moving on from Emotiva UMC-200 pre/processor

A brand new processor from Emotiva? A little bit on the risky side, and he'd have to keep the UMC-200 to get the discount, so he'd still be out of pocket 2 grand. Plus, the XMC doesn't have the Dirac room correction yet, so for 2000 or 1500, there's plenty that beat it hands down. And they don't have bugs.

I concur with the idea that hazyj should take his time and develop a complete solution/plan of attack before replacing just one or 2 components. Perhaps it would help for him to list what he has now that he wants to replace.

One can prefer whatever preferences one has, but the Emotiva UMC-200 does not best the Oppo 105. It sounds like you've been buying and selling components frequently. I advise slowing down. Don't buy the XMC just because it's being released. Give it time to make sure it doesn't have bugs, and that Dirac has been implemented properly. Dirac isn't even included yet. They want you to buy it with the promise that Dirac is coming!

I don't know why they didn't wait to release it until it was ready with Dirac. Some suspect Emotiva was cash strapped and needing to see some return on their(6 year) investment in the XMC. I suspect they released it early to temp Emotiva buyers away from the new format that's coming, Dolby Atmos, something they don't have. Either way, it's been an uneven and jerky ride waiting for them to come up with an XMC to sell, so I'd be a little patient. After all, it's outclassed in the feature department by almost any 1000 receiver with pre-outs.