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Post by playbass on Dec 22, 2009 17:14:40 GMT -5
Maybe I should have used the screenname "lurkmaster" since I've been following the UMC-1 developments intently since the spring when my 2 channel amp went out precipitating a host of changes to both of my systems. Hi fi has been a passion of mine since my first allowance money purchase of a stereo when I was 7 YO. But it has been years since I've done much critical listening (and purchasing) partially b/c I figured it would be major $$ to get anything appreciable better. Oh how I was wrong.
Rather than waiting for the UMC and continuing to use my Adcom GFA 555II along with 3 amp channels of the Yam for the AV system, I went ahead w/ the XPA partly b/c I had a persistent hum prob with the Adcom that I hoped to fix. So I now use the Yam just as a processor. Was not expecting the SQ to improve hugely over the Adcom/Yam combo esp with 2 channel (which was just the Adcom). But holy #$^*!!! It has certainlyy been stated elsewehre in these forums but the XPA was very noticably cleaner, more transparent, just effortless with the sound. Bass was most noticable better. Not so much in quantity but quality. Acoustic bass guitar tone is fab with the XPA. ANNNNNND....... absolutely no hum, I mean dead quiet even if the volume is turned all the way up (with no source input).
I also replaced my speaker cables and I-connects with Ultra series. The current sale makes them almost rediculously cheap. Very nicely made. I'm very happy w/ both the cables and the XPA5. Very excited for the UMC.
BTW also bought first blu ray, the Oppo BDP83 which i read about in these forums. Very nice machine tho I was surprised that my Rotel CD player outperformed with regular CD's. Better clarity, definition and more lifelike. I guess that is why they make the SE model.
My conern now is a new case of upgradeitis. I full set of Emo speaks would be great. I've always loved my 'Quists but I've ended up with a major tonal match prob. Maybe down the road a little.
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Dec 22, 2009 17:43:53 GMT -5
welcome to the forum, playbass!
Glad you like the XPA-5. I compared mine, indirectly, to an Adcom GFA555 (via A-B'ing it vs. my Rotel 980, then my 980 vs. the "5"). And, I had the same reaction. Fantastic amp...that got me into upgraditis...
Speaking of that, sorry about your case of it...it appears at least 87% of us on this forum have it. (and 70% of statistics are made up on the spot, by the way)
Given I see you have the Dual and made the comments you did re. the Rotel vs. the Oppo - it sounds like you might be a 2-channel guy, like many of us. If so...take advantage of the current sale on the USP-1 and get one. You will likely think it's fantastic. The phono section made my Thorens sound better than ever...
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Post by playbass on Dec 22, 2009 18:50:34 GMT -5
welcome to the forum, playbass! Glad you like the XPA-5. I compared mine, indirectly, to an Adcom GFA555 (via A-B'ing it vs. my Rotel 980, then my 980 vs. the "5"). And, I had the same reaction. Fantastic amp...that got me into upgraditis... Speaking of that, sorry about your case of it...it appears at least 87% of us on this forum have it. (and 70% of statistics are made up on the spot, by the way) Given I see you have the Dual and made the comments you did re. the Rotel vs. the Oppo - it sounds like you might be a 2-channel guy, like many of us. If so...take advantage of the current sale on the USP-1 and get one. You will likely think it's fantastic. The phono section made my Thorens sound better than ever... I have generally been a 2ch guy but alas, I find a spend much more time with movies than audio these days but largely b/c my video room is the better room than where my audio room is. Now it looks like I will have one system that will do both audio and video well.. Not sure what I'm going to do about the TT tho. May just retire it when I get the UMC. |
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Post by RayoVac on Dec 22, 2009 20:41:01 GMT -5
My conern now is a new case of upgradeitis. I full set of Emo speaks would be great. I've always loved my 'Quists but I've ended up with a major tonal match prob. Maybe down the road a little. The more time I spend on these forums... this has become my very same problem. I just posted all my Klipsch stuff for sale over at the Klipsch forums. I have decided to do the whole Emo setup 8.3s, 6.3 and 4 ERDs. Yeah I know I am crazy... I am doing this sight unseen, unheard. But... I have had the upgrade-itis for a while now. I figure if I end up not liking them as much as the Klipsch, I can always unload em and do the new Klipsch Reference stuff. Truly though, I would probably go to B&W or Studio/Signature Paradigms, my ears just seem to be a bit weary of the horns these days. Welcome to the forums!!! ps. I have the Oppo as well, love it. Annnd I plan to get the Emo interconnects when I order the speakers.  |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Dec 22, 2009 21:35:41 GMT -5
playbass - the beauty of the USP-1 is that is done 2-channel superbly (with a great phono section, including a built-in head amp for low output MC cartridges). So, you can easily have 2-in-1 and get both system in 1 room. If you have not looked into it, check it out. The UMC-1 is reputed to have very good sound as pre-pro's go, but the USP-1's is alledged to be even better for 2-channel. That's per Lonnie as of his last comments on the topic.
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Post by strindl on Dec 22, 2009 22:27:34 GMT -5
Glad to hear you have succumbed to the Emotiva allure. My first purchase from them was also an XPA-5 and I was as pleased with mine as you are with yours.
I also own an Adcom GFA-555 mk II so I am intimately familiar with how that sounds as well. I've always liked the sound of the adcom, but it's sitting on the floor in my storage room right now, having lost it's place in my bedroom system to an XPA-2 purchased at their holiday sale. The XPA-2 is appreciably better sounding than the Adcom.
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Post by playbass on Dec 23, 2009 10:06:23 GMT -5
My conern now is a new case of upgradeitis. I full set of Emo speaks would be great. I've always loved my 'Quists but I've ended up with a major tonal match prob. Maybe down the road a little. The more time I spend on these forums... this has become my very same problem. I just posted all my Klipsch stuff for sale over at the Klipsch forums. I have decided to do the whole Emo setup 8.3s, 6.3 and 4 ERDs. Yeah I know I am crazy... I am doing this sight unseen, unheard. But... I have had the upgrade-itis for a while now. I figure if I end up not liking them as much as the Klipsch, I can always unload em and do the new Klipsch Reference stuff. Truly though, I would probably go to B&W or Studio/Signature Paradigms, my ears just seem to be a bit weary of the horns these days. Welcome to the forums!!! ps. I have the Oppo as well, love it. Annnd I plan to get the Emo interconnects when I order the speakers. That's what I would go with too...8.3s and 6.3. and I feel reasonably confident that I would like sight unheard b/c of the many reviews I've read describing them as uncolored, balanced, etc. After all, a speaker audition at a store is going to be different from in your space at home anyway. Plus I guess you can ship them back to emo in the event you didn't like them. |
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Post by playbass on Dec 23, 2009 10:09:00 GMT -5
By the way Ray, I like the gear you are running...popcorn machine and Squishy machine - the 2 flavor no less. Nice |
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Post by playbass on Dec 23, 2009 10:12:06 GMT -5
playbass - the beauty of the USP-1 is that is done 2-channel superbly (with a great phono section, including a built-in head amp for low output MC cartridges). So, you can easily have 2-in-1 and get both system in 1 room. If you have not looked into it, check it out. The UMC-1 is reputed to have very good sound as pre-pro's go, but the USP-1's is alledged to be even better for 2-channel. That's per Lonnie as of his last comments on the topic. will do. My biggest issue at this point is to find a better space for the TT. In its current space I cannot fully open the cover so I tend not to use it. If I can create a space for it where it is more accessable then I'll consider a usp1. |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Dec 23, 2009 19:17:10 GMT -5
When I first moved into this house, I had a space issue for my TT also and I also tended to not use it. So, it sat around for ~5 years being rarely used. Then, I finished my basement to build my theater and other rooms. The turntable is now back up and running.
Anyway, enjoy that new amp!
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Post by playbass on Dec 29, 2009 11:03:10 GMT -5
When I first moved into this house, I had a space issue for my TT also and I also tended to not use it. So, it sat around for ~5 years being rarely used. Then, I finished my basement to build my theater and other rooms. The turntable is now back up and running. Anyway, enjoy that new amp! Klin, I've been enjoying the new amp so much that I've decided to keep the TT. Took the cover off it so its more accessable. Plan to buy a separate preamp to go w/ UMC. Got some old nuggets on vinyl I need to resurrect. |
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Post by SticknStones on Dec 29, 2009 11:40:55 GMT -5
Maybe I should have used the screenname "lurkmaster" since I've been following the UMC-1 developments intently since the spring when my 2 channel amp went out precipitating a host of changes to both of my systems. Hi fi has been a passion of mine since my first allowance money purchase of a stereo when I was 7 YO. But it has been years since I've done much critical listening (and purchasing) partially b/c I figured it would be major $$ to get anything appreciable better. Oh how I was wrong. Rather than waiting for the UMC and continuing to use my Adcom GFA 555II along with 3 amp channels of the Yam for the AV system, I went ahead w/ the XPA partly b/c I had a persistent hum prob with the Adcom that I hoped to fix. So I now use the Yam just as a processor. Was not expecting the SQ to improve hugely over the Adcom/Yam combo esp with 2 channel (which was just the Adcom). But holy #$^*!!! It has certainlyy been stated elsewehre in these forums but the XPA was very noticably cleaner, more transparent, just effortless with the sound. Bass was most noticable better. Not so much in quantity but quality. Acoustic bass guitar tone is fab with the XPA. ANNNNNND....... absolutely no hum, I mean dead quiet even if the volume is turned all the way up (with no source input). I also replaced my speaker cables and I-connects with Ultra series. The current sale makes them almost rediculously cheap. Very nicely made. I'm very happy w/ both the cables and the XPA5. Very excited for the UMC. BTW also bought first blu ray, the Oppo BDP83 which i read about in these forums. Very nice machine tho I was surprised that my Rotel CD player outperformed with regular CD's. Better clarity, definition and more lifelike. I guess that is why they make the SE model. My conern now is a new case of upgradeitis. I full set of Emo speaks would be great. I've always loved my 'Quists but I've ended up with a major tonal match prob. Maybe down the road a little. Welcome and glad that new members are speaking up! I started with the XPA-3 last January, then the ERC in June, USP-1 in November and the ERD's in December(yesterday actually). It is a real test of patience as I also would like to get the XPA-2, XMC, Subs, see what develps on the media server area and I am actually glad that the products are paced out a bit so Emotiva forces my patience to some degree. The best part is that I think each component has earned a position in the rack as the Sound quality is simply wonderful! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2009 15:34:06 GMT -5
.....the Oppo BDP83 which i read about in these forums. Very nice machine tho I was surprised that my Rotel CD player outperformed with regular CD's. Better clarity, definition and more lifelike. I guess that is why they make the SE model. Slight correction IMO ... That is why they make the Emotiva ERC-1, now on sale at $319! ;D |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Dec 30, 2009 12:44:45 GMT -5
playbass - glad to see you are keeping the TT. If you are looking for pre-amps, the USP-1 is remarkable.
I just listened to a friend's Pass-designed B1 Buffer preamp (~$1000 if purchased assembled or much less if home-built). While we didn't have time to AB them directly last night, I'd say that the USP-1 not only is at least as good in sound - the convenience & features offered by the USP (remote control, more inputs, HT bypass, bass MGMT, and having a great built-in MC head amp!) make it a big winner.
For my friend's needs, the B1 is perfect. For mine - the B1 would not be up to snuff. With the USP-1 being far cheaper - easy call!
Mark
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