ERC-2 with problem.

[amotta]

Please, forgive my poor English, I'm an Brazilian citizen and English is not my current language...
=================

Yesterday I received from Emotiva my new UPA-700 amplifier. It's very nice ! The sound is amazing !

But a problem began...

In the early days of 2012 I received from Emotiva my ERC-2 CD Player.
Amazing device, with hi-end sound !
Until yesterday, I used my ERC-2 connected by Coaxial cable to an coaxial input of my UMC-1 Emotiva processor.

With the UPA-700, I changed my setup, one system for multichannel and other system for stereo listening.
The components of the multichannel setup are the UPA-700, UMC-1, Blu-ray player, media player and HD-DVD Player.

The components of the stereo setup are the ERC-2, a Thorens turntable and my Cary CAI-1 integrated amplifier.

As I said before, I always used the ERC-2 with Coaxial cable / connection.

But last night I connected the ERC-2 in my Cary amplifier using RCA cable (provided by Emotiva).
A problem occurred: very noise and hiss (I think the English word is "wheezing") in both channels (maybe higher in left channel).
The CD Player plays the CD, with same level of music and noise. It's impossible to listen the music clearly.
You can say: your Cary Amplifier has a problem (I thought the same...).

I connected the ERC-2 in other inputs of my Cary and the problem always happens.
No matter if there is not a CD inside the ERC-2, or if a CD is inside, playing or stopped.
When I select in the Cary the input where the ERC-2 is connected, the problem happens !
So, I changed the cables !!! I tried other two RCA interconnect cables and the problem is always the same...

So, I did the "final test": I connected the ERC-2 back to UMC-1 using the RCA cables (as I said, I always used the Coaxial).
The problem happens again in the Emotiva environment (UMC-1, ERC-2, UPA-700)...
I connected again using the Coaxial cable in UMC-1: a nice, amazing, superb sound !
My conclusion: the RCA analog outputs of my ERC-2 or the analog section of the Player are with serious trouble.

Someone had this problem ? Any suggestion ?

I read in the ERC-2 manual that there are 4 power supplies. Does the power supply that feeds the analog part is faulty and should be replaced?

Please, help !

Best regards,


Andre Motta
www.andremotta.fot.br

[moovtune]

Sounds like you have narrowed it down nicely with your tests to the ERC having the problem. Perhaps to be sure, you could use the same cables into the same input on your Cary where you had the ERC connected, but use the Blu-Ray player as the source. If no problem, then it sounds like it's the ERC.

[roadrunner]

Andre

It sounds like you have a problem with ground loop or DC in the AC line. Do you have dedicated circuits for all of your audio gear? What voltage do you have for your electric service? Do you have a dimmer switch in your room or on the same circuit as your audio equipment? ...do you have fluorescent lights or decorative lights? Have you checked to ensure that your RCA cable is not close to any of the AC line cords? You should try to keep the interconnects as far away from the AC line cords as possible. If you must run your interconnects near your AC line cords make sure you cross them at a 90 degree angle. How clean is your electrical service? ...how much variance do you have in your voltage level of your electric service?

Are you using line conditioners and/or surge protectors? Have you contacted Emotiva Tech Support for assistance. Emotiva can give you advice on how to isolate your problem. Good luck.

[garbulky]

Try using a different power cord and plug point. If that doesn't solve it and the UMC-1 produces sound fine, then it looks like the erc-2 is the culprit

[amotta]

Hi all !

Moovtune, I tried the same cable in the same input, I used my HD-DVD Toshiba as source (it's an amazing CD Player, believe me). The music sounds perfect !

roadrunner, I have a dedicated circuit for my sound equipments, our voltage in Rio de Janeiro is 110V. About variance, fortunately in the Brazil we have a great availability of electrical energy and in the major cities Like Rio the energy is very good with few variance.

garbulky, I tried your suggestion and the problem happens. Yes, connected to coaxial input in the UMC-1, the ERC-2 sounds fine. But even in UMC with RCA connection, the disaster come back !

I changed some e-mail with Lonnie at Emotiva, his conclusion is about a problem in analog PCB. He will send me another one for replacement. Emotiva is always perfect with assistance !


Thanks all and let's wait some news after the replacement !!!

A big hug from


Andre Motta (a Brazilian photographer)
www.andremotta.fot.br

[charlie7]

Andre,

I looked at your webpage and your photographs are amazing! I especially like your macrophotography. Very beautiful!

Charlie

[amotta]

Oct 10, 2012 17:48:40 GMT -5 charlie7 said:

Andre,

I looked at your webpage and your photographs are amazing! I especially like your macrophotography. Very beautiful!

Charlie

Charlie,

Thanks a lot !
I'm an amateur, I work in a oil company.
Photography is just a serious hobby !

A big hug from


Andre Motta
www.andremotta.fot.br

[garbulky]

Great to hear. Your photographs are very nice. Best of luck with your ERC-2. I believe the best option for you may be to run it in "pure direct mode" through the UMC-1 when you get the analog outputs working.
Going digital to the uMC-1 allows the UMC-1 to convert the digital audio (perfect) into analog sound (what your speakers hear) using its DAC chips. However, the main benefit of the ERC-2 is its outsstanding onboard DAC chips and very good analog stage. It's better than the UMC-1.
So your best option is to either go pure direct analog to UMC to bypass any processing that would cause the analog signal to be reconverted back into digital for processing.
Even better if possible (if you have a volume control on your amp or a pre-amp) run it straight into the amplifier. But only if your amplifier has a volume control or it will be way too loud!

[AudioHTIT]

If I understand correctly it sounds like the DAC or more likely the analog stage of the ERC-2. In the past you've always used the coax SPDIF connector to an external DAC (in the UMC-1), bypassing the DAC and analog stage in the ERC-2.

Now for the first time you are using the DAC and analog outs on the ERC-2 to the Cary (and also tested on the UMC-1). It's possible (even likely) that the ERC may have always had a problem, you just were bypassing it. Sounds like you need to contact Emo.

Oh, and your English is great!

Edit: Just saw the line that Lonnie believes it's the analog PCB so sounds like you have it tracked down.

[hemster]

Oi amotta,

Como vai? Tudo bem?

(voce Carioca?)

Glad to hear that Lonnie is sending you a replacement analog board. Ele cara muito legal!

Let us know how you get on with the new board. Boa sorte!

Um Abraco,
~Hemster

[amotta]

Oct 11, 2012 20:22:01 GMT -5 hemster said:

Oi amotta,

Como vai? Tudo bem?

(voce Carioca?)

Glad to hear that Lonnie is sending you a replacement analog board. Ele cara muito legal!

Let us know how you get on with the new board. Boa sorte!

Um Abraco,
~Hemster

Dear Hemster !

Thanks for your message !
Yes, I'm "carioca", I was born and I live in Rio de Janeiro.

I'm writing to give some news about the new board of my ERC-2.

In October 19th I received a board from Emotiva, I changed the boards but the problem remains the same.

I wrote to Joe LaLiberte and Lonnie, explaining the problem with the new board. I sent an e-mail to Lonnie and Joe with photos and a movie showing me changing the board.
After this, Joe LaLiberte told me that the Emotiva had sent a wrong board to me, it was sent an Analog Board and the correct board would be a D/A Board.
Joe told me that the new board (D/A board) would be send.

This new board was sent, but unfortunately I believe this board was lost.
As you can see in the link below, the last information about it is from November 6th:
tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction!input.action?tLabels=LJ507327757US

I sent some messages to Joe asking about a new board (the third one, unfortunately), but I didn't received any answers for my last messages. I don't know if Joe is sick and not receive my messages.

My ERC-2 is completely stopped, with no utilization after more than two months.
I know that it is an uncomfortable situation, I know that Emotiva will pay for the third sending of a third board.
But, what can I do ? It is an annoying situation, but only Emotiva can solve them.

I'm very disappointed and frustrated with this and I hope a solution as soon as possible.
Yesterday I sent a new e-mail to Emotiva, I hope an answer !

A big hug, from

Andre Motta
www.andremotta.fot.br

[garbulky]

Hi Andre: it's obvious that somethings gone wrong. I would CALL Emotiva to get the ball rolling. Sometimes emails can get completely lost.
Another thing is I believe you were right to use the analog outputs of the ERC-2 as only then will you be using the ERC-2 for what it's really good for - the DAC on it to make the analog sound. Otherwise digital to the UMC-1 uses the UMC-1 DAC instead to make the analog sound and so the ERC-2 is not as worth because you are not using it for what it's meant for - the analog sound from the ERC-2 DAC.

Something I was wondering. This may sound very very obvious but I am double checking. Your RCA cables from the emotiva analog out to the pre-amplifier. Did you use ONE red AND ONE white jack on the emotiva ERC-2 under "analog outputs"? Or were you using the ONE output saying "Coaxial" for your analog output?

[paradigmE]

One thought that someone else mentioned. Does the problem go away if you unplug your new piece of equipment upa-700 (yes, even though thats not part of the now different two systems). The reason I mention this is I have an absurd amount of equipment in one room as part of my home studio. My lovely xpa-200 caused my previosuly ground loop isolated setup(took time to narrow down the probloem childs) to require all sorts of changes again once I plugged in that new device. In my case largely due to rca's running a feed BACK to my studio which was plugged into different circuits. after some shuffling around I have all my ground issues sorted again. In your case, it sounds like your ERC has issues, but if they all went away when the UPA-700 WAS NOT Plugged in it might be an interesting data point to add to this especially after seeing you still had issues after the analog board was replaced. Just a thought.

[amotta]

Hi garbulky and paradigmE !

garbulky, thanks for your help ! I would appreciate if you can call Emotiva to remember the guys about my problem !
My English is very bad and I couldn't sustain a conversation by phone !

About your doubt, yes, I used the correct RCA connections, with a pair of Emotiva cables ! In fact, I tried the RCA outputs of the ERC-2 in a Marantz receiver, in a Yamaha receiver and in the Emotiva UMC-1. There is no doubt: the RCA outputs of my ERC-2 are in trouble !

paradigmE, when I did the connection test with the different receivers mentioned above, I did it in different circuits, in the home of my stepson, in other neighborhood. Again, when I connected the ERC-2 in this receivers using the coaxial cable, the ERC-2 works fine !

Thank you, friends !

[amotta]

No progress, no answers until now.
Someone can help?

[amotta]

Dear friends, after years, I'm back !

Forgive my poor English, I'm Brazilian and Portuguese is my native language.
I live in Rio de Janeiro.
Sometimes I use Google Translator...

Since 2012 I have a ERC-2 with problems.
In October 10th, 2012, my unit was working fine using Coaxial connection, but when I decided to use the RCA connections, they weren't working (see previous posts above).
The guys from Emotiva sent to me a replacement board: the problem remains the same.
They figured out that the board was wrong ! Then, they sent to me another board...
In February 15th, 2013, I received the new board and my ERC-2 came back to life !

BUT...

In April 14th, 2014, my ERC-2 died again...
When I insert a disc , the display shows "loading" during 2 minutes (or more) and the player ejects the disc, with the message "ready" on display . I tried over a hundred different disks , including the disk that came with the ERC - 2 . Nothing works . Definitely , I had no luck with my ERC - 2.

The Emotiva sent to me a CD with some correction, I believe it is a new Firmware, I really don't know.
The CD arrived last week (yes, last week)...
I followed the instructions for the update of my ERC-2.
Everything runs ok, the procedure ends normally, without errors.

But, unfortunately, the problem was not solved.
My ERC-2 continues dead, it doesn't play.

I wrote to Lonnie Vaughn at Emotiva, asking about a solution.
Until now, no answers...




Andre Motta
www.andremotta.fot.br

[amotta]

The problem remains the same...
No answers from Emotiva.