I agree. While the RMC-1 is clearly using top shelf components, I think it will be a pretty tough sell over the AVM 60 given the price delta. The whole 3D immersive audio experience is still a market unknown. Its a pretty big gamble for Emotiva. I hope they knock it out of the park, as I'm a fan. But as an XMC-1 owner (and an Anthem MRX 700 owner), I think I'd opt for the AVM 60. My experience with both ARC and Dirac Live gives the nod to ARC.

I wonder if Emo came up with a decent remote for the RMC-1? (I am very happy with my XMC-1, but I really hate the remote brick, I mean remote control) I don't for the life of me understand why EMO thinks heavy aluminum remotes are actually a good thing. I also have a Stealth DC-1 DAC, that also has a heavy-ass aluminum remote. Not as bad as the XMC-1, but still stupid heavy and clunky. I know, I know, given the tech in the actual device, the remote shouldn't be the end-all, but in reality, its the remote that one cradles and interacts with for all operations, so it contributes quite alot to the overall experience.

Sorry to get off topic, but just to answer Bradorner quickly, and again I apologize.
I have the XMC-1 and have not touched the remote in a coon' age. Get the phone app for something like $2 and run with it.
If you need help to find it, give me a shout.
It works great on my Android phone, but it is not infrared, as I had hoped, rather it is connected by wifi.
Hope this helps,
God Bless,
Wayne
No comment about the RMC-1 or anything Atmos, DTS-X, just simply not interested in the slightest--happy as a clam with 7.1

I continue to enjoy my AVM 60. I can't believe how flexible and powerful ARC is compared to what I've used in the past (Audessey, I've never used MCACC or YPAO). Here's a video I made showing just one element of how great ARC is.

O Canada! I just finished setting up my AVM 60 It replaces my Marantz av 7702. All I can say is it was a smart move. I'm now officially all Canadian. Along with the AVM 60 I'm flying a bryston 4B to drive my fronts. A Bryston 9B to drive the rest of my set up. Any way cheers to my fully Canadian surround.

I think it has been about a year since the AVM 60 has been in my main setup. I love the sound quality I get and the flexibility of ARC. I think it does a way better job than Audyssey on my old 8801. Curious about Dirac, but not curious enough to get rid of my trusty old D2 in my family room 5.1 setup. My only complaint is the wireless issues with Play-Fi. It works most of the time but sometimes after an update has trouble reconnecting which is annoying. All my 4K sources and displays are working how I was hoping. Changing from the Samsung to the Oppo UDP-203 seems to have solved my UHD Blu-ray problems. I have yet to hear a DTS-X movie. Atmos is nice but not a huge step up in sound at least to my ears. Maybe my ears are just getting old.

I wish I had an HDR projector, but I think I will stick with my Sony 4K projector as is for now. It still kicks butt when watching movies compared to watching them on a TV. The Golden Ear setup has really made me content and I don't see any changes in the near future. I think the only things I may do is add a second JTR Captivator S1, link it to the other and put that behind the rear seats to increase the bass. It may be overkill, but I really like what the 1st one did in my open listening area compared to the 2 SB-13 Ultras I used before. It just increased that low end of the bass spectrum like I was hoping for. The second thing would be to replace my Atmos/DTS-X speakers with some Golden Ear speakers. They are old top of the line Polk in ceilings with ring tweeters. I think having all the same tweeters may just help the sound out a bit. Would you go with directional speakers or diffuse/straight down firing speakers?

Melvin Boule wrote: The second thing would be to replace my Atmos/DTS-X speakers with some Golden Ear speakers. They are old top of the line Polk in ceilings with ring tweeters. I think having all the same tweeters may just help the sound out a bit. Would you go with directional speakers or diffuse/straight down firing speakers?

Melvin,

I as well have moved from Marantz to the AVM 60 and am also quite pleased with the difference in sound quality I am getting. The Marantz 8802a sounded GREAT with high def music but really didn't play well with my GET speakers for movies.The AVM 60 does a better job of putting me in the Atmos "bubble" not to mention with ARCmy bass is much improved. I have two T1 towers and am quite content with the bass, but boy would I be lying if I didn't say I wasn't a little curious what a pair of SVS PB16's would sound like. I noticed in my ARC report that the T1s don't do much below 20Hz in my room so it makes you wonder what low frequency sounds might be missing from movies.

In regards to your question about ceiling speakers, I have four of the HTR 7000 speakers in my ceiling and am quite happy with them. The sound is diffuse without any hot spotting even though they are only 2-3' in front and behind the seating area. I can't comment on how direct downward firing Atmos speakers would sound as I've never had any installed in my room. I would say the HTR 7000s offer a subtle overhead affect that seems to be realistic in its nature. When I first installed them I wished they would be more pronounced as I wanted that "holy crap what's over me effect" but as I've gotten used to them I have come to appreciate how realistic sounds can be in the right movies. Take the Atmos track in The Heart of the Sea, that track does a great job of putting you on the whaling vessel Essex and the overhead channels come to life with the creaking of the ships overhead deck when you are below deck along with the sounds of the sea and wind when above deck. It's all rather fun to listen to and the HTR 7000s present the sound without overpowering the ear level speakers.

If you do go with GET overhead speakers I'd love to hear your thoughts on how things sound vs your current Polk speakers.