the subs firing [properly] is to run the RCA outs from the XSP into the UMC and connect the UMC to the subs and bump the volume at the UMC to 90%

I like the XSP and dont want to pull it out of the setup and not to mention, am not sure how the XPA 1L will react to that.
if i have to sell of my existing subs and buy one good sub that is guaranteed to work with the XSP, then so be it. but i just so want the problem gone

the other alternative is to get rid of all 3 subs and upgrade from the Axiom M22 to something like the M80 HP [which seems like the expensive option at 3K a pair]


I just checked, the JAMOs are the ones that have the low output when connected directly to the XSP. The mirage does work.
The mirage is a 300W entry level sub and is not good enough by itself.

I have not followed the whole thing, but I have to ask...are you sure you are hooking things up properly for HT Bypass? That you say you are sending outputs from the XSP to the UMC makes me doubt you have a proper wiring. Wiring needs to go source to UMC to XSP to amps/speakers. And, the XSP inputs from the UMC need to be the ones that feed the HT Bypass.

If not, who knows what you have?

How do you have it wired?

Thanks, Mark

[RCUBE]

Hi Mark
There is no HT in the picture here.
The issue was the Jamo subs sounded weak when connected to the sub outs of the XSP.

Solution was to feed the sub full range and do bass management at the sub.
Apparently, some subs need full frequency and low pass crossover of the sub must be used.

To answer your question of how it is wired,
Source is synology NAS feeding to TEAC UD-501 which feeds the XSP. THE UMC was only used to boost the gain to the subs.

Now, with low pass filter disabled at XSP, the XSP feeds via sub out directly to the subs and no UMC needed.

[leonski]

Turn the bass management of the preamp OFF.
NEVER run a crossover INTO a crossover. Period.

From the XSP Manual

11. Low Pass Crossover Frequency Adjustment
Adjusts the cut-off frequency for the Low Pass filter on the Subwoofer Outputs. Fully counter- clockwise corresponds to 50 Hz; fully clockwise corresponds to 250 Hz.
Note: Combining the bass management on the XSP-1 with other bass management (like the crossover settings on some subwoofers) is usually not recommended.
If you’re using the bass management on the XSP-1, you will usually get the best results by setting your subwoofer to “flat” or “direct” if possible.

[dr150]

Does the XMC-1 add any value over the XSP-1 for someone like me who ONLY uses STEREO (tower speakers with built-in passive subs tied to mono-block amps) with a DAC for TV/Oppo Bluray/DISH Hopper/Xbox/CD player?

The XMC-1 is $1500 more. Even with a DC-1/XSP-1, you're still looking at a $1k savings.

For a guy only doing stereo, the value proposition doesn't seem to be there.....but I indeed would pay the premium IF the sound was noticeably better.

Any advice?....

[KeithL]

The XMC-1 adds a lot - but it may not be anything you NEED.

1) The XMC-1 has 11 bands of parametric EQ for each channel  (times two complete sets) that you can use to make very precise manual adjustments.

2) The XMC-1 comes with Dirac Live for Emotiva, which does an excellent job of AUTOMATICALLY adjusting your room and speakers.

3) The XMC-1 handles decoding for surround sound sources. Even if you only have a stereo system, you may still want to watch (and listen to) shows or discs that are recorded in surround sound. If so, the XMC-1 will decode them properly, then mix down the decoded audio back into stereo so you can play it from your stereo setup. (The Oppo players can also do this for you - but many other brands cannot).

4) The XMC-1 has high-quality DACs built in, and so gives you several digital inputs (if you need them) - which means that you might not need to buy an additional DAC.
(The Oppo 103 has decent DACs, and the Oppo 105 has excellent ones, so whether this matters will depend on what sources you have and which Oppo you buy.)

5) If you think you might want to try surround sound someday, then the XMC-1 will get you half-way there now

The short answer is that, if you find the controls on the XSP-1 do all that you need, and you don't need the fancy equalizers or the automatic room correction (in other words, if you just "leave things set flat and listen to the music"), then you probably don't really need the extra features on the XMC-1 just to listen in stereo. But the XMC-1 will give you more control, and a lot more options.

May 29, 2015 12:58:50 GMT -5 dr150 said:

Does the XMC-1 add any value over the XSP-1 for someone like me who ONLY uses STEREO (tower speakers with built-in passive subs tied to mono-block amps) with a DAC for TV/Oppo Bluray/DISH Hopper/Xbox/CD player?

The XMC-1 is $1500 more. Even with a DC-1/XSP-1, you're still looking at a $1k savings.

For a guy only doing stereo, the value proposition doesn't seem to be there.....but I indeed would pay the premium IF the sound was noticeably better.

Any advice?....

[milsap195]

Without looking through 124 pages does anybody have the sub crossover knob positions?

[knucklehead]

May 29, 2015 22:00:40 GMT -5 milsap195 said:

Without looking through 124 pages does anybody have the sub crossover knob positions?

From page 12 of the 28 page manual:

10. High Pass Crossover Frequency Adjustment
Adjusts the cut-off frequency for the High Pass filter on the Main Outputs. Fully counter-clockwise
corresponds to 50 Hz; fully clockwise corresponds to 250 Hz.
11. Low Pass Crossover Frequency Adjustment
Adjusts the cut-off frequency for the Low Pass filter on the Subwoofer Outputs. Fully counterclockwise
corresponds to 50 Hz; fully clockwise corresponds to 250 Hz.

There are no indications of frequencies between 50-250hz so its nothing but a guesstimate when you set the crossovers somewhere between the stops.

[leonski]

UH? Adjust by Ear than put a little 'dot' at the indicated place, using a Sharpie?

[rpm]

This was Hemsters advice:

"Trial and error is the order of the day.

However, if you can find an 80Hz tone and play that, it would allow for a proper tuning by listening to it from the sub. "

[leonski]

If you go the RPM route, you'll need an SPL meter, too. One of the old radio shack analogue would be fine. Why? Well, if you set the crossover at what you hope is 60hz with a 24db/octave slopt, it'll STILL have output, though -24db, at 120hz.
Isn't 80hz the usual frequency built in to HT gear? Isn't that part of the 'standard'? Just my Opin, but I like LOWER, speakers permitting. At some point, with rising frequency, the sub becomes easy to find by ear.

[creimes]

Took some time last evening to get my XSP-1 setup between my PT-7030 and XPA-5 and at first wasnt noticing too much difference but the more i listen the more it becomes apparent that the seperation and clarity is there using this preamp, I am currently un-digitizing some Pixies - Surfer Rosa from my Mac mini viia my Schiit Modi DAC to the XSP-1 and I am loving it, the clarity into the music is outstanding and its almost as if I'm hearing deeper into each song, really noticing how great the drums sound on this album.

I now know what all the buzz is about with these XSP preamps, and I cannot wait to throw some more albums through it

Chad

[novisnick]

Jul 23, 2015 23:04:56 GMT -5 creimes said:

Took some time last evening to get my XSP-1 setup between my PT-7030 and XPA-5 and at first wasnt noticing too much difference but the more i listen the more it becomes apparent that the seperation and clarity is there using this preamp, I am currently un-digitizing some Pixies - Surfer Rosa from my Mac mini viia my Schiit Modi DAC to the XSP-1 and I am loving it, the clarity into the music is outstanding and its almost as if I'm hearing deeper into each song, really noticing how great the drums sound on this album.

I now know what all the buzz is about with these XSP preamps, and I cannot wait to throw some more albums through it

Chad

And this is yet another reason I'm not selling mine! It does two channel so dang well!! And pass through for movies is no slouch cause it doesn't muddle the sound in this pass through.

Enjoy my friend!  

[rpm]

Besides awesome sound, if your finicky about volume level like me it doesn't get any better than this.
Extremely precise and smooth adjustment with perfect repeatability......
I even created complete Tidal playlist by volume set and enjoy. Wonderful unit!

[gman1234]

Just purchased XSP-1 and having gain issues with both Elan and Dayton subwoofers. But I expect this because I am "spoiled" by the inherent subwoofer output flexibility of all the AVR's and processors I've used. Many which have 10 db of gain available at the setup of the sub output.
My best results were with the XSP-1 sub set at highest crossover point and then setting the subs (I have 2) crossovers at the desired point. This would effectively utilize the slope programed in the sub.
I'm thinking of using a Dayton outboard sub amp that I own that has much gain and a contour circuit to address bass levels. It's the mono 500 watt (1000 w into 4 ohm). You just have to have some DIY skills and find out your sub drivers impedance. Do the math when connecting so the amp doesn't drop below 4 ohms if using more than 1 sub. I know this is a little extreme. I also think my using 2 XPA-1L's for my fronts is making the subs work hard to keep up, as the XPA-1l's have a lot of gain.
My biggest concern with the preamp is a very faint display that is a lot less "bright" than my ERC3 and my xda-1. I can't read it from my chair. I have contacted Emotiva to investigate. Any thoughts from other users of the preamp (xsp-1)

[rob80b]

Dec 6, 2015 8:25:24 GMT -5 gman1234 said:

Just purchased XSP-1
My biggest concern with the preamp is a very faint display that is a lot less "bright" than my ERC3 ...........

We’re assuming you’ve set the brightness to 10 with the dim button?

[gman1234]

Yes, at 10 it is nowhere near as bright as the ERC3 or xda-1. It does seem real close to the buttons. I once read somewhere that a xsp-1 owner did not like the looks of the display being brighter that the buttons. Well, on mine they are the same. I don't feel like shipping it back now, maybe later or learn to live with it. It's not that bad.

[jeffnyc]

Anyone have the headphone amp specs for the XSP-1. Looking to drive my AKG Q702s...thanks.