XMC-1 : Feature Suggestions

[se7en1]

Jul 26, 2014 11:39:21 GMT -5 bootman said:

What other gear do you have that can also do this hooked up to the avr?
I guess that is my point.

It is a feature that is usually already present in another component in your system.
But I will agree it would not be a bad thing if it had it, but I don't agree with the notion that is is an essential feature.
Fair enough?

I guess I don't consider it an essential feature, just a basic one. When a $500 "big box" receiver manufacturer includes such a feature, and after using such a feature myself I guess I would like to see it in the XMC. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Emo for not including such a feature, but man it sure would be nice. My BDT500 can send USB audio via HDMI or 2 ch analog outs, very nicely I might add, but why fire up another machine when I can play it right from the receiver/processor?

[bootman]

Jul 26, 2014 12:10:26 GMT -5 se7en1 said:

Jul 26, 2014 11:39:21 GMT -5 bootman said:

What other gear do you have that can also do this hooked up to the avr?
I guess that is my point.

It is a feature that is usually already present in another component in your system.
But I will agree it would not be a bad thing if it had it, but I don't agree with the notion that is is an essential feature.
Fair enough?

I guess I don't consider it an essential feature, just a basic one. When a $500 "big box" receiver manufacturer includes such a feature, and after using such a feature myself I guess I would like to see it in the XMC. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Emo for not including such a feature, but man it sure would be nice. My BDT500 can send USB audio via HDMI or 2 ch analog outs, very nicely I might add, but why fire up another machine when I can play it right from the receiver/processor?

I see it the other way, if something is on a $500 disposable (yes because they get sold as soon as the "next big thing" comes out) then I will take it as just a fluff feature that really has little to do with making better sound.

Think about the type of customer thinking about a piece like a XMC.
I think they have graduated from the bedroom type systems that have everything crammed into one box.
It does a lot but none of them really well.

Also this customer has a pretty good bluray player like say an Oppo, that already plays music files off a usb pretty damn well.

I like to keep the fluff where it belongs.
On the piece of gear that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to replace every six months when the next new feature comes out.

It is good to have choices, no?

[se7en1]

Jul 26, 2014 12:18:55 GMT -5 bootman said:

I see it the other way, if something is on a $500 disposable (yes because they get sold as soon as the "next big thing" comes out) then I will take it as just a fluff feature that really has little to do with making better sound.

Think about the type of customer thinking about a piece like a XMC.
I think they have graduated from the bedroom type systems that have everything crammed into one box.
It does a lot but none of them really well.

Also this customer has a pretty good bluray player like say an Oppo, that already plays music files off a usb pretty damn well.

I like to keep the fluff where it belongs.
On the piece of gear that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to replace every six months when the next new feature comes out.

It is good to have choices, no?

So when it's included on more expensive processors than the XMC, is that fluff too? It's a great thing to have in any price range as far as I'm concerned, having another path to the XMC's DAC just adds to the units flexibility.

[sct]

And by including it in the XMC-1 there is one less piece of equipment to fire up. I cannot believe this is even being discussed, *obviously* the XMC-1 should have this capability - USB is simply another standard input nowadays....

SCT

[cwt]

Jul 26, 2014 12:31:06 GMT -5 se7en1 said:

So when it's included on more expensive processors than the XMC, is that fluff too? It's a great thing to have in any price range as far as I'm concerned, having another path to the XMC's DAC just adds to the units flexibility.

Yes . Look at it this way se7en ;you buy an xmc1 to get the best out of your sources and usb-a does not cut it compared to the xmc1's usb-b .The c media processor is asynchronous which means less jitter than usb-a adaptive mode . Posted this elsewhere -

thewelltemperedcomputer.com/Intro/SQ/USB_SPDIF.htm

From what Keithl has said I think it's a good bet that dnla from a NAS may eventuate ; thumbdrives are likely too my pt7030 [ early xmc1 ] does what you want ..

[bootman]

Jul 26, 2014 12:37:31 GMT -5 sct said:

And by including it in the XMC-1 there is one less piece of equipment to fire up. I cannot believe this is even being discussed, *obviously* the XMC-1 should have this capability - USB is simply another standard input nowadays....

SCT

Lets say it did have this feature (and it appears it is in the future so that part is a moot point) and you also had an OPPO.
What would use use for playing music?

That is all I'm saying.

I personally would not use my preamp this way.
I would use my dedicated player.
It could be on a disk, it could be in the network, it could be on a thumb drive.
But I would use the player every time.

And if over time a new format comes along that my player no longer supports, I can just get a new player but still keep the preamp.

Call me old fashioned.

[bootman]

Jul 26, 2014 12:37:31 GMT -5 sct said:

And by including it in the XMC-1 there is one less piece of equipment to fire up. I cannot believe this is even being discussed, *obviously* the XMC-1 should have this capability - USB is simply another standard input nowadays....

SCT

I agree with USB being a standard input.
I don't agree that it should also serve as the player.
The way it is implemented now (shows up as a windows sound device) is perfect.
Your HTPC is now a source component.

[jimbailey]

Re: OP: How about a default volume level for zone-2 when powered up other than what the main zone is set at? (Or if it's there, I couldn't find it in setup.)

[hifiaudio2]

Jul 26, 2014 14:28:08 GMT -5 bootman said:

Jul 26, 2014 12:37:31 GMT -5 sct said:

And by including it in the XMC-1 there is one less piece of equipment to fire up. I cannot believe this is even being discussed, *obviously* the XMC-1 should have this capability - USB is simply another standard input nowadays....

SCT

Lets say it did have this feature (and it appears it is in the future so that part is a moot point) and you also had an OPPO.
What would use use for playing music?

That is all I'm saying.

I personally would not use my preamp this way.
I would use my dedicated player.
It could be on a disk, it could be in the network, it could be on a thumb drive.
But I would use the player every time.

And if over time a new format comes along that my player no longer supports, I can just get a new player but still keep the preamp.

Call me old fashioned.

I have an Oppo 93, but due to not wanting to lose .iso capability I can't update to a firmware that let's me use their app. But I wouldn't want to anyway. Why would I WANT to have another device between the file and the pre/pro? It's not like adding the feature takes something else away like, say, adding an up scaling feature to the video side could complicate things or lead to other issues in the video chain. If you don't use the capability to stream music from a Nas or from a USB stick it's literally like the feature is not there.

[AudioHTIT]

Jul 26, 2014 15:52:10 GMT -5 jimbailey said:

Re: OP: How about a default volume level for zone-2 when powered up other than what the main zone is set at? (Or if it's there, I couldn't find it in setup.)

Great idea. On that tact (since you're obviously playing with the zones), can the Zones be set to be always on? With the UMC-1 and 200 you couldn't set Zone 2 to come on with the unit, and it had to be manually turned on every time. Also can the Zone 1 output be set to track the main volume? (Like the 'mix output' on the UMC-1). I should have asked this in the beta test thread but your post reminded me.

Edit: Oops, I realize you're saying it's already doing my second question (that's just Zone 1 right?).

[richardrc]

I would like to see a password lock to stop little fingers (or bigger ones) from powering up the unit but still allowing audio passthrough functionality.

[geebo]

The turn on volume settings are all too loud. Instead of -10, -20 and -30, how about -20, -30 and -40. Or even better let us make our own.

[bootman]

Jul 26, 2014 16:00:47 GMT -5 hifiaudio2 said:

I have an Oppo 93, but due to not wanting to lose .iso capability I can't update to a firmware that let's me use their app. But I wouldn't want to anyway. Why would I WANT to have another device between the file and the pre/pro? It's not like adding the feature takes something else away like, say, adding an up scaling feature to the video side could complicate things or lead to other issues in the video chain. If you don't use the capability to stream music from a Nas or from a USB stick it's literally like the feature is not there.

Very specific case but from your sig I see that you already have an alternate solution in the Dune player.
This feature is very common in modern sources, as it should be.

Since it was reported that this was on the list as a future feature in a firmware release, I think we ran this as far as it goes.

[sct]

>> Lets say it did have this feature (and it appears it is in the future so that part is a moot point) and you also had an OPPO.
What would use use for playing music? <<

I would jack a USB drive into the Oppo and another into the XMC-1. I have 4 or 5 multi-GB drives holding a ton of music. Any way I can hook them up is a-okay with me...

SCT

[wizardofoz]

Is there a sleep mode? that would be handy...not wanting a wakeup but a sleep timer would be good

I wonder if any of the remote buttons can be assigned to a tuner preset.

Also would be nice if any of the source select buttons could turn on and select the input rather than just only one on option.

[AudioHTIT]

Jul 27, 2014 10:06:34 GMT -5 wizardofoz said:

Is there a sleep mode? that would be handy...not wanting a wakeup but a sleep timer would be good

I wonder if any of the remote buttons can be assigned to a tuner preset.

Also would be nice if any of the source select buttons could turn on and select the input rather than just only one on option.

Maybe they could add functions like this through the IP based apps. At appropriate times the smartphone/tablet would send a WOL or SOL type command, you could build more options and sophistication into an app - like a Harmony macro. (ha, he said SOL )

[Dark Ranger]

Jul 27, 2014 7:48:34 GMT -5 geebo said:

The turn on volume settings are all too loud. Instead of -10, -20 and -30, how about -20, -30 and -40. Or even better let us make out own.

So there's no option for Last Used like the UMC-1? I usually set my UMC-1 at 20.0 before shutting it down.

[geebo]

Yes, there is a last used but I often turn it off at a louder volume than I would like it to come on at. a -40 setting would be perfect.

[webmst007]

Front inputs. Once installed rear access is a pain for some. The xmc1 only has 1usb on the front and re-doing the whole face plate is not viable. So...how about a small breakout input box -could sit in a rack or just above the unit for front set of inputs. Might be useful for casual gear or test equipement, mates stuff etc etc. Couple of different inputs incl. Hdmi audios etc

[cwt]

Jul 27, 2014 9:10:46 GMT -5 sct said:

I would jack a USB drive into the Oppo and another into the XMC-1. I have 4 or 5 multi-GB drives holding a ton of music. Any way I can hook them up is a-okay with me...
SCT

That's a nice thing about oppo's sct you can hook up 2 usb drives with the front and rear usb's . Versatile enough until any upgrade for the xmc1 eventuates :)I found the 95 ran my NAS and a 2tb hdd and switching between them was simple - iso firmware meant the hdd had all my 3d iso's separate ..