Makes me appreciate the old school beasts I have from Emotiva: the XPR-2 (600wpc RMS class A/B) and the MPS-1 (170wpc RMS class A/B). Real brutes, beefy, heavy, and built like tanks. They will live in my rack forever
Love my vintage Emotiva UPA7. Got it used a decade ago and it's still chugging along. I don't think the value to performance will ever be beat for this particular unit, got it for 300 dollars.
You got a super good deal considering the UPA-7 was originally $699. The even better news is that a good amplifier can serve you well for decades without seeming obsolete. When building a system it is easier to justify a spend that will last so long. -Jon
My Emotiva A-300 has been blissfully running my two channel dedicated listening room for many years now. The Emotiva A7 is doing an awesome job in my Home Theater with the MC1 processor. Hard to beat EMO POWER for the money. 😍😍😁😁 The only manufacture providing that type of power from mono blocks to 7 channel amps and everything in between.
Im debating AV processors right now, the MC1 in on my short list, but no XLRs is holding me up. You have any issues with mono RCAs? What brand did you use?
@@upriseintel9970 Never been worried about balanced or heard a huge difference in blind AB testing. Loving my MC1 so far. No complaints for the money spent.
Thanks for communicating - I was on their site last night and it wasn't there. In checking now - it is being promoted at the top of their home page. Looks like I will be updating the database tonight. -Jon
I live in Europe, The Netherlands and I have bought some of the Emotiva equipment from MD-Sound in Germany. First I bought the Emotiva Gen.3 XPA-7 which is the 7 Channel Amp for my Dolby setup it really impressed me with the sound. So I ended using two of the channels of the XPA-7 for my Stereo setup. The background noise of the amp was not existing totally black, the Sound in high and mid where clear and the bass was very deep. So after running for 2 years with that setup I decided to buy the Emotiva XSP-1 Pre-Amp. This way I can use the Home Theater Bypass on the Pre-Amp to use the Front Speakers also for the Dolby Processor, while also using them for my stereo setup. The Pre-Amp was even better then my stereo amp and it's pre-outs so the sound improved again. The next purchase was another year later and I bought the Emotiva DR-2 that is the 2 channel Fully Differential Amp. This really changed the sound for the better. The sound is very 3D but to my surprise cables makes the big difference in the sound. My Dolby chain as it is now consist of the following: Anthem AV70 --> 7x XLR --> Emotiva XPA-7 Amp --> 7x Supra Ply 3.4/s --> 1x Canton 866.2 Center / 4x Canton AR-800 Atmos / 2x Canton 836.2 Surround Anthem AV70 --> 2x XLR --> Emotiva XSP-1 Pre-Amp --> 2x XLR --> Emotive DR-2 Amp --> 2x van Den Hull D-352 --> 2x Canton 896.2 DC Front Speakers Anthem AV70 --> 2x Low level single LFE phono RCA --> 2x REL T/9i subwoofers My Stereo chain takes a part of the Dolby chain and uses it: Cambridge CXN v2 --> 2x XLR --> Emotiva XSP-1 Pre-Amp --> 2x XLR --> Emotive DR-2 Amp --> 2x van Den Hull D-382 --> 2x Canton 896.2 DC Front Speakers Now I have used a lot of different XLR cables by now and tested it out, and at the moment the BADA HL6 sounds the best. While still being relative cheap to be honest it is still a big cost at 100 euro's for a set of 2 but I only use these for my Stereo chain. The sound is clear, crisp and it has lots of details while still being very musical and gives 3D presentation in the room. Also the voices are clear and at the same level as the music. The bass is full and goes deep when it needs to go down low. For the XPA-7 and the Surround and Center channels I use the Klotz M5 XLR kabels which is very detailed in its sound signature and pretty cheap at 25 euro's for one cable. I have also used Medevoort / Kef / Bryson Amps and I can say if you haven't tried Emotiva out yet give, it a try they sound awesome. Although they are not cheap they don't break the bank. If you are not happy with the sound check out the cables you use, it makes a lot of difference with these amps. The signal/sound quality you put into the Amp is what is also coming out of it.
Super endorsement from someone who has experienced the premium amplifiers with high quality speakers. I also have a favorable opinion of Emotiva amplifiers - have 3x XPA-1 Gen 2 monoblocks -Jon
I see reviews that people are annoyed with the blue led lights on the front, it does not bother me at all. They are only lights and they can be turned off, I have not gotten the chance to try them out yet but I hear very good things about the brand. Even their speakers have great reviews, Emotiva is a good brand and for the price you get a lot of good quality components and speakers
I remember them making the monoblock basX a while ago now...they made a series from the basX monoblocks & 2, 3 ,4 ,5 ,6 & 7 channel basX power amps, i think they relaunched the basX Series ,at least here in the UK , i just bought the A2 basX last month to get decent music through my Pioneer 9.2.4 AV Amp....really impressed for the price...fantastic sound for just £500 in the UK...the auto on-off switch is great if you use with the lights turned off as it will turn the A2 off when you turn the AV amp off...great for people with bad memories...lol
I have Martin Logan emsld esl tower speakers rated up to 300 watts/speaker. I purchased a Hegel h90 at the advice of a a sound consultant and as I learned the hard way was a bad recommendation so I want to get it right this time around. I have a week left to evaluate the arcam the SA 30. It is rated at 140 watts per channel. The unit is a 2 channel amp.Its an integrated amp. It improved the sound of the speakers but not very detailed as I would prefer but it is clear that these speakers are power hungry. They recommend using the DIRAC room correction app included with the SA 30. I will do so then get a better picture on whether to keep this amp or not. The sound must be cranked up to 51 at loud volumes to get improved sound prior to using the DIRAC. Seems to be still underpowered imo and I think that I must get close to the 300 w level to fully appreciate the sound at lower volume with or without the Arcam. I really want to utilize my other equipment as well which consists of a Martin Logan Dynamo 800x subwoofer and a Bluenode 2i. I have a home theatre setup in another room with Sonos speakers. I want this setup for just music but I already have old audio equipment that I need to sell or use in another room. I loved your video on the emotive comparisons. I am looking for your advice and direction on what I should do if you were me. Thanks. Wes
I've owned an XPA 2 Gen 3 and it does not sound right in the high frequency end. The switch mode power supply is a great idea, but I believe after listening and reading multiple reviews which measure power supply noise, the Emotiva lacks the performance for my personal needs. I'd like to hear a Gen 2 with the 75 lb linear amp and hear if it performs better at higher frequencies. Class D, H, G and whatever is not for me.
I’m debating building a little slower and going with quality pieces. I have an 11 channel system. I am looking at either the xpa-5 gen 3 to power my main l,cr and 2 sides. Then building over time into some basX for the rear and 4 Atmos speakers. Orrrrr go for the xpa-dr3 and never worry about what kind of speakers I get when I upgrade those. And getting others to fill out the remaining part of the system later. I guess I could go with the xpa-5 first then get the dr3 and a basx 4 at a later time as well. So many options. But would having a 550 watt per channel be healthy for a speaker like the bowers and Wilkins 702 S3 that is max watt of 300?
The “value” is see in Emotiva is the BasX series for surround/atmos speakers. I see other budget amps (Monolith, Outlaw) being better choices for the front stage. An Outlaw 5000 will perform nearly identical as an xpa 5 at half the cost.
@@ripewave yes sir! I’m sure you’re already on it , but I saw Emotiva just launched a BasX monoblock. Same rated power as the Outlaw monoblock but $50 higher with no XLR connection
Yes - the chart is not correct. Thanks for pointing out. That model was a late add. So I must have missed edited that field when I moved data around to accommodate.
Later in the video you do actually refer to it as differential. All in all, there's so much detail in these videos that it's pretty much impossible to not have one or two things that are off sometimes! I am very impressed with the quality of your videos though
I own 3 amps from Emotiva (DR3, XPA-5 Gen 2, and XPA-7 Gen 3). The DR3 did not perform very well in the noise and distortion test from Audio Science Review. Nonetheless, it was still a bit below the threshold of audibility, or at least for my ears. Overall, it sounds great and there's plenty of power left on tap even when cranking it.
Sean - that is great feedback. As I own the XPA-1 Gen 2, I haven’t heard the Gen 3 DR models with the switch mode power supply instead of the torrid used in the Gen 2. I may purchase the XPA DR2s for surround channels. While I am familiar with the Audio Science Review data, I have been skeptical about some of the items they flag and that they believe warrants a “not recommend” conclusion. As you say the ultimate measure is your ears and personal preference. I do believe in measurements that are audible and are consistently measured across all products. -Jon
@@ripewave Interesting. If you buy these for surround channel speakers, they will be extremely (over)qualified for the job. I use them my DR3 for my front 3 speakers and they're plenty of power left to spare. Just curious, what amp and speakers are you using to power your front 3?
I have a Rotel RAP 1580 MK2 receiver and looking for a 3 channel amp for the front 3 channels. Would the XPA DR3 be a good match at the same level of sound quality or should I consider a Rotel or e.g. Buckeye Amp purifi 3 channel amp?
I added the basx a2 to my Yamaha RXA2, even though I'm driving very sensitive klipch speakers mains are 100db, it made real difference, very happy with it
Just FYI, if you check out "Erin's Audio Corner" channel, he just released a video with *actual* speaker sensitivity. Klipsch did not do well. Their speakers measured a lot lower than advertised. So you probably needed the extra power more than you realized.
@@fredygump5578 I know klipch uses basically in room response for many specs, sometime spl Is quoted 5 to 8 % higher than anechoic, still very efficient though
Great video, My left and right speakers are 6 ohm, center channel is 4-8 ohm. Front speakers are 120 watts, center channel 100 watts. Which Emotiva amp could I use? My receiver is an Yamaha rx-v681 95watts per 2 channels driven.
David - You should be able to use any model, but as you move to from BasX to XPA to XPA-DR series, they outputs improves. All Emotiva amplifiers are rated as supporting 4-8 ohm loads. There is no issue exceeding, or greatly exceeding a speaker's max power rating - as long as it is clean power. A poor quality amp at low watts is more likely to damage a speaker than a high quality amp at high watts. Emotiva amps are clean - so there is no worry with any of their models. Chances are you will want to get a model that is more capable than the onboard amps of your Yamaha receiver. I would aim for around double the power output (160-200 Watts) or more per channel - How many channels are you looking to drive. With that general guidance you could buy BasX A2 amplifiers (2 channel at 160W @ 8 ohm) - otherwise I would move to the XPA amplifiers. Jon
@@ripewave thanks for your reply. I'm looking to drive my LCR. But since my speakers are 6 Ohms wouldn't the BasX A3 give more wattage than 8 Onm speakers? Also how many watts would I get with 6 Ohm as it's not given on their website? Thanks so much for your response.
David - You should be able to interpolate for 6 ohm loads. The A3 is providing 140W @ 8 ohm and 200W @ 4 ohm so we can assume 6 ohm loads would have 170W available. Keep in mind that speaker load ratings are nominal (average) so you are likely have times when the load is over or under 6 ohms, but close enough for estimates. -Jon
Great video. I have 3 XPA Gen3 Amplifiers and a BasX7. Question about the XPA 9 and 11. If you go down to specifications it says the high-powered single modules are 300 watts at 8 ohms with one channel driven and 300 watts at 8 ohms at 2 channels driven. Since it says one module is one channel isn’t the one channel driven you are looking for? The thing that confuses me is the 300 Watts at two channels driven. I’m not sure what they are trying to say. I’ve talked to them as I put some speakers in parallel and they informed me each module is separate and that by doing that it would only affect one module and shouldn’t be an issue. So I would think the stereo module would be 65 watts a channel at 8 ohms and the high powered module is 300 watts at 8ohm.
The one channel driven will be the same for each of the high-powered single-channel models regardless of the XPA model as Emotiva quoted you. Same goes for the 65W rated stereo modules. However, that answer is true as in each case when only driving one channel. When two or more channels are driven simultaneously, the common power supply now has to share its output between multiple modules and as a result the output of each amplifier module decreases. From page 22 of the XPA Gen3 manual Emotiva posts specifications for one, two and all channels driven. What I included in the video was the "all channels driven" specification as that provides worst case. Here is a copy of that table: Power Output; chosen models; all channels driven; THD
@@ripewave I just subscribed to your channel and I think I have the answer to your question. I currently have the following amp setup in my dedicated theater room. I am looking to decrease the footprint in my rack and was looking at the Emotiva XPA-11. Based on the specs you noted in your review for the high current modules @300wpc and stereo modules @65wpc which is also noted in the specs online for this model. Here is what I was told after speaking with Emotiva rep twice this week. For a 11-channel amp configuration, all channels driven, the high current amps will only do 200wpc and the stereo modules 65wpc. This is a limitation of the chassis power supply driving all the modules at once. This is not written in specs online and they know that and apologize for it. Marantz AV7705 AV Processor 11CH Klipsch RP-280FA Front Speaker (FL)(DA/HT1L) Klipsch RP-280FA Front Speaker (FR)(DA/HT1R) Klipsch RP-504C Center Chan Spkr (C) Klipsch RS-52 Surround Speaker (SL) Klipsch RS-52 Surround Speaker (SR) Klipsch RB-75 Front Speaker (SBL) Klipsch RB-75 Front Speaker (SBR) SVS PB3000 Sub Woofer Spkr (SUB1) SVS PB3000 Sub Woofer Spkr (SUB2) Klipsch CDT-5650-C II In-Ceiling Speaker (FW/H2L) Klipsch CDT-5650-C II In-Ceiling Speaker (FW/H2R) AMPS Emotiva XPA-100 Gen 2 Mono Block Power Amplifier (FL) Emotiva XPA-100 Gen 2 Mono Block Power Amplifier (C) Emotiva XPA-100 Gen 2 Mono Block Power Amplifier (FR) Emotiva BASX A-300 Stereo Amplifier (SUR) Emotiva BASX A-700 7-CH Amplifier (SURB/ATMOS/FW) I am glad I stumbled on your video and subscribed. Keep up the technical content. It is well represented. PM
Its interesting that your spec for the XPA Gen3 2ch SNR is 86dB @1w & 115dB full signal A-weighted. My manual for it says 99dB 1w & 124dB ref FTC rated power, unbalanced input (A-weighted) Although i would tend to believe your spec over the manual because it makes more sense unfortunately, being that the gain is 29dB. Oh also, my manual says the input sensitivity at 8 ohm is 1.5v, not the 0.8v of your chart, and 0.8v doesn't make much sense to me. Numbers are all over the place.....
Perhaps they changed the manual text at some point. I just looked at my copy and it aligns with what I posted. I downloaded the latest manual again and that value still is used. However, their website has the following today: • > 117 dB; ref FTC rated power; unbalanced input (A-weighted) • > 91 dB; ref 1 watt; unbalanced input (A-weighted) Inconsistent. -Jon
If there's no audio difference for 5 ft of cable for XLR or RCA(Mogami) I'm sticking with my Basx Amps. Can't turn my 7.2.4. N.e where near 65% of the volume anyway. I live in an apt, do you ? Think of needs not wants.
You raise some good points. My aim is to compare and explain the differences and experiences and when they apply. My theater is in the basement of a single family house. No issue with disturbing the neighbors. When you need to give that curtesy it may be best to throttle back certain requirements. I will say that my philosophy is to over build and drive at a fraction of what the system is capable of for effortlessly playback at modest volumes. -Jon
@Ripewave Audio when I asked do you I meant to whomever was reading my comment. It wasn't directed toward you sir. You do a great job explaining the differences in amps, Processors and recievers. I'm running my entire 9.2.6 off an A3(front LCR), A5(5 height), A7(6 bedlayer + 1 height)
I still use my first gen XPA2, I did try the new DR2, and found it rather dry and sterile, lacking that big soundstage. It reminded me more of Class D than Class A/B. I returned the DR2 for a full refund.
Brain - While the Emotiva XPA amplifiers are modular and can be expanded up to 7 modules, the installation needs to be executed by Emotiva or an authorized representative. From website: emotiva.com/collections/amps/products/build-your-own Modular Construction The XPA Gen3 modular power amplifier is comprised of a heavy-duty chassis, which houses the oversized power supply, and up to seven amplifier modules. The XPA Gen3 can be purchased with anywhere between two and seven amplifier modules installed, and additional amplifier modules may be installed as more channels of amplification are needed (up to a maximum of seven modules). The front panel display and protection system are designed to work with the maximum number of channels, and so need not be updated when the XPA Gen3 is expanded; on the rear panel, slots not occupied by amplifier modules will be covered with protective cover panels. Note: To ensure that amplifier channels are always installed properly, and function to our specifications, amplifier modules must be installed by Emotiva, or by your local authorized Emotiva service representative.
@@ripewave Thanks Jon. I guess I need to locate a "...your local authorized Emotiva service representative." in my area to see if this a good option for me.
It’s not that Emotiva is bad, it’s just that the monoliths on your last episode are a tough act to follow. Having listened to the Emotiva podcasts, the founder is a pretty chill dude. The value proposition is really compelling, and they do deliver good quality. But it’s mot quite the work of art quality vibe I’m looking for. The brand styling is cool and relaxed, which I like allot. But the airflow and heatsink arrangement in these units with their fans is a little uninspired, at least to my sentiments of design as an armchair quarterback. I’m forever sold on giant back breaking toroidal transformers, but I’m also sold on modern lightweight switchmode power supplies, so that doesn’t shake me too much, although I still lean towards a toroidal bias. Saving money and my back is fairly compelling. Emotiva has power conditioners which fix DC offset. DC offset can make a transformer audibly hum, warm, and loose efficiency/performance. If it’s not too much trouble it would be nice to see it noted in Emotiva and really all transformer products, on whether they have a DC-offset fixing circuit in the power supply ahead of the transformer. It’s a steep ask. I only know of Primaluna having that in their tube amps. I feel it’s a marketable feature. As is the quality and character of a switch-mode power supply, such as if it has Gallium nitride for faster switching. Hats off to them being class AB, because Class D still has that pesky issue of struggling to put out high current at high frequencies. Emotiva and monolith could have thrown class D in these and hid their 4ohm performance behind 1khz specs but they didn’t, they gave us full bandwidth like real companies worth mentioning. They definitely lost a ton of points for that 1%thd BS. The only people looking at specs are the people that know how to read them. That trickery may have worked 7 years ago before product reviews on youtube existed. But in the age of information with several UA-camrs picking every new model apart and testing it etc, it actually makes companies and products look worse rather than better. You search UA-cam for a flagship receiver from 7 years ago, maybe 1 youtube from some nobody on cnet saying “it’s great” and poorly just conveying a notion of it’s use case, to now where you got 7 in depth reviews from guys with oscilloscopes and klippels and war stories of the brand history. Nobody even sees whats printed on the box anymore either, they don’t buy in store, they buy online, they shop online, they cross compare online, a big sticker saying 3000watts used to catch suckers. Now those suckers are just being told by online reviewers to avoid those products, total backfire. You gotta feel good about your purchase, you gotta feel good about the brand, that 1% thd nonsense has got to go. It’s not doing them any favors. I think people will rationalize bad numbers for brands they respect. No need to hide the truth of your product. Value propositions sing with transparency, and fall apart with deception.
Well said. I’ll add the marketing money as a major point to include. Monoprice may measure well but they are one of the worst offenders when it comes to buying reviews. Look through the audioholics reviews and website, you’ll notice that they have over a dozen reviews in the last 4 months have been for monoprice gear. Monoprice is an advertiser on their site, and have only received glowing praise from them. You’ll also notice that audioholics doesn’t disclose their relationship with these companies. Danny at GR Research blew the doors off this kind of advertising/sponsorship money for unbiased reviews when he called out the reviewers, he specifically called out an audio online magazine for these practices. Monoprice even pays for sponsorship on deal website (slick deals) to promote their $10 off a $1000 item. It’s due to these practices that I will never buy anything more than cables and accessories from them. I frankly don’t trust their paid reviews no matter what the measurements say. I agree with you assessment that in this day and age it is better for companies to be upfront with their limitations and relationships, there is no hiding anymore. Companies that treat their customers right will survive, look at SVS.
Thanks so much for compiling your knowledge here. Your obviously have a lot of experience with amplifier technology. Let me try to comment on each point - Monolith has an edge - certainly that is comparison I want to explore further and felt there were some advantages to their approach. The fans I understand only exist in the BasX range and not the XPA range. Your “work of art” comment is valid. The XPA Gen 2 range I believe fit that criteria much better then the Gen 3 range which comes across as more of a utilitarian evolution which attempts to deliver similar specifications using a lighter, more modular platform that scales to a wide range of configurations. Like you I still have a bias towards toroids but all I read suggests that that is more of an emotional reaction. Yes - vendors with the positive attributes you mention such as DC offset and Gallium Nitride should do more to educate the public on how those enhancements add to the overall experience. FYI - you educated me - thanks. While I am willing to try a class D amplifiers, it would first be for height channels and not something as important as the front stage. I would get something designed to compete with a primary channel class AB and I would perform comparative tests between my reference amps before relegating to their use as heights. The 1% nonsense has to end. Emotiva should not have to reduce itself to AVR tactics with their separates. We are buying separates to give us honest output so give us honest measurements that are useful. 20-20K full range all channels driven for 8 and 4 ohm loads. They really hurt their credibility when they play the spec game. On that point I found Monolith specs to more straightforward. Yes - much appreciation for those independent reporters with testing tools posting their reports using more consistent methodology. It is unfortunate that is necessary to address the spec games that have been played for decades. Psychologically it is tough to choose model with lower - especially much lower published values even when the model with the lower spec is the more trusted brand. What kills me is when they work too hard to hit a target value. They want to market an amplifier at 1000W regardless even when most competing products are well under 500W. Why can’t they settle with slightly better vs wildly better values? Thanks for the thoughtful discussion -Jon
@@ripewave Sure thing man, ya know I generally feel people are incapable of grasping what other people want, to the point that pursuing product development from that standpoint leads to products that don’t actually serve anyone. They end up placating markets that don’t even exist, falling into biases that exist only in their own pessimistic projections of “the masses”. People fool themselves with data and statistics on market behavior, not realizing that data interpretation is still a biased process, and that behaviors can have many causes, not necessarily reflecting preferences or predictable patterns. I think the best results come simply from making the best product you know how, to your own standards and sensibilities. Passion not only speaks volumes, it delivers.
As someone who has been a product manager (albeit for a different industry) I have witnessed poor product decisions first hand - some dictated by senior management and sales and others by product managers themselves. I have even seen cases where development was given power to drive product decisions with very little customer input. There have been cases where they let a single customer influence them too much or as you say, they just look at data and try to “predict” how the market will respond. The truth is revealed after launch when actual sales data starts to come in. Sometimes they double down and try to “fix” the failed introduction vs pulling the plug. It’s frustrating.-Jon
@@ripewave oh thats cool! What products did you manage? There’s so many factors that play into how a product performs, a firm can easily rationalize the wrong narrative to explain outcomes. Often the product ethos is blamed, when it’s some exogenous effect in the industry landscape. Things are different one year to the next, making generalizations a fleeting truth of the moment. I think different product strategies sing at different times. Marketing’s a big factor too.
Makes me appreciate the old school beasts I have from Emotiva: the XPR-2 (600wpc RMS class A/B) and the MPS-1 (170wpc RMS class A/B).
Real brutes, beefy, heavy, and built like tanks.
They will live in my rack forever
I am SO glad you are doing this. I keep coming back to the data every now & then.
Thank you! =)
Glad these videos are helping. Jon
Love my vintage Emotiva UPA7. Got it used a decade ago and it's still chugging along. I don't think the value to performance will ever be beat for this particular unit, got it for 300 dollars.
You got a super good deal considering the UPA-7 was originally $699. The even better news is that a good amplifier can serve you well for decades without seeming obsolete. When building a system it is easier to justify a spend that will last so long. -Jon
My Emotiva A-300 has been blissfully running my two channel dedicated listening room for many years now. The Emotiva A7 is doing an awesome job in my Home Theater with the MC1 processor.
Hard to beat EMO POWER for the money. 😍😍😁😁
The only manufacture providing that type of power from mono blocks to 7 channel amps and everything in between.
Im debating AV processors right now, the MC1 in on my short list, but no XLRs is holding me up. You have any issues with mono RCAs? What brand did you use?
@@upriseintel9970 Never been worried about balanced or heard a huge difference in blind AB testing. Loving my MC1 so far. No complaints for the money spent.
Thank you for the info and demo 👏🏼👍🏼🏴🇬🇧
Hey Emotiva literally just came out with a BasX A1 amplifier. Just FYI. Love the content.
Thanks for communicating - I was on their site last night and it wasn't there. In checking now - it is being promoted at the top of their home page. Looks like I will be updating the database tonight. -Jon
I am going to buy one for my center channel.
@@xray111xxxthe 😢😅😅😅😅
I live in Europe, The Netherlands and I have bought some of the Emotiva equipment from MD-Sound in Germany.
First I bought the Emotiva Gen.3 XPA-7 which is the 7 Channel Amp for my Dolby setup it really impressed me with the sound.
So I ended using two of the channels of the XPA-7 for my Stereo setup.
The background noise of the amp was not existing totally black, the Sound in high and mid where clear and the bass was very deep.
So after running for 2 years with that setup I decided to buy the Emotiva XSP-1 Pre-Amp.
This way I can use the Home Theater Bypass on the Pre-Amp to use the Front Speakers also for the Dolby Processor, while also using them for my stereo setup.
The Pre-Amp was even better then my stereo amp and it's pre-outs so the sound improved again.
The next purchase was another year later and I bought the Emotiva DR-2 that is the 2 channel Fully Differential Amp.
This really changed the sound for the better.
The sound is very 3D but to my surprise cables makes the big difference in the sound.
My Dolby chain as it is now consist of the following:
Anthem AV70 --> 7x XLR --> Emotiva XPA-7 Amp --> 7x Supra Ply 3.4/s --> 1x Canton 866.2 Center / 4x Canton AR-800 Atmos / 2x Canton 836.2 Surround
Anthem AV70 --> 2x XLR --> Emotiva XSP-1 Pre-Amp --> 2x XLR --> Emotive DR-2 Amp --> 2x van Den Hull D-352 --> 2x Canton 896.2 DC Front Speakers
Anthem AV70 --> 2x Low level single LFE phono RCA --> 2x REL T/9i subwoofers
My Stereo chain takes a part of the Dolby chain and uses it:
Cambridge CXN v2 --> 2x XLR --> Emotiva XSP-1 Pre-Amp --> 2x XLR --> Emotive DR-2 Amp --> 2x van Den Hull D-382 --> 2x Canton 896.2 DC Front Speakers
Now I have used a lot of different XLR cables by now and tested it out, and at the moment the BADA HL6 sounds the best.
While still being relative cheap to be honest it is still a big cost at 100 euro's for a set of 2 but I only use these for my Stereo chain.
The sound is clear, crisp and it has lots of details while still being very musical and gives 3D presentation in the room.
Also the voices are clear and at the same level as the music.
The bass is full and goes deep when it needs to go down low.
For the XPA-7 and the Surround and Center channels I use the Klotz M5 XLR kabels which is very detailed in its sound signature and pretty cheap at 25 euro's for one cable.
I have also used Medevoort / Kef / Bryson Amps and I can say if you haven't tried Emotiva out yet give, it a try they sound awesome.
Although they are not cheap they don't break the bank.
If you are not happy with the sound check out the cables you use, it makes a lot of difference with these amps.
The signal/sound quality you put into the Amp is what is also coming out of it.
Super endorsement from someone who has experienced the premium amplifiers with high quality speakers. I also have a favorable opinion of Emotiva amplifiers - have 3x XPA-1 Gen 2 monoblocks -Jon
Korte vraag wat adviseer je om muziek te luisteren? HT films op de Denon3800h 5.1.4 echt top maar muziek stereo + sub bagger
I see reviews that people are annoyed with the blue led lights on the front, it does not bother me at all. They are only lights and they can be turned off, I have not gotten the chance to try them out yet but I hear very good things about the brand. Even their speakers have great reviews, Emotiva is a good brand and for the price you get a lot of good quality components and speakers
I agree. Those lights can be turned off, but I don’t. In fact my XPA-1s have LED meters representing the output and I keep those on too. -Jon
I remember them making the monoblock basX a while ago now...they made a series from the basX monoblocks & 2, 3 ,4 ,5 ,6 & 7 channel basX power amps, i think they relaunched the basX Series ,at least here in the UK , i just bought the A2 basX last month to get decent music through my Pioneer 9.2.4 AV Amp....really impressed for the price...fantastic sound for just £500 in the UK...the auto on-off switch is great if you use with the lights turned off as it will turn the A2 off when you turn the AV amp off...great for people with bad memories...lol
I have Martin Logan emsld esl tower speakers rated up to 300 watts/speaker. I purchased a Hegel h90 at the advice of a a sound consultant and as I learned the hard way was a bad recommendation so I want to get it right this time around. I have a week left to evaluate the arcam the SA 30. It is rated at 140 watts per channel. The unit is a 2 channel amp.Its an integrated amp. It improved the sound of the speakers but not very detailed as I would prefer but it is clear that these speakers are power hungry. They recommend using the DIRAC room correction app included with the SA 30. I will do so then get a better picture on whether to keep this amp or not. The sound must be cranked up to 51 at loud volumes to get improved sound prior to using the DIRAC. Seems to be still underpowered imo and I think that I must get close to the 300 w level to fully appreciate the sound at lower volume with or without the Arcam. I really want to utilize my other equipment as well which consists of a Martin Logan Dynamo 800x subwoofer and a Bluenode 2i. I have a home theatre setup in another room with Sonos speakers. I want this setup for just music but I already have old audio equipment that I need to sell or use in another room. I loved your video on the emotive comparisons. I am looking for your advice and direction on what I should do if you were me. Thanks. Wes
I've owned an XPA 2 Gen 3 and it does not sound right in the high frequency end. The switch mode power supply is a great idea, but I believe after listening and reading multiple reviews which measure power supply noise, the Emotiva lacks the performance for my personal needs. I'd like to hear a Gen 2 with the 75 lb linear amp and hear if it performs better at higher frequencies. Class D, H, G and whatever is not for me.
Which amplifiers have given you the best results? -Jon
I got a BasX a400 for $300 for 2 channel listening. I really like it with my Asgard 3 and Sanskrit 2.
So nice to have such great sounding gear at obtainable prices. Thanks for sharing - Jon
I’m debating building a little slower and going with quality pieces. I have an 11 channel system. I am looking at either the xpa-5 gen 3 to power my main l,cr and 2 sides. Then building over time into some basX for the rear and 4 Atmos speakers. Orrrrr go for the xpa-dr3 and never worry about what kind of speakers I get when I upgrade those. And getting others to fill out the remaining part of the system later. I guess I could go with the xpa-5 first then get the dr3 and a basx 4 at a later time as well. So many options.
But would having a 550 watt per channel be healthy for a speaker like the bowers and Wilkins 702 S3 that is max watt of 300?
The “value” is see in Emotiva is the BasX series for surround/atmos speakers. I see other budget amps (Monolith, Outlaw) being better choices for the front stage. An Outlaw 5000 will perform nearly identical as an xpa 5 at half the cost.
Looks like I should produce the Outlaw video real soon. -Jon
@@ripewave yes sir! I’m sure you’re already on it , but I saw Emotiva just launched a BasX monoblock. Same rated power as the Outlaw monoblock but $50 higher with no XLR connection
Sadly we can't get Monolith or Outlaw in the UK, but a BasX A3, and two BasX A4's will suit my modest size room, hooked up to my Denon X6700 amp.
Thanks a lot
Glad you enjoyed the content - Jon
At 32:14 you show the XPA-1L as not being differential... it is actually differential. Thanks for the video!
Odd - clearly a mistake if I did. I will review
Yes - the chart is not correct. Thanks for pointing out. That model was a late add. So I must have missed edited that field when I moved data around to accommodate.
Later in the video you do actually refer to it as differential. All in all, there's so much detail in these videos that it's pretty much impossible to not have one or two things that are off sometimes! I am very impressed with the quality of your videos though
Thanks for being so understanding.
I own 3 amps from Emotiva (DR3, XPA-5 Gen 2, and XPA-7 Gen 3). The DR3 did not perform very well in the noise and distortion test from Audio Science Review. Nonetheless, it was still a bit below the threshold of audibility, or at least for my ears. Overall, it sounds great and there's plenty of power left on tap even when cranking it.
Sean - that is great feedback. As I own the XPA-1 Gen 2, I haven’t heard the Gen 3 DR models with the switch mode power supply instead of the torrid used in the Gen 2.
I may purchase the XPA DR2s for surround channels. While I am familiar with the Audio Science Review data, I have been skeptical about some of the items they flag and that they believe warrants a “not recommend” conclusion.
As you say the ultimate measure is your ears and personal preference.
I do believe in measurements that are audible and are consistently measured across all products. -Jon
@@ripewave Interesting. If you buy these for surround channel speakers, they will be extremely (over)qualified for the job. I use them my DR3 for my front 3 speakers and they're plenty of power left to spare. Just curious, what amp and speakers are you using to power your front 3?
I have a Rotel RAP 1580 MK2 receiver and looking for a 3 channel amp for the front 3 channels. Would the XPA DR3 be a good match at the same level of sound quality or should I consider a Rotel or e.g. Buckeye Amp purifi 3 channel amp?
I added the basx a2 to my Yamaha RXA2, even though I'm driving very sensitive klipch speakers mains are 100db, it made real difference, very happy with it
That is very positive news that you are getting a noticeable difference with the A2. -Jon
Just FYI, if you check out "Erin's Audio Corner" channel, he just released a video with *actual* speaker sensitivity. Klipsch did not do well. Their speakers measured a lot lower than advertised. So you probably needed the extra power more than you realized.
@@fredygump5578 I know klipch uses basically in room response for many specs, sometime spl Is quoted 5 to 8 % higher than anechoic, still very efficient though
@@fredygump5578 I should mention they are 25 years old, KLF20s, think forte drivers in a tower
Great video, My left and right speakers are 6 ohm, center channel is 4-8 ohm. Front speakers are 120 watts, center channel 100 watts. Which Emotiva amp could I use? My receiver is an Yamaha rx-v681 95watts per 2 channels driven.
David - You should be able to use any model, but as you move to from BasX to XPA to XPA-DR series, they outputs improves.
All Emotiva amplifiers are rated as supporting 4-8 ohm loads. There is no issue exceeding, or greatly exceeding a speaker's max power rating - as long as it is clean power. A poor quality amp at low watts is more likely to damage a speaker than a high quality amp at high watts. Emotiva amps are clean - so there is no worry with any of their models.
Chances are you will want to get a model that is more capable than the onboard amps of your Yamaha receiver. I would aim for around double the power output (160-200 Watts) or more per channel - How many channels are you looking to drive.
With that general guidance you could buy BasX A2 amplifiers (2 channel at 160W @ 8 ohm) - otherwise I would move to the XPA amplifiers.
Jon
@@ripewave thanks for your reply. I'm looking to drive my LCR. But since my speakers are 6 Ohms wouldn't the BasX A3 give more wattage than 8 Onm speakers? Also how many watts would I get with 6 Ohm as it's not given on their website? Thanks so much for your response.
David - You should be able to interpolate for 6 ohm loads. The A3 is providing 140W @ 8 ohm and 200W @ 4 ohm so we can assume 6 ohm loads would have 170W available. Keep in mind that speaker load ratings are nominal (average) so you are likely have times when the load is over or under 6 ohms, but close enough for estimates. -Jon
Basx A1 is now available, cheapaudioman did a review yesterday
If I was a day later I could have included. I did create a post for the A1: ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxh2MwfcHvvMHwdTat9D2lg1WRt-WyXdAk
Great video. I have 3 XPA Gen3 Amplifiers and a BasX7. Question about the XPA 9 and 11. If you go down to specifications it says the high-powered single modules are 300 watts at 8 ohms with one channel driven and 300 watts at 8 ohms at 2 channels driven. Since it says one module is one channel isn’t the one channel driven you are looking for? The thing that confuses me is the 300 Watts at two channels driven. I’m not sure what they are trying to say. I’ve talked to them as I put some speakers in parallel and they informed me each module is separate and that by doing that it would only affect one module and shouldn’t be an issue. So I would think the stereo module would be 65 watts a channel at 8 ohms and the high powered module is 300 watts at 8ohm.
The one channel driven will be the same for each of the high-powered single-channel models regardless of the XPA model as Emotiva quoted you. Same goes for the 65W rated stereo modules. However, that answer is true as in each case when only driving one channel. When two or more channels are driven simultaneously, the common power supply now has to share its output between multiple modules and as a result the output of each amplifier module decreases.
From page 22 of the XPA Gen3 manual Emotiva posts specifications for one, two and all channels driven. What I included in the video was the "all channels driven" specification as that provides worst case. Here is a copy of that table:
Power Output; chosen models; all channels driven; THD
@@ripewave I just subscribed to your channel and I think I have the answer to your question. I currently have the following amp setup in my dedicated theater room. I am looking to decrease the footprint in my rack and was looking at the Emotiva XPA-11. Based on the specs you noted in your review for the high current modules @300wpc and stereo modules @65wpc which is also noted in the specs online for this model. Here is what I was told after speaking with Emotiva rep twice this week. For a 11-channel amp configuration, all channels driven, the high current amps will only do 200wpc and the stereo modules 65wpc. This is a limitation of the chassis power supply driving all the modules at once. This is not written in specs online and they know that and apologize for it.
Marantz AV7705 AV Processor 11CH
Klipsch RP-280FA Front Speaker (FL)(DA/HT1L)
Klipsch RP-280FA Front Speaker (FR)(DA/HT1R)
Klipsch RP-504C Center Chan Spkr (C)
Klipsch RS-52 Surround Speaker (SL)
Klipsch RS-52 Surround Speaker (SR)
Klipsch RB-75 Front Speaker (SBL)
Klipsch RB-75 Front Speaker (SBR)
SVS PB3000 Sub Woofer Spkr (SUB1)
SVS PB3000 Sub Woofer Spkr (SUB2)
Klipsch CDT-5650-C II In-Ceiling Speaker (FW/H2L)
Klipsch CDT-5650-C II In-Ceiling Speaker (FW/H2R)
AMPS
Emotiva XPA-100 Gen 2 Mono Block Power Amplifier (FL)
Emotiva XPA-100 Gen 2 Mono Block Power Amplifier (C)
Emotiva XPA-100 Gen 2 Mono Block Power Amplifier (FR)
Emotiva BASX A-300 Stereo Amplifier (SUR)
Emotiva BASX A-700 7-CH Amplifier (SURB/ATMOS/FW)
I am glad I stumbled on your video and subscribed.
Keep up the technical content. It is well represented.
PM
Hi, thank you the great work you do !
Can I, or better yet, should I use one of those channels for 2 subwoofers ?
Thanks,
Its interesting that your spec for the XPA Gen3 2ch SNR is 86dB @1w & 115dB full signal A-weighted. My manual for it says 99dB 1w & 124dB ref FTC rated power, unbalanced input (A-weighted) Although i would tend to believe your spec over the manual because it makes more sense unfortunately, being that the gain is 29dB. Oh also, my manual says the input sensitivity at 8 ohm is 1.5v, not the 0.8v of your chart, and 0.8v doesn't make much sense to me. Numbers are all over the place.....
Perhaps they changed the manual text at some point. I just looked at my copy and it aligns with what I posted. I downloaded the latest manual again and that value still is used. However, their website has the following today:
• > 117 dB; ref FTC rated power; unbalanced input (A-weighted)
• > 91 dB; ref 1 watt; unbalanced input (A-weighted)
Inconsistent. -Jon
If there's no audio difference for 5 ft of cable for XLR or RCA(Mogami) I'm sticking with my Basx Amps. Can't turn my 7.2.4. N.e where near 65% of the volume anyway. I live in an apt, do you ? Think of needs not wants.
You raise some good points. My aim is to compare and explain the differences and experiences and when they apply.
My theater is in the basement of a single family house. No issue with disturbing the neighbors. When you need to give that curtesy it may be best to throttle back certain requirements. I will say that my philosophy is to over build and drive at a fraction of what the system is capable of for effortlessly playback at modest volumes. -Jon
@Ripewave Audio when I asked do you I meant to whomever was reading my comment. It wasn't directed toward you sir. You do a great job explaining the differences in amps, Processors and recievers. I'm running my entire 9.2.6 off an A3(front LCR), A5(5 height), A7(6 bedlayer + 1 height)
I still use my first gen XPA2, I did try the new DR2, and found it rather dry and sterile, lacking that big soundstage. It reminded me more of Class D than Class A/B. I returned the DR2 for a full refund.
I can see why you would feel that way. I am certainly keeping my Gen 2 amplifiers. -Jon
Great video! Does anyone know if can you add your own channel if they send you a kit or module to plug n play? Probably have to ship it back...
Brain - While the Emotiva XPA amplifiers are modular and can be expanded up to 7 modules, the installation needs to be executed by Emotiva or an authorized representative. From website: emotiva.com/collections/amps/products/build-your-own
Modular Construction
The XPA Gen3 modular power amplifier is comprised of a heavy-duty chassis, which houses the oversized power supply, and up to seven amplifier modules. The XPA Gen3 can be purchased with anywhere between two and seven amplifier modules installed, and additional amplifier modules may be installed as more channels of amplification are needed (up to a maximum of seven modules). The front panel display and protection system are designed to work with the maximum number of channels, and so need not be updated when the XPA Gen3 is expanded; on the rear panel, slots not occupied by amplifier modules will be covered with protective cover panels.
Note: To ensure that amplifier channels are always installed properly, and function to our specifications, amplifier modules must be installed by Emotiva, or by your local authorized Emotiva service representative.
@@ripewave Thanks Jon. I guess I need to locate a "...your local authorized Emotiva service representative." in my area to see if this a good option for me.
I could swear Emotiva did Class H topology.
Yes - as stated on their website - Class A/B output stage with Optimized Class H power supply topology for improved efficiency.
It’s not that Emotiva is bad, it’s just that the monoliths on your last episode are a tough act to follow.
Having listened to the Emotiva podcasts, the founder is a pretty chill dude.
The value proposition is really compelling, and they do deliver good quality. But it’s mot quite the work of art quality vibe I’m looking for. The brand styling is cool and relaxed, which I like allot. But the airflow and heatsink arrangement in these units with their fans is a little uninspired, at least to my sentiments of design as an armchair quarterback.
I’m forever sold on giant back breaking toroidal transformers, but I’m also sold on modern lightweight switchmode power supplies, so that doesn’t shake me too much, although I still lean towards a toroidal bias. Saving money and my back is fairly compelling.
Emotiva has power conditioners which fix DC offset. DC offset can make a transformer audibly hum, warm, and loose efficiency/performance. If it’s not too much trouble it would be nice to see it noted in Emotiva and really all transformer products, on whether they have a DC-offset fixing circuit in the power supply ahead of the transformer. It’s a steep ask. I only know of Primaluna having that in their tube amps. I feel it’s a marketable feature. As is the quality and character of a switch-mode power supply, such as if it has Gallium nitride for faster switching.
Hats off to them being class AB, because Class D still has that pesky issue of struggling to put out high current at high frequencies. Emotiva and monolith could have thrown class D in these and hid their 4ohm performance behind 1khz specs but they didn’t, they gave us full bandwidth like real companies worth mentioning. They definitely lost a ton of points for that 1%thd BS. The only people looking at specs are the people that know how to read them. That trickery may have worked 7 years ago before product reviews on youtube existed. But in the age of information with several UA-camrs picking every new model apart and testing it etc, it actually makes companies and products look worse rather than better.
You search UA-cam for a flagship receiver from 7 years ago, maybe 1 youtube from some nobody on cnet saying “it’s great” and poorly just conveying a notion of it’s use case, to now where you got 7 in depth reviews from guys with oscilloscopes and klippels and war stories of the brand history.
Nobody even sees whats printed on the box anymore either, they don’t buy in store, they buy online, they shop online, they cross compare online, a big sticker saying 3000watts used to catch suckers. Now those suckers are just being told by online reviewers to avoid those products, total backfire.
You gotta feel good about your purchase, you gotta feel good about the brand, that 1% thd nonsense has got to go. It’s not doing them any favors.
I think people will rationalize bad numbers for brands they respect. No need to hide the truth of your product.
Value propositions sing with transparency, and fall apart with deception.
Well said. I’ll add the marketing money as a major point to include.
Monoprice may measure well but they are one of the worst offenders when it comes to buying reviews. Look through the audioholics reviews and website, you’ll notice that they have over a dozen reviews in the last 4 months have been for monoprice gear. Monoprice is an advertiser on their site, and have only received glowing praise from them. You’ll also notice that audioholics doesn’t disclose their relationship with these companies. Danny at GR Research blew the doors off this kind of advertising/sponsorship money for unbiased reviews when he called out the reviewers, he specifically called out an audio online magazine for these practices. Monoprice even pays for sponsorship on deal website (slick deals) to promote their $10 off a $1000 item. It’s due to these practices that I will never buy anything more than cables and accessories from them. I frankly don’t trust their paid reviews no matter what the measurements say.
I agree with you assessment that in this day and age it is better for companies to be upfront with their limitations and relationships, there is no hiding anymore. Companies that treat their customers right will survive, look at SVS.
Thanks so much for compiling your knowledge here. Your obviously have a lot of experience with amplifier technology. Let me try to comment on each point -
Monolith has an edge - certainly that is comparison I want to explore further and felt there were some advantages to their approach.
The fans I understand only exist in the BasX range and not the XPA range. Your “work of art” comment is valid. The XPA Gen 2 range I believe fit that criteria much better then the Gen 3 range which comes across as more of a utilitarian evolution which attempts to deliver similar specifications using a lighter, more modular platform that scales to a wide range of configurations.
Like you I still have a bias towards toroids but all I read suggests that that is more of an emotional reaction.
Yes - vendors with the positive attributes you mention such as DC offset and Gallium Nitride should do more to educate the public on how those enhancements add to the overall experience. FYI - you educated me - thanks.
While I am willing to try a class D amplifiers, it would first be for height channels and not something as important as the front stage. I would get something designed to compete with a primary channel class AB and I would perform comparative tests between my reference amps before relegating to their use as heights.
The 1% nonsense has to end. Emotiva should not have to reduce itself to AVR tactics with their separates. We are buying separates to give us honest output so give us honest measurements that are useful. 20-20K full range all channels driven for 8 and 4 ohm loads. They really hurt their credibility when they play the spec game. On that point I found Monolith specs to more straightforward.
Yes - much appreciation for those independent reporters with testing tools posting their reports using more consistent methodology. It is unfortunate that is necessary to address the spec games that have been played for decades.
Psychologically it is tough to choose model with lower - especially much lower published values even when the model with the lower spec is the more trusted brand. What kills me is when they work too hard to hit a target value. They want to market an amplifier at 1000W regardless even when most competing products are well under 500W. Why can’t they settle with slightly better vs wildly better values?
Thanks for the thoughtful discussion -Jon
@@ripewave Sure thing man, ya know I generally feel people are incapable of grasping what other people want, to the point that pursuing product development from that standpoint leads to products that don’t actually serve anyone.
They end up placating markets that don’t even exist, falling into biases that exist only in their own pessimistic projections of “the masses”. People fool themselves with data and statistics on market behavior, not realizing that data interpretation is still a biased process, and that behaviors can have many causes, not necessarily reflecting preferences or predictable patterns.
I think the best results come simply from making the best product you know how, to your own standards and sensibilities. Passion not only speaks volumes, it delivers.
As someone who has been a product manager (albeit for a different industry) I have witnessed poor product decisions first hand - some dictated by senior management and sales and others by product managers themselves. I have even seen cases where development was given power to drive product decisions with very little customer input. There have been cases where they let a single customer influence them too much or as you say, they just look at data and try to “predict” how the market will respond. The truth is revealed after launch when actual sales data starts to come in. Sometimes they double down and try to “fix” the failed introduction vs pulling the plug. It’s frustrating.-Jon
@@ripewave oh thats cool! What products did you manage?
There’s so many factors that play into how a product performs, a firm can easily rationalize the wrong narrative to explain outcomes. Often the product ethos is blamed, when it’s some exogenous effect in the industry landscape. Things are different one year to the next, making generalizations a fleeting truth of the moment. I think different product strategies sing at different times. Marketing’s a big factor too.
XPR 2 600 watts into 8 ohms 1000 into 4 ohms 1000 what's bridge into 8 ohms XPR 5 400 what's into 5
Thanks for sending those specifications.-Jon
@@ripewave no problem those are the ones I regret getting
Dude you didn't mentioned emotiva biggest and baddest beasts the the XPR line
Circa 2012 - yes those were impressive. Jon
I have a friend with 3 XPR-1 Monoblocks. Also he missed the other RPA and UPA amps too.
Man you don't know your emotiva history lol no XPR
This was intended as an overview of currently available models with a quick comparison to prior generation- so the XPR was not included.-Jon
@@ripewave ok I forgive you lol
Great video bro.