Official BasX MC-700 7.1 Pre/Pro Thread

[supermac]

Why have a Bluetooth module? Sounds antiquated. Why not integrate inside?

[sid24]

Aug 24, 2016 19:41:04 GMT -5 supermac said:

Why have a Bluetooth module? Sounds antiquated. Why not integrate inside?

The bluetooth module might come seperate for extra $$.( pure speculation) also, space constraints.

[szxz1z]

seeking advice for home theater / music listening in a 550sq.ft. room with 10ft ceilings.
my budget doesnt allow for 7 channel XPA Gen3 + a XMC-1.... what is the next best thing ?
> XMC-1 with A700 ?
> MC-700 with XPA Gen3 ?

what i really probably will do is MC-700 with A300 (front channels) + A500 for center / surrounds / 2nd audio zone (will the MC-700 support 2nd audio zone ?)

thanks

[repeetavx]

Hi szxz1z,

Welcome to the forum!

An MC-700 with an XPA Gen 3 amp would really be a great system. How many channels of Gen 3 could you afford?

Your third choice with the A300 and A500 amps will still be a really impressive system. For movies I doubt that you would hear much of a difference. These amps will give you a clear, strong, well defined sound.  The only difference is when your running 2 channel (stereo). That is when the sophistication and nuances make a difference.

[mdanderson]

I would really like an Emotiva prepro with 7.1 analog inputs that is not as expensive as the XMC-1.

[Percussionista]

OK, this is a silly question, but I don't suppose there is any chance that the MC-700 will be the sonic equivalent of the DC-1, but with more bells and whistles (surround sound and all that jazz), equally good and clear and powerful headphone amp... for only a $100 more?

[gzubeck]

Sept 8, 2016 17:13:46 GMT -5 Percussionista said:

OK, this is a silly question, but I don't suppose there is any chance that the MC-700 will be the sonic equivalent of the DC-1, but with more bells and whistles (surround sound and all that jazz), equally good and clear and powerful headphone amp... for only a $100 more?

The dc1 sounds like the ultimate 2 channel dac. For playback especially surround sound the MC 700 should be pretty good with two 32 bit chips. Alot of surround sound systems seem to to be more alike than not and exception is the difference in superior calibration hardware and software. So the high end emotiva surround sound processor and others like anthem audio have these bleeding edge technology($2500-3500).

[jessa69]

Hoping to get the BasX MC-700.....as my UMC 1 is all fried up, I mean the hdmi board, just using analog thru Oppo for music, can't wait , xpa 3 and xpa 5 on sleep mode....Please hurry Emotiva.

[TempTag]

Nice looking device though I wish it included a left selector knob. Just some feedback for future models - a left knob to change inputs is HUGELY appreciated by visitors/ people who are easily confused by AV remotes.  The left knob is just plain intuitive, especially on devices where unused inputs can be hidden.

Even as someone who is very comfortable around AV controls, I have three AV receivers/processors that I use multiple times a week - 2 of which have the left knob including an Emotiva 8100 receiver.  I use the left selector knob almost everyday on both devices where available, and the family uses them constantly - they don't use the remote to change inputs on these devices - while the third AV device without the left selector knob is always confusing the wife, kids, and ALL visitors.

[snatex]

On 7/27 the Admin said he was getting ready to put this unit on the website for pre-order. Did this ever happen? Will this unit be shipping anytime soon?

[jinxeddeep]

I enquired with the company and they told me that they still dont have an official release date yet and that it looks like it will take a couple of months more . Bummer.

[theophile]

While attempting to get my "6" yr old UMC-1 repaired (HDMI audio inputs died), Damon informed me of the upcoming MC-700. Alluding to a "beginning of the year" release date, I had to get an Outlaw 975 to tied me over. Well, It broke on the first day...won't power back up, so another replacement is coming.

The brief 3 hrs of playing time it had, I wasn't real impressed with video and audio...just missing the clarity and fidelity that my UMC-1 had for so long.

Thus, when the MC-700 is good and ready to ship, I'll be giving it a go as I really like the interface, looks, sound and video that Emo sets up in their Pre-Pro Processors!!

Ted

[sid24]

Sept 25, 2016 20:43:03 GMT -5 theophile said:

Damon informed me of the upcoming MC-700. Alluding to a "beginning of the year" release date

Ted

Beginning of the year? Damn, I dont think i will wait any longer for this.

[newprometheus]

Dear Emotiva,

Since the BasX MC-700 does not appear to have Zone 2 outputs, please ensure that the "Enhanced Bass" feature actually works upon product launch -- it should enable the use of full-range speakers ALONG WITH a subwoofer.  This is an important feature that was, and remains, broken in the UMC-1.  Fortunately, since the UMC-1 had Zone 2 outputs, I was able to devise a workaround.  However, since the BasX MC-700 does not have Zone 2 outputs, not even a workaround can be implemented.

For details on the issue and the workaround, please see: UMC-1 Enhanced Bass Workaround

Thank you!

[KeithL]

I feel a need to chime in here.... about Enhanced Bass.
In general, most folks in the industry look at Enhanced Bass as a more or less useless feature - which is why there's no real standard for how it works.
(Everyone has a different idea about what it's supposed to do - and we've even changed our minds once or twice.... as you've noticed.)

Here's the logic (which you may feel free to disagree with.)

* If your main speakers are really full range, then there's no reason to add a sub at all. Adding an extra sub makes configuration more complicated and increases the likelihood of room and speaker interactions. (One of the main benefits of a sub is that it can be positioned wherever it works best - and isn't tied to your main speakers. And, if you have multiple subs, then you can position each where it works the best. Using your main speakers as subs defeats this benefit - because then you have multiple subs, but two of them are tied to the location of your mains anyway.)

* If your main speakers are NOT full range, then the reason you added a sub was to extend their low frequency response, and to allow them to sound better while reproducing the main portion of the audio spectrum by NOT requiring them to reproduce the low bass. If that's the case, you want to set your main speakers to small and leave them there.

* If your main speakers are really full range, but aren't especially good at reproducing really powerful sound effects, then you're probably better off leaving your main speakers set to large, and connecting a sub to the LFE (that way your music will be reproduced by your main speakers alone, but sound effects will be covered by the sub). Note that, in this case, you generally buy a sub that has a lot more output in the low bass range than your mains, and you really gain very little by configuring your mains to "help it out".

Notice that none of these scanarios suggest any benefit to an Enhanced Bass feature (whichever way it works).

HOWEVER, if your subs have real 'subwoofer sections" - like some Def Tech models......
If your main speakers include actual subs, you can always use bass management in your pre/pro, then send that sub output to ALL the subs.
OR you can set your main speakers to LARGE, then use simple passive splitters to send your main outputs to both your main speaker amps and your sub.

Sept 26, 2016 19:45:59 GMT -5 newprometheus said:

Dear Emotiva,

Since the BasX MC-700 does not appear to have Zone 2 outputs, please ensure that the "Enhanced Bass" feature actually works upon product launch -- it should enable the use of full-range speakers ALONG WITH a subwoofer.  This is an important feature that was, and remains, broken in the UMC-1.  Fortunately, since the UMC-1 had Zone 2 outputs, I was able to devise a workaround.  However, since the BasX MC-700 does not have Zone 2 outputs, not even a workaround can be implemented.

For details on the issue and the workaround, please see: UMC-1 Enhanced Bass Workaround

Thank you!

[newprometheus]

Thanks for responding, Keith.  Allow me to explain why it is an important feature to be able to send both of my front mains and the subwoofers the full signal.

Through much effort, I have managed to trim out and seamlessly integrate my subwoofers into my sound system such that sound from the subwoofers actually seems like it is emanating from my front mains.  While my front mains are full-range, the subwoofers provides bottom-end authority on the lowest octaves, while bolstering the performance of my full-range speakers between 30 Hz - 45 Hz.  In concert with my amplifiers and a room without any significant sound issues, the result is a remarkably flat frequency response from about 20 Hz all the way up to about 25 kHz.

Furthermore, I am convinced that I get better sound quality out of my UMC-1 when I disable nearly all processing (Emo-Q, crossovers, equalize level calibration, equalize speaker distance, etc.), thereby leaving the signal unmolested through unnecessary circuitry, sending both my front mains and the subwoofers the full signal, and allowing them to play what they can.

I'm guessing that you (and perhaps others) will be incredulous at this claim, so I invite you to disable nearly all processing in the UMC-1, and check it out for yourselves.  I have been able to reproduce this effect on dynamic speakers, hybrid speakers with dipole midranges and ribbon-esque tweeters, as well as planar speakers.  Focus on discerning the dramatically broader, taller, and deeper sound stage, the increased detail, as well as the improved positional imaging and naturality of the specific individual voices/instruments within that sound stage. 

Thank you!

[KeithL]

I don't doubt you.....
However, the "purists" usually want to go all the way......
For example, on the XMC-1 we have Reference Stereo mode, which eliminates ALL processing..... but, in that mode, you get no bass management at all...

The other thing I should mention is that "Enhanced Bass" is sort of a special purpose option.... it uses bass management, but then sort of cancels out part of it.
(Which tends to result in an uneven frequency response.)

There is another way to get pretty much the same result - with no processing or bass management......

If you set your Fronts to LARGE, then they will be receiving a full-range signal.
Then, you can simply use a pair of passive splitters to route that full range signal to both your Front main speakers and your sub.
(Unlike any sort of bass management, which is still processing, passive splitters will add no distortion or noise.)

NOW, if you set your SUB to NONE in the pre/pro's configuration, the LFE channel will be mixed into the main channels.
(So both the full range main channels and the LFE channel will go to your Front mains, and that signal will also go to your sub...... with zero processing. )

The only requirement there is that your sub or subs have their own crossover controls (which most do - including our new ones).

Sept 27, 2016 0:51:11 GMT -5 newprometheus said:

Thanks for responding, Keith.  Allow me to explain why it is an important feature to be able to send both of my front mains and the subwoofers the full signal.

Through much effort, I have managed to trim out and seamlessly integrate my subwoofers into my sound system such that sound from the subwoofers actually seems like it is emanating from my front mains.  While my front mains are full-range, the subwoofers provides bottom-end authority on the lowest octaves, while bolstering the performance of my full-range speakers between 30 Hz - 45 Hz.  In concert with my amplifiers and a room without any significant sound issues, the result is a remarkably flat frequency response from about 20 Hz all the way up to about 25 kHz.

Furthermore, I am convinced that I get better sound quality out of my UMC-1 when I disable nearly all processing (Emo-Q, crossovers, equalize level calibration, equalize speaker distance, etc.), thereby leaving the signal unmolested through unnecessary circuitry, sending both my front mains and the subwoofers the full signal, and allowing them to play what they can.

I'm guessing that you (and perhaps others) will be incredulous at this claim, so I invite you to disable nearly all processing in the UMC-1, and check it out for yourselves.  I have been able to reproduce this effect on dynamic speakers, hybrid speakers with dipole midranges and ribbon-esque tweeters, as well as planar speakers.  Focus on discerning the dramatically broader, taller, and deeper sound stage, the increased detail, as well as the improved positional imaging and naturality of the specific individual voices/instruments within that sound stage. 

Thank you!

[newprometheus]

Thanks, Keith!  I will try your suggestions! 

[kauai82]

Since the MC-700 does not have analog 7.1 input jacks does it support DSD multi channel output through HDMI ?   Both my Marantz and Denon AVR have this capability.  This allows me to play my multi-channel SACD discs from my Sony BDP-6500 Blu-ray player (yes it is SACD capable, but has no analog outputs. Just HDMI and Coax digital. Multi Channel can only be used with the HDMI output.  Coax digital output is PCM 2.0.  If it does DSD through HDMI I am very interested in this product.  Hope to find out soon if it does. Matt

[jmilton]

Kau,it should. My UMC 200 does now as does the XMC