Post by daveb on Jan 15, 2009 14:53:37 GMT -5
The following is part one of a two part review of the RSP-2 and UPA-2. I decided to break this review into two parts for reasons I’ll explain below. Part one regards shipping, hookups and first impressions. Part two will provide my listening impressions.
SHIPPING & PACKING
I received my new RSP-2 pre-amp and UPA-2 amplifier on Wednesday, 1/14/09. Both units arrived in three days from date of order and in excellent condition. Standard shipping is via Fedex. The boxes ship Signature Required. Be sure to keep this in mind if you place an order so you can arrange for someone to be home when your new toys arrive.
Emotiva’s packing is excellent. Both items were double boxed and the internal packing holds the equipment firmly in place during shipping. I really appreciate the fact that they are using plastic foam instead of Styrofoam as it tends to hold up much better over the years. Another nice touch is the black cloth bag that the RSP-2 comes wrapped in. It’s an elegant touch. The UPA-2 was packed in a thick plastic bag and although it provides adequate protection from moisture, dust and dirt during shipping, it was a bit of a let down after opening the pre-amp. Since both the cloth and plastic bags will likely spend the rest of their lives in their respective boxes in the attic, this is a pretty minor issue.
DOCUMENTATION
I have been setting up and reconfiguring stereo equipment since I connected up my first system in 1977 so, I don’t generally spend a lot of time reading user manuals. I did however spend a few minutes looking through both that came with my new equipment. They seem to be very thorough with text and illustrations explaining the various controls, connections and connection options. Interestingly, the UPA-2’s manual was a bit better than the one for the RSP-2. First, it’s printed on better paper stock. Second, it has a plastic binding that makes it easier lay flat. The RSP-2’s manual on the other hand, is printed on much thinner paper and is staple bound. It almost appears to be a Kinkos copy. Odder still, the illustration on the front and several others inside appear to be of a prototype that looked more like the RSP-1. Finally, just a brief scan of this manual found several spelling or typo errors. Again, these are minor points that I bring up merely in the interest of providing a full and honest review for potential buyers.
YOU’VE GOT THE LOOK
I’ll admit it I’m a sucker for a pretty face. When I first saw pictures of the RSP-2 on the Emotiva web site, I was immediately interested to learn more about this beauty. With sapphire blue lights against a black aluminum face plate this thing is even more stunning in person than it looks online. As is usually the case, if you fall in love with a beauty, once she moves in and you get a closer look you may find a flaw or two. In looking over my new roomie, that’s exactly what I’ve found, two teeny little issues. Both of these are fairly minor but again, this is my review warts and all.
The large volume control is silky smooth to the touch and the blue indicator makes it easy to see what position the knob is set to. All knobs and buttons have a blue halo around them which not only looks cool but also makes them easy to find in a dimly light room.
However, the knobs to control balance, bass and treble are way too small and a bit stiff to turn. These may free up over time but, considering how little use they get, I doubt it. In addition their detents seem to be slightly off of the 12:00 position. In my unit this is so slight that it doesn’t concern me but a little more and it might. It may also be that because they are so small it’s hard to tell when they are straight. I’d like to suggest that the designers consider a slight redesign; bigger knobs are always a good thing.
My only other nit to pick is with the silver side pieces on the front panel. On the UPA-2 the edges of the machined coves within these pieces are smoothed and the color of the inside the coves themselves match the silver outer surfaces. On the RSP-2, the coves have sharp edges and the coves are white-ish. At first I thought that maybe this was a protective covering left on during the manufacturing process but after more careful inspection, I don’t think this is the case. If you look at picture 6 of 10 of the RSP-2 photos on the web site, you can see what I’m talking about regarding both of these issues.
Those two observations aside, this is a beautiful piece. One, that you will be proud to show your friends. But don’t be surprised if you find one of your buddies trying to get her to come home with him.
THE HOOK-UP
The UPA-2 does not provide balanced inputs so I used the unbalanced inputs to connect it to the RSP-2’s unbalanced outputs. The removable power cords that come with each unit differ slightly in that the one shipped with the UPA-2 is a bit thicker than the one shipped with the RSP-2. I’m not sure if this is because the amp is expected to draw more amperage than the pre-amp or if it’s simply a cost saving measure. I don’t generally obsess over power cords and I suspect that those who do will likely swap these standard black cords out with something that looks more like a garden hose and likely costs as much as the amp.
Since I wanted the amp to power up with the pre-amp, I also connected the RSP-2’s 12 volt trigger output to the trigger input on the amp. I used a cable purchased at my local Radio Shack. This cable is six feet in length and has a mono 1/8 inch connector at each end. A note here, the RSP-2 includes a cable that has a 1/8” connector on one end and bare wires on the other. This is obviously meant to connect to the bigger amps in the Emotiva line that use a plug-in connector for the trigger. Most of the other amplifiers in the Emotiva line use this green plug-in connector but if you plan to use the trigger verify you have the necessary cable or connector. The cost of the cable I bought was $3.99 so, it’s no big deal.
Next, I connected my speaker cables to the five-way binding posts on the UPA-2. These are nice connectors with lots of room to get your fingers around the screw down knobs. I used banana plugs which seated securely in the connectors.
At the same time, I also hooked up my Turntable, CD player, and Tuner to their respective RCA connectors on the back panel of the RSP-2. These connectors are gold plated and very securely mounted.
A word about the Turntable connections for you old school boys out there. The ground connector has a nice big knurled knob however, the screw post is a bit thicker than the spade connector commonly used on most turntables. Because the knob is relatively large, it was no problem to tighten it down on a portion of the spade and get a solid ground connection.
There is a switch on the back of the unit to select between Moving Coil and Moving Magnet cartridge loading. This is yet another nice feature not found in many pre-amps today. Even those costing lots more. Be sure to set this properly for your phono cartridge. Initially, mine was set to the MC setting and I spent several worried minutes the first time I played a record thinking something was terribly wrong.
By the way, I applaud the folks at Emotiva for including a phono pre-amp in this unit. Many of the other pre-amps and integrated amps that I considered were missing this option or charged additional for it. Even if you're not a fan of vinyl. it's nice to know you've got the option.
WE HAVE LIFT-OFF
After all the connections were completed and the power cords were snuggly in their wall outlets, I switched the rear mounted mains power switches to on. The front panel power buttons glowed amber in anticipation of their inaugural mission. I took the remote out of it’s box. For those of you used to the plastic mega button remotes that come with most gear, this one will be a surprise. It’s made of anodized aluminum and quite heavy for it’s size. There are small rubber buttons for Power, Volume Up & Down, Muting, Input Selection, Stereo/Mono, Tape Monitor, External Processor and Source Direct. All of these functions are also selectable from the front panel. The remote comes with the batteries not only included but installed so all that was left was to hit the power on button.
Pressing the power button caused the RSP-2 and UPA-2 to spring to life simultaneously; their amber power buttons changing to a deep blue. The RSP-2’s display briefly displayed its name, EMOTIVA and then, the current input selection which was CD.
This display is big and bright enough to easily be read from across my listening room. There is a three step dimmer on the front panel so you can subdue it if desired. This is, unfortunately, not the case with UPA-2 whose power-on LED is almost twice as bright as that of the RSP-2’s. It is also a slightly different color of blue. With the pieces separated this might not be an issue but in a stacked configuration as I have, it looks as though the amp is getting an extra boost of AC juice. There is a switch on the back of the amp to turn the channel status indicators off but this does not affect the power button. I wish Emotiva had included a dimmer knob on the back to adjust the LED brightness to match other equipment.
LIKE THEY SAY AT THE RACE TRACK, “LOOKS DON'T MEAN NOTHIN', WHAT'LL SHE DO?”
Ok, now we’re down to the nitty gritty, the whole point of this hobby, high fidelity music reproduction. My initial impressions are positive especially considering the price point for both pieces. The pre-amp is dead silent at idle and the amp seems to have lots of reserve power when driven hard. However, my experience has been that all components require a break in period. This can be as few as 20 hours or more than 100. That’s why I decided to make this a two part review. I plan to submit a second review in a week or two to provide my observations and opinions on how this combination sounds once they have “simmered” a bit. I will be more thoroughly testing the pre-amps features and functions and listening at low, moderate and high volume levels through two different sets of speakers. I also plan to do some listening through the headphone output for those of who enjoy listening through cans. In the meantime, I will gladly answer any questions I can for anyone considering either piece of equipment.
See ya soon, I've got some listening to do.
- Dave
SHIPPING & PACKING
I received my new RSP-2 pre-amp and UPA-2 amplifier on Wednesday, 1/14/09. Both units arrived in three days from date of order and in excellent condition. Standard shipping is via Fedex. The boxes ship Signature Required. Be sure to keep this in mind if you place an order so you can arrange for someone to be home when your new toys arrive.
Emotiva’s packing is excellent. Both items were double boxed and the internal packing holds the equipment firmly in place during shipping. I really appreciate the fact that they are using plastic foam instead of Styrofoam as it tends to hold up much better over the years. Another nice touch is the black cloth bag that the RSP-2 comes wrapped in. It’s an elegant touch. The UPA-2 was packed in a thick plastic bag and although it provides adequate protection from moisture, dust and dirt during shipping, it was a bit of a let down after opening the pre-amp. Since both the cloth and plastic bags will likely spend the rest of their lives in their respective boxes in the attic, this is a pretty minor issue.
DOCUMENTATION
I have been setting up and reconfiguring stereo equipment since I connected up my first system in 1977 so, I don’t generally spend a lot of time reading user manuals. I did however spend a few minutes looking through both that came with my new equipment. They seem to be very thorough with text and illustrations explaining the various controls, connections and connection options. Interestingly, the UPA-2’s manual was a bit better than the one for the RSP-2. First, it’s printed on better paper stock. Second, it has a plastic binding that makes it easier lay flat. The RSP-2’s manual on the other hand, is printed on much thinner paper and is staple bound. It almost appears to be a Kinkos copy. Odder still, the illustration on the front and several others inside appear to be of a prototype that looked more like the RSP-1. Finally, just a brief scan of this manual found several spelling or typo errors. Again, these are minor points that I bring up merely in the interest of providing a full and honest review for potential buyers.
YOU’VE GOT THE LOOK
I’ll admit it I’m a sucker for a pretty face. When I first saw pictures of the RSP-2 on the Emotiva web site, I was immediately interested to learn more about this beauty. With sapphire blue lights against a black aluminum face plate this thing is even more stunning in person than it looks online. As is usually the case, if you fall in love with a beauty, once she moves in and you get a closer look you may find a flaw or two. In looking over my new roomie, that’s exactly what I’ve found, two teeny little issues. Both of these are fairly minor but again, this is my review warts and all.
The large volume control is silky smooth to the touch and the blue indicator makes it easy to see what position the knob is set to. All knobs and buttons have a blue halo around them which not only looks cool but also makes them easy to find in a dimly light room.
However, the knobs to control balance, bass and treble are way too small and a bit stiff to turn. These may free up over time but, considering how little use they get, I doubt it. In addition their detents seem to be slightly off of the 12:00 position. In my unit this is so slight that it doesn’t concern me but a little more and it might. It may also be that because they are so small it’s hard to tell when they are straight. I’d like to suggest that the designers consider a slight redesign; bigger knobs are always a good thing.
My only other nit to pick is with the silver side pieces on the front panel. On the UPA-2 the edges of the machined coves within these pieces are smoothed and the color of the inside the coves themselves match the silver outer surfaces. On the RSP-2, the coves have sharp edges and the coves are white-ish. At first I thought that maybe this was a protective covering left on during the manufacturing process but after more careful inspection, I don’t think this is the case. If you look at picture 6 of 10 of the RSP-2 photos on the web site, you can see what I’m talking about regarding both of these issues.
Those two observations aside, this is a beautiful piece. One, that you will be proud to show your friends. But don’t be surprised if you find one of your buddies trying to get her to come home with him.
THE HOOK-UP
The UPA-2 does not provide balanced inputs so I used the unbalanced inputs to connect it to the RSP-2’s unbalanced outputs. The removable power cords that come with each unit differ slightly in that the one shipped with the UPA-2 is a bit thicker than the one shipped with the RSP-2. I’m not sure if this is because the amp is expected to draw more amperage than the pre-amp or if it’s simply a cost saving measure. I don’t generally obsess over power cords and I suspect that those who do will likely swap these standard black cords out with something that looks more like a garden hose and likely costs as much as the amp.
Since I wanted the amp to power up with the pre-amp, I also connected the RSP-2’s 12 volt trigger output to the trigger input on the amp. I used a cable purchased at my local Radio Shack. This cable is six feet in length and has a mono 1/8 inch connector at each end. A note here, the RSP-2 includes a cable that has a 1/8” connector on one end and bare wires on the other. This is obviously meant to connect to the bigger amps in the Emotiva line that use a plug-in connector for the trigger. Most of the other amplifiers in the Emotiva line use this green plug-in connector but if you plan to use the trigger verify you have the necessary cable or connector. The cost of the cable I bought was $3.99 so, it’s no big deal.
Next, I connected my speaker cables to the five-way binding posts on the UPA-2. These are nice connectors with lots of room to get your fingers around the screw down knobs. I used banana plugs which seated securely in the connectors.
At the same time, I also hooked up my Turntable, CD player, and Tuner to their respective RCA connectors on the back panel of the RSP-2. These connectors are gold plated and very securely mounted.
A word about the Turntable connections for you old school boys out there. The ground connector has a nice big knurled knob however, the screw post is a bit thicker than the spade connector commonly used on most turntables. Because the knob is relatively large, it was no problem to tighten it down on a portion of the spade and get a solid ground connection.
There is a switch on the back of the unit to select between Moving Coil and Moving Magnet cartridge loading. This is yet another nice feature not found in many pre-amps today. Even those costing lots more. Be sure to set this properly for your phono cartridge. Initially, mine was set to the MC setting and I spent several worried minutes the first time I played a record thinking something was terribly wrong.
By the way, I applaud the folks at Emotiva for including a phono pre-amp in this unit. Many of the other pre-amps and integrated amps that I considered were missing this option or charged additional for it. Even if you're not a fan of vinyl. it's nice to know you've got the option.
WE HAVE LIFT-OFF
After all the connections were completed and the power cords were snuggly in their wall outlets, I switched the rear mounted mains power switches to on. The front panel power buttons glowed amber in anticipation of their inaugural mission. I took the remote out of it’s box. For those of you used to the plastic mega button remotes that come with most gear, this one will be a surprise. It’s made of anodized aluminum and quite heavy for it’s size. There are small rubber buttons for Power, Volume Up & Down, Muting, Input Selection, Stereo/Mono, Tape Monitor, External Processor and Source Direct. All of these functions are also selectable from the front panel. The remote comes with the batteries not only included but installed so all that was left was to hit the power on button.
Pressing the power button caused the RSP-2 and UPA-2 to spring to life simultaneously; their amber power buttons changing to a deep blue. The RSP-2’s display briefly displayed its name, EMOTIVA and then, the current input selection which was CD.
This display is big and bright enough to easily be read from across my listening room. There is a three step dimmer on the front panel so you can subdue it if desired. This is, unfortunately, not the case with UPA-2 whose power-on LED is almost twice as bright as that of the RSP-2’s. It is also a slightly different color of blue. With the pieces separated this might not be an issue but in a stacked configuration as I have, it looks as though the amp is getting an extra boost of AC juice. There is a switch on the back of the amp to turn the channel status indicators off but this does not affect the power button. I wish Emotiva had included a dimmer knob on the back to adjust the LED brightness to match other equipment.
LIKE THEY SAY AT THE RACE TRACK, “LOOKS DON'T MEAN NOTHIN', WHAT'LL SHE DO?”
Ok, now we’re down to the nitty gritty, the whole point of this hobby, high fidelity music reproduction. My initial impressions are positive especially considering the price point for both pieces. The pre-amp is dead silent at idle and the amp seems to have lots of reserve power when driven hard. However, my experience has been that all components require a break in period. This can be as few as 20 hours or more than 100. That’s why I decided to make this a two part review. I plan to submit a second review in a week or two to provide my observations and opinions on how this combination sounds once they have “simmered” a bit. I will be more thoroughly testing the pre-amps features and functions and listening at low, moderate and high volume levels through two different sets of speakers. I also plan to do some listening through the headphone output for those of who enjoy listening through cans. In the meantime, I will gladly answer any questions I can for anyone considering either piece of equipment.
See ya soon, I've got some listening to do.
- Dave
I know it's the cheap way out, but right now I'm using (2) Rotel's 60W each. The B & W's sound best with bi-amping.
