BEST. BARGAIN. PREAMP. PERIOD. | Emotiva BasX MC1 Cinema Processor Review

[@SlotHits777]

every time those little pop sounds creep up, usually indicates lack of shielding. Use shielded cables. The biggest issue Emotiva has is its need to be power cycled every so often to fix a glitch issue.. They need to address that.

[@senyonjobrian1002]

Thanks for the review.....i bought it last year after watching ur first review.......been waiting for your hands on review

[@ryanschipp8513]

You praise the remote..just fyi, membrane buttons have a much higher failure rate than physical buttons. I've got 16 years experience with them. They didn't provide them because it looks sleek. It's cheaper to make for them.

[@BrianGarside]

Darn! That's disappointing. I bet more folks would be willing to pay for a more expensive model that doesn't compete with its higher lineup.

[@pmventura41]

Thank you. TV and audio is all I’m looking for.

[@feiyulu]

I'm personally running separates (built over time with a mix of new and used products), but unless you really need to run 13 main channels, the total price is hard to justify compared to a RZ50 or 3800H. If you already have the amplifiers, it MAYBE makes some sense to swap an older processor with this, but RZ50 as a processor at almost the same price with DIRAC? I guess that is just the lack of economy of scale for HT processors.

[@techsamurai11]

Agreed - with the RZ50, I'd power the LCR separately and I'd be golden - probably at RZ70 levels.

[@psyphonyxaudio]

Really enjoying your theater system right now .. That's a great combo of gear. Kudos Sir! .. Coming along just great!

[@ealanosborne]

Thank you!!! 😁🤘

[@nathanwhitmore7137]

I'd love to see a full manual set up with REW and the Spatial Audio Disc. It would be great to know how far this little box can go

[@ealanosborne]

Yeah, man! Hopefully sooner than later! 🤞🤞🤞

[@MarcAngello]

YES PLEASE! I have also have an MC1 w BASX amps and the Spatial Audio Disc so a video showing best results using REW would be sooo helpful...

[@Uziavenger]

The pops and blips were also common in the older UMC200 which is what I have. I spent a ton of time researching how to get rid of it. Audio from my PC had to be sent through USB as opposed to through the HDMI in order to avoid the blips. I wonder if their more expensive processors have the same issue

[@realNikoCousin]

Ealan, had this for a year and you’re absolutely right. price to performance is unmatched.

[@ealanosborne]

Yeah, buddy! 🎉

[@AdamsOlympia]

I'm so glad a product like this exists. I was discouraged by the fact that there still aren't any AV receivers w/ class D amps, but this + 3-4 Fosi ZA3 will be the next best thing. The power per channel will be unmatched without being an inefficient room heater.

[@Music.Movies.67]

Thinking of just getting a Marantz Cinema 70s AV Receiver use its Preouts to add power amps as l am only interested in 7ch speakers in my home more than enough for me, don't want to end up deaf

[@koreybenton]

Would love to see a review on the Emotiva MR1 in a future video and comparison to any other high end receivers. Love your perspective and curious how this stacks up. Thanks!

[@ealanosborne]

Thank you! I’ve wondered the same thing, so hopefully I can get my hands on the MR1 someday! 🤞

[@ryanschipp8513]

No hdmi 2.1 or hdcp 2.3 support?? It's 2023. Lame choice by Emotiva.

[@techsamurai11]

I still don't understand why HDMI 2.1 is such a big deal. It's been out since 2017 which is over 6.5 years by now. HDMI 2.0b uses 18gbps while HDMI 2.1 bumped it up to 40 or 48 (for some devices)... 6+ years to bump it from 18 to 40gbps. Meanwhile everyone implemented 3d in a few months when HDMI 1.4 came out.😀 If anything, almost everything should support HDMI 2.2 by now even though it hasn't been announced.

[@wezzman1]

​@@techsamurai11it's about being future proof, yes things change slowly and ppl like me don't want to buy new AV equipment every 2 years I want to keep my stuff for at least 10 years. I got caught out by the HDMI confusion many yes ago, they advertised HDMI 1.4 doing 4k . Yes it does do 4k but only at 30hz making it absolutely useless. So don't be falling for the "18gb can do HDMI 2.1 functions" cause it doesn't do most..... don't fall for it.

[@billybobby7607]

Don't need that not interested

[@ryanschipp8513]

@@billybobby7607 so you want old support for old technology? Makes sense

[@billybobby7607]

@@ryanschipp8513 what use outside of gaming is hdmi 2.1?

[@htenthusiast2897]

Although I appreciate the company that designed the base pre amp platform that allowed 3 companies launching low cost pre amps, I still think that we’re a generation away from greatness. If they succeed bringing out a next gen without bugs that kicks ass, perhaps with a hint of Sony immersive surround at a great price, then the big guys will feel a strong pinch from these 3 companies. We’ll see mainly a huge rise from Emotiva who’s been offering audiophile quality to the masses. Great honest review as always 🖖🏻🙌🏻😃

[@sawolaja65]

I use the Marantz cinema 50 with an emotiva BASX A3. Awesome sound. The BASX A3 really helps the Marantz cinema 50 to sing beautifully!!

[@ealanosborne]

Hell yeah it does! 🤘

[@anone3842]

Lack of a proper working EQ such as even Audyssey XT32 on this is a major problem - I thought Audyssey was not needed or doing much on my own 7.1 system which uses a mixture of various surround and front speakers until I tried testing using one of the TechnoDads Dolby test videos where he moves his voice around the room and comes out of one speaker at a time... without EQ the sound of his voice was VERY different out of many of them, and sounded terrible... but with XT32 turned back on, then his voice sounded *exactly* the same out of all the speakers... perfect tone matching! It is 100% needed and impossible to "manually" do.

[@deadline7610]

Nicely Done. Looking forward to your vid on REW. Coming soon I hope :) thanks

[@franklynlindsay2728]

In January I was planning on purchasing this new Emotiva Basx MC1 unit, I change my mind when I found out there is absolutely no 2.1 HDMI output. I did email Emotiva. to find out if and when they will be upgrading to the 2.1 HDMI output I receive an answer the very next day. stating they’ll be upgrading to the 2.1 HDMI,outputs they just doesn’t have a date as yet, they went the 2.0 output route to keep the cost down.

[@ealanosborne]

Yeah, the MC1 is already a year and half old, so I imagine the “MC2” (or whatever it might be called) will have HDMI 2.1.

[@franklynlindsay2728]

@@ealanosborne that sounds great I hope so & I hope it’s released soon

[@SeanPowell-p4v]

I love the fact that Emotiva is trying to deliver great sound at affordable prices. However, if the product is buggy, I’d rather have a reliable receiver that I know when I turn it on it works! If you had a car that had a great engine, but the transmission didn’t always shift into the next gear smoothly, it kind of ruins the whole driving experience. Full disclosure, I don’t own an Emotiva amp or processor. I’m basing my opinion on reviews I’ve read so there it is for better or worse. I may be full of crap but even if it sounds great it’s got to work every time bug-free. There are receivers that can’t do that and honestly I agree with the fact that good separates will outperform receivers. I’m merely talking about reliability, not sound quality.

[@JoMajorSax]

Hi all, I am currently using an Outlaw 976 to drive a nice 7 channel Outlaw amplifier and a powered subwoofer. My speaker system is center, front right, front left, rear right, rear left, upper right, upper left. The 976 has a problem I can't fix, so looking to replace. Would this be a good replacement unit - sorry to ask such a basic question, but this channel seems quite knowledgeable. Thanks for any help you can offer!!!

[@ealanosborne]

Yeah, absolutely! Just like the 976, the MC one doesn’t have a lot of fluff and extra bells and whistles that would bring the cost up. I guess the only downside is that it only has RCA pre-outs, if you prefer XLR pre-outs instead. A close cousin to this is the Tonewinner AT-300 if you wanted XLR connections.

[@Leo-tf7gu]

Just FYI the pops / crackles have been mostly resolved in the new firmware. Also a lot more improvements overall.

[@ealanosborne]

Yay! Thanks for the heads up!

[@Audiomainia2310]

I would love this system - be t HDMI 2.1 is a must for 4K / 120 hz movies and having Wi-Fi for streaming makes life so much more convenient for streaming. Do you disagree E?

[@ealanosborne]

Correct, it is more convenient these days. But I am fortunate enough to have a living room setup with those more modern conveniences (even though it’s not an immersive system - it’s only 2.1 at the moment) AND I have a theater for just kickass movie watching where Wi-Fi and HDMI 2.1 aren’t a must. 🤷‍♂️

[@billybobby7607]

I have a separate streamer. Avr streamers are crap.

[@Tonyplat98]

Just pair the pioneer VSX LX-505 with an emotiva XPA 11 channel amp and that's all you really need. Running a 7.1.4 using this setup it sounds absolutely amazing.

[@Spad3193]

I have the same avr. Is the amp dynamic and is there any hiss when no content is playing? Considering the same amp is why I’m asking.

[@Tonyplat98]

@@Spad3193 If you want the truth I can't hear any difference in sound at normal volumes but when you play louder then you can hear some difference in sound. There's no hiss no distotion this amp is pretty amazing for the price. If you're listening to normal volume though I don't think you need the external amp but it's always nice to have that extra power on tap when you need it. That's why I got the amp.

[@Spad3193]

@@Tonyplat98 thanks for the reply. I’m definitely going for it now. Just looking to add that dynamics to my system.

[@adamjj85]

I wonder what the common supplier is that makes the Emotiva and IOTA almost identical when the companies are from two different countries. Even the Room EQ appears the same with different branding...

[@ealanosborne]

I know, right? There’s gotta be a warehouse somewhere that multiple companies take a basic kit from, then make it their own in the end. 🤷‍♂️

[@BrianGarside]

@@ealanosborne Emotiva wont disclose the OEM since they claim its all made in house in TN. I think this is the one unit that may not be.

[@demonreturns4336]

Where can the IOTA be purchased from?

[@billybobby7607]

Theres tonewinner also

[@phreak1118]

Is this an upgrade from a Denon X4500H? I currently use a BasX A2 and A5 with the Denon. I would say I use it 80% for music and 20% for movies. My movie setup is 5.1.2

[@DTatYoutube]

Very helpful review, thanks!

[@ealanosborne]

Of course! 😁🤘

[@DTatYoutube]

@@ealanosborne super curious about this product (like many others I'm sure) and you provide lots of helpful info - a minor suggestion, can we get some more cheerful background music? Lol

[@jacoblynch9862]

I have a question once you run room correction and when you physically went in and turned the emo EQ off when you do that, does it still maintain the distances from each speaker that it calculated when doing the room equalization or does it just completely turn it off all together, and he would simply be better off just manually inputting your distances

[@ealanosborne]

Yes! Turning off the Emo-Q EQ setting only affects the EQ. The levels and distances remain. 🤘

[@jacoblynch9862]

@@ealanosborne thank you for answering the simple question

[@dragonstone6594]

Hey man, great review! Let me ask you a couple of questions: Can I use powered studio monitors to connect directly to the MC1 with RCA cables instead of buying the amps and then connecting to bookshelf speakers? Because that way it seems like I could save 1300$, by not buying amps. And second is it possible to use an audio interface, like the Scarlett 18i20, that costs 500$, connected to studio monitors of course, to setup Dolby Atoms with a PC to watch movies?

[@ealanosborne]

Yes, you could connect powered studio monitors to the MC1 since monitors have their own amps built in. And yes, connecting studio monitors to an interface like a Scarlett 18i20 is how post production studios are set up, since they’re using DAWs to mix and master the audio. Your PC obviously needs to support Dolby Atmos output, but it can be done. It’s just a little more complicated than your standard AVR setup. 👍

[@Roof_Pizza]

If you don't have XLR's will an XLR to RCA adapter still give you higher voltages than straight RCA's?

[@ealanosborne]

No, sorry. It’ll still only be as high as your weakest link - RCA, in this case.

[@aisidapatrick2781]

When are we getting the Nakamichi Dragon 11.4.6 review? 😩

[@ealanosborne]

I don’t know. 😭 My Nakamichi source has told me “soon,” but there were a couple units that had issues that had to be returned, and some “review units” set aside had to be shipped to those paying customers instead. I get it. The first wave is never 100% bug free with ANY new electronic device. But I’ll let y’all know as soon as I know more! 🎉

[@aisidapatrick2781]

@@ealanosborne Alright 😩

[@CC-ts2se]

Nice review. I'll subscribe for more. Question though. How was the channel separation and how well do objects more around the room? Will it make an unsuspecting guest duck, bob and weave? I moved from an older Pioneer Elite to a Yamaha Advantage HTR and I was disappointed in the way it processed object movement around the room. Was flat and boring.

[@ealanosborne]

In my experience so far, I’ve enjoyed the channel separation more with preamps such as this MC1 and the IOTA AVX17. They are budget preamps, for sure. But even then, it’s preamps that bring you closer to a true cinema experience than an AVR, IMO. Until I can afford something like a Theory Audio Design System (or win the lottery 😄), I’m happy with the result that my AVX17 has given me after reviewing several AVRs.

[@walterbkeen]

Emotiva makes a great product at an unbeatable price. However, I can only hope that they will provide updates to cover the ever-evolving HDMI standard. Especially with eARC, which is widely known to be plagued with constant syncing problems.

[@ealanosborne]

At least up until now, they’ve saved that luxury for their more premium preamps, like the XMC-2 and RMC-1, which are modular, being able to change out & update rear sections, instead of needing to purchase a whole new unit.

[@brandonandrews4009]

Lack of individual channel PEQ control is a complete disqualifier, since I have an asymmetrical room.

[@andrebedard9824]

I have to apologize to everyone, the price of this unit is as Ealan said around 1 k. I was able to find out when checking out is when the Canadian sign appeared besides the price. I will definitely make the purchase tomorrow,just need to clarify shipping and duties to Canada. Thanks again Ealan.

[@ealanosborne]

Woohoo! 🎉

[@BFArch0n]

My Denon 3700h with internal amp bypass is basically a processor....I think only 11 channel tho, but plenty for me.

[@ealanosborne]

🎉🌈

[@fonkenful]

I’m glad my earlier snarky comment - typed before watching this entire video - apparently went astray. I must say that you presented some very compelling points as to performance, minor quibbling over bugs during set up that wouldn’t necessarily affect actual daily viewing, and most importantly the value. My backstory is irrelevant, but I’ve been trying to convince myself that after many decades addicted to FOMO, the single one box solution such as my current Onkyo AVR is more than I need. Your diving into the much greater control of the parametric EQ of either the Emotiva or Iota, and particularly the independent subwoofer control of the latter has got me second guessing myself yet again….🤔 If the two models truly share much of the same firmware, how much enhancement of functionality could be achieved in the MC1, should Emotiva opt to do so?

[@ealanosborne]

Hmmm…well, I would hope that eventually Emotiva would allow for even more control over EQ, namely being able to independently adjust each speaker. I know 4 subs is overkill for most, but subs in general are the most difficult to dial in because of the nature of low frequencies, subwoofer placement, furniture placement, acoustic treatment (if any), etc. So it’s a little disappointing that Emotiva didn’t allow for independent subwoofer adjustments, given the MC1 only supports 2. That and XLR outputs to at least give consumers the option between RCA and XLR. I imagine it wouldn’t cost THAT much more, since the AT-300 has XLR outputs and costs $1,395. 🤷‍♂️ HDMI 2.1/4K 120 Hz support for Next Gen gaming would be nice, just as a better long term investment into what the future holds, as opposed to knowing you’ll need to replace the MC1 in a few years anyway. Lastly, I wish it supported Wi-Fi, given its a more stable - and frankly better - wireless connection than Bluetooth. It also supports Atmos/Spatial Audio Music on various streaming platforms, where Bluetooth does not.

[@fonkenful]

@@ealanosborne Chassis size would need to increase slightly if all line outputs were to have choice of XLR and RCAs, but that’d probably be a minor detail for a “MkII” model. Out of curiosity, do Emotiva’s XLR connections support true differential circuits, or pseudo balanced? Not all potential consumers are necessarily aware of the difference; maybe you could do, or have done a video on the subject? If the interview I saw between Randy and Dan at the debut of the MR1 a few months back is any indication, the resistance to include such updated features may not be just a matter of bean counting.

[@Raress96]

It is the king of budget preamps because there are not others in this price range lol I was looking for a really cheap Atmos Processor from Wish/Aliexpress or something but I guess they are still years off :D

[@hometheaterjoe9489]

I totally agree, love my MC1. Everything I need, nothing I don’t. Best budget pre pro by far imo. Great work bruda

[@ealanosborne]

Thank yooouuuu! 😁🤘

[@jonaschristensen2902]

Not correct ACR will normally preform better than XLR if cable length are shorter than 600mm, the extra component in the signal way of a XLR connection colors the sound more thany you benefit from XLR. BUT in long cables XLR are better....

[@michaelstephens41]

I would have to agree on being behind the times.

[@mohannair]

There just isn't enough of a discount on these products to make them preferable to a denon 3700 or something like that. The software is just too janky. I guess unless you desperately needed to drive 13 speakers on a budget.

[@ben23a31]

Nice. But I don't think it's enough to upgrade from my Yamaha CX-A5200.

[@SpankyMcdouche]

I did own one! Stay far, far away. The buggiest product I ever owned. HDMI would cut out and freeze, audio signals would be sent to the wrong speakers, arc control was hit or miss. I had many emails with Emotiva, software updates etc. eventually they sent out a new unit. Surprise ! Same issues. Emotiva then refused a refund. As an Emotiva fan I’ll probably never buy anything from them again.

[@kman9387]

That's why I chose the Sony AZ 5000es. I kept hearing that this processor had all kinds of issues 😳

[@techsamurai11]

It's a real shame cause you have 3 companies using it and it supports HDMI 2.0 - you'd expect all software glitches to be ironed out.

[@SpankyMcdouche]

Right! You’d expect it. I replaced it with a Marantz receiver, using the pre-outs, and not one glitch since. All switching is great. No hdmi weirdness. In retrospect I wish I head read more of the reviews saying to stay away. The product is bad enough. What’s worse is Emotiva not standing behind it. A shame! They used to be considered a solid company. Now they are just the American face on some substandard chi-fi.

[@techsamurai11]

​@@SpankyMcdouche are you using external amplification? Yeah, I think Emotiva needs to bring up their game a bit - they were killing it with their XPA lines and the BasX amps are great but their AVRs just need to be a bit closer to 2023. If they added DIRAC and it was bug-free, I would forgive the lack of HDMI 2.1 as eArc works just as well and supports all the audio formats.

[@kman9387]

@@SpankyMcdouche So true!

[@gowthamk5392]

Hey i hv upgraded frm denon 1600 h to onkyo RZ50 n driving 2 towers but comparing denon i feel the bass response is less with the same 2 spkrs driven!!??

[@ealanosborne]

Hmmm…and this is after running Dirac Live? Even so, you’re almost always going to need to make manual tweaks to get everything sounding just how you like it, especially with bass extension.

[@gowthamk5392]

@@ealanosborne 👍🏽 👍🏽

[@johnd7268]

Great review!! I’ve been eyeing the IOTA AVX17, but I wish they offered the 11-channel amplifier like Tone Winner and Emotiva. I just like the clean design of the IOTA components. The Tone Winner 11-channel amp is clean, but I don’t care for the look of their 17-channel processor. Emotiva is nice, but that logo and brushed metal finish feels dated. I am a graphic designer, so I tend to judge components on sound first, price and visual style second.

[@ealanosborne]

Rumor has it that IOTA is in the works with a 9 channel preamp. That would be a game changer, since every other preamp starts at 13 channels. Let's hope it comes true!

[@johnd7268]

@@ealanosborne Curious, do you think the processing on these separate processors are better or as good as the Sony ES AV units? My other thought was to purchase the Sony ES STR-AZ5000ES for processing to external amps, like the 11-channel Tone Winner AD-8300.

[@ealanosborne]

@@johnd7268 I personally think the raw audio processing/channel separation is better with preamps. That being said, though, the Sony 5000ES would be a great alternative, given that you have many more bells and whistles to go along with good processing power + spatial sound mapping, etc.

[@johnd7268]

@@ealanosborne Thank you for your perspective!

[@rccola454]

I currently have a Onkyo TX-RZ630 that I haven't been happy with for some time. I find it struggles with volume levels in different scenes in movies and watching TV (sports in particular), it just lacks punch or character. It replaced an older Rotel RSX-1067 AVR which I loved, it have fantastic performance and made my B&W speakers sing. I'm really considering going the separate route and getting a good processor to match up with my Rotel amp. Any thoughts or suggestion on going this separate route (BasX MC1 and Rotel RSX-1067) or staying the traditional AVR route?

[@ealanosborne]

I believe that any home theater enthusiast should have an ultimate goal of going with separates, so I agree with your assessment. :) You should be able to get a 7.1 system going with your Rotel as an amp since it has a 7.1 multi-channel input section on the rear. Otherwise - if indeed you do get a preamp processor like the MC1 - might as well invest in some proper home theater external amps down the road. AVRs are great and convenient, being able to perform multiple tasks at once, but having separate components to handle HDMI switching/audio processing and powering your speakers is always best.

[@rccola454]

@@ealanosborne Thanks for the comment and the video, very well explained and detailed!

[@rccola454]

@@ealanosborne - I've been watching some of your other videos and you've also been talking about the Marantz Cinema 70s. Which would you pick between this and the Marantz (they literally are within a couple of dollars of each other)?

[@jason_mc77]

How does Emo-Q compare to Dirac when it comes to object placement for movies? I don't expect it to be better but I'm curious if its even close

[@ealanosborne]

It was pretty good.

[@rayking507]

Hi there, how does the sound quality and separation compared to IOTAVX AVX16 processor.

[@ealanosborne]

I still prefer the IOTA, personally. I think it may have to do with the slight uptick in voltage power using all XLR cables from the IOTA to my external amps. Or maybe it’s just a placebo effect 😄

[@danemoreno88]

What do you even need one of these if you have a avr ?? Edit oh it’s for separates …

[@ChrisHVACguy]

Are the pops WHILE watching content? or just when switching?

[@ealanosborne]

Just when switching. Whew!

[@ChrisHVACguy]

@@ealanosborne I recently got the AT-300 and I keep getting them while watching, so frustrating, Aamir might send me a new one soon.

[@ealanosborne]

@@ChrisHVACguy Oh nooo! Yeah, that’s a deal breaker for me. I can handle odd things when switching or between watching content. But during? I have no tolerance for that. Hope it works out in the end! 🤞🤞

[@ChrisHVACguy]

@@ealanosborne I'm really considering this MC1 if the tonewinner doesn't work out, but I'm VERY hesitant because people talk about HDMI issues, and I'm so tired of dealing with equipment that doesn't just work.

[@GingersKing]

$1k and it doesn't even have HDMI 2.1 ports? Seems like it would make more sense to buy an AVR and just use an external amp.

[@texasbuzzard4970]

great review! but this product is gunna be a no from me dawg. Why would an AVR have such horrible auto calibration? wouldn't we all be better off buying the okyo rz50 for the same price and using the pre outs? does this product have any advantage over the onkyo? I'm thinking onkyo has about a million more features, AMPS, and calibration that works wonders

[@akpayton34]

Would you say that a seperates system like this is better than using something like an rz50 that supports DIRAC?

[@ealanosborne]

Tough call, since both provide excellent room correction. The difference being, Dirac provides better AUTO room correction and MC1 has better ways to make MANUAL corrections. But sonically, I still think a preamp has just a slight edge over an AVR, unless you already have enough external amps to power ALL your speakers with external amps and an RZ50.

[@schemkesa]

Oh, I love that XLR in and outputs for the subwoofers... long distance, symmetrical xlr microphone cables are cheap and good and easily available

[@ealanosborne]

Hell yeah, they are! 🤘

[@kman9387]

I was on the fence about this processor and the IOTAVX. It wasn't until your Sony ES review that I made the plunge. My new Sony AZ 5000es has the most insane immersive surround sound and sick Channel separation 😮 I know the Sony is 2 times the price, but it's wayyyy worth it 👍😁

[@ealanosborne]

Woohoooooo! 🎉

[@techsamurai11]

Do you have any hiss when it's not playing?

[@kman9387]

@@techsamurai11 Zero! It's perfect in almost every way except that crappy remote it comes with 🤦 The Sony AZ 5000es is spectacular! There are those Denon and Marantz people who will never be open to the possibility of something being better than what other audio people tell them to buy 😁

[@techsamurai11]

​@@kman9387 Thanks, I've heard great things about it. What did you use before?

[@kman9387]

@@techsamurai11 I had the Onkyo Rz820. The one before that was a Denon. The Onkyo was far better. But when I got this Sony i was pleased with the look of the AVR, and blown away with it's audio processing! I have a 5.1.2 Atmos system sending all channels out of the pre outs to the Emotiva basx A7. Even though I'm using the same emotiva amp it sounds profoundly better than any systems I had in the past 25 years 😊👍

[@wontonzilla]

If my samsung q80t supports 4k at 120hz from 1 hdmi and has earc and i only use a pc to watch movies and game from that 1 hdmi is it safe to say i dont need hdmi 2.1 built into the unit?

[@ealanosborne]

What’s your speaker setup at the moment?

[@wontonzilla]

my daily system is PC to topping e70 to schiit Freya plus to edifier 3000 pro and 2x emotiva s8 subs it sounds clean and works very well in my size living room. With black Friday and the holidays coming up quick I'm thinking this unit or the rz50. Canadian dollars at play here

[@andrebedard9824]

Hello, Thanks for this excellent review. Always interesting and humorous reviews. I presently have a 5.1 HK Signature 2.0 and 2 X (5 amplifiers 2.1 units) Bi amp all front speakers. It is an old system but the sound is amazing. I want to upgrade to a dolby atmos system. I have already spent a lot of money on rca cables that came in suitcases so I dont think switching everything to XLR is a good idea. Also the amps are all with RCA connections. So I tend to lean towards the Emotiva preamp, It is the same black look with blue lights as the 2.0 HK. But I dont see it at 1099.00$ On there web site it is around 1500.00$ us. I thought you can only buy from them. I am missing something here?? Thank you.

[@ealanosborne]

Thanks for the kind words! :) Although it says $1,099 when looking it up right now...🤷‍♂👇 emotiva.com/products/basx-mc1-13-2-channel-dolby-atmos-dts-x-cinema-processor

[@andrebedard9824]

Maybe it. Is converted in can funds. I will call them. Thanks

[@andrebedard9824]

Because I still see1600$. I will call and let everyone know.

[@43SunSon]

Question please: Cinema Processor is the same as AVR, or it's 2 different things. ?

[@ealanosborne]

Cinema processor (at least in Emotiva’s case) means “preamp,” where it does not have ANY internal amps at all. It just processes audio, switches video sources, etc. Everything EXCEPT power your speakers, which has to be done with external amps. 🤘

[@travisjacobson682]

Similar, but not the same. A processor decodes an audio signal and determines what sounds get sent to which speakers. An AVR can do this too, but generally it does it with fewer channels. The advantage of an AVR is that it also provides power amplification for some number of channels. A processor, in addition to having the ability to run more channels, usually has higher quality internal components leading to a better reproduction of the sound, as well as more sophisticated/granular adjustments for things like room correction and equalization (at least in theory). I don't have firsthand experience comparing like for like, but I have a strong suspicion that modern upper-mid to high end AVRs are well equipped for audio processing. I'm skeptical that a separate processor offers an advantage over a modern flagship AVR unless your setup has 13+ channels or you are spending over $10k on a processor (and at that point the diminishing returns on marginal improvement of sound per dollar is pretty steep). It's a niche product in a niche market, so the markup is considerable.

[@43SunSon]

@@travisjacobson682 got it! It seems like, if I buy a Cinema processor, I will need to get an amp as well. lol. this is complicated.

[@43SunSon]

@@ealanosborne It seems like, if I buy a Cinema processor, I will need to get an amp as well. lol. this is complicated.

[@mptobler1]

I just purchased the UMK-1 mike can I use it with the MC-1 Cinema Processor?

[@ealanosborne]

No, sorry. Well, not directly, that is, since the UMIK-1 is a USB mic. You can certainly use it in conjunction with REW on a laptop to manually calibrate the MC1. 🎉

[@mptobler1]

@@ealanosborne Excuse my ignorance and this will be my last question on this, but what is REW, and I have Dirac on my Onkyo RZ50, how can I use it in conjunction with the MC-1

[@ealanosborne]

@@mptobler1 Oh…I thought you owned the MC1. REW is free room calibration software you would use on a laptop in conjunction with a UMIK-1 microphone to capture frequency sweeps and test tones. If you search REW on KZbin, you’ll get a lot of hits with how to manually calibrate a home theater system. Home Theater Gamer has quite a few. But since you have an RZ50 with Dirac Live, that’s pretty much the best consumer grade calibration software already. 👍

[@rajendrabiswas]

is this good for headphones ?

[@ealanosborne]

It’s great, but I wouldn’t say it was one of the things they focused on when designing the product. 🤷‍♂️

[@Jamison42166]

support for bitstreaming DSD through HDMI ? (Sacd)

[@ealanosborne]

Doesn’t look like it, sorry. Seems that feature is reserved for more expensive preamps or premium 4K Blu-ray players like the Magnetar UDP800

[@dave5008-]

Hi Ealan, have you compared the MC-1 to a Denon x3800h? I just bought an MC-1. Which it sounds fantastic. The issue I'm having is a few bit of HDMI bugs. I am trying to decide if I should send the MC-1 back and trying a Denon x3800h or just living with the bugs on the MC-1. The bugs don't happen every day but do pop up a couple times a week.

[@ealanosborne]

I haven’t been able to get my hands on the newest models of Denon AVRs, so I can’t make that call if they’re less buggy or not. Fortunately the MC1 I reviewed didn’t have me any bugs that I was aware of. Granted, I reviewed it for a week and then I had to move on, so maybe that wasn’t enough time to make a long-term judgement call about the software. 😬

[@dave5008-]

I will add that I paid $800 plus tax on the Emotiva trade in event. In your opinion would you live with the random HDMI issues and occasional lockup?

[@ealanosborne]

@@dave5008- Hmmm…depends, I guess. If it’s between watching various sources (streaming Netflix, watching 4K Blu-ray disc, listening to music, etc), I could live with that. But if it happens in the middle of watching something? That would get annoying real fast for me personally.

[@dave5008-]

@@ealanosborne you have a good point. It's only happened upon initial power up so far.

[@salehkambijo1849]

Hi Ealan, Am planning to upgrade my AVR from 5.1 to 5.1.4 majority my contents on a streaming and as u know almost all movies Audio format 5.1. How can i benefit from the heights effect?? I looked at an AVR from sony claiming 360 reality audio effect is that will do? Is only Sony could do that?

[@ealanosborne]

Hi! Well, any new AVR these days will have Dolby Atmos “upmixing,” where it tried its best to separate what SHOULD be height information (even in a 5.1 mix) and send them to the height speakers. It does a pretty good job, typically, but not all mixes are great, unfortunately. But beyond that, are you not able to access Atmos content through Netflix, Max, Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+? Just curious if that’s much harder to access where you live, because most major TV shows now are almost always mixed in Dolby Atmos. 🤷‍♂️

[@iamski]

The fact that the receiver's HDMI is only 2.0b and not the new standard of 2.1 is a dealbreaker for a lot of gamers and enthusiasts alike. Emotiva dropped the ball on this one.

[@cainification]

SAME and I really can't stress it enough

[@MisterGreenGuy]

So true, it's the single reason I'm going with a Marantz instead.

[@iamski]

@@MisterGreenGuy which model you thinking?

[@JM-jv6cb]

How much can I get for a middle of the road well used kidney ?????

[@ealanosborne]

🤣

[@victorpulos823]

You are forgetting about svs

[@fonkenful]

They offer processors and multi channel power amps?

[@victorpulos823]

@@fonkenful speaker wires and hdmi

[@fonkenful]

@@victorpulos823 I took your comment to refer to Ealon’s assertion as to how many direct to consumer on-line companies could outfit the entire audio portions of a multi-channel HT system, from soup to nuts.

[@olivierplayer1633]

do 5.1 receivers exist with only one HDMI arc input ? with no other HDMI inputs or outputs .

[@ealanosborne]

Not that I know of. That’s more of a soundbar thing these days. 🤷‍♂️

[@olivierplayer1633]

@@ealanosborne don't like soundbars .I am happy with my pioneer vsx528 but I only use arc .no HDMI input ,I have 5 HDMI inputs I don't use them .my surround sound is exelent in copetitiv battle royal gaming . I use 4.0 setup .

[@billybobby7607]

One hdmi input avr would be a stupid product hahahha

[@olivierplayer1633]

@@billybobby7607 why ? I want DTS and thats all .all devices connected directly to tv for no lag gaming .i only need hdmi ARC and DTS and one input in my receiver .

[@billybobby7607]

@@olivierplayer1633 relying on e-arc? Nah not a chance.

[@pl0930]

I'm not sure how 1600 CA$ is considered a "Bargain" ? WIIM is a bargain, yeah. It's like saying a GLE63S AMG is a "bargain" at 197 000 CAD cuz it's as powerful as a 600k car.

[@johndaddabbo9383]

Sorry, but the Manual EQ option NOT having individual speaker adjustability is an absolute GAME OVER!!! Seriously Emotiva, what were you thinking? A seriously powerful manual EQ "if" not for this one FLAW.

[@TECHNDJ]

So what about 8K or 4K120 gaming with upcoming consoles? So should we expect next gen consoles with two HDMIs for audio and video? 😂 You will be doomed if your GPU does not have 2 hdmis then😑

[@billybobby7607]

Your RS speakers have poor FR, dropping off at 7.5k and it's appling tons of boost . Not a good ide

[@Goose_Lord]

Don't see the big deal about HDMI 2.1... 1) 8k content is almost non existent 2) The vast majority of projectors do not support hdmi 2.1 so it doesn't affect most dedicated home theater users. 3) Competetive gamers are playing at 240hz with 1080P or lower resolution. I doubt most casuals will notice 60hz vs 120hz.

[@ealanosborne]

It’s not all too important at the moment, for sure. I guess for those who want to invest in HDMI 2.1 now, knowing they won’t need to upgrade their preamp/AVR for many years, it’s a safe bet knowing you’ll have the capabilities to keep up with the latest tech that’s actually utilizing 8K or HDMI 2.1, etc. 🤷‍♂️ But I get it. As far as audio is concerned, I’m still fine with HDMI 2.0b, since that what the IOTA AVX17 supports. 🤘

[@BrianGarside]

Totally agree. It will be a long while before 8k content is available.

[@tyroneearnest4513]

You lost me at Emo Q room correction. Don't half-ass room correction, save your money for Dirac or even ARC.

[@محمودشحات-ح2ه]

👍 اصلى 👍

[@Lee-zf3xp]

👍

[@SaphyMinecraft]

No mi lock

[@techsamurai11]

I just wonder how many people buying the MC1 have 13 channels. If they do, I would strongly urge them to remove some of the Atmos channels and invest that money in a better LCR unless your LCR is really high-end and high-end today can actually be as affordable as the Polk R700s or the Arendals, Sonus Faber Arias and many French companies like Triangle and Focal.

[@ealanosborne]

Solid advice. 🤘