milosz
Member
I just got an Emotiva UMC-200
My main setup is mostly a 2 channel music system, but I also use it to listen to TV audio. Now, I want surround sound so I added a UMC-200 to process blu-ray, DVD and cable TV audio, feed LEFT FRONT and RIGHT FRONT to my 2-channel stereo rig, and feed LEFT RIGHT and LEFT REAR to a pair of smallish surround speakers in the back aimed up at the rear ceiling / wall corners of the room. My main speakers image so well that a "phantom center" is perfectly adequate for dialog.
MUSIC will still go directly into the main "high end" separate components of the stereo setup, either from vinyl or from my FLAC server. Only TV will go through the Emotiva.
That said, I have to say I am disappointed with the use of RM brand capacitors in what appears to be a DC blocking role in series with the analog outputs of the unit. RM is a Chinese brand which has not been associated with "high end" audio; the specific units in the UMC-200 are temperature rated to 85 C, which is better than a 65 degree part in terms of longevity- but, still, I've read that the RM brand was one of the brands associated with "capacitor rot" in the recent past and to call a product "high end" that uses parts of this dubious quality seems stretching the term. I understand that using film caps here would have added about $80~100 to the cost of the unit, but a better grade of electrolytic might not have been so pricey.
I am going to do an A/B listening test with audio (music) going through my main DAC / preamp vs. music going through the Emotiva, and will post my impressions of the sound quality. It's possible that these electrolytics are NOT in series with the audio but might be on power rails or something, although since they are clustered right next to the analog output jacks I suspect they are in series with the analog outputs.
My main setup is mostly a 2 channel music system, but I also use it to listen to TV audio. Now, I want surround sound so I added a UMC-200 to process blu-ray, DVD and cable TV audio, feed LEFT FRONT and RIGHT FRONT to my 2-channel stereo rig, and feed LEFT RIGHT and LEFT REAR to a pair of smallish surround speakers in the back aimed up at the rear ceiling / wall corners of the room. My main speakers image so well that a "phantom center" is perfectly adequate for dialog.
MUSIC will still go directly into the main "high end" separate components of the stereo setup, either from vinyl or from my FLAC server. Only TV will go through the Emotiva.
That said, I have to say I am disappointed with the use of RM brand capacitors in what appears to be a DC blocking role in series with the analog outputs of the unit. RM is a Chinese brand which has not been associated with "high end" audio; the specific units in the UMC-200 are temperature rated to 85 C, which is better than a 65 degree part in terms of longevity- but, still, I've read that the RM brand was one of the brands associated with "capacitor rot" in the recent past and to call a product "high end" that uses parts of this dubious quality seems stretching the term. I understand that using film caps here would have added about $80~100 to the cost of the unit, but a better grade of electrolytic might not have been so pricey.
I am going to do an A/B listening test with audio (music) going through my main DAC / preamp vs. music going through the Emotiva, and will post my impressions of the sound quality. It's possible that these electrolytics are NOT in series with the audio but might be on power rails or something, although since they are clustered right next to the analog output jacks I suspect they are in series with the analog outputs.
