Emotiva XSP-1

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Overview

The brand new Emotiva XSP-1 Gen 2 balanced preamplifier not only has excellent aesthetic compatibility with the brand’s power amplifiers, but it also delivers very high-level performance. Thanks to an all-new surface-mount design, Emotiva has significantly tightened component tolerances, shortened signal paths, and matched track lengths between channels for a considerably improved acoustic signature.

The Refinement of a Balanced Design

The XSP-1 Gen 2 combines a pure, fully analog audiophile topology with an advanced digital control system. This maintains the purity of the audio signal while offering advanced features, resolution, and precision far beyond traditional designs. The XSP-1 Gen 2 offers an uncompromising listening experience by completely avoiding conversions throughout the fully balanced path. Combined with high-precision relays for high-level input selection and digitally controlled analog resistors adjusting volume in 0.5dB steps, the XSP-1 Gen 2 maintains signal integrity and perfect channel balance, even at very low listening levels.

The Control You Need

In terms of fine-tuning the sound of your system, most audiophile preamps are “take it or leave it,” offering little or no control over the interaction between your speakers and the room. Not the XSP-1 Gen 2. It includes highly precise controls that allow you to tailor the high and low frequency responses of your system and achieve perfect results in your listening environment. For absolute neutrality, the controls work by switching precise, discrete component networks that can obviously be completely bypassed.

Advanced Features

The XSP-1 Gen 2 brings you a long list of features that make it the ideal centerpiece for your high-performance audio system. It includes analog bass management for seamless integration with 2.1 or 2.2 systems, as well as a high-current headphone amplifier, an external processor loop, trigger inputs and outputs, and an aluminum remote control. A large VFD screen displays system status messages and provides visual confirmation of all actions and settings.

Gain:

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

High Frequency and Low Frequency:

High frequency trim (settings): -3 dB, -2 dB, -1 dB, flat, +1 dB, +2 dB, +3 dB at 12 kHz
High frequency trim (inflection point): 4 kHz
Low frequency trim (settings): -3 dB, -2 dB, -1 dB, flat, +1 dB, +2 dB, +3 dB at 50 Hz
Low frequency trim (inflection point): 200 Hz

Bass Management:

Attenuation slopes (high pass and low pass): 12 dB/octave
Crossover frequencies (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 (total 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 (total 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 (total 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 (total 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

Inputs

Line level input: 2 balanced pairs; 4 unbalanced pairs
Home Theater input (line level, left, right, sub): 1 balanced; 1 unbalanced
Processor input (line level): 1 unbalanced pair
Input impedance (line level): 50k ohms
Phono input (MM or MC): 1 unbalanced pair
Trigger input: 1
IR input: 1

Outputs

Main outputs: 1 balanced pair; 1 unbalanced pair (Main outputs can be configured with a flat or high pass curve; high pass curve is adjustable from 50 Hz to 250 Hz)
Subwoofer output (left, right, or summed): 1 balanced; 1 unbalanced
(Subwoofer outputs can be configured with a flat or low pass curve; low pass curve is adjustable from 50 Hz to 250 Hz)
Processor output (line level): 1 unbalanced pair
Recommended minimum load impedance: 600 ohms
Trigger output: 1
IR output: 1