Emotiva Xsp 1 Preamplifer - Black

Audiophiles will endlessly debate about objective vs. subjective. To the objectivists, if you can’t measure a difference with a test instrument you shouldn’t be able to hear one in life.  Subjectivists will tell you that we don’t listen with instruments, but with our ears. Given that we don’t fully understand the human hearing system, how can we possibly say that you can’t hear things that cannot be measured? 

I like to keep a toe in both camps though fall more to the objectivist side.  To me my Marantz AV7005 processor sounds subjectively good. Measured on a test bench it also measured objectively well. A pure analog preamp like the Emotiva XSP-1 measures far better objectively than the AV7005, but would I be able to hear it? This is something I wanted to find out.

The Marantz AV7005 is a nice processor but has its flaws. From a cheap volume control chip to poor RCA to XLR converters, there is a lot inside the AV7005 that can be improved. It has qualities that are nice, like the custom Hyper-Dynamic Amplifier Modules, but the analog section isn’t one of them.

The Emotiva XSP-1 is totally analog, with none of the digital circuitry that the AV7005 has. Even the bass management is completely in the analog domain. Because the Emotiva XSP-1 also has a Home Theater Bypass mode, it is easy to integrate directly into my system after the Marantz. Even better, I can easily A/B them to see which sounded better.

The XSP-1 is a fully balanced, analog stereo preamp. It has inputs for four unbalanced sources and two balanced sources as well as processor and home theater bypass inputs. There is even a phono input that is MM and MC capable with selectable impedance. All of these connections are with high quality, gold-plated surface mount RCA jacks or mounted XLR connectors. The XSP-1 also has analog bass management capabilities as well as high frequency and low-frequency trim options available.

SpecsManufacturer:EmotivaModel:XSP-1Inputs:2 pair XLR, 4 pair RCA, HT Bypass including Subwoofer (XLR or RCA), RCA Phono (MM/MC)Outputs:Stereo LR, Sub Left, Right and Summed. All XLR or RCA.Size:6" x 17" x 16.5"Weight:28 lbs.Review Date:November 14, 2013Price:$899

• Line level Input: 2 pairs balanced; 4 pairs unbalanced


• Home Theater (line level, left, right, sub) Input: 1 set balanced; 1 set unbalanced


• Processor Loop (line level) Input: 1 pair unbalanced


• Input Impedance (line level) Input: 50k ohms


• Phono Input (MM or MC): 1 pair unbalanced


• Main Outputs: 1 pair balanced; 1 pair unbalanced
  (Main outputs may be configured as flat or high-pass; high-pass is adjustable from 50 Hz to 250 Hz)


• Subwoofer (left, right, summed) Output: 1 set balanced; 1 set unbalanced
  (Subwoofer outputs may be configured as flat or low-pass; low-pass is adjustable from 50 Hz to 250 Hz)


• Processor Loop (line level) Output: 1 pair unbalanced


• Minimum recommended load impedance: 600 ohms


• Trigger Input and Output: 1 each
  IR input and output: 1 each


• Gain structure:
  Nominal output level: 0 dBV (1 V)
  Nominal gain (with Volume set to “0”): 1
  Maximum gain: +12 dB


• High-Frequency and Low-Frequency Trims:
  HF trim (settings): -3 dB, -2 dB, -1 dB, Flat, +1 dB, +2 dB, +3 dB @ 12 kHz
  HF trim (inflection point): 4 kHz
  LF trim (settings): -3 dB, -2 dB, -1 dB, Flat, +1 dB, +2 dB, +3 dB @ 50 Hz
  LF trim (inflection point): 200 Hz


• Bass Management:
  Crossover slopes (high-pass and low-pass): 12 dB / octave
  Crossover frequency (high-pass and low-pass): User configurable, 50 Hz to 250 Hz


• Balanced Input to Balanced Output
  S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref +6 dBV): > 117 dB
  Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.02 dB
  THD + N (harmonic distortion plus noise, @ 1 kHz): < 0.0004%
  IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method, 60 Hz/7 kHz): < 0.001%
  Crosstalk (measured at +6 dBF, 10 kHz): < 100 dB


• Unbalanced Input to Unbalanced Output
  S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref +6 dBV): > 113 dB
  Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.015 dB
  THD + N (harmonic distortion plus noise, @ 1 kHz): < 0.0006%
  IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method, 60 Hz/7 kHz): < 0.001%
  Crosstalk (measured at +6 dBF, 10 kHz): < 102 dB


• Balanced Input to Unbalanced Output
  S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref +6 dBV): > 114 dB
  Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.015 dB
  THD + N (harmonic distortion plus noise, @ 1 kHz): < 0.0005%
  IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method, 60 Hz/7 kHz): < 0.0015%
  Crosstalk (measured at +6 dBF, 10 kHz): < 105 dB


• Unbalanced Input to Balanced Output
  S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref +6 dBV): > 115 dB
  Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.017 dB
  THD + N (harmonic distortion plus noise, @ 1 kHz): < 0.0003%
  IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method, 60 Hz/7 kHz): < 0.007%
  Crosstalk (measured at +6 dBF, 10 kHz): < 100 dB


• Phono (Moving Coil; phono in to balanced out)
  Gain (1 kHz, Volume at 0): approximately 60 dB
  Input impedance (user selectable): 47 ohms, 100 ohms, 470 ohms, 1k ohm
  S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref 1.0 mV in): > 79 dB
  Frequency response (referenced to standard RIAA curve): 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.35 dB
  THD (total harmonic distortion, ref 1.0 mV): < 0.008%
  IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method: < 0.15 %
  Crosstalk: < 65 dB


• Phono (Moving Magnet; phono in to balanced out)
  Gain (1 kHz, Volume at 0): approximately 40 dB
  Input impedance: 47k Ohms
  S/N (signal-to-noise ratio, A-weighted, ref 10.0 mV in, A-weighted): > 96 dB
  Frequency response (referenced to standard RIAA curve): 20 Hz to 20 kHz +/- 0.3 dB
  THD (total harmonic distortion, ref 10 mV): < 0.001%
  IMD (intermodulation distortion, SMPTE method: < 0.05%
  Crosstalk: < 80 dB


• Power Requirements:
  115 VAC or 230 VAC +/- 10% @ 50 / 60 Hz (automatically detected and switched).
  Power consumption (On): 32 watts
  Power consumption (Standby): <1 watt


• Dimensions: 17” wide x 6” high x 16.5” deep (includes feet and terminals).
  Boxed: 22" Wide x 19" Deep x 10" High