Breaking an amp in or problems with my Emotiva LPA-1

fatchowmein

I should be asking at the Emotiva Lounge but I'm just too lazy to create another username and password so I'll ask here.

Just off the top of my head, I'm guessing my LPA-1 (225W@ 4ohms) is around 18 months old. Initially, I thought it drove my LSi's well (15's, C, 9's) but lately I'm cranking the volume higher and higher (about 15-20db hotter). Seems like it lost a bit of oomph. Is this just simply a matter of an amp that has mellowed out after a prolong breakin period or maybe it's just my ears (more critical or loss of hearing :rolleyes: ) or both?

Anyone else have similar experiences with their amps? I'm merely curious. Too tide up at the moment to go buy a replacement (those Rotels in the FM were pretty nice though).

fatchowmein

Okay. So my eyes are going too. Would someone move this post over to Electronics?

Thx!

cfrizz

Now you know why I always recommend 200wpc @ 8ohms. The higher you go in volume is the more you demand from the amp. It's running out of steam due to the load it's trying to push.

MillerLiteScott

Check all of your connections. Just a thought.

BlueFox

cfrizz wrote: »

Now you know why I always recommend 200wpc @ 8ohms. The higher you go in volume is the more you demand from the amp. It's running out of steam due to the load it's trying to push.

Are you saying the amp has used up its electrons.

If it has not broken it should be generating the same power it had 18 months ago.

cfrizz

It is generating the same power, however, it has to work much harder the louder the volume goes. The same thing happens to receivers. If he had one it would be going into protect mode & shutting down.

He said it himself, he's been pushing up the volume creating more demand for the amp.

As it is I bet he could fry an egg on top of the LPA when it's pushed hard.

BlueFox

Oh yes. I misread the original post. I was thinking he was saying that it is not as loud now as it was 18 months ago.

He might have crossed the audio event horizon and the sound is being sucked into an audio black hole. Thus it would not sound as loud.

moe

cfrizz wrote: »

It is generating the same power, however, it has to work much harder the louder the volume goes. The same thing happens to receivers. If he had one it would be going into protect mode & shutting down.

He said it himself, he's been pushing up the volume creating more demand for the amp.

As it is I bet he could fry an egg on top of the LPA when it's pushed hard.

I get 115 db easy and often in a large room from my lpa,it never get's more than barely warm,it's also never run out of power.I do have it hooked to some pretty eff. speakers.

megasat16

I think you are literally breaking the amp with cranking up too much. The EMO might not have the magic to stand up against the demanding load such as LSi speakers.

Or like you said, there is something really started to get wrong inside the amp. Call Emotiva before it become a paperweight.

fatchowmein

Nuts, I wasn't clear.

The amp is barely warm and responds the louder I crank the volume without getting hot. My current perception, however, is that I'm having to turn the volume up to achieve the same loudness that I was used to 18 months earlier.

Could be just the air between my ears.

LarryK

Check the Flux Capacitor!

cfrizz

LOL! Maybe it's time you saw an ear doctor!

Kex

4chanman wrote: »

Yes go to ear doctor!

For a first post here at Club Polk, that is quite stunning! I find the depth of knowledge you display, and the amount of learning you clearly seek to enlighten your audio journey, simply terrific.

megasat16

Kex,

That 4chanman dude is a sucker! He has scripts in other of his posts. I am going to report him to the mod.

Kex

megasat16 wrote: »

Kex,

That 4chanman dude is a sucker! He has scripts in other of his posts. I am going to report him to the mod.

First, a rash of trolls, now this, and veteran members asking for their accounts to be deleted?

What next?!

megasat16

Kex wrote: »

First, a rash of trolls, now this, and veteran members asking for their accounts to be deleted?

What next?!

Yeah! It's been a little abnormal in the CP lately. I hope things will get back to normal. It must be due to the change in the weather.

It's sunny 82 degrees here in the High Desert. How's the sky in LA?

Early B.

fatchowmein wrote: »

The amp is barely warm and responds the louder I crank the volume without getting hot. My current perception, however, is that I'm having to turn the volume up to achieve the same loudness that I was used to 18 months earlier.

What have you changed recently in your system??

I've even had ICs that required more volume.

fatchowmein

Early B. wrote: »

What have you changed recently in your system??

I've even had ICs that required more volume.

Blu-ray player and HTPC in the past 18 months. I'll tear down the A/V rack, dust/clean, and reassemble it this weekend.

Kex

Fatchowmein, I never found the LPA-1 LMC-1 combo to seem especially "powerful", even though my speakers were 8 ohm and 91dB efficient (so easy to drive). I was getting 85dBA listening levels with the selector set at about 60 on the LMC-1 (maximum setting was 80), which is plenty for most people (probably 99%), but I never felt that there was a huge reserve of power left. Going beyond 85dBA was not a very pleasant, or convicing experience IIRC. How did you calibrate, and what are your settings?

I never found the LPA-1 to get anything more than the very slightest bit warm to the touch, but I wasn't driving 4 ohm speakers.

devani

LSi series love power.....when i run LSi15 in stereo mode, it's sounds better with XPA-5 compared to running 5 speakers with XPA-5....try to run in 2 channel mode and see if there's any difference....

fatchowmein

Something must have been loose. I unplugged everything, dusted, cleaned, reconnected, and recalibrated. It's all okay for now.