Why not Emotiva?
darkling
Posts: 20
There seems to be a big divide on this brand. I'm considering what I want for a HT and am not sure what the reasons are for not liking Emotiva amps.
Why do people either love them or hate them?
Why do people either love them or hate them?
Post edited by darkling on
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LOL--too funny!
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Some like Fords some like Chevy....it is what it is2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
There seems to be a big divide on this brand. I'm considering what I want for a HT and am not sure what the reasons are for not liking Emotiva amps.
Why do people either love them or hate them?
For HT it's a great amp. I'd say go ahead and give it a try and let your ears be the deciding factor. I wouldn't call it a divide amongst forum members because of the 10 or so members here that don't like it there's 100x's that number of members on here, avs, and the emotiva forum that are very happy. -
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nobody really dislikes Emo here. Many of us believe there are better choices to be made if one is open to considering used options. What we dislike here are the lunatic fringe of Emo owners that turn suggesting anything else BUT Emotiva as bashing the brand. It is not bashing to believe there are better alternatives and to offer those suggestions, but the Emoette believes otherwise.
I am surprised it has not happened yet(maybe they are still asleep) but several will jump into this thread and do their very best to tout the brand and force-feed their opinion down your throat, in an unrelenting fashion until you post that you have an Emo on the way... then they will praise you for your wise decision and applaud the way you stood up to the anti Emo bashers here at CP, as if doing so were some badge of honor.
What is hated here is the behavior I have outlined, NOT the brand itself.
Prsonally, I would absolutely consider used before a new Emo, but if that is not your cup of tea, Enjoy! They build a solid product and it works well for many people. It is just not the flavor Kool-Aid I would choose for my rig.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
nobody really dislikes Emo here.
That's not true. I dislike them for their in your face, unrefined bright sound.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
I think they are perfectly adequate for HT use. Just don't fall for all the advertising hype. It's rather over the top and sensational. I just spent the past 3-4 days reading the Emo boards.....lots and lots of hype and a lot of plainly wrong advice and assumptions as well a some pretty green audio people with little experience (I'm talking about the posters, not nec the admins, etc). As with anything, trying it is the best way to answer your question.
Good luck, I'm sure this will get ugly and the thread will be locked very soon.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul! -
For home theater i'd say go for it. 5 year warranty and 30 day trial with no hassel returns. XPR-5/XPA-5 would be a no brainer. Cheap to boot!Full 5 channel set of Polk Audio
Fronts - LSiM 705
Center - LSiM 706c
Sides - LSiM 703
Mits WD-82842 82" DLP 3DTV
Denon AVR-3313CI Receiver
Emotiva stealth DC-1
Emotiva XPA-2/Fronts XPA-3 Center-surrounds
Oppo 103
Loving the new Family!
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You're best bet is to pony up & place an order for the amp you have in mind. They have a nice 30 day in home policy for you to give it a listen. Worst case scenerio is return shipping if you decide against keeping it. Now bear in mind every opinion (+/-) you hear about Emo is said about all other amps (really all audio gear) from all manufactures. No piece of gear escapes the wrath of opinions! The hardest part is to have a clear mind void of bias towards the product when you conduct your listening. Go for it & have some fun. After all your opinion is the only one that matters."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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Why do people either love them or hate them?
Most people who love them are less picky but there are people who have a very refined taste who do no not like them. If you are not into upmarket accessories and such then just buy one and if you don't like it send it back. -
I say go with with your gut and what your funds allow. One things for sure.It will be an upgrade no matter what you choose. Go for it and enjoy!HT: LSI15, LSIC, LSIFX, Emo XPA-3:biggrin: Onkyo TXNR809, Sony BDP-S500, PannyDMP-BDT320, MIT S1 SC. Mit 73842dlp
2ch: SDA-SRS 2.3 Fully modded. BAT VK500 w/batpak, BAT VK5I, Essence HDACC. -
Good or bad Emotiva has built a pretty solid name for themselves and so many are on the bandwagon. I for one have not heard one yet.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
Emotiva is decent gear for the money per watt you pay, it just doesn't hold up against the more expensive gear out there (nor should it). It's fine for what it is, it's when people make it out to be something it's not where the problem arises.
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If it's in the budget and makes you happy, go nuts.
I just wish some people could do the same with some
of the $$$ gear. It's only a waste of money if you don't like it.
That is the only caveat in any price range."The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson -
pearsall001 wrote: »You're best bet is to pony up & place an order for the amp you have in mind. They have a nice 30 day in home policy for you to give it a listen. Worst case scenerio is return shipping if you decide against keeping it. Now bear in mind every opinion (+/-) you hear about Emo is said about all other amps (really all audio gear) from all manufactures. No piece of gear escapes the wrath of opinions! The hardest part is to have a clear mind void of bias towards the product when you conduct your listening. Go for it & have some fun. After all your opinion is the only one that matters.
That's like the best speech I've like ever read on the internet! I've been around since the beginning of the internet.
Very damn true well put!Full 5 channel set of Polk Audio
Fronts - LSiM 705
Center - LSiM 706c
Sides - LSiM 703
Mits WD-82842 82" DLP 3DTV
Denon AVR-3313CI Receiver
Emotiva stealth DC-1
Emotiva XPA-2/Fronts XPA-3 Center-surrounds
Oppo 103
Loving the new Family! -
I wouldn't recommend them for 2 channel, but I agree with Brock that they may be fine for HT."He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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Thanks for all the great replies! I was expecting to hear horror stories about the Emo, and I really appreciate having my perception corrected.
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Wow this is the most civilized emo thread i've seen on here yet haha, +1 on everything already said.
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Thanks for all the great replies! I was expecting to hear horror stories about the Emo, and I really appreciate having my perception corrected.
That's the bias I alluded to in my previous post. Once a notion becomes inbedded in your mind it's one tough cookie to crack. Hence a lot of negative press can sway one's opinion even if they never listened to it. They're called bandwagon jumpers. The funny part is that companies like McIntosh, Krell, Pass Labs, Adcom, Rotel, NAD & you can insert any companies name here you want but they all get slammed with both (+/-) opinions regardless of their selling price. No one has cornered the market yet with having "The Best" of anything. Audio is purely a subjective listening preference regardless how much a product costs. Don't ever bite on the notion that just because a product carries an absurd price tag that it automatically translates into sounding better then lower priced gear. That's what the companies marketing departments are for, to sway one into thinking their product is well worth the $$$$$. Get out there & get your ears on different things & come to your own conclusions."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
I likened this debate w/ one of my favorite bands and their fanatical fan base called Dead Heads. Now as I said I do like them but to say every show was a winner is nuts . A very little thesis I gave to my friends at the Dozin site . When they were good they were the best at what they did and great time was had by all.But .when they were bad they are freaking horrible. Some say oh wasn't that Slow show so tasty No it sucked the life out of you.So here it seems w/ the EMO brand you either like or you don't and each to his/her own.2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E
H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-
Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc -
The Emotiva's work pretty good I think for my home theater, but they are not what I use for music.Home Theater
Onkyo PR-SC5508 Sharp LC-70LE847U
Emotiva XPA-5 Emotiva XPA-2 Emotiva UPA-2
Front RTi-A9 Wide RTi-A7 Center CSi-A6 Surround FXi-A6 Rear RTi-A3 Sub 2x PSW505
Sony BDP-S790 Dishnetwork Hopper/Joey Logitech Harmony One Apple TV
Two Channel
Oppo 105D BAT VK-500 w/BatPack SDA SRS 2.3 Dreadnought Squeezebox Touch Apple TV -
From the lower to the upper eds of the spectrum amps are described as sounding "Bright" , "Warm", "Sterile", etc. Amps are supposed to amplify the signal and not add any character to the sound.
As already stated...The best way to get an answer is to take Emo up on the 30 day test and see for yourself. Maybe even compare the amp to some others in your collection or a friend's rig or maybe a high end audio store will be willing to let you bring it in to compare, or maybe a local audio club meeting, etc....
Talk is cheap....let YOUR ears decide. Maybe a more expensive amp will sound better ...but its more expensive! ..and as stated...even the expensive amps sound different to some.2.2 Office Setup | LG 29UB55 21:9 UltraWide | HP Probook 630 G8 | Dell Latitude | Cabasse Stream Amp 100 | Boston Acoustics VS 240 | AUDIORAX Desk Stands | Mirage Omni S8 sub1 | Mirage Omni S8 Sub2 -
Amps are supposed to amplify the signal and not add any character to the sound.
The major problem with your thought is that every piece in the chain has its own sound signature, period.Maybe a more expensive amp will sound better ...but its more expensive!
So what!?!Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
I guess the question needs some adjusting. Instead of asking yourself "why not", maybe you should ask yourself "why".HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
I guess the question needs some adjusting. Instead of asking yourself "why not", maybe you should ask yourself "why".
When asked this way, the first answer that pops up is because they are cheap, new and have a five year warranty. Sound quality is not even in the top five...
If I am building a system, Sound quality is at the top of my list. From there, I look to what I can afford, listen to everything I can in that class, and make a decision. If I am still not pleased with my choices, I look to used or just build my own.
I love that last option, because I learned more about this hobby through the process.
The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
And if you ask yourself why, possible reasons are:
1) That it suits your budget for external amplification.
2) That a lot of people have them and are pretty happy with the way they sound with their particular gear.
3) 30-day no questions return policy, so all you risk trying one is the cost of shipping it back if you hate it.
4) 5 year warranty.
5) That although you can find amps that are considered better for the same price used, you run the risk of getting gear that you will have to invest money repairing. Or end up with three really nice half-working used amps in your closet like I did. (My situation is admittedly not the norm, but it's worth considering.)Equipment list:
Onkyo TX-NR3010 9.2 AVR
Emotiva XPA-3 amp
Polk RTi70 mains, CSi40 center, RTi38 surrounds, RTi28 rears and heights
SVS 20-39CS+ subwoofer powered by Crown XLS1500
Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
DarbeeVision DVP5000 video processor
Epson 8500UB 1080p projector
Elite Screens Sable 120" CineWhite screen -
. Amps are supposed to amplify the signal and not add any character to the sound.
Better designs which generally are more expensive are usually much more neutral. I can assure you Emo amps are NOT neutral in and of themselves.Maybe even compare the amp to some others in your collection or a friend's rig or maybe a high end audio store will be willing to let you bring it in to compare, or maybe a local audio club meeting, etc....
No "maybe" about it. How do you know what the Emo sounds like unless you compare it to other amps in and above it's price range? Many Emo owners go from an anemic AVR to separates and then crown the Emo gear as the best there is. That's a piss poor way of determining anything, except that it might be better than an anemic AVR. See where I'm going with this and why I stated earlier that many (not all) Emo owners are a little green in that they haven't listened to a lot of gear to get experience. Sure there are some owners who are experienced and still prefer Emo gear, and that's fantastic. It's the other larger percentage that claim it's the best when they have nothing in their experience to compare it to. At that point is when the arguing seems to begin.
Just some food for thought.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul! -
heartystatue wrote: »One things for sure.It will be an upgrade no matter what you choose. Go for it and enjoy!
How do you know? He hasn't stated what he has or what he wants to use the Emo gear for. See, it's these kind of statements, innocuous or not, that start down the road to arguments. You have NO IDEA if it's going to be an upgrade, but you state it emphatically like it's a foregone conclusion because it's Emo. You've bought into the marketing hype of just regurgitating the mantra. Irritating and why people get rubbed the wrong way with Emo-ettes.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not stating it won't be an upgrade. I have no idea since I don't have a basis to make such an opinion.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul! -
There certainly is a lot of fanboyism and incredulity at work with some of these brands.
This discussion has been closed.