Emotiva Unveils New DR Series of Amps, DC-2 DAC, and Confirms RMC-1 Launch Date

Emotiva Unveils New DR Series of Amps, DC-2 DAC, and Confirms RMC-1 Launch Date​

(Emotiva) The new 650 Watt DR1 mono block amp(January 7, 2018) Several months ago, Emotiva arrived at CEDIA 2017 with a tantalizing new prototype 16-channel AV processor in tow. Originally previewed at CES 2017, the RMC-1 supports full 4K UHD video with high-speed video switching along with both Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio processing. AV fanatics have patiently waited for the receiver’s actual market release, which has now been confirmed to be late March 2018. Priced at $4,999, Emotiva President and CEO, Dan Laufman, says Emotiva opted to forgo live demos of the RMC-1 at CES 2018 “because the [company’s] suite is not suited to a true audiophile listening experience.” The company is, however, hosting a two-channel demo using components from its BasX lineup.

Emotiva is also previewing an update to its popular DC-1 DAC. The new DC-2 ($699) is also scheduled to begin shipping in late March. The unit features a solid steel chassis for noise immunity and is sized to require a half-rack of space. Internally, it carries a new 32-bit AKM Verita converter that’s fully compatible with common hi-res audio formats, in addition to DSD. The DC-2 also features a headphone drive stage with increased output, the ability to stream audio via Wi-Fi (when paired with an optional Wi-Fi module), and a bevy of inputs including unbalanced RCA, balanced XLR, S/PDIF digital (RCA, BNC, and Toslink optical), and USB digital.

“With so many music and movie fans using their computers as a primary source of listening, especially in desktop systems, a high-performance DAC has never been a more important addition to a desktop or rack system,” commented Laufman. “Enter the DC-2, which we designed to serve as a no-holds-barred converter for any enthusiast whose music library is stored on a computer or hard drive.”

(Emotiva) The new desktop DC-2 DACLastly, Emotiva is also debuting three new amplifiers as part of its effort to support high-end audio playback. The all-new Differential Reference Series (otherwise known as “DR”) includes the mighty XPA-DR1 Monoblock power amp. Relying on the company’s 3 kW switch mode power supply, the DR1 can output 650 Watts RMS (8 ohms). Much like Emotiva’s XPA line, the DR series is designed to be modular, allowing expansion to two- and three-channel configurations. The amp line can be ordered pre-configured as the DR1 ($1,199), DR2 ($1,599), or DR3 ($1,999).

The new DR Series of amps is scheduled to begin shipping this month.

 

[Talley]

If Emotiva finally do come out with the atmos board and the V3 HDMI then I'll probably just pay the 1k to upgrade mine to that. Sucky part is my total cost would only be like 250 cheaper than buying it new and I got it used.

oh well. The latest xmc-1 upgrade will give me 7.2.4 capability... more than adequate for my needs.

However I do want aura3d... hopefully that becomes compatible later on.

 

[bkeeler10]

Well, bummer. Disappointed but not surprised that the RMC-1 (and, by extension if I understand correctly, Atmos for the XMC-1) have been pushed off yet again.

 

[ShpongleDMT]

So I have 3 months to save up 5 grand.....

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Very cool.

I'm interested in knowing. Ore about those amps.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

So I have 3 months to save up 5 grand.....

Another way to look at it is that you have 3 months to befriend a current Emotiva processor owner in the Upgrade4Life program and save up $3750.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I’m going to swing by Emotiva today, I’ll try to get some additional info about the XMC-1 upgrade. I’m curious to see if the company is going to push now that the HDMI 2.1 spec is looming.

 

[Talley]

I’m going to swing by Emotiva today, I’ll try to get some additional info about the XMC-1 upgrade. I’m curious to see if the company is going to push now that the HDMI 2.1 spec is looming.

I'm worried about 2.1 also. Seems like all this HDMI spec upgrades over the past couple years has really pushed alot of people angry about their XMC-1 purchase.

As it is right now the V3 board has been delayed for a long time... lots over on their forums are complaining. It doesn't matter to me right now because I'm not 4K but plan on by the end of the year.

But like you said... now will this have an effect? I'd be much more willing to wait a bit more if they could do a 2.1 spec board but sheesh... that might be another 2 years of wait for that to come to reality. Or 3 given the past history of their timeline.

 

[Todd Anderson]

I wouldn't sweat 2.1 too much. It's a wildly aggressive specification and some parts of its performance parameters might be usable on gear with 2.0a via firmware upgrade. Other parts will definitely require new chips...but after talking with some folks from the HDMI Forum, yesterday, I'm fairly convinced we won't be tapping into those needs for quite a while.

Many of the benefits of 2.1 will please gamers in the short-term. If you're not a gamer... or looking to use eARC to get a full Atmos encode from an TV app back to your AVR through a single cable, then you should be ok for quite some time. That's my 2 cents at the moment (subject to change, of course ;-).

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

I think Emotiva probably (unfortunately) delayed this because of the RMC-1, not because they couldn't do it more quickly. If you read everything they've said, the upgrade boards for the XMC-1 are the same board that is going into the RMC-1. If they weren't trying to use the same board, we'd have 2.0 in our XMC-1s by now.

Like Talley, I'm also not 4K in the theater, probably won't be for a good while, so I'm fine with the delays on this, and I like the fact that they're using the same board. That's the kind of thing that helps them keep prices lower.

 

[Todd Anderson]

There’s no current timeline for 2.1 boards... I spoke with one of the chairs of the HDMI Forum, according to him it’s going to be a while. The chips have yet to be made.

It could be another year (perhaps this time next year) before the first 2.1 AVR is announced. As for upgrade kits, It could be even longer - I just don’t see a true scenario where 99% of the market will need them.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Just to update, the RMC-1's launch date obviously was missed. Emotiva is now saying it will officially launch in November!

 

[bkeeler10]

It is a shame that they are so far behind schedule. What could have been a truly breakthrough product at a crazy-low price for what it offered, will likely be joining other similar devices with perhaps lower price tags when it finally launches. We already have 9.1.4/7.1.6 in the Denon AVR-x8500h for $4k. Who knows, maybe its successor will be a 16 channel unit for around the price Emotiva has announced for the RMC-1, and maybe it will even launch before the RMC-1. Given the time and apparent development costs associated with it, I wonder if they will even be able to afford to sell it at $5k when it is finally ready.

Emotiva has lofty ambitions and great ideas, but could learn a thing or two about product announcement timing, managing expectations and the notion of "underpromise, overdeliver."

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Just to update, the RMC-1's launch date obviously was missed. Emotiva is now saying it will officially launch in November!

Missed a deadline, Emotiva, I’m shocked!


I was talking with a guy I know that works for a consulting company that develops processing boards for home theater manufactures. They help design software and hardware for atmos. A number of major brands use them. They told me that Dolby might be the holdup and it might not be the fault of Emotiva. Dolby changed their standards such that atmos can’t be upmixed or modified by any competitors mixing software. So atmos can’t be decoded by DTS-X post processing modes for example. This simple but strict requirement created problems where by hardware and software that might otherwise meet necessary compliance certification standards suddenly finds themselves back at the drawing board.

The more I learn about all this the more I feel like the cards are stacked against the little guy (and in this industry they are all little guys).

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

If you listen to their latest podcast, the RMC-1, while delayed, will also now be capable of 24-channel balanced audio, and those channels will be custom configurable. So there's that.

Reading between the lines, it seems that it may have been a delay while they work on the custom Dolby Atmos decoding, since it's becoming common for the studios to lock Atmos mixes at 7.1.4 (no explanation, guessing to limit streaming bandwidth, limit Atmos file size on disc, and/or control sound quality on Atmos soundbars), processor manufacturers are under more pressure to create a custom solution to make anything about 7.1.4 worthwhile.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Wouldn’t surprise me (Atmos)... I’ve heard some stories about how cut throat the decoding side is, specifically citing Dolby.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

If you listen to their latest podcast, the RMC-1, while delayed, will also now be capable of 24-channel balanced audio, and those channels will be custom configurable. So there's that.

Reading between the lines, it seems that it may have been a delay while they work on the custom Dolby Atmos decoding, since it's becoming common for the studios to lock Atmos mixes at 7.1.4 (no explanation, guessing to limit streaming bandwidth, limit Atmos file size on disc, and/or control sound quality on Atmos soundbars), processor manufacturers are under more pressure to create a custom solution to make anything about 7.1.4 worthwhile.

I didn’t think the channels worked that way. I thought Atmos was based on a mix of meta data about the sounds coordinate location on top of a 7.1 bed. That the atmos channels were extrapolated from the meta data. I didn’t think there was a way to limit it.

I read an older position paper that discussed the relationship between modern object based sound and earlier ambisonics (which can use 4 channels of sound recorded in a particular way to extrapolate an infinite number of playback channels).

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

I thought Atmos was based on a mix of meta data about the sounds coordinate location on top of a 7.1 bed. That the atmos channels were extrapolated from the meta data. I didn’t think there was a way to limit it.

They do, technically. But Dolby has provided the ability to studios to lock it down. There are plenty of threads on other forums discussing certain discs that are locked down to 7.1.4 and won't go higher, even with a 9.1.6 or better configuration. The Storm Audio, there's a Denon AVR, the discs are locked down. Some of the discs even state on the case "Dolby Atmos 7.1.4" (The Last Jedi, Ragnarok, etc., lots of Disney titles, but not exclusively Disney).

Which basically means that, if a processor is pulling more than 7.1.4 out of these particular titles, it's taking the base layer and the provided 4 "objects" (they're not objects - that's why they quickly changed the hype to "immersive" audio from "object-based" sound between the theatrical debut and the release for home), and doing a little ProLogic Magic on it to create more channels.

This whole thing has made me go from 5% excited about the possibility of Atmos at home to about 1% excited. Maybe less.

 

[Todd Anderson]

It's certainly been billed as infinitely expandable without lock down. I don't have any hands on experience with 9.1.6 configuration, but it's hard to understand what Dolby gains by not allowing a higher level of channel arrangements.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

It's not Dolby limiting it, per say, it's Dolby giving the STUDIOS the ability to limit it. Which some seem to be.

I think it was a tool given to create a lower-bandwidth streaming version of Atmos, that some studios are choosing to use on blu-ray as well, for some unknown reason.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Yes, I wasn't thinking in terms of streaming. When I'm out in SD I'll track someone down and see what I can find out.

Here in lies the very problem with the crazy amount to tech that's available on the market: it's poorly deployed and infinitely confusing to the average consumer. The TV market is a total mess of tech terms that mean nothing to 99% of end users... and audio? Try stoping someone on the street and discussing Hi-Res audio codecs. It's ridiculous. Perhaps the industry is doing this on purpose: confusion creates false differentiators between products, perhaps?

I don't know... it sure seems like the manufacturers, as a collective, have completely missed the boat on how to package and market all of this tech. They're also all over the place when it comes to a unified industry approach.

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

Perhaps the industry is doing this on purpose: confusion creates false differentiators between products, perhaps?

I don't know... it sure seems like the manufacturers, as a collective, have completely missed the boat on how to package and market all of this tech. They're also all over the place when it comes to a unified industry approach.

Completely agree. We have so much marvelous technology, but competition, p!$$ing matches, greed, marketing people, and bean counters are getting in the way of the ideal implementation in any way they can.

"We should call this 'VIERA Link'." "Why?" "Because then people will think we invented it, and it only works in our products!"

"That new blockbuster you're encoding? Lock it to 7.1.4." "Why?" "So it sounds better on that soundbar in 90% of living rooms."

"That new blockbuster you're encoding? Lock it to 7.1.4." "Why?" "So we can sell them 9.1.6 next year!"

 

[Todd Anderson]

True!

Frustratingly true.

 

[bkeeler10]

Yes, this business of doing 7.1.4 prints is not good. Not everyone is doing it, but I hope it does not become a trend. True, it doesn't affect hardly anyone yet because very few people have the hardware to do more than 7.1.4. But 9.1.4/7.1.6 is here already in semi-affordable gear (Denon 8500), and 9.1.6 is probably not far behind. People who invest in the expensive hardware and extra speakers would like to not have done so in vain (myself included as I would like to eventually be at 9.1.6).

It's annoying for sure.