QUESTION ABOUT USP-1 FULL RANGE vs. HP & LP CONNECTIONS

[cgolf]

I hooked up my USP and UMC-200 with the RCAs L&R out from the UMC to the main HT inputs on the USP. I was using the full range outputs from the USP to the amps and had the sub hooked to the LP/sub output. Sounded great with 2 channel.

So I popped in a movie, turned on the UMC, set the USP to HT bypass but didn't get any sound from my fronts. I had to move the front RCAs on the USP to the High Pass outputs to get sound from the front speakers.

Why??

[knucklehead]

I had that very same question when I first set up my USP-1. I guess the short answer is Emotiva (or whomever) designed it that way. You'd think they could have adjusted the circuitry to allow full range with the bass management overlaid on those input/output jacks and shut off when in HT bypass. Notice the XSP-1 does not work like the USP-1. Seems dumb not to allow a full range signal to your mains if you want to use the USP-1 in a hybrid setup. Maybe you could do as someone suggested to me - change the RCA's around depending on which mode you're in.

Thats not what I had in mind when I bought it. Oh well - the HK990 does not have this 'technical glitch'. My ERTs get full range in HT or stereo mode. And at the touch of a remote button!

[cgolf]

Dec 7, 2013 14:42:46 GMT -5 knucklehead said:

I had that very same question when I first set up my USP-1. I guess the short answer is Emotiva (or whomever) designed it that way. You'd think they could have adjusted the circuitry to allow full range with the bass management overlaid on those input/output jacks and shut off when in HT bypass. Notice the XSP-1 does not work like the USP-1. Seems dumb not to allow a full range signal to your mains if you want to use the USP-1 in a hybrid setup. Maybe you could do as someone suggested to me - change the RCA's around depending on which mode you're in.

Thats not what I had in mind when I bought it. Oh well - the HK990 does not have this 'technical glitch'. My ERTs get full range in HT or stereo mode. And at the touch of a remote button!

Yep, does seem sorta dumb to me but maybe there is some explanation or reason, technically speaking. However, if the HK works both ways then there really isn't that technical reason, is there??!!

I just changed them over to the High Pass connections. No big deal except that I can't have it set up the way I want it. Thanks for the input.

[klinemj]

This is one of the design choices that they changed in the XSP-1

Mark

[cgolf]

Dec 7, 2013 19:35:09 GMT -5 klinemj said:

This is one of the design choices that they changed in the XSP-1

Mark

Good to hear except that means I now need to think about swapping the USP for the XSP....

[klinemj]

It is a good swap!

Mark

[roadrunner]

Dec 7, 2013 14:58:28 GMT -5 cgolf said:

Dec 7, 2013 14:42:46 GMT -5 knucklehead said:

I had that very same question when I first set up my USP-1. I guess the short answer is Emotiva (or whomever) designed it that way. You'd think they could have adjusted the circuitry to allow full range with the bass management overlaid on those input/output jacks and shut off when in HT bypass. Notice the XSP-1 does not work like the USP-1. Seems dumb not to allow a full range signal to your mains if you want to use the USP-1 in a hybrid setup. Maybe you could do as someone suggested to me - change the RCA's around depending on which mode you're in.

Thats not what I had in mind when I bought it. Oh well - the HK990 does not have this 'technical glitch'. My ERTs get full range in HT or stereo mode. And at the touch of a remote button!

Yep, does seem sorta dumb to me but maybe there is some explanation or reason, technically speaking. However, if the HK works both ways then there really isn't that technical reason, is there??!!

I just changed them over to the High Pass connections. No big deal except that I can't have it set up the way I want it. Thanks for the input.

This operating anomaly of the USP-1 is not as restrictive as it first appears it will be. This question came up several times shortly after its release by people with full range main speakers who were afraid that there would be a significant performance hit. In reality there is very little noticeable impact. In October 2012 I wrote a post that explains why it does not have much impact and pointed out several Lounge members who had previously posted their fears and then discovered they were not at all noticeable. See copy of my post from last October below.

Oct 16, 2012 at 2:57pm QuoteEditlikePost Options Post by roadrunner on Oct 16, 2012 at 2:57pm
Copperband

Jackfish pretty well covered the bases on the HP/LP filters usage on the USP-1. The only thing I can think to add to his post is that if you will want to use HT ByPass set both filters to 50 Hz (with your OMD-15s) and you will have very good sound reproduction for the full frequency range of music.

Very few music recordings have any content below 40 Hz. Using the USP-1's bass management set at 50 Hz you will be dealing will a slope of 12 dB per octave. This means, even using the filters, that you will have decent response from your OMD-15 down to 25 Hz and your sub woofer will cover everything below 50 Hz. You will be getting bass frequencies played in your mains and your sub woofer from 50 Hz to 25 Hz.

Last year a few Lounge members who bought the USP-1 were concerned about using their full range speakers with the HP filter. After trying the filters as noted above, they posted in the Lounge that to their surprise they were very happy with the bass response and no longer feared using their full range speaskers with the HP/LP filters set at 50 Hz. They all said that using the filters produced performance equal to or better than running Full Range. Try it and see how it works for you.

[cgolf]

RR, just saw your post above. Thanks. Traveling all week for work so I won't be able to play with it until this weekend. I'll give it a try.