New USP-1

[twilkins]

Quick take on the USP-1-

Recently got back into vinyl and CDs. Once I got the big screen and HT setup it reminded me that once sound quality was more important than convenience. So I had the new Rega turntable and ERC-1 and I was running them thru the Onkyo 806 on pure audio mode. Now with my Polk RTI A9s I thought this would give me the best SQ. Bass was still lacking in some areas. I needed the sub with pure analog. The USP-1 is a perfect fit.

I have more than enough bass and the overall volume capability is much higher than my Onkyo. I feel that now I am getting the most that my speakers will provide which is all we can ask for.

Thanks Emo for providing the gear at an affordable price. I look forward to the UMC-1.

[Deleted]

Wow Twilkins, you are putting together some great gear and are in danger of turning into a big Emonut!

Thanks for the feedback on your new USP-1. ;D

[vincedog3]

Hey Twilkins glad everything is working out with your USP-1. The UMC-1 is great. I heard it at Emofest. You are sure to fall in love with it. ;D

[menez]

Hi,

I just got my own usp-1 one yesterday and so far love it. One issue that I think was discussed a long time ago also: When I plugged in headphones, there is is a faint bleed to mains/sub. Not full on volume, just very faint, but quite audible when volume knob is up at 12 or higher.

Anyone else have same issue, or is this a defect?

thanks...

[roadrunner]

Jan 26, 2010 18:32:15 GMT -5 menez said:

Hi,

I just got my own usp-1 one yesterday and so far love it. One issue that I think was discussed a long time ago also: When I plugged in headphones, there is is a faint bleed to mains/sub. Not full on volume, just very faint, but quite audible when volume knob is up at 12 or higher.

Anyone else have same issue, or is this a defect?

thanks...

Call Emotiva Tech Support in the morning and let them know. I think the "fix" that was employeed last year should have fully muted the main speakers when the headphone jack is used. I can't remember seeing any other owners reporting the issue you have experiencing since the fixed the original problem. ;D

[LCSeminole]

Jan 26, 2010 19:37:46 GMT -5 roadrunner said:

Jan 26, 2010 18:32:15 GMT -5 menez said:

Hi,

I just got my own usp-1 one yesterday and so far love it. One issue that I think was discussed a long time ago also: When I plugged in headphones, there is is a faint bleed to mains/sub. Not full on volume, just very faint, but quite audible when volume knob is up at 12 or higher.

Anyone else have same issue, or is this a defect?

thanks...

Call Emotiva Tech Support in the morning and let them know. I think the "fix" that was employeed last year should have fully muted the main speakers when the headphone jack is used. I can't remember seeing any other owners reporting the issue you have experiencing since the fixed the original problem. ;D

Roadrunner, Thanks for reminding of that, I just got my USP-1 yesterday and have an ERC-1 coming on Thursday, so I will definitely have to check for that problem when I get them hooked up this weekend.

[menez]

Hi,

Just an update on my issue described above about headphones not fully muting the speakers/sub. The reply I have received from emotiva support says:

"The mute circuit in the USP pads down the levels around 60db in relation to the headphone outputs. So it is not a total mute, but a huge reduction in level."

So there - that explains it...

[SticknStones]

Jan 27, 2010 12:37:18 GMT -5 menez said:

Hi,

Just an update on my issue described above about headphones not fully muting the speakers/sub. The reply I have received from emotiva support says:

"The mute circuit in the USP pads down the levels around 60db in relation to the headphone outputs. So it is not a total mute, but a huge reduction in level."

So there - that explains it...

I still have to send my uSP1 in for repair on that issue as I do not have the fix yet and the bleed to the mains is substantial. I am waiting till I get the XMC and then send it in.

[LCSeminole]

I've had my USP-1 since Monday and had to wait till today when the ERC-1 arrived. They have since been hooked up and well, my old CD collection has turned new again. The noise floor is non-existant without a source playing, the music that I've been listening to for years seems to have produced more notes that I've not heard before. This is audio heaven at its finest!!! ;D The remote that comes with the ERC-1 is a beast, and puts the remote that came with the USP-1 to shame, not that it matters since they will be programmed into the URC. Take it from me, or not, but if you have a CD collection that you've long since lost touch with, the USP-1/ERC-1 combination is quite stunning in its looks and even better audio-wise!!! ;D

[TUBEHEAD EL34]

LCSeminole,
What gear were you using before you switched to the USP-1? How would you compare them?

[LCSeminole]

Tubehead, Sorry I haven't responded in a couple of days, work has been a bear, and I mean Kodiak size. ;D

I've had a couple of two channel rigs in the past. The first was an Onkyo Integra A-8067 integrated, which was my first real venture into the world of audio, excluding a JVC receiver back in the early 80's. The Onkyo was quite an eye opening experience and it paired quite well with a Sony CDP-X111ES cd player. This pair to me had to be the most neutral sounding to me(until now of course), as I've always strived for what the artist meant for me to hear. Moving on, 10 years ago I picked up an NAD C160. In comparison to the USP-1, I believe the NAD colors source components to what most people would consider "warm", whatever that may mean. As I stated earlier I prefer the neutral sound that the artist intended you to hear, which is why I'm so drawn to Emotiva equipment and the USP-1 definitely doesn't move away from this. The USP-1's main draw for me from the NAD is the fact that it incorporates a subwoofer output, which I was quite impressed with while demoing at EmoFest 2009. The noise floor is almost non-existent and with the ERC-1 this two channel setup is quite stunning with my old cd collection. This by no means says NAD equipment isn't worthy, because it is(and it's been 6 years since I've had the C160), but the Emotiva equipment looks and sounds great together, not to mention the newness of it all as well as the great personal touch that Lonnie's design brings and the wonderful family treatment that Emotiva has given me just adds to the full package.

[TUBEHEAD EL34]

Jan 30, 2010 13:59:01 GMT -5 LCSeminole said:

Tubehead, Sorry I haven't responded in a couple of days, work has been a bear, and I mean Kodiak size. ;D

I've had a couple of two channel rigs in the past. The first was an Onkyo Integra A-8067 integrated, which was my first real venture into the world of audio, excluding a JVC receiver back in the early 80's. The Onkyo was quite an eye opening experience and it paired quite well with a Sony CDP-X111ES cd player. This pair to me had to be the most neutral sounding to me(until now of course), as I've always strived for what the artist meant for me to hear. Moving on, 10 years ago I picked up an NAD C160. In comparison to the USP-1, I believe the NAD colors source components to what most people would consider "warm", whatever that may mean. As I stated earlier I prefer the neutral sound that the artist intended you to hear, which is why I'm so drawn to Emotiva equipment and the USP-1 definitely doesn't move away from this. The USP-1's main draw for me from the NAD is the fact that it incorporates a subwoofer output, which I was quite impressed with while demoing at EmoFest 2009. The noise floor is almost non-existent and with the ERC-1 this two channel setup is quite stunning with my old cd collection. This by no means says NAD equipment isn't worthy, because it is(and it's been 6 years since I've had the C160), but the Emotiva equipment looks and sounds great together, not to mention the newness of it all as well as the great personal touch that Lonnie's design brings and the wonderful family treatment that Emotiva has given me just adds to the full package.

Glad to see that you've achieved inprovements in your system and that you're enjoying it. When I read these reviews on the forums, the law of diminishing returns comes to mind. When you read things like "utterly transparaent" or "low noise floor", it makes one wonder about the wisdom of spending $10k on a preamp. And you have no shortage of interest towards this kind of equipment. Take Audiogon for example, a great site which has helped me in so many ways. There is a thread there right now for a $10k Audio Research preamp, which is regarded as transparent and low noise.

It makes you wonder, how much of that cost is dedicated to the case, and how much just to pure marketing elitism--for that niche that thinks that paying a lot = quality. Consider the recent fiasco with Oppo and their excellent BD player the BDP-83. Lexicon was busted last week for taking the EXACT internals from the oppo and putting it in a fancy case. The markup? Thousands of dollars!!!

So really, the question comes down to at which point does it not make sense to through more money at something, in this case a preamp.

I am particularly interested in the upcoming successor to the rsp-1 as well. It might take its place between a tube amp and tube cd player. I need a "transparent" source which simply gets out of the way and which provides a sub out with adjustable crossovers. Its amazing that there are only a handful of preamps that do this!

[hokienation]

Tubehead,

You hit on a great point. The price of a basic "transparent" pre-amp just blows me away. I've been searching for one, and don't understand when "neutral" gives way to "more neutral" and seemingly endless dollar signs on the price tag.

I supposed I simply need to demo more gear....maybe the differences are there to warrant the price.

[ls7z06]

I got my new USP-1 hooked up today. Using a UPA-2 amp and a Marantz SA8003 SACD player with LSi9 speakers. I will just say it sounds very, very nice and it is a huge improvement vs using my old AVR as a preamp. Even my wife said WOW and she never says WOW about anything...... electronic. ;D

[teedub21]

Just got my USP-1 today, lightening quick shipping! For simplicity I used my PS3 to play a couple cds and I was disappointed. Very bright, glaring, and tough to listen to. I drug out my Music Hall Maverick SACD player, hooked that up, and thought, this is much better! Unfortunately, the Music Hall's remote, which is made in China by Shanling, has some interference with the USP remote. When I turn up the volume with the USP remote the cd player goes into fast forward mode!

The other issue is the sub out seems very lacking in output. I've got the gain almost maxed on my sub amp to keep up with the mains. If I used the full range pre outs on the usp and used the crossover in the sub amp, will I get more gain for the sub? I thought I read a review on line that said they measured the sub out on the USP at a lower voltage than the other out puts. Any one?

[TUBEHEAD EL34]

^^^ Would you conclude then that the analog outs of the PS3 are really lacking then?

[teedub21]

Yeah, the analog out on the PS3 sucks.

My other gripe with the USP1 is the gain is way too high. I don't know why they designed it this way, I'd rather have more useful range out of the volume control. As it is I can't get it much past 9 o'clock before its way loud and glaring. I'm used to higher end pre-amps that max the volume out around 2 or 3 o'clock on the control and give you quite a bit more adjustment with out being so sensitive.

[TUBEHEAD EL34]

Am I correct to say that preamps are essentially just attenuators which reduce volume but do not amplify it? If that is the case, perhaps emotiva found that it would be too costly to add a higher end volume control. I wonder if the parasound 2100 behaves this way as well--a preamp which is in the same price range as the usp-1.

[RPA-1 man]

I'm currently using the USP-1 with an RPA-1. My speakers are rated at 92.5dB/1w/1m. I find that at 9:00 the USP-1 seems to plays slightly lower than the RSP-1. I haven't measured the SPL at my seating position though.

What amp are you using and what is the gain of it?

[DYohn]

Feb 11, 2010 18:38:07 GMT -5 TUBEHEAD EL34 said:

Am I correct to say that preamps are essentially just attenuators which reduce volume but do not amplify it?

This would not be correct. Preamps both boost and attenuate the signal voltage. So-called "passive preamps" are simple attenuators, but calling them "preamps" is really a misnomer.