XMC-1 not excessively technical review
Apr 13, 2015 15:35:03 GMT -5
villock, DYohn, and 8 more like this
Post by monkumonku on Apr 13, 2015 15:35:03 GMT -5
Let me just say right off the bat that I am glad I decided to purchase the XMC-1. For me it's a solid and worthwhile piece of gear. That's the short review. Here are some more thoughts:
The XMC-1 arrived with version 2.0 of the firmware installed. Downloading and installing 3.0 was ridiculously easy, even not comparing it to the nightmare of how the UMC-1 firmware was updated.
As I installed the batteries on the remote, I wondered why would Emo make what ought to be such a simple process so difficult? Like having to remove 4 allen screws. And then when I did that and removed the cover on the bottom end, I couldn't see how those batteries would fit in that compartment. Then I figured I ought to read the instructions which told me that the process was indeed easy because accessing the real compartment was a simple matter of prying off the back panel cover that was kept in place by magnets. Oh.
Running through the setup for the XMC-1 was straightforward and easy, in conjunction with this time reading the instruction manual. By the way, kudos to whoever wrote it because they did an excellent job. Miles above the manual that came with the UMC-1, and good in its own right.
I had also purchased the full version of Dirac, whose access code was e-mailed to me the same day I purchased it. Registering, downloading and installing Dirac was a smooth process. My PC, and later my wife's PC, had no trouble recognizing the XMC-1 on the network. I used an Ethernet cable to connect the XMC-1.
The Emo mic did not work on my PC although Windows recognized the cable and the device and installed the software. Dirac would not detect any input. I thought I had a defective mic and so I called Emo to get an RMA. Then I tried it on my wife's PC since hers is newer. And it worked! I had to call Emo back to cancel the RMA. Although both PC's have Windows 7 Home Premium, mine is a 32 bit version while my wife's is 64 bit. I guess that is what made the difference? I noticed that her installation shows the tab for overriding AGC whereas mine didn't. Also, the installed drivers were dated 2013 on hers whereas Windows installed a 2010 version on mine. So just in case any of you are in the same boat as far as versions of Windows, I wanted to give you a heads up. As for my laptop, I didn't even want to attempt it since it runs XP and also runs like a snail.
For reasons that are too long to go into here but no fault of Emo (such as a bad extender cable and other things) I ended up using the microphone that came with my Parts Express Omni Mic package to do the Dirac reading instead of the Emo mic. Let's just say trying to get the mics to work was a comedy of errors that involved a needless trip to Radio Shack, among other things.
Dirac took the room measurements using the Omni Mic. The process was straightforward. I used a relatively narrow range of mic placements, positioning each one relative to how it was shown on the software diagram but more closely spaced rather than apart from each other. It did its calculations then loaded the target into the XMC-1.
My first impression was that the sound was significantly brighter using the Dirac preset. The volumes were about the same between the Dirac and preset 1 settings so it was easy to switch back and forth to compare the two. With Dirac, cymbals stood out much more, brass had more bite, and vocals - well, actually everything - had a more up-front right in the room character. Preset 1 was more subdued or rounded off on the top end and also had a slight nasal character in the midrange by comparison. Bass was more prominent with the preset than Dirac but I did not feel that it was overly thin.
I modified the target curve by boosting it 6 db over what Dirac had set it for at 20 hz, allowing it to slope down to 100 hz, in effect creating a house curve. I left the rest of the curve like Dirac had set it. After reprocessing it and installing it in the XMC-1, I could hear the added bass and preferred this over the flatter curve that Dirac originally set.
I listened to a good variety of songs on the weekend, ones that I normally use when evaluating audio gear and have to say that Dirac really made a significant, positive difference - it's like having new speakers, actually. That right there easily justified my purchase.
That said, I had originally hesitated on making my purchase. I was on the preorder list and when I was notified that the XMC-1 was available, I ordered one and sent in my 40% upgrade card but then called and canceled it before they had shipped it. I was happy with my 7030 and decided I didn't need the XMC-1. Dan's recent announcement about the price increase, however, changed my mind because I figured the current price of the XMC-1 was as much as I wanted to spend on any processor so it was either buy it now and take advantage of the 40% discount or just hold the card to sell later on. I decided to make use of the card instead. So is the XMC-1 worth the upgrade from the 7030? Yes it is, for me anyway. I actually paid about the same price for the 7030 back in 2013 as I did for the the XMC-1, buying it right in the middle of the ongoing price reductions.
Also, I was very satisfied with my speakers, too, with no inclination to replace them. I liked how they sounded. But I like how they sound even more with the Dirac preset; as I said above it's like having new speakers! So how could I be so satisfied before if I am now saying Dirac made a significant improvement? All I can say is you can't know what you don't know. There wasn't anything that I was unhappy with before so I was satisfied but Dirac gave me something I liked better. Now there's probably some speaker or setting on Dirac or both that I would like even better than that but then it just never ends. Before Dirac and after Dirac I still enjoyed the sound and the music but it's just that much more enjoyable now. The sound is more up front but not at all harsh or shrill.
I thought I'd make note of the differences I see between the 7030 and the XMC-1 for those who might be on the fence about making a change:
Advantages of the 7030:
- All the blue lights match.
- The front panel/faceplate looks better (at least I think it does) than the XMC-1.
- It has legacy inputs whereas the XMC-1 doesn't.
Advantages of the XMC-1:
- Much better OSD, even if the blue doesn't match the blue led's or power button.
- Much nicer, blunt instrument weapon-grade remote.
- Better instruction manual.
- More flexible PEQ; number of bands may be the same, but the 7030 limits the frequency range in which you can use each grouping.
- Dual subs on both but the 7030 are dual mono outputs whereas the XMC-1 has stereo outputs.
- Better, more comprehensive and flexible setup menu.
- XMC-1 has a tuner, if that's something you still use.
- The XMC-1 locks onto a signal faster. The 7030 is a lot better/faster than the UMC-1 was, but I still noticed a slight delay when locking onto the signal for a CD or my Sonos box. The XMC-1 has no delay and thus I hear the beginning of the track that the 7030 would sometimes cut off; audio on movies also locks on faster whereas the 7030 had a slight delay. I ended up using a Schiit Bifrost DAC for 2-channel recordings because of this. Now it is no longer necessary. I don't notice any difference in audio quality between using the Bifrost versus the XMC-1's internal DAC's either.
- The XMC-1 has Dirac and that's a huge advantage.
Advantages of the UMC-1
- Lower price than the XMC-1 or 7030. 2RU rack space needed. That's about it.
How does the XMC-1 sound compared to the 7030 or UMC-1? I don't remember how the UMC-1 sounded but I was happy with it. I'm only going by memory but it doesn't seem to me that there is any significant or noticeable difference between the 7030 and XMC-1 (in non-Dirac mode). They both sound good, as in both sound neutral and detailed. Sound quality, if not using Dirac, is not a reason to switch.
Overall, it was well worth it for me to finally make this upgrade to the XMC-1. Emo really listened and put out a superb, solid product. I don't have a bunch of fancy gear processed by it - there's my ERC-2, Sonos box, Oppo BDP and Amazon Fire - but what it does process, it does exactly what it is supposed to do and does it very well.
My poor 7030 is now back in its box in the garage. But I'm keeping it because it is worth more than whatever I could get for it on the market now. Just in case I need a back up, it will be there.
The XMC-1 arrived with version 2.0 of the firmware installed. Downloading and installing 3.0 was ridiculously easy, even not comparing it to the nightmare of how the UMC-1 firmware was updated.
As I installed the batteries on the remote, I wondered why would Emo make what ought to be such a simple process so difficult? Like having to remove 4 allen screws. And then when I did that and removed the cover on the bottom end, I couldn't see how those batteries would fit in that compartment. Then I figured I ought to read the instructions which told me that the process was indeed easy because accessing the real compartment was a simple matter of prying off the back panel cover that was kept in place by magnets. Oh.
Running through the setup for the XMC-1 was straightforward and easy, in conjunction with this time reading the instruction manual. By the way, kudos to whoever wrote it because they did an excellent job. Miles above the manual that came with the UMC-1, and good in its own right.
I had also purchased the full version of Dirac, whose access code was e-mailed to me the same day I purchased it. Registering, downloading and installing Dirac was a smooth process. My PC, and later my wife's PC, had no trouble recognizing the XMC-1 on the network. I used an Ethernet cable to connect the XMC-1.
The Emo mic did not work on my PC although Windows recognized the cable and the device and installed the software. Dirac would not detect any input. I thought I had a defective mic and so I called Emo to get an RMA. Then I tried it on my wife's PC since hers is newer. And it worked! I had to call Emo back to cancel the RMA. Although both PC's have Windows 7 Home Premium, mine is a 32 bit version while my wife's is 64 bit. I guess that is what made the difference? I noticed that her installation shows the tab for overriding AGC whereas mine didn't. Also, the installed drivers were dated 2013 on hers whereas Windows installed a 2010 version on mine. So just in case any of you are in the same boat as far as versions of Windows, I wanted to give you a heads up. As for my laptop, I didn't even want to attempt it since it runs XP and also runs like a snail.
For reasons that are too long to go into here but no fault of Emo (such as a bad extender cable and other things) I ended up using the microphone that came with my Parts Express Omni Mic package to do the Dirac reading instead of the Emo mic. Let's just say trying to get the mics to work was a comedy of errors that involved a needless trip to Radio Shack, among other things.
Dirac took the room measurements using the Omni Mic. The process was straightforward. I used a relatively narrow range of mic placements, positioning each one relative to how it was shown on the software diagram but more closely spaced rather than apart from each other. It did its calculations then loaded the target into the XMC-1.
My first impression was that the sound was significantly brighter using the Dirac preset. The volumes were about the same between the Dirac and preset 1 settings so it was easy to switch back and forth to compare the two. With Dirac, cymbals stood out much more, brass had more bite, and vocals - well, actually everything - had a more up-front right in the room character. Preset 1 was more subdued or rounded off on the top end and also had a slight nasal character in the midrange by comparison. Bass was more prominent with the preset than Dirac but I did not feel that it was overly thin.
I modified the target curve by boosting it 6 db over what Dirac had set it for at 20 hz, allowing it to slope down to 100 hz, in effect creating a house curve. I left the rest of the curve like Dirac had set it. After reprocessing it and installing it in the XMC-1, I could hear the added bass and preferred this over the flatter curve that Dirac originally set.
I listened to a good variety of songs on the weekend, ones that I normally use when evaluating audio gear and have to say that Dirac really made a significant, positive difference - it's like having new speakers, actually. That right there easily justified my purchase.
That said, I had originally hesitated on making my purchase. I was on the preorder list and when I was notified that the XMC-1 was available, I ordered one and sent in my 40% upgrade card but then called and canceled it before they had shipped it. I was happy with my 7030 and decided I didn't need the XMC-1. Dan's recent announcement about the price increase, however, changed my mind because I figured the current price of the XMC-1 was as much as I wanted to spend on any processor so it was either buy it now and take advantage of the 40% discount or just hold the card to sell later on. I decided to make use of the card instead. So is the XMC-1 worth the upgrade from the 7030? Yes it is, for me anyway. I actually paid about the same price for the 7030 back in 2013 as I did for the the XMC-1, buying it right in the middle of the ongoing price reductions.
Also, I was very satisfied with my speakers, too, with no inclination to replace them. I liked how they sounded. But I like how they sound even more with the Dirac preset; as I said above it's like having new speakers! So how could I be so satisfied before if I am now saying Dirac made a significant improvement? All I can say is you can't know what you don't know. There wasn't anything that I was unhappy with before so I was satisfied but Dirac gave me something I liked better. Now there's probably some speaker or setting on Dirac or both that I would like even better than that but then it just never ends. Before Dirac and after Dirac I still enjoyed the sound and the music but it's just that much more enjoyable now. The sound is more up front but not at all harsh or shrill.
I thought I'd make note of the differences I see between the 7030 and the XMC-1 for those who might be on the fence about making a change:
Advantages of the 7030:
- All the blue lights match.
- The front panel/faceplate looks better (at least I think it does) than the XMC-1.
- It has legacy inputs whereas the XMC-1 doesn't.
Advantages of the XMC-1:
- Much better OSD, even if the blue doesn't match the blue led's or power button.
- Much nicer, blunt instrument weapon-grade remote.
- Better instruction manual.
- More flexible PEQ; number of bands may be the same, but the 7030 limits the frequency range in which you can use each grouping.
- Dual subs on both but the 7030 are dual mono outputs whereas the XMC-1 has stereo outputs.
- Better, more comprehensive and flexible setup menu.
- XMC-1 has a tuner, if that's something you still use.
- The XMC-1 locks onto a signal faster. The 7030 is a lot better/faster than the UMC-1 was, but I still noticed a slight delay when locking onto the signal for a CD or my Sonos box. The XMC-1 has no delay and thus I hear the beginning of the track that the 7030 would sometimes cut off; audio on movies also locks on faster whereas the 7030 had a slight delay. I ended up using a Schiit Bifrost DAC for 2-channel recordings because of this. Now it is no longer necessary. I don't notice any difference in audio quality between using the Bifrost versus the XMC-1's internal DAC's either.
- The XMC-1 has Dirac and that's a huge advantage.
Advantages of the UMC-1
- Lower price than the XMC-1 or 7030. 2RU rack space needed. That's about it.
How does the XMC-1 sound compared to the 7030 or UMC-1? I don't remember how the UMC-1 sounded but I was happy with it. I'm only going by memory but it doesn't seem to me that there is any significant or noticeable difference between the 7030 and XMC-1 (in non-Dirac mode). They both sound good, as in both sound neutral and detailed. Sound quality, if not using Dirac, is not a reason to switch.
Overall, it was well worth it for me to finally make this upgrade to the XMC-1. Emo really listened and put out a superb, solid product. I don't have a bunch of fancy gear processed by it - there's my ERC-2, Sonos box, Oppo BDP and Amazon Fire - but what it does process, it does exactly what it is supposed to do and does it very well.
My poor 7030 is now back in its box in the garage. But I'm keeping it because it is worth more than whatever I could get for it on the market now. Just in case I need a back up, it will be there.
