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I just recently started my hi-fi journey -and am on a budget. Using a firetv stick to stream spotify to my tv, then toslink to a cheap dac, then to amp. Should I be worried about the firetv/ TV audio sample rate? Not sure if a DAC with Bluetooth would enhance my experience. Further down the line I‘ll get a decent CD Player, too.
@P T being a student, money is an issue and justifying two music streaming services is hard. Giving up on spotify is also not an option. I simply love the algorithm for finding new music and the app-interface. I tried amazon music and apple music in the past and the recommendations and community playlists just can‘t compare to spotify. Lossless audio might be a stretch for my setup anyways - toslink samples down to 48khz or sth. and the 20 buck dac should be upgraded first. Basically saying: I‘ll save up for a better DAC before I change anything else
There are two features missing from this that if they were there, this would be my ultimate receiver. Those features being HDMI 2.1 for 4K at 120Hz and Networking allowing you to control the receiver from an app or smart home system such as Home Assistant.
I don't think you'll want to run your games through the receiver anyways imo because of the input lag. You can still get Dolby MAT through earc for dolby home theater on windows.
Well Wow!!!!!! If my Marantz cant be fixed I am buying this. On a whim I looked on Emotiva's site to see if they made a receiver because I knew they were a separates type of company. I had no idea this had just come out with the MR1 and found it and it looks amazing. I also came over to you to see if you had reviewed it yet and found you had. I was onto Emotiva a bit before I found you but you have solidified my fandom of this company. I have not bought anything yet but I am ready and will use your links to do so.
There are definitely some compromises that will be made when you buy this product. But I will say this. The sound that comes out of this thing is amazing! All AV receivers seem to be having their issues lately. Before I purchased the Emotiva I was on my second RZ-50. I am hoping that when an update/upgrade comes that I will be able to send my unit to Emotiva and get it. I have been happy with everything that I have purchased so far. The Basx line has been able to allow me to have the big theater but not the big out of reach price. Keep on making things better.
Neat! Now that that is out the door, maybe we can hope Emotiva can wrap up development of the XSP-2 2-channel preamp that is supposed to be coming out 1H 2023…
Wow. I just recently bought a Marantz SR5015, with the intention of adding an Emotiva Amp in the near future. The total would end up being just over $3k. This would give me acceptable power and many more channels available at a much lower total investment. My timing stinks, lol.
Nice review. I would like to hear a little more balance in terms of pointing out negatives or areas where emotiva could improve, etc. You mentioned its size but didn't mention how warm it gets. I'm not sure cramming something that big and powerful into a too small space is such a good idea. What is the warranty and return policy? It's size all by itself would make it a no-go in my setup. I also didn't hear many comments about the sound and imaging. Or specific comparisons to other amps in its price range based on your own experience. Or pairings you made with various speakers. I would like more detail along with the general praise
@@kingtrance307 I don't call up audio companies because a reviewer failed to give me necessary info. I watch reviews to get a balanced point of view about a product. If it's not balanced, a critique is fair. And Emotiva would not provide detailed comparisons to other products. And they definitely couldn't give Randy's sound impressions.
You only need HDMI 2.1 if you game at 4K/60. For movie, TV, and music use this is a knockout. $500 less than the Marantz Cinema 50 and absolutely crushes it in the amp department. Dirac is neat but if you have a treated room and you know how to use parametric EQ, I'm not sure it's necessary.
Hate to be that guy, but you mean 120hz not 60 lol. I’m the kind of person who does play games at 4K 120hz like Dance Dance Revolution, but because I care about latency, I just do earc, and all issues with HDMI not being 2.1, disappears
or 1440p 240hz, though I'm not sure if an AV Receiver can even process that high of a refresh rate. Not to mention the ability to run 8K 60hz, though that's rather high end for most prosumers let alone consumers.
@@GavAttackO that’s also a very true statement, past outside games that you need good latency, I doubt most would notice the process delay. I know when I play ddr on my oled, my pioneer elite adds 25 ms of latency. Which is extremely high for rhythm games, but nothing for story driven or racing games. It’s all about context though in my opinion
@@JamesCook76131 is ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) or a Game Mode an option on your Pioneer? If so, try messing with that and see if it decreases your latency. I agree with it not being an issue for story driven titles, however racing games are affected by the latency for those who focus hard enough or drive fast paced yet precise vehicles like a Formula car. One slightly wrong input could end an entire race. Just look at iRacing videos for some examples on how small mistakes can end in disaster.
Cool review. Might be a solid option for me to replace my 15-year old Integra Processor and pair it with my 2 Adcom monster amps (5503 & 555MKII) for the bed layer speakers and then use the internal power for height speakers down the line.
I’m considering doing the same thing. I have a great but old Harman Kardon AVR 335 paired with an Adcom GFA 555II to drive my front speakers of an all NHT Classic series 7 channel speakers. Both units are in like new conditions but the Adcom’s internal caps are supposed to be getting old. It sounds fantastic but if this Emotiva would give all of my speakers plenty of power and if it really sounds that good, I might not miss the Adcom.
I have the Fusion 8100. It was sent back for repair three times. I had to pay for shipping also. It can’t run all the channels without weird problems. It can be used as a preamp though. I wish they would let me straight up trade for this one though after all the problems. I still love their products!
The jackpack on that thing is identical to my Basx Mc1. Same channels, layout, they just added amps. Not a bad thing, really. But I prefer separates. My MC1 is amazing for what it's worth
Man I am so jealous! I watched the Emotiva video also. I see one of these in my future. I already have Emotiva speakers! This beast has me excited, it does everything thing I need.
Love Emotiva. The MR1 looks like a great receiver, but don't understand the decision to not include the latest HDMI standard (2.1) ... as always, great review Randy.
Nice review, Randy. That is a big beautiful receiver and in the home theater world I am sure it will make a big difference to a lot of people. Not something for everyone but everything for someone.
@@DW_drums Dirac is the name of specific EQ/room correction, not just any room correction. Most consider Dirac to be the best one available. The MR1 has "EmoQ Second Generation Automatic Room Correction". (Taken directly from the product webpage.)
@@dominicfeira8037 because it can process and additional 2 channels. Dealers choice on which those should be, hence the full pre-outs. If you want to use all external amps, why even look at AVR's? Buy a processor 🧐
Great Review...I just discovered the MR1 was a thing today..I run multiple XPA emotiva amps already..The XPA's are built like Sherman Tanks, and have been used daily since 2014..Im in the market for a new receiver, and have been sad at the options from Denon and Marantz..$4,500.00 to $6500.00 range..To much crap on them that i dont want or need to be paying for..This thing is absolutley just what the Doctor ordered..Ill still be running my amps though, as i like 300 w per channel on my towers, and theres many of them..Im sold on this, especially since its from Emotiva..
Wow, that USB audio input may be a game changer for some people! I could run my USB cable to the MR1 instead of to my separate pre-amp/DAC, and sell both my pre-amp and power amp.
I just retired my 1978 Marantz 2252B receiver (I'm still a two-channel guy) and the only choice for me was some Emotiva gear. So I bought their A2 power amp and their PT1 pre-amp. with my military discount, my cost was $900. I just wish the gear was made in the US. I'd gladly pay more. USAF Retired
Really like the staggered speaker connections. Wish my Denon had thatr as its a pain when the connections are so close together and its a nightmare to install / remove / re tighten all your cables. Thats a very smart design.
Loved the review - Thank-you! I know how you feel with the "super-sized" components. It seems like very few "home theater cabinets" fit the larger components these days (few cabinets are ever deep enough and sometimes high enough). To move my gear into a stereo cabinet, I gave up finding a cabinet that was sized correctly and found another center channel speaker to replace the monstrous RC-62II Klipsch I have (that weighs 30 pounds and is huge) - I still have to sell it - lol. But even then, the cabinet needed modifications to make the 7.5" high Onkyo HT receiver work in the cabinet (both in height and depth) with the smaller center channel on the shelf above. Because the cabinet's back was facing an open stairwell and is seen, I installed a privacy panel on the back of the cabinet, hung with a French cleat that hides all the wire connections to the receiver. The cabinet is better ventilated, the wires are completely hidden and access to the connections is a snap. The "easy" to assemble cabinet from Wayfair turned into a "project" with the modifications. The MR1 shows a 1/4" taller. Oh Nooooooo, more cabinet modifications!
Have always wondered why Emotiva did not have a line of avr’s and would be interested in one if it was more like 140w 7 channel or maybe even 9 channel but not this one. Way overkill without good software, features and more codecs. Not sure who this is aimed for. Glad I just ordered a new Yamaha. 😊 Update: fyi I just checked the specs. For audio only probably just fine but for video and gamers take note it is HDMI 2.0 with no support for 8k or other modern gaming platforms. But for $2k you are getting a lot of power and basic level of Dolby and DTS sound levels only.
I love Emotiva products. I had an Emotiva LPA-1 for many years, and my son spilled water on it and died 😢. I’m still looking for a replacement for a 7 channel amp.
My son dropped a coke on the tile next to him him whilst he was gaming on my pc. He fried a $400.00 GpU and f’d up a $300 motherboard. I wasn’t even mad, I laughed it off. My fault for not imposing a strict no drinks whilst using dads electronics rule.
Great review Randy! Much has been said about the lack of the 2.1 hdmi, also no tuner. Have I overlooked a phono stage or is that missing too? I believe it is. Not a huge thing as I am totally sold on this monster and I cannot wait to get it in the rack. Thanks again.
That's pretty awesome but I opted for the MC-1 processor and separate basx amplifiers so if I wanted to upgrade the processor at some point I don't have to change my amplifiers.
As an Emotiva XMC 2 and multiple amp owner I can confirm the dialogue online is correct. Amps and customer service are great - processors are trash and will never be fixed. I hope the same is not true for the AVR. I've owned Denon/Yamaha/Pioneer and the level of defectiveness in Emotiva has reached the realm of absurdity.
Much as this product looks to be excellent, I must say I’m disappointed that it lacks HDMI 2.1 frankly for a new product to be released without the latest HDMI moves it several steps behind its competitors right out of the gate.
Hi Randy, you've knocked it out the park yet again! Great review in your fine & funny, inimitable style. all the very best to you & your family from G. in Japan!
I saw a different video from emotiva in which they made a great point about the hdmi2.1; and that is if you are a gamer and need that full bandwidth then you should be and would be connecting your console/pc directly to the tv's hdmi2.1 removing any input/processing lag that would be present running it through the av unit. And given the number of issues all the major manufacturers ran into with implementing 2.1, i can see why they didnt bother. Also, emotiva claims that they build to last and offer upgrade paths, so there is a possibility when 8k becomes more viable that they would produce and upgrade board that could be swapped in. My only complaint is why go through the trouble of adding bluetooth and not include a wifi module? This would make it much easier to upgrade firmware without having to move a 50lb object just to get access to the back.
For all of you out there complaining about HDMI 2.1, what content uses that much bandwidth besides gaming (and if you watched Emotivas video it has you covered there too with eARC.) I'll wait... And besides that if you watch Emotivas video the receiver is modular and can be upgraded at a later date. So tell me what a better deal that is out there for $2k and has this much power in a receiver. I'll wait yet again... Great job Emotiva you knocked it out of the park and have converted me from a Yamaha fan.
Yes, I too would like to know if it is separate sub signals, and if so, how are they different? Just sub and LFE? Left and right? Front and back? Maybe you can select it in setup? Also another use for all those pre-outs would be to connect a mixer and crossover to get all the sub outputs you could want...
Per the User Manual, all four subwoofer outputs deliver the same audio information. However there are independent Level Trim and Distance settings for SW1 and SW2.
They just released a firmware update that is supposed to fix the pops. Mine doesn't do the obnoxious pops, but more of a slight crackle (even on this new firmware). Mostly when fast forwarding on the connected Apple TV. The video drops out on mine when going from the home screen on the Apple TV to a movie for about 8 seconds. Really annoying and didn't improve with this new firmware. Here is what the changelog says for v4.03.0906: IMPROVED: - helps with ticks and pops in various situations that are the result of mute timing variations (this will especially help with ticks and pops for users who are using ARC/eARC). - fixes the bug with manually entered distance settings for the subwoofer not taking effect. - fixes the issue where EmoQ will repeatedly fail to "pass" for no reason in certain speaker configurations. - better overall subwoofer performance after EmoQ calibration.
I purchased this receiver and i do agree that it sounds great but what no one talks about is all the bugs and sound cracking you get when you cycle through the modes and apps.
@@RayTorredoes that mean you chose to return the MR1? I decided to try the MR1L and purchased it. I’m hooking it up to my system now to see if I experience any of the undesirable things you did and see it I keep it. Thanks for sharing ✌🏼
Is there a phono input? I plan to get my PL-41 turntable out of storage, serviced and play my records from another century. I was thinking about the Cinema 60 but this unit ( actually the MR1 L ) looks very appealing. I have 5.1 system now in my small house. I’ll go to 7.1, and 9.1 possibly in future.
I just bought one today, emovtiea bassx M1l 9.2 channel to replace my denon 8k 2700h because I was having problems with it when I saw that 9.2 channel bassX m1l I bought it because it will do with it need and I loved the features on it and plus I can add two height channel and finally do dolby atmos and I got 25% off on it
@@WardoUSA I agree 100%! I only bought their RMC1 in their bring out your dead sale, based the fact this summer about 10 boards are being changed and a full upgrade to HDMI 2.1 to 2.1A. But we will see...
@@ryanjofre not sure how you think it’s not common. Seems like prices are being artificially inflated with brands like Marantz, but the typical brands all seem pretty normal at this point.
@@ryanjofre the Specs for HDMI 2.1 were pretty much done in 2017. I have a Yamaha receiver in my den with HDMI 2.1 cost me around $350 around 1 year or 2 ago. I was at Costco a little over a year ago and bought a Denon with HDMI 2.1 for around $400. I realize there is less expense but those makers make AVRs for well over 1K so at this point it COULD be chip issue, but its not premium any more to me thinking. I own a bit of Emotiva gear too, such as an XPA 3 amp and a pre-pro.
Remote looks a little lame but the functions a are there, I like the added a screen dimmer, although really you could put a cloth in-front if it was too bright but if it was too dim your screwed so makes sense when the opted for the brighter side
Hey there, Randy! Another great review, Sir; I thank you! I wish I could afford one of these bad boys. Its EXACTLY what I would love to have replace my growingly-obsolete NAD T753(feeding a 90 lb. Crestron CNAMPX-60X60). The NAD is another simplistic receiver with simple controls and limited functionality(neither of which bother me much). It still sounds amazing. IMHO? That's really job#1. Everything else is secondary. I'm using a Key Digital ISync HD(good luck finding any information on that unit 🤓) as my HDMI switch/scaler/interface transposer) with a PeakDo 60 Ghz wireless HDMI kit feeding an InFocus DLP projector and my resolution maxes out at 1080p. HDMI 2.1 is FAR less important to me than to most users since my video signal path is completely separate from audio. I absolutely love what Emotiva is doing. I would support them in a heartbeat if I could. I wish I could've traded in a working HDMI reveiver last year when they did their trade-in promotion. Talk about a dream job. Your company walkthrough at Emotiva was amazeballs.
2k is a Bargain for what you get. I’m not into surround, I’d be drooling if I was. Smart to ignore DSP effects that 90% never fool with after the shine wears off. Somebodies had their thinking caps on designing that thing. 👍👍👍
OMG, Grrrreat video Bro, I was just about to purchase the Denon X4800H 9.4 AVR ($2499) to upgrade my home theater system, then I came across your video. I choose the Emotiva MRI which have more than enough power to drive my 7.2.4 Klipsch Reference Premiere Speakers.Thank you so much. keep bringing us these awesome and very informative videos. Stay safe.
No HDMI 2.1 is a deal breaker. Their product is welcome by me regardless as it brings more competition. Emotiva is bringing us something unique here with all the power. Now just give us a higher end unit with the bells and whistles, and Dirac too.
And every other sub $2k receiver has 2.1 issues anyways. And all of those being revised this year to fix 2.1 issues? Nowhere near this power. Is it perfect? No. Does it blow the competition out of the water in terms of sound and power? Fuck yes
It looks like Emotiva will probably offer an upgrade on this product, for those who want HDMI 2.1 in the future. On their website they already offer an eARC HDMI 2.0b upgrade board for the XMC-2, RMC-1L, and RMC-1 which allows your processor to add eARC capabilities. That costs around $450, which covers shipping the unit back to them for an in house upgrade, and sending back to you. I’m guessing when they find a reliable supply of chips for HDMI 2.1, you’ll be able to buy an upgraded video board from their website?
Nice! If my older AV receiver stops working - I know where I will look for a replacement! I am assuming/hoping that they come out with a simpler 5 channel version? I only use 3 channels actually, but adding surround speakers is possible.
One of the many nice features of this BasX MR1 is that if you hook up less speakers, it automatically gives more power per ch.! Example: With 5 ch. Driven this puts out 135 watts @ 8 ohms, and 200 watts @ 4 ohms, from 20Hz to 20,000Hz= Awesome! So if you only run 3 speakers, it puts out even more power!
I just haven't got the real estate for that many speakers he'll not even 5 .. Guess I'm stuck with the old Sennheiser Ambeo .. It's a beast that's for sure .
I wish they would offer a smaller version with only 7 channels. while I understand the current industry trends, I have no interest in anything beyond 5.1 or 5.2.1. I think most houses would be satisfied with that configuration to fit into the average American home.
I have a sub with speaker wire and I was wondering if there was anyway I could cut a iPhone charger and hook the two wires up and play it out my phone but my phone probably can’t even put out that power but it’s only a 3.5 inch sub
No HDMI 2.1!! Seems like the audio specs are top notch but a company launching a new AVR product line in 2023 without current HDMI technology is a huge miss. They're setting themselves up for bad reviews. Pretty sure this is why they knew not to send one to Andrew Robinson.
It's upgradeable, and also HDMI 2.1 doesn't have much use yet. If you want a high refresh rate on your tv you just use the Earc. I'm just not sure what you need HDMI 2.1 for.
Another good review. That remote looks cheap. But I bet the product dev team and execs were weighing their options: either have an awesome, expensive, well-designed remote, or have an awesome, well-priced receiver/amp that blows all their competitors out of the park. They went w/ the latter. If they're reading through these comments, I see potential for them to make even more profit - in a couple months, design and release a nice remote that MR1 owners can buy separately!
So if you have a separate set of 2 channel speakers in the room (separate from the HT sound set up) that are really power hungry, you could use the MR1's pre out for the fronts to a two channel amplifier and feed that to the 2 channel set up? This sounds a setup that gets you a decent (Emotiva made) preamp signal (then boosted with the power amp of your choosing) for two channel listening bliss from your "stereo speakers".
Building a system and looking to upgrade my amp have been buying a few things at a time and don't have a great detailed sound yet guess i was expecting better sound, seams to be about the same as streaming Spotify. Have Elac debut 6.0 speakers, rt 85 turntable with the 110, fosi pre amp, and a 10 year old denon AVR
I bet it is awesome for 2 channel with 160 wpc at 8 ohms and 290 wpc at 4 ohms. My Marantz 7.1 sounds warm in two channel mode. I never set it up for home theater as I rarely watch movies.
I noticed the capacitors are shrink wrapped in custom wrap. This concerns me because we don't know the manufacturer or rating on the caps. I don't think they are known for using high quality caps.
I don’t know if this has been asked before, but I’ve read on other forums that this model doesn’t have hdmi 4K pass-through. Has this been confirmed or not? Excuse my ignorance, but the way they talked about it, it was a dealbreaker for them so I ask…. What is the importance of 4K pass-through??
Great review. To me, calling this a receiver is a misnomer as it has no tuner, either terrestrial or Internet. I would call it an integrated home theater amp. I also wish it had a zone output. Finally, I saw in another video that they will have an HDMI 2.1 board available later this year. How much will it cost? Will it be user replaceable? Add the new board and zone outputs and it would be a real winner.
I am definitely going to keep by eye on this one. I have a Denon X3500H and had been somewhat looking around for a newer AVR. This is definitely checks off most of what I would want at a great price. I already have a couple older external Adcom 2ch amps running my surrounds and height since the x3500 was a bit underpowered to run all 7 channels, but I could downsize, improve, add channels, and gain power for a bargain price. Nice!
Emotiva looks like they hit it out of the park with this. I like the ability to change the channel levels on the fly with the remote. I agree, I don't need 15 different modes. Typically, I set it to one and leave it. Same with the setup menu, I don't need it to look like I'm playing a high-end video game. Again, I set it up once and leave it. Awesome Job Emotiva!
MC1 is a $2000 product. No HDMI 2.1 is not a big deal for MOST people. Few other AVRs will equal the power & sound quality, none at the price, that is a big deal. The Emo-Q is improved and adjustable- a big deal. Certainly better than YPAO, maybe Audyssey (I'm not a fan of). Unless a product has Dirac or ARC, I'll pass. Build quality, features, specs, plus support & customer service that the others don't offer. The MC1 is a winner.
So... - Homebrew room correction (vs Dirac or some such) - No HDMI 2.1 - No streaming, no bluetooth, nada - EDIT: it does have bluetooth - obvs no app control either I get that not everyone wants or needs all the modern features but the comments (and to an lesser extent this review) just reeks of making a virtue out of necessity.
The Sound Blaster X5 just hit the market (Bluetooth dac headphone amp). So many features that I lost count. I wonder if the dac is any good. I'm guessing it could serve as a preamp.
So Randy I really like your content brother, but for you not to address the elephant in the room kills me. No HDMI 2.1, a technology that's been out for almost 3 years and the fact that Emotiva is putting it in the Gen4 processors. Feels to me like Emotiva said don't mention HDMI 2.1. You kept saying music and movies but nothing about gaming. The 4K/120 and VRR is what is needed for the price.
How is it 100 if not 1000$ saved? When I can buy a yamaha AVR for 1K and a Outlaw or Monolith or Basx amp and still come within if not under the price of the MR1? And have better calibration software along with the latest video technology. Why would I want to mess with the glitchy Earc? When I can buy a unit that will bypass that. Just more excuses for Emotiva to not give their customers what they want and what has been promised. Especially the promise of HDMI 2.1 upgrade board for all of us with the current Gen processors. Now we all have to upgrade to the Gen 4 and shell out more money.
I haven't trashed it at all, all I did was point out the obvious. I love My Emotiva XMC-2. I never said the MR1 sounds like crap or anything. I am just pointing out why in the world would you push a product out when you already know your current processor customers want 2.1 and you heard them and are addressing it with the Gen 4 units. Then you are going to release a brand new old tech product. Not even talk about a possible upgrade path for 2.1. I mean it is a Home entertainment piece. Home entertainment = more the music and movies. I just can't stand that people make excuses for this. HDMI 2.0B came out in 2016. This brand new unit has 7 year old video tech in it. That is irresponsible to your customers in my opinion. And this is all my opinion, not saying anyone has to agree.
Aside from future-proofing to higher resolutions, that may or may not ever be of consequence to home theater, does HDMI 2.1 have any genuinely useful functionality? I know it adds higher frame rates that allow increased bragging rights in the online pissing contests between 15 and 40 year old virgin gamer geeks living in their parents’ basements, but does it add anything practical and appreciable? BTW, Per Wikipedia, HDMI 2.1 came out in November of 2017.
I think they have the best bang for the buck with their products and I'm definitely want to look into that avr I have a pioneer Elite which is good for now but I think my next one will be the emotiva
as always, nice review and entertaining at the same time. i've already dipped my toes into the emotiva ecosystem because of your channel. im actually in the market to find a replacement for my ailing AVR and my question is, does the MR1 allow easy switching between 2.1 to 3.1 to xx.1 and we're you able to observe how that works? thanks and more power to you, your family and, of course, your channel... from sin city!
Emotiva tends not to reveal the actual chip in their DACs. I bought one of their Little Ego+ large sized USB dongle DACs, emailed the company asking what chip was in it, and they wouldn’t respond to my actual question, but instead they just parroted the specs from the website. I asked for clarification and asked the specific chip in the unit and they wouldn’t respond. That’s kind of crappy customer service if you ask me. However, I paid literally $49.10 for a DAC that sounds quite good, better than the built-in one in my $800 Cambridge Audio integrated amp, so I guess I can’t complain.
Randy, please remember that there is no such thing as a .2 (subwoofer) system. It may have 2 sub/LFE outputs, but they share the same channel. Even a system that has 20 sub outputs is still .1.
I found one in 10 seconds. Denon X4800h. It says right in the specs that it has "Subwoofer out: 4 (independent)". There are plenty more too. Denon X3800h, Marantz Cinema, 40, 50, 60. There some anthems that do as well. I wasn't able to verify for Yamahas, but some people claim that they do.
@@dominicfeira8037 Fair enough, but what is the point of unique sub outputs, if the low frequency all gets mixed in the wash? (I’m genuinely interested in knowing. Please educate me. I really want to know.)
@@SyzygyNoon Multiple subs aren't usually located in the same place. So each sub will interact with the room differently. Some subs might be too boomy because of room interactions. Independent sub processing can tame this.
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I just recently started my hi-fi journey -and am on a budget. Using a firetv stick to stream spotify to my tv, then toslink to a cheap dac, then to amp. Should I be worried about the firetv/ TV audio sample rate? Not sure if a DAC with Bluetooth would enhance my experience. Further down the line I‘ll get a decent CD Player, too.
@P T you‘re saying: switching to Bluetooth would be a downgrade? / fire tv is network streaming anyways
@P T alright then. I‘ll stick with my setup and may add a decent cd player at some point.
@P T being a student, money is an issue and justifying two music streaming services is hard. Giving up on spotify is also not an option. I simply love the algorithm for finding new music and the app-interface. I tried amazon music and apple music in the past and the recommendations and community playlists just can‘t compare to spotify. Lossless audio might be a stretch for my setup anyways - toslink samples down to 48khz or sth. and the 20 buck dac should be upgraded first. Basically saying: I‘ll save up for a better DAC before I change anything else
@P T i do have a lightning to cinch cable, which skips the FiiO Taishan dac- soon doing a blind test with a friend. Will be interesting.
HELL YEA!! That’s beast mode.
There are two features missing from this that if they were there, this would be my ultimate receiver. Those features being HDMI 2.1 for 4K at 120Hz and Networking allowing you to control the receiver from an app or smart home system such as Home Assistant.
I don't think you'll want to run your games through the receiver anyways imo because of the input lag. You can still get Dolby MAT through earc for dolby home theater on windows.
Well Wow!!!!!! If my Marantz cant be fixed I am buying this. On a whim I looked on Emotiva's site to see if they made a receiver because I knew they were a separates type of company. I had no idea this had just come out with the MR1 and found it and it looks amazing. I also came over to you to see if you had reviewed it yet and found you had. I was onto Emotiva a bit before I found you but you have solidified my fandom of this company. I have not bought anything yet but I am ready and will use your links to do so.
There are definitely some compromises that will be made when you buy this product. But I will say this. The sound that comes out of this thing is amazing! All AV receivers seem to be having their issues lately. Before I purchased the Emotiva I was on my second RZ-50. I am hoping that when an update/upgrade comes that I will be able to send my unit to Emotiva and get it. I have been happy with everything that I have purchased so far. The Basx line has been able to allow me to have the big theater but not the big out of reach price. Keep on making things better.
Neat! Now that that is out the door, maybe we can hope Emotiva can wrap up development of the XSP-2 2-channel preamp that is supposed to be coming out 1H 2023…
Wow. I just recently bought a Marantz SR5015, with the intention of adding an Emotiva Amp in the near future. The total would end up being just over $3k. This would give me acceptable power and many more channels available at a much lower total investment. My timing stinks, lol.
Nice review. I would like to hear a little more balance in terms of pointing out negatives or areas where emotiva could improve, etc. You mentioned its size but didn't mention how warm it gets. I'm not sure cramming something that big and powerful into a too small space is such a good idea. What is the warranty and return policy? It's size all by itself would make it a no-go in my setup.
I also didn't hear many comments about the sound and imaging. Or specific comparisons to other amps in its price range based on your own experience. Or pairings you made with various speakers. I would like more detail along with the general praise
Call Emotiva up and ask them.
@@kingtrance307 I don't call up audio companies because a reviewer failed to give me necessary info. I watch reviews to get a balanced point of view about a product. If it's not balanced, a critique is fair. And Emotiva would not provide detailed comparisons to other products. And they definitely couldn't give Randy's sound impressions.
More of an infomercial rather than a review.
You said it’s size ALONE would make it a no go…., then why ask all the other questions and criticise the review for missing info 😂
@@BikeJackass because I'm criticizing the review not the product
You only need HDMI 2.1 if you game at 4K/60. For movie, TV, and music use this is a knockout. $500 less than the Marantz Cinema 50 and absolutely crushes it in the amp department. Dirac is neat but if you have a treated room and you know how to use parametric EQ, I'm not sure it's necessary.
Agree 💯
Hate to be that guy, but you mean 120hz not 60 lol.
I’m the kind of person who does play games at 4K 120hz like Dance Dance Revolution, but because I care about latency, I just do earc, and all issues with HDMI not being 2.1, disappears
or 1440p 240hz, though I'm not sure if an AV Receiver can even process that high of a refresh rate. Not to mention the ability to run 8K 60hz, though that's rather high end for most prosumers let alone consumers.
@@GavAttackO that’s also a very true statement, past outside games that you need good latency, I doubt most would notice the process delay.
I know when I play ddr on my oled, my pioneer elite adds 25 ms of latency. Which is extremely high for rhythm games, but nothing for story driven or racing games. It’s all about context though in my opinion
@@JamesCook76131 is ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) or a Game Mode an option on your Pioneer? If so, try messing with that and see if it decreases your latency.
I agree with it not being an issue for story driven titles, however racing games are affected by the latency for those who focus hard enough or drive fast paced yet precise vehicles like a Formula car. One slightly wrong input could end an entire race. Just look at iRacing videos for some examples on how small mistakes can end in disaster.
Cool review. Might be a solid option for me to replace my 15-year old Integra Processor and pair it with my 2 Adcom monster amps (5503 & 555MKII) for the bed layer speakers and then use the internal power for height speakers down the line.
I’m considering doing the same thing. I have a great but old Harman Kardon AVR 335 paired with an Adcom GFA 555II to drive my front speakers of an all NHT Classic series 7 channel speakers.
Both units are in like new conditions but the Adcom’s internal caps are supposed to be getting old. It sounds fantastic but if this Emotiva would give all of my speakers plenty of power and if it really sounds that good, I might not miss the Adcom.
I love the blue LEDs
Just ordered a factory refurb MR1 for under $1300. I know it lacks some features, but that much power for the price made me want to give it a go.
@@stevenbullock9276 I just ordered a refurb but paid $1500, how did you score the additional $$$
I have the Fusion 8100. It was sent back for repair three times. I had to pay for shipping also. It can’t run all the channels without weird problems. It can be used as a preamp though. I wish they would let me straight up trade for this one though after all the problems. I still love their products!
The jackpack on that thing is identical to my Basx Mc1. Same channels, layout, they just added amps.
Not a bad thing, really. But I prefer separates. My MC1 is amazing for what it's worth
Man I am so jealous! I watched the Emotiva video also. I see one of these in my future. I already have Emotiva speakers! This beast has me excited, it does everything thing I need.
Great review!! The struggle with music on HT receivers is real!!
All channels driven, baby! None of this "2-channel only power rating" B.S.! 😄 Thanks, Randy!
Love Emotiva. The MR1 looks like a great receiver, but don't understand the decision to not include the latest HDMI standard (2.1) ... as always, great review Randy.
My exact issue as well. It's 2023!!!
Chips are short supply and still buggy. Pano sonic is the only one that makes them.
Nice review, Randy. That is a big beautiful receiver and in the home theater world I am sure it will make a big difference to a lot of people. Not something for everyone but everything for someone.
That thing is a beast for power. However, if I was going to just use it as a processor then I'd go with something that has Dirac. (Onkyo RZ-50).
Agreed, the lack of DIRAC these days makes something a no go.
@@DW_drums Dirac is the name of specific EQ/room correction, not just any room correction. Most consider Dirac to be the best one available. The MR1 has "EmoQ Second Generation Automatic Room Correction". (Taken directly from the product webpage.)
Why on earth would anyone buy this to use as a processor? The whole value proposition is based upon its beefy internal amplification.
@@Goose_Lord Why indeed. I guess they put all those preouts on there just because they could.
@@dominicfeira8037 because it can process and additional 2 channels. Dealers choice on which those should be, hence the full pre-outs.
If you want to use all external amps, why even look at AVR's? Buy a processor 🧐
Great Review...I just discovered the MR1 was a thing today..I run multiple XPA emotiva amps already..The XPA's are built like Sherman Tanks, and have been used daily since 2014..Im in the market for a new receiver, and have been sad at the options from Denon and Marantz..$4,500.00 to $6500.00 range..To much crap on them that i dont want or need to be paying for..This thing is absolutley just what the Doctor ordered..Ill still be running my amps though, as i like 300 w per channel on my towers, and theres many of them..Im sold on this, especially since its from Emotiva..
Dont delay, order one today. You wont be disappointed!
Wow, that USB audio input may be a game changer for some people! I could run my USB cable to the MR1 instead of to my separate pre-amp/DAC, and sell both my pre-amp and power amp.
A good one, it has most of the bells and whistles!
Cool, I haven't been this excited since the new phone books arrived.
LMFAO
I just retired my 1978 Marantz 2252B receiver (I'm still a two-channel guy) and the only choice for me was some Emotiva gear. So I bought their A2 power amp and their PT1 pre-amp. with my military discount, my cost was $900. I just wish the gear was made in the US. I'd gladly pay more. USAF Retired
Really like the staggered speaker connections. Wish my Denon had thatr as its a pain when the connections are so close together and its a nightmare to install / remove / re tighten all your cables. Thats a very smart design.
Loved the review - Thank-you!
I know how you feel with the "super-sized" components. It seems like very few "home theater cabinets" fit the larger components these days (few cabinets are ever deep enough and sometimes high enough). To move my gear into a stereo cabinet, I gave up finding a cabinet that was sized correctly and found another center channel speaker to replace the monstrous RC-62II Klipsch I have (that weighs 30 pounds and is huge) - I still have to sell it - lol. But even then, the cabinet needed modifications to make the 7.5" high Onkyo HT receiver work in the cabinet (both in height and depth) with the smaller center channel on the shelf above. Because the cabinet's back was facing an open stairwell and is seen, I installed a privacy panel on the back of the cabinet, hung with a French cleat that hides all the wire connections to the receiver. The cabinet is better ventilated, the wires are completely hidden and access to the connections is a snap. The "easy" to assemble cabinet from Wayfair turned into a "project" with the modifications. The MR1 shows a 1/4" taller. Oh Nooooooo, more cabinet modifications!
Definitely a game changer. Glad they finally build something like this here in the USA. Thank You for reviewing this monster.
It was designed in Tennessee but actually built in China.
Have always wondered why Emotiva did not have a line of avr’s and would be interested in one if it was more like 140w 7 channel or maybe even 9 channel but not this one. Way overkill without good software, features and more codecs. Not sure who this is aimed for. Glad I just ordered a new Yamaha. 😊
Update: fyi I just checked the specs. For audio only probably just fine but for video and gamers take note it is HDMI 2.0 with no support for 8k or other modern gaming platforms. But for $2k you are getting a lot of power and basic level of Dolby and DTS sound levels only.
And that's my remote. Backlit.
Those channel trims are addictive
More Emotiva goodness. Thank you for the introduction, your time, and hernia inducing effort.
You are welcome, Simon
Would love to hear more on your preference of sound as it relates to using AVR's vs a dedicated 2 channel. Thanks again for what you do !!!
I love Emotiva products. I had an Emotiva LPA-1 for many years, and my son spilled water on it and died 😢. I’m still looking for a replacement for a 7 channel amp.
My son dropped a coke on the tile next to him him whilst he was gaming on my pc. He fried a $400.00 GpU and f’d up a $300 motherboard.
I wasn’t even mad, I laughed it off.
My fault for not imposing a strict no drinks whilst using dads electronics rule.
May your son RIP 🙏
Great review Randy! Much has been said about the lack of the 2.1 hdmi, also no tuner. Have I overlooked a phono stage or is that missing too? I believe it is.
Not a huge thing as I am totally sold on this monster and I cannot wait to get it in the rack.
Thanks again.
That's pretty awesome but I opted for the MC-1 processor and separate basx amplifiers so if I wanted to upgrade the processor at some point I don't have to change my amplifiers.
As an Emotiva XMC 2 and multiple amp owner I can confirm the dialogue online is correct. Amps and customer service are great - processors are trash and will never be fixed. I hope the same is not true for the AVR. I've owned Denon/Yamaha/Pioneer and the level of defectiveness in Emotiva has reached the realm of absurdity.
Much as this product looks to be excellent, I must say I’m disappointed that it lacks HDMI 2.1 frankly for a new product to be released without the latest HDMI moves it several steps behind its competitors right out of the gate.
Yup. Disappointing a new AVR in 2023 doesn't have HDMI 2.1
Hi Randy, you've knocked it out the park yet again! Great review in your fine & funny, inimitable style. all the very best to you & your family from G. in Japan!
Thank you kindly
I saw a different video from emotiva in which they made a great point about the hdmi2.1; and that is if you are a gamer and need that full bandwidth then you should be and would be connecting your console/pc directly to the tv's hdmi2.1 removing any input/processing lag that would be present running it through the av unit. And given the number of issues all the major manufacturers ran into with implementing 2.1, i can see why they didnt bother. Also, emotiva claims that they build to last and offer upgrade paths, so there is a possibility when 8k becomes more viable that they would produce and upgrade board that could be swapped in. My only complaint is why go through the trouble of adding bluetooth and not include a wifi module? This would make it much easier to upgrade firmware without having to move a 50lb object just to get access to the back.
For all of you out there complaining about HDMI 2.1, what content uses that much bandwidth besides gaming (and if you watched Emotivas video it has you covered there too with eARC.) I'll wait... And besides that if you watch Emotivas video the receiver is modular and can be upgraded at a later date. So tell me what a better deal that is out there for $2k and has this much power in a receiver. I'll wait yet again... Great job Emotiva you knocked it out of the park and have converted me from a Yamaha fan.
So 2 questions. 1) are the dual sub out independent or just split signal. 2) can you add or upgrade to Dirac as you can with other emotiva products?
Yes, I too would like to know if it is separate sub signals, and if so, how are they different? Just sub and LFE? Left and right? Front and back? Maybe you can select it in setup? Also another use for all those pre-outs would be to connect a mixer and crossover to get all the sub outputs you could want...
Per the User Manual, all four subwoofer outputs deliver the same audio information. However there are independent Level Trim and Distance settings for SW1 and SW2.
Great review. I’m about to dip my toe in that market since I’ve got my 2 channel now nailed down. This looks tight.
Sounds like a killer deal but I'm not a home theater guy. I completely love, in every way, my BasX 2 channel amp.
Thanks expensiveaudioman
They just released a firmware update that is supposed to fix the pops. Mine doesn't do the obnoxious pops, but more of a slight crackle (even on this new firmware). Mostly when fast forwarding on the connected Apple TV. The video drops out on mine when going from the home screen on the Apple TV to a movie for about 8 seconds. Really annoying and didn't improve with this new firmware. Here is what the changelog says for v4.03.0906:
IMPROVED:
- helps with ticks and pops in various situations that are the result of mute timing variations
(this will especially help with ticks and pops for users who are using ARC/eARC).
- fixes the bug with manually entered distance settings for the subwoofer not taking effect.
- fixes the issue where EmoQ will repeatedly fail to "pass" for no reason in certain speaker
configurations.
- better overall subwoofer performance after EmoQ calibration.
I'm in for the binding post configuration alone.
I purchased this receiver and i do agree that it sounds great but what no one talks about is all the bugs and sound cracking you get when you cycle through the modes and apps.
I’m considering it. Was there another AVR you wanted before buying the Emotiva?
@@Gomez561 im still running my sony da5800es with XPA-5 Gen3 5 Channel Audiophile Home Theater Power Amplifier
@@RayTorredoes that mean you chose to return the MR1? I decided to try the MR1L and purchased it. I’m hooking it up to my system now to see if I experience any of the undesirable things you did and see it I keep it. Thanks for sharing ✌🏼
@@Gomez561 I did return it bud. i thinking of getting Onkyo TX-RZ50 or TX-RZ70 i just need it as a processor.
Is there a phono input? I plan to get my PL-41 turntable out of storage, serviced and play my records from another century. I was thinking about the Cinema 60 but this unit ( actually the MR1 L ) looks very appealing. I have 5.1 system now in my small house. I’ll go to 7.1, and 9.1 possibly in future.
Outstanding review, thank you!
I just bought one today, emovtiea bassx M1l 9.2 channel to replace my denon 8k 2700h because I was having problems with it when I saw that 9.2 channel bassX m1l I bought it because it will do with it need and I loved the features on it and plus I can add two height channel and finally do dolby atmos and I got 25% off on it
Again no HDMI 2.1, no 120hz 4k, and most receivers have that at least 1 model with it at this point. HDMI 2.1 is relevant.
It’s simply needed at this point. Built my living room around 2.1
HDMI is very relevant but not common yet so….whatever, lol.
You pay a substantial premium right now for any device with HDMI 2.1.
@@WardoUSA I agree 100%! I only bought their RMC1 in their bring out your dead sale, based the fact this summer about 10 boards are being changed and a full upgrade to HDMI 2.1 to 2.1A. But we will see...
@@ryanjofre not sure how you think it’s not common. Seems like prices are being artificially inflated with brands like Marantz, but the typical brands all seem pretty normal at this point.
@@ryanjofre the Specs for HDMI 2.1 were pretty much done in 2017. I have a Yamaha receiver in my den with HDMI 2.1 cost me around $350 around 1 year or 2 ago. I was at Costco a little over a year ago and bought a Denon with HDMI 2.1 for around $400. I realize there is less expense but those makers make AVRs for well over 1K so at this point it COULD be chip issue, but its not premium any more to me thinking. I own a bit of Emotiva gear too, such as an XPA 3 amp and a pre-pro.
There is a Subwoofer Up and down button, best remote ever!🤘🤘🤘🤘🔊🔊🔊🔊
Not the first. Who is supplying that information? Fusion 8100 was a previous Emotiva receiver.
Remote looks a little lame but the functions a are there, I like the added a screen dimmer, although really you could put a cloth in-front if it was too bright but if it was too dim your screwed so makes sense when the opted for the brighter side
Hey there, Randy! Another great review, Sir; I thank you! I wish I could afford one of these bad boys. Its EXACTLY what I would love to have replace my growingly-obsolete NAD T753(feeding a 90 lb. Crestron CNAMPX-60X60). The NAD is another simplistic receiver with simple controls and limited functionality(neither of which bother me much). It still sounds amazing. IMHO? That's really job#1. Everything else is secondary. I'm using a Key Digital ISync HD(good luck finding any information on that unit 🤓) as my HDMI switch/scaler/interface transposer) with a PeakDo 60 Ghz wireless HDMI kit feeding an InFocus DLP projector and my resolution maxes out at 1080p. HDMI 2.1 is FAR less important to me than to most users since my video signal path is completely separate from audio. I absolutely love what Emotiva is doing. I would support them in a heartbeat if I could. I wish I could've traded in a working HDMI reveiver last year when they did their trade-in promotion. Talk about a dream job. Your company walkthrough at Emotiva was amazeballs.
2k is a Bargain for what you get. I’m not into surround, I’d be drooling if I was. Smart to ignore DSP effects that 90% never fool with after the shine wears off. Somebodies had their thinking caps on designing that thing. 👍👍👍
Agreed. Dan and his team are incredible.
I was expecting double the price.
OMG, Grrrreat video Bro, I was just about to purchase the Denon X4800H 9.4 AVR ($2499) to upgrade my home theater system, then I came across your video. I choose the Emotiva MRI which have more than enough power to drive my 7.2.4 Klipsch Reference Premiere Speakers.Thank you so much. keep bringing us these awesome and very informative videos. Stay safe.
Loved the review, as always can count on you for the comedic relief "bundt cake" 🤣🤣 what a comparison.
No HDMI 2.1 is a deal breaker. Their product is welcome by me regardless as it brings more competition. Emotiva is bringing us something unique here with all the power. Now just give us a higher end unit with the bells and whistles, and Dirac too.
Sadly, even their top of the line processor doesn’t even have hdmi 2.1 or Dirac. And it goes for $1600 more than this.
And every other sub $2k receiver has 2.1 issues anyways.
And all of those being revised this year to fix 2.1 issues? Nowhere near this power.
Is it perfect? No. Does it blow the competition out of the water in terms of sound and power? Fuck yes
Why is no hdmi 2.1 a deal breaker? What's the difference between 2.0 and 2.1?
@@jon.6753 Support for 8k/4k@120hz
@@tanakax25 thanks
It looks like Emotiva will probably offer an upgrade on this product, for those who want HDMI 2.1 in the future.
On their website they already offer an eARC HDMI 2.0b upgrade board for the XMC-2, RMC-1L, and RMC-1 which allows your processor to add eARC capabilities. That costs around $450, which covers shipping the unit back to them for an in house upgrade, and sending back to you.
I’m guessing when they find a reliable supply of chips for HDMI 2.1, you’ll be able to buy an upgraded video board from their website?
Randy I miss when you would dissect the sound and put it into words, like how it is for music and so on
Nice! If my older AV receiver stops working - I know where I will look for a replacement! I am assuming/hoping that they come out with a simpler 5 channel version? I only use 3 channels actually, but adding surround speakers is possible.
One of the many nice features of this BasX MR1 is that if you hook up less speakers, it automatically gives more power per ch.! Example: With 5 ch. Driven this puts out 135 watts @ 8 ohms, and 200 watts @ 4 ohms, from 20Hz to 20,000Hz= Awesome! So if you only run 3 speakers, it puts out even more power!
Thanks for being such a positive light Randy, I enjoy what you bring to our hobby!
I can understand dimming the blue lights when watching a movie in a darkend room if the receiver is near the TV
Thanks for the vid! I'm currently trying to decide on a higher end AVR that plays great music. Marantz, Denon,Emotiva? Hmmmmmm.
I just haven't got the real estate for that many speakers he'll not even 5 .. Guess I'm stuck with the old Sennheiser Ambeo ..
It's a beast that's for sure .
I wish they would offer a smaller version with only 7 channels. while I understand the current industry trends, I have no interest in anything beyond 5.1 or 5.2.1. I think most houses would be satisfied with that configuration to fit into the average American home.
I have a sub with speaker wire and I was wondering if there was anyway I could cut a iPhone charger and hook the two wires up and play it out my phone but my phone probably can’t even put out that power but it’s only a 3.5 inch sub
backlit remote a huge plus :)
Your video quality is A1! What camera do you use?
No HDMI 2.1!! Seems like the audio specs are top notch but a company launching a new AVR product line in 2023 without current HDMI technology is a huge miss. They're setting themselves up for bad reviews. Pretty sure this is why they knew not to send one to Andrew Robinson.
It's upgradeable, and also HDMI 2.1 doesn't have much use yet. If you want a high refresh rate on your tv you just use the Earc. I'm just not sure what you need HDMI 2.1 for.
Another good review. That remote looks cheap. But I bet the product dev team and execs were weighing their options: either have an awesome, expensive, well-designed remote, or have an awesome, well-priced receiver/amp that blows all their competitors out of the park. They went w/ the latter. If they're reading through these comments, I see potential for them to make even more profit - in a couple months, design and release a nice remote that MR1 owners can buy separately!
Yeah how long till that print wears off / good idea with the upgraded remote!
So if you have a separate set of 2 channel speakers in the room (separate from the HT sound set up) that are really power hungry, you could use the MR1's pre out for the fronts to a two channel amplifier and feed that to the 2 channel set up? This sounds a setup that gets you a decent (Emotiva made) preamp signal (then boosted with the power amp of your choosing) for two channel listening bliss from your "stereo speakers".
Sorry randy getting off the subject is the topping e50 a worthwhile upgrade from the schiit modi 3+ thanks
The only avr I've seen that comes close on power is the Anthem MRX 1140 and that thing is over 4 grand. Can't wait to get one.
Building a system and looking to upgrade my amp have been buying a few things at a time and don't have a great detailed sound yet guess i was expecting better sound, seams to be about the same as streaming Spotify. Have Elac debut 6.0 speakers, rt 85 turntable with the 110, fosi pre amp, and a 10 year old denon AVR
I bet it is awesome for 2 channel with 160 wpc at 8 ohms and 290 wpc at 4 ohms. My Marantz 7.1 sounds warm in two channel mode. I never set it up for home theater as I rarely watch movies.
I noticed the capacitors are shrink wrapped in custom wrap. This concerns me because we don't know the manufacturer or rating on the caps.
I don't think they are known for using high quality caps.
You could always ask them
I don’t know if this has been asked before, but I’ve read on other forums that this model doesn’t have hdmi 4K pass-through. Has this been confirmed or not? Excuse my ignorance, but the way they talked about it, it was a dealbreaker for them so I ask…. What is the importance of 4K pass-through??
hmmm. Very tempted 🙂
Great review. To me, calling this a receiver is a misnomer as it has no tuner, either terrestrial or Internet. I would call it an integrated home theater amp. I also wish it had a zone output. Finally, I saw in another video that they will have an HDMI 2.1 board available later this year. How much will it cost? Will it be user replaceable? Add the new board and zone outputs and it would be a real winner.
You are correct as it is an AVR - Audio Video Receiver. I still call a receiver an integrated two-channel pre-amp, amp and tuner.
Thanks for review
I am definitely going to keep by eye on this one. I have a Denon X3500H and had been somewhat looking around for a newer AVR. This is definitely checks off most of what I would want at a great price. I already have a couple older external Adcom 2ch amps running my surrounds and height since the x3500 was a bit underpowered to run all 7 channels, but I could downsize, improve, add channels, and gain power for a bargain price. Nice!
Emotiva has awful room EQ.
I upgraded to the MR1 from that same Denon model you have. Its a night and day difference.
@@bobbyb7465 Nice to hear that. I'm looking to upgrade from a Denon S740H, so I imagine the difference will be mouth watering.
“If you know anything about Emotiva” you know that The Cheap audio man loves Emotiva!
Emotiva looks like they hit it out of the park with this. I like the ability to change the channel levels on the fly with the remote. I agree, I don't need 15 different modes. Typically, I set it to one and leave it. Same with the setup menu, I don't need it to look like I'm playing a high-end video game. Again, I set it up once and leave it. Awesome Job Emotiva!
THANKS GREAT REVIEW
Big but beautiful! Very impressive!!
MC1 is a $2000 product.
No HDMI 2.1 is not a big deal for MOST people.
Few other AVRs will equal the power & sound quality, none at the price, that is a big deal.
The Emo-Q is improved and adjustable- a big deal. Certainly better than YPAO, maybe Audyssey (I'm not a fan of). Unless a product has Dirac or ARC, I'll pass.
Build quality, features, specs, plus support & customer service that the others don't offer.
The MC1 is a winner.
So...
- Homebrew room correction (vs Dirac or some such)
- No HDMI 2.1
- No streaming, no bluetooth, nada
- EDIT: it does have bluetooth
- obvs no app control either
I get that not everyone wants or needs all the modern features but the comments (and to an lesser extent this review) just reeks of making a virtue out of necessity.
Randy pointed out the BT antenna, remember?
@@WisGuy4 indeed, my bad
Nice remote and POWER. Yes, POWER. I love POWER. Wish I had $2k right now. Long live POWER!
Does it have any night mode for late night watching
The Sound Blaster X5 just hit the market (Bluetooth dac headphone amp). So many features that I lost count. I wonder if the dac is any good. I'm guessing it could serve as a preamp.
So Randy I really like your content brother, but for you not to address the elephant in the room kills me. No HDMI 2.1, a technology that's been out for almost 3 years and the fact that Emotiva is putting it in the Gen4 processors. Feels to me like Emotiva said don't mention HDMI 2.1. You kept saying music and movies but nothing about gaming. The 4K/120 and VRR is what is needed for the price.
Just plug your game system into your display and bam, minor inconvenience and hundreds if not thousands saved.
How is it 100 if not 1000$ saved? When I can buy a yamaha AVR for 1K and a Outlaw or Monolith or Basx amp and still come within if not under the price of the MR1? And have better calibration software along with the latest video technology. Why would I want to mess with the glitchy Earc? When I can buy a unit that will bypass that. Just more excuses for Emotiva to not give their customers what they want and what has been promised. Especially the promise of HDMI 2.1 upgrade board for all of us with the current Gen processors. Now we all have to upgrade to the Gen 4 and shell out more money.
@@danblack8484 jeez man, just go buy something else. I'm not buying one, but I'm not trashing it either.
I haven't trashed it at all, all I did was point out the obvious. I love My Emotiva XMC-2. I never said the MR1 sounds like crap or anything. I am just pointing out why in the world would you push a product out when you already know your current processor customers want 2.1 and you heard them and are addressing it with the Gen 4 units. Then you are going to release a brand new old tech product. Not even talk about a possible upgrade path for 2.1. I mean it is a Home entertainment piece. Home entertainment = more the music and movies. I just can't stand that people make excuses for this. HDMI 2.0B came out in 2016. This brand new unit has 7 year old video tech in it. That is irresponsible to your customers in my opinion. And this is all my opinion, not saying anyone has to agree.
Aside from future-proofing to higher resolutions, that may or may not ever be of consequence to home theater, does HDMI 2.1 have any genuinely useful functionality? I know it adds higher frame rates that allow increased bragging rights in the online pissing contests between 15 and 40 year old virgin gamer geeks living in their parents’ basements, but does it add anything practical and appreciable?
BTW, Per Wikipedia, HDMI 2.1 came out in November of 2017.
I think they have the best bang for the buck with their products and I'm definitely want to look into that avr I have a pioneer Elite which is good for now but I think my next one will be the emotiva
as always, nice review and entertaining at the same time. i've already dipped my toes into the emotiva ecosystem because of your channel. im actually in the market to find a replacement for my ailing AVR and my question is, does the MR1 allow easy switching between 2.1 to 3.1 to xx.1 and we're you able to observe how that works? thanks and more power to you, your family and, of course, your channel... from sin city!
Hey Randy--Happy Friday! What Dacs are used?
Emotiva tends not to reveal the actual chip in their DACs. I bought one of their Little Ego+ large sized USB dongle DACs, emailed the company asking what chip was in it, and they wouldn’t respond to my actual question, but instead they just parroted the specs from the website. I asked for clarification and asked the specific chip in the unit and they wouldn’t respond.
That’s kind of crappy customer service if you ask me. However, I paid literally $49.10 for a DAC that sounds quite good, better than the built-in one in my $800 Cambridge Audio integrated amp, so I guess I can’t complain.
Randy, please remember that there is no such thing as a .2 (subwoofer) system. It may have 2 sub/LFE outputs, but they share the same channel. Even a system that has 20 sub outputs is still .1.
I found one in 10 seconds. Denon X4800h. It says right in the specs that it has "Subwoofer out: 4 (independent)".
There are plenty more too. Denon X3800h, Marantz Cinema, 40, 50, 60. There some anthems that do as well. I wasn't able to verify for Yamahas, but some people claim that they do.
@@dominicfeira8037 Fair enough, but what is the point of unique sub outputs, if the low frequency all gets mixed in the wash?
(I’m genuinely interested in knowing. Please educate me. I really want to know.)
@@SyzygyNoon Multiple subs aren't usually located in the same place. So each sub will interact with the room differently. Some subs might be too boomy because of room interactions. Independent sub processing can tame this.
@@dominicfeira8037 Do movies, shows, and games provide multiple LFE channels?
(Still learning. I just thought there was only one.)
@@SyzygyNoon No, but when the subs are independent room correction and processing can be unique for each sub. This is mostly a room correction issue.
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
I think I want an Emotiva but I'm not sure if I should get separates or the avr idk
Fantastic review as always, Randy. I just went and measured my old Denon to see if the MR1 would fit. Spoiler alert: It would!