Advice on Emotiva USP-1 preamp

[cash09]

Guys

I am new to the the whole audio world- With my small budget I bought these. I use it mainly for music only ( 95% )

ONKYO CD PLAYER C-7030
Harmon kardon HK 3490 (2 channel stereo Receiver )
Velodyne Impact 10 ( will upgrade soon to RYTHMIK or HSU VFT-MK4
JBL L 890 towers

Harmon kardon does not have any bass management, my speakers are full range speakers and hence I cannot set the speakers to small- medium -large on the receiver, so I can feel the bass still playing through the towers, which I don't want.

I crossed paths with the emotiva lounge lately, I wished I bought the EMOTIVA amp and preamp. I saw the USP-1 preamp and I found that it has a high pass filter and low pass filter, which would really help me.

Do you guys recommend it

1. Does the USP-1 preamp match well with the HARMON KARDON hk3490 ( which I intend to use as a power amp ). Does it matter ?

HK 3490 Specs

Continuous Average Power (FTC):
120 Watts per channel, 20Hz – 20kHz,
@ <0.07% THD, both channels driven into 8 ohms
150 Watts per channel, 20Hz – 20kHz
@ <0.2% THD, both channels driven into 4 ohms
Input Sensitivity/Impedance
Linear (High-Level): 200mV/47k ohms
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (IHF-A): 95dB
Frequency Response @ 1W (+0dB, –3dB): 10Hz –110kHz
High Instantaneous Current Capability (HCC): ±45 Amps
Transient Intermodulation
Distortion (TIM): Unmeasurable
Rise Time: 16 μsec
Slew Rate: 40V/μsec


2. the USP-1 does not have any bass- treble - control. will it defeat the purpose I am looking for ?

3. I plan to use the high pass output on the USP-1 set at 80hz , and low pass set at 80- Will it affect the quality of sound to the towers?Will it add any distortion?


I am working really hard to save this money for the EMOTIVA USP-1, I want to make sure that I buy the right stuff.


Thank you very much for all your advice

Cash

[garbulky]

Welcome to the lounge!
I would reccomend using the money to upgrade your speakers or source instead.
You haven't mentioned your source (DAC/CD player/turntable). The pre-amp won't improve the sound of your source. What it is is a volume control.
The best bang for the buck upgrades are IMO:
1. Speakers (and speaker positioning/room treatment).
2. Source.
3. Amps
4. Pre-amps.
2&3 are interchangeable depending on your price, performance level, and what you already have.
Right now, if your sub has a cross over of sorts, it can do a cut off for your bass when passed through it to the Harmon...
At the very least, you can use your sub to integrate with the bass of your towers.
Once you have your system upto a relatively high performance level, then it may be a good time to look at pre-amps for more improvements.

[cash09]

My source is a ONKYO CD player - C-7030

my subwoofer has a crossover -

Adjustable (50 to 200 Hz) low-pass crossover with a 12 dB/octave slope

So should I use the speaker level input on the subwoofer and speaker level output to the speakers? Will it help in better bass management ?

There is no high pass filter on the subwoofer

Thank you for the response

[knucklehead]

Keep the speakers - the JBL 890's are the top of the line Studio Series and are very good IMO. The HK 3490 should have no problems driving those dual 8" woofers and you shouldn't even need a sub. My ERTs have dual 8" woofers and I don't need a sub for 2 channel and they play down to 36Hz. The 890's are good to 28Hz + or - 3db.

Try placing your speakers in a different spot - moving my speakers just 3" is enough to kill bass response. Speaker placement is that touchy.


Maximum recommended amplifier power 250W
Power handling (continuous/peak) 125W/500W
Nominal impedance 8 Ohms
Sensitivity (2.83V/1m) 91dB
Frequency response (±3dB) 28Hz - 40kHz
Crossover frequencies 700Hz, 5kHz, 20kHz
Ultrahigh-frequency driver 3/4" (19mm) Mylar® dome, cast-aluminum chassis, mounted in a Bi-Radial® horn
High-frequency transducer 1" (25mm) Pure-titanium dome in JBL EOS™ waveguide, cast-aluminum chassis
Midrange transducer 4" (100mm) PolyPlas™ cone with rubber surround, cast-aluminum chassis, HeatScape™ motor structure
Low-frequency transducers Dual 8" (200mm) PolyPlas™ cones with rubber surrounds, cast-aluminum chassis, HeatScape™ motor structures, Symmetrical Field Geometry™ (SFG™), oversized Kapton® voice coils, magnetic shorting rings
Magnetically shielded Yes
Baffle Low-diffraction, IsoPower™ baffle
Port FreeFlow™, on front
Network Straight-Line Signal Path™ (SSP™)
Terminals Gold-plated, 5-way binding posts, bi-wirable
Dimensions (H x W x D) 42-1/4" x 10-1/4" x 15" (1073mm x 259mm x 380mm) (including feet)
Weight per speaker 60 lb (27.3kg)
General Cast-aluminum feet; 5/16" (8mm) floor spikes, single-packed

[cash09]

I tried playing without the subwoofer - It wasn't that good. When I added the sub - it was alot better.

I will try to reposition the speakers again.

[garbulky]

Something like this maybe: store.hlabs.com/pk4/store.pl?view_product=10
You have to select the cut off you want before you order
Or this.
store.hlabs.com/pk4/store.pl?view_product=12

You could do it the way you described with these devices at the appropriate ends.
Or you could get a y-adapter which duplicates the signal ( www.parts-express.com/cat/y-adapter-cables/2149) from your source and pass one of the outputs to the subwoofer and one to your HK with one of those devices I linked at the appropriate ends

[cash09]

store.hlabs.com/pk4/store.pl?view_product=10 , Hz - 70 would be a good setting -

I can get two of these and connect it at the preamp out on the HK 3490 and back to the mains in at the HK 3490. That should do the job.

I saw this HIGH PASS FILTER from HSU research
www.hsuresearch.com/products/high-pass-filter.html

It cost more, but is it better > Its an active high pass filter.

Should i go for an active filter or a passive filter ?

[garbulky]

Sept 24, 2012 12:07:00 GMT -5 cash09 said:

store.hlabs.com/pk4/store.pl?view_product=10 , Hz - 70 would be a good setting -

I can get two of these and connect it at the preamp out on the HK 3490 and back to the mains in at the HK 3490. That should do the job.

I saw this HIGH PASS FILTER from HSU research
www.hsuresearch.com/products/high-pass-filter.html

It cost more, but is it better > Its an active high pass filter.

Should i go for an active filter or a passive filter ?

I don't know about which active or passive you should go for .

The way you setup the preamp out to the mains in, I guess doesn't quite make sense to me. From where would you be getting a signal then? Anyway, I'm sure you can figure out some way to get it to work. Shouldn't be too hard. Good luck.