UMC-200 "popping" ... Normal?

[poop91407]

Hello,

I just set up my UMC-200 and the sound is really good.. That is the good news.

The bad news comes in two parts:
1. There is a "pop" through my speakers when I do just about anything other than just watching.  When I change any channel, fast forward through a movie and stop, switch music while streaming.. Etc.  It is very annoying to me.

My equipment is: (if it matters?)
Cable: Comcast
Amp: Rotel rmb-1077
Sub: Velodyne Minivee
TV & DVD: Samsung
Speakers: Ascend Acoustics

2.  I tried to run the EMO-Q yesterday with no success.  The readings were extremely different each time... Sometimes it would not even read my front L/R?? I never got past the "distance" point.  

Coming from an Onkyo avr, I never had a popping noise, an issue with room correction, or great sound either

This is my first separates set up... Am I expecting too much? Faulty 200? Set up issue?

Or do all processors "pop"?  If not, which have you been successful with?

Thanks for any input...

[poop91407]

It is even "popping" when commercials change

[sahmen]

One thing's for sure: Processors are not supposed to "pop" and annoy their buyers, so something's definitely not working right here... Have you called Emo tech support yet to report the problem?

[poop91407]

Not yet.. I just set it up Friday and I will call tomorrow during their business hours.

I was searching more threads that have similar topics without a successful resolution. I will post what they tell me tomorrow.

Thanks

[poop91407]

I emailed the tech support and they responded by telling me to use an optical cable from the cable box and to ground the amp to the umc-200.

I have the optics set (didn't change the issues alone) , but I am clueless how to ground the amp?

Does anyone have insight on how to do this?

Thank you very much.

[stiehl11]

^^^So it's still popping when the signal changes from the cable box? Amplifiers only amplify what they're sent (or they should, anyways). I'd call or email them again and ask how to ground an amp to the processor; do they mean use a common ground or literally running a wire from the chassis of the amp to the chassis of the processor? Does any other source you have do this? Is this the only source that uses HDMI? Quite honestly, I would ask for a replacement unit if "grounding the amp to the processor" is your only available option.

[poop91407]

Yes.. It still pops when I use the cable box to change channels and the dvr.

It also still pops through the Bluetooth and the blue ray.

By chance do you own the umc-200?

[stiehl11]

I do not as I only have the UMC-1. If the popping was only coming from the cable box then I'd say that the cable company or the cable box were creating the pops with their poorly inserted commercials they do over the actual broadcast signal and/or their poor integration of the differing audio signals as processed through their box. I complained constantly to Comcast about it. A recent (relatively) firmware update for the UMC-1 helped with this when it addressed some lingering HDMI locking issues that platform had. The UMC-200 should have this implemented from the start. Getting rid of Comcast completely eliminated the issue for me. I've never had the popping noise on any other source other than the cable box. I also know a couple of people that have a UMC-200 and they have no popping issues (that I've heard or they've told me about).

This, to me, sounds like a DSP issue within the unit. If your cable box has the connections for it, try running an analog connection from it to the UMC-200 and run it in "Direct" mode (no processing of the signal). If there's no popping then something that you can try if you're game is to reload the firmware of the unit (see Emotiva's product page for details). This may help as there may have been a faulty load at the factory with your unit. It could also be a hardware issue with the DSP. If it's a bad firmware load, re-flashing the unit may help. If it's bad hardware you will need to return it to them.

[poop91407]

Alright... After a few emails and a phone call from Damon, he chalked it up to a Comcast cable box issue? He claims that they are made cheaply and that is the reason... Not sure if I buy that, but that is what I am going with.

For what it is worth, Damon was knowledgable and polite, but I have to try other processors to see if Comcast is the real issue. I'm sending it back.

My big question is ... With the same cable box, why would my previous Onkyo tx nr-609 not have this popping issue??

[stiehl11]

Four letters; H D M I. I had Comcast and I went through 3 cable boxes to find one that was sending out a (mostly) uninterrupted signal. They are pretty junky and made on the cheap. But, being that it's doing it when you're not using the Comcast box, with other sources like your Blu-Ray player, I'm thinking it's not just the cable box; if that at all. Did you try the firmware reflash?

Let us know what you find out.

[poop91407]

I downloaded the proper downloads and I can not extract the zip files? I tried and tried...
I'm running Windows 7 Professional. I right click and it is making me use WinZip which I don't have... I even went as far as downloading 7-zip and I still can't.


Any suggestions?

Thanks

[saarg]

The passwords for the files are in the instruction PDF. The firmware file is not password protected. I used 7-zip here and had no problems, so if you have problems extracting the archives you have either a bad download or a faulty 7-zip.

[bootman]

So the pops do happen when you watch a bluray and say change menus, use extras, etc.
The old AVR was HDMI connected also?

[poop91407]

Alright.. the kids were in bed and I had a chance to get back to the smaller issues in life

I reinstalled the firmware and the issue still exists. (This was really easy)


To answer bootmans question... No, it doesn't pop while doing bluray functions, ie FF, Menu, etc.
I see it basically with anything cable realted and Bluetooth related.. anytime I press any button, there is a pop after the "function" is done. After I switch a channel, pop. After I FF the dvr, pop. After I switch a song on Pandora or MOG, pop. You get the picture.

I would assume the cable issue is a cable box thing, but the Bluetooth too??

I'm lost.

[bootman]

You can minimize the cable box pops by running the box in 2ch stereo vs Dolby.
(easiest way is to use the stereo out of the cable box for your audio input while still using hdmi for your video.)

But since Bluetooth is also doing it I would give them a call.
You will most likely need service anyway.

One last thing you can try (and it is going to sound crazy) is to swap out the HDMI cable to the display with say the one from the bluray player and recheck.
Since HDMI is a chain anything in the chain can cause you issues.

Good luck.

[poop91407]

I tried to swap hdmi cables with extras I have with no differences.

I called customer service for a rma and sent back the unit today. I ordered the Outlaw 975 and will report back on if I have similar issues or not.

Thank you very much for all your input!

[bootman]

Please let us know how the outlaw works out.
nice unit.

[poop91407]

Ok.... Finally had a chance to set up the Outlaw 975.

No popping at all. Period.

Pros:
Sound. More natural and less fatiguing to me.
Wider soundstage - center melds into the entire front - not like it's coming from a speaker
Nice universal remote.

Cons:
No true pass through feature. The outlaw must be on to basically watch anything. There is a way to just have the tv speakers on, but the 975 has to be on.
I kind of liked the "brightness" of the umc-200 in movies sometimes.... More "edgy" to me

Anyways, if the Outlaw had a true pass through, my hunt would be over for now.

My delema in the quest for a processor is $ and its size.
I want something in the 1k range that is no taller than 5" that sounds great (of course) and has a true pass through. This is my main tv watching area and sometimes the wife just doesn't want surround.

Anyways, thanks for all the responses, it has been much appreciated!

Mike