Thanks rclark for the setup...I don't have pix right now of it in my system (due to lots of time listening the last 3 days and a need to re-do my rack to clear out the old stuff fully). Your link to the XSP-1 page that started this thread should give folks even better info than a pic from me.
But, below follows my review I posted on Emotiva's Lounge. This was post #37 after me posting an initial thought 5 songs in (which was favorable) and then multiple updates and questions from others.
I'll get more into operational details and phono stage next, but I am ready to declare my overall CD listening comparison "done for now" and summarize it all.
First: This thing is a WINNER. And, I don't mean "winner, winner...chicken dinner"...we're talking "top quality Filet Mignon and fresh lobster all perfectly cooked with perfect side dishes kind of winner"
Second: I am most definately keeping it, and if Emotiva declared the USP-1 "Analog Bliss", this has got to be "Analog Nirvana". Having lived with and loved my USP-1 for a few years, the XSP-1 really stands out as a significant sonic improvement. And, I really liked my USP-1...and I will keep using it in a second system!
Third: I keep trying to find some music that sounds worse than before, but I can't. My approach on listening tests is to first listen to things that have sounded poor on my old system and see if the new thing makes those better. Then, I move on to things I know well and love and have always sounded great - to see if they sound any worse. Then, I move to things that sounded "OK" and see what happens. The end result with the XSP over the USP is that the worst stuff sounded hugely better, the great stuff still sounded great and I noticed at least slight improvements, and the OK stuff sounded a lot better.
What is different is what I listed in my very first post on this review and added specific points to along the way with my "live" updates. Much more clarity. Much more separation of individual sounds...this results in a deep and wide soundstage that is really clear.
Music that sounded "flat" before has depth. Music that was confused/a wall of noise becomes coherent and clear in time and space. Subtle details that were lost in the noise are there...perfectly presented and distinct for their own nuance the artist added.
I have heard people say that their system is "very revealing" to explain why a particular recording sounds bad on their system when that same recording has sounded fine on mine. I always took that as a person's excuse for why their system, in frank terms, sucked. I will say that the XSP (plus my ERC-2 + nCores + Maggies) are indeed quite "revealing"...they reveal all the sounds that were intended to be played in more detail than I ever imagined.
Bottom line...the XSP-1 for me is WELL worth it..the best pre-amp I have ever owned and it's hard to imagine a whole lot better.
From now on, I will test out operational details and the phono stage. Then, in a couple weeks (once I return from Germany) I will revert back to the USP for a reverse comparison and see if these statements still hold. FYI, so far in operational details - it's great. No odd noises on toggling inputs, the dimming function is very nice, the volume control is fantastic over the USP-1's - allowing a far better ability to fine-tune volume level, and while I have not tried the tone controls - I did toggle them on and off, and it's nice to see in the display that they are either off (shows as "direct") or on. And, the display is large enough for my soon-to-be-50 year old eyes can easily read it from ~12-14'.
Mark
FYI, I was comparing the XSP-1 single-variable to the USP-1. Now, I know some may under-value the USP-1, but I compared it to a lot of pre-amps, including my old Rotel, a friend's old Adcom, another friend's Pass B1 Buffer, and a few others...and the USP-1 was the best of those that I heard. I am not saying any of those are the "best of the best", but - they are not "trash" pre-amps at all. So, the USP-1 was equal or better than those, and the XSP-1...really blows away the USP-1.
As noted, the rest of my system is an Emotiva ERC-2 CD player, the XSP-1 preamp, nCore monoblocks (as detailed in the "show us your ncore" thread), and Maggie 1.7's. The room is about 18' x 28', and I also have a Paradigm Ultracube 10 sub integrated, but it is barely kicking in on most music and integrates well with my Maggies.
Anyway - as noted...if you are considering a pre-amp, given this one a look.
Mark
