Emotiva Story.

I don't know where you 2 are getting these responses from. There are PLENTY of clueless individuals out there who don't have any kind of understanding about music in general, so wouldn't know the first thing about good sound or what to listen for. To many, it is simply background noise.

What he has been describing is precisely what a powerful amp brings to the table, he simply wants confirmation from those of us who know for sure that he is hearing the right things, and that he has a clearer understanding of what he should be listening for.

He said NOTHING about not being happy with the sound, or trying to make anyone else happy about his sound. Nor did he say anything about the difference he was hearing not being worth the price he paid.

In the end he will have a much better understanding about amps & about music.

Project much?

moe wrote: »

You really should have tried the Boulder 2050 route,I think it pretty much kills the xp3.That said,you're not gonna buy a better new amp unless you spend twice more,and that would be a bad idea as you need a prepro first.

You don't need anyone to tell you what to listen for,if you don't think the difference is good send it back,if it is you should know.Don't try to make someone that's never heard your set happy,they'll never be happy till you have the same set they have.

Kex wrote: »

To add to this sentiment: if you're not sure whether the difference you are hearing is worth the price you paid, or the trouble of the extra IC cables and placement issues involved, then it most probably isn't ... especially if you only think you are hearing a difference, but are not completely convinced of it. You must decide for yourself when it comes down to it. There is no point in letting anyone talk you into it ... and it's your money, not theirs.

You probably should have started a new thread BTW. This is the new joke thread!

Ricardo wrote: »

Simple:

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Thank you Recardo....It's all so clear now.

Or even more appropriate for this thread....Liquid A$$ (rated 5 stars :cool: )

I've heard an Emotiva recently and I was woefully underwhelmed. I had higher hopes for such "fan boy" fan fare. It was by far one of my least favorite amps I've heard in quite some time. Lifeless, flat, 2 dimensional and lacking in almost every area compared to Adcom, Marsh, Monarchy and Pass.

There.........the cat is out of the bag. I would love to audition one again just to be sure the results are repeatable. I had high hopes because of all the people who seem to be ga ga over these things. But I come away even more perplexed as to why all the accolades.

Is it a bad product.........probably not for what it is intended and that's HT. I can think of many more desirable and more musical products, even for HT duty. IMHO, I could never own an Emo based on what I've heard so far.

But, those of you who think these products are the "bomb" need to audition more gear.......Emo's price pretty much defines it's performance, build quality and parts quality.

I'm not here to ruin anyone's day, or crap on their gear. This is just my opinion based on my audition. I've been in this hobby for a very long time and been exposed to a lot of different gear. It fills a niche for entry level HT gear.....nothing more, nothing less.

FWIW, I came away almost as underwhelmed with Outlaw gear when they were all the internet rage.

heiney9 wrote: »

I've heard an Emotiva recently and I was woefully underwhelmed. I had higher hopes for such "fan boy" fan fare. It was by far one of my least favorite amps I've heard in quite some time. Lifeless, flat, 2 dimensional and lacking in almost every area compared to Adcom, Marsh, Monarchy and Pass.

There.........the cat is out of the bag. I would love to audition one again just to be sure the results are repeatable. I had high hopes because of all the people who seem to be ga ga over these things. But I come away even more perplexed as to why all the accolades.

Is it a bad product.........probably not for what it is intended and that's HT. I can think of many more desirable and more musical products, even for HT duty. IMHO, I could never own an Emo based on what I've heard so far.

But, those of you who think these products are the "bomb" need to audition more gear.......Emo's price pretty much defines it's performance, build quality and parts quality.

I'm not here to ruin anyone's day, or crap on their gear. This is just my opinion based on my audition. I've been in this hobby for a very long time and been exposed to a lot of different gear. It fills a niche for entry level HT gear.....nothing more, nothing less.

FWIW, I came away almost as underwhelmed with Outlaw gear when they were all the internet rage.

heiney9,

I appreciate your input as I do all of the others. I hope I haven't caused problems or issues of any kind between any members here.

To explain from my point of view: As I've stated earlier in the post I have only used receivers in the past, and have never owned an amp. I have been into Polk speakers for several years and have been happy with their products and their great customer service. None of my friends have amps, the closest thing is a Bose system ( I won't go there ) This means I really don't have a baseline except for the Onkyo receivers I've used. The Emotiva does sound better than what I have had. On a couple of occasions I have gotten up to turn off my subs when listening to 2 channe sacd's to find they weren't on. I even unplugged them to be sure. I have never had as much sound or bass coming from the RT55i's. I KNOW the amp is a step up for me, but maybe not the best direction. I have only had it a couple days so I still can return it if I need to.

I have a Parasound HCA1000A coming (bought used) I plan to compare it to the Emotiva.

hainey9, what is your opinion of the Parasound?? Do you have any experience with them??

I appreciate everyone's input on the and really want to hear from people who have heard an Emo and can report how they compare to others they have listened to.

I can't go with the very best or expensive amp such as the $83,000.00 suggestion earlier and I seriously doubt that most here could.

Comparing the same logic to speakers: there are much more expensive speakers out there than Polk and I'm sure some are much better but I am happy with the Polks. I am trying to do the same thing with the amp decision; I probably won't end up with the best amp, but hopefully I will get the best one possible for my money.

:)Thanks to everyone again!!:)

And along the way we may reach the big 1000:eek:

mmadden28 wrote: »

Which model Emotiva amp did you audition?

It was the XPA-5 on my 2-channel system. I wasn't terribly impressed myself. Maybe it was a gear synergy issue, but the amp seemed to compress the dynamics and play everything loud and the soundstage sucked back into the speakers. To me it was as if we started playing MP3's instead of HDCD.

I wasn't a big fan, but at the same time, the XPA-5 probably sounds awesome to somebody who is making the move from an AVR. I agree with Brocks comments regarding pricepoint, underwhelmingness, etc.....

Bingo! This is what it is all about. Emo & Outlaw are great ways to get into a higher class of sound without putting you in the poor house. No one said it was the be all to end all. There is ALWAYS something out there that is better.

But these companies get your feet in the door. Now some might be content to stay there, those that aren't are certainly free to try more gear.

Either way there is NO reason to beat down on anyone that thinks that Emo is the cats meow on THEIR system because as Vmaxer states, it's a big step up from what he is used to hearing.

Live & let live folks. Let the newbie amp owners enjoy their gear without being hassled about trying something better before they have even had a chance to fully settle in with what they just got.

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

I have the XPA-3, And it did wonders for my system. I understand a lot of guys here have been fortunate to have had many, and or have been able to listem to many AMP's. I for one want to try something else. eather way having the EMOTIVA is better then not having an AMP at all.

TOOLFORLIFEFAN wrote: »

I have the XPA-3, And it did wonders for my system. I understand a lot of guys here have been fortunate to have had many, and or have been able to listem to many AMP's. I for one want to try something else. eather way having the EMOTIVA is better then not having an AMP at all.

I want a Sunfire...;)

Me too, I would still like to audition an ADCOM, And ROTEL AS WELL.

vmaxer wrote: »

heiney9,

I appreciate your input as I do all of the others. I hope I haven't caused problems or issues of any kind between any members here.

To explain from my point of view: As I've stated earlier in the post I have only used receivers in the past, and have never owned an amp. I have been into Polk speakers for several years and have been happy with their products and their great customer service. None of my friends have amps, the closest thing is a Bose system ( I won't go there ) This means I really don't have a baseline except for the Onkyo receivers I've used. The Emotiva does sound better than what I have had. On a couple of occasions I have gotten up to turn off my subs when listening to 2 channe sacd's to find they weren't on. I even unplugged them to be sure. I have never had as much sound or bass coming from the RT55i's. I KNOW the amp is a step up for me, but maybe not the best direction. I have only had it a couple days so I still can return it if I need to.

I have a Parasound HCA1000A coming (bought used) I plan to compare it to the Emotiva.

hainey9, what is your opinion of the Parasound?? Do you have any experience with them??

I appreciate everyone's input on the and really want to hear from people who have heard an Emo and can report how they compare to others they have listened to.

I can't go with the very best or expensive amp such as the $83,000.00 suggestion earlier and I seriously doubt that most here could.

Comparing the same logic to speakers: there are much more expensive speakers out there than Polk and I'm sure some are much better but I am happy with the Polks. I am trying to do the same thing with the amp decision; I probably won't end up with the best amp, but hopefully I will get the best one possible for my money.

:)Thanks to everyone again!!:)

And along the way we may reach the big 1000:eek:

Sorry about the Boulder confusion,I only mentioned it as a good way to not have too many saying how it don't cost enough to be good blah blah....I suppose someone would come along and tell us how they are overpriced for what you get.The Boulder would be ridiculous to hook to any Polk,as Polks are about the same as Emotiva,good product,great price.You sound like a nice level headed guy,I think your own opinion would have plenty value,just as much to your ears as any knowitall.

I've had a few Parasound amps1205 and 1500 (I think it was),very nice amps for the money,maybe bested my Rotel 1075 and 1080(which were also good)I don't think the 1000 is up to the same standard but hard to believe it would not be pretty good.It's too bad we can't do a blind test for everyone that said this amp sounds so much better than that,I think we'd all get a good laugh and learn more than every word in this thread.Good luck

Also,just remember the reason bose is so popular to the masses is WORDS,what people think,not performance,ahh the power of words.I'm just as happy with my Emo amp as most any I've owned,which is many,many amps,over many,many years,and I need no confirmation.

metal83 wrote: »

The XPA-3 was my first Amp as well. It definitely made a difference over an AVR. Watching movies sounds great, but 2 channel music on the other hand, seems to leave something to be desired. I "need" to try one of those Sunfire amps, and as soon as i can find one worth buying (price and condition wise), i'll be all over it. But like i said in another post, i'll have to sell my XPA-3 to do so, not sure how easy that's going to be.

I want to be first on that list, My brother-n-law wants one.

hainey9 - I didn't take it as you trying to run anyting into the ground, I want to hear all opinions, good or bad. This is a learning experience for me, I truly appreciate all feedback. It is tough to now what is good, better, or best when you have nothing to compare to. Why would I not want to listen to people who have listened to many amps and are willing to share their knowledge??

Moe, I am level headed most of the time, when I chew tobacco the juice runs out both sides of my mouth pretty even.:cool:

a_mattison wrote: »

It was the XPA-5 on my 2-channel system. I wasn't terribly impressed myself. Maybe it was a gear synergy issue, but the amp seemed to compress the dynamics and play everything loud and the soundstage sucked back into the speakers. To me it was as if we started playing MP3's instead of HDCD.

I wasn't a big fan, but at the same time, the XPA-5 probably sounds awesome to somebody who is making the move from an AVR. I agree with Brocks comments regarding pricepoint, underwhelmingness, etc.....

Thanks for the response.
Sorry for the long reply here...:o

I have the XPA-5 on my HT rig and I think it sounds great. Granted I can't really compare it much to other HT amps, but I can pick out when something sounds like crap to my ears, and whether or not the end result is satisfying or not. I try very hard to not deceive myself into hearing an improvement when making a change in my gear. I expect the change, if any, to be reproducible and demonstratable(?) to others. Additionally, if it doesn't sound right to me, I'll admit it. I won't ignore it because I spent money on the gear.

When I first put the XPA-5 in the mix I originally wasn't wowed, especially for music (2 ch or MC). It certainly sounded better but I expected more. Then again I also heard many reports of the RTi series sounding bright (esp for certain styles of music) and that is one of the things that I attributed my lack of satisfaction to. Another factor I considered was that my room is not acoustically ideal.

It was some time later and a few little changes here and there that really made a difference, such as changing the speaker positions just slightly, running a new dedicated AC line, upgrading a power cord here and there, etc. I am not sure what one change made a difference or if it were several, but now I think it sounds awesome. Watching TV has taken on a whole new level, even commercials sounds good (my wife keeps giving me the impatient evil eye every time I stop to watch one ) I am expecting even more improvement when I finally replace my interconnects and speaker cables. Even my wife finally admits its sounds good.

I am still not completely happy with respect to certain music styles (metal, etc.) and I still feel that is because of the bright sounding RTi's (the same sounds much better on my LSi9s when on this amp). Other music sounds pretty damn good (Dire Straits, classical, The Who, Dylan, etc) esp in MC. Real damn good.

I bought the XPA-2 because the reviews indicated that it was a different animal than the other XPA series. Another level and much more geared toward music. The XPA-1 (differential ref mono) and the RPA series (class H) are other higher levels in the lineup even more geared toward musicality than the XPA-2. The XPA-3 and XPA-5 are, in fact, primarily geared towards HT use and many have said the same even on Emotiva's forum. So there are several levels of amps to choose from. Even Polk has several levels of speakers, from the low end to the high end of the lines. I have a pair of Polk Computer speakers-I think they are about 5 inches tall--They sound awful next to my RTi12's, but I don't dismiss/rate the entire brand based on one product from a lineup.

I haven't done any organized critical listening with all the amps and ICs, and power cables, etc. against each other, but in one session, I had a hard time distinguishing much of a difference between the XPA-2 and the Odyssey Khartago Extreme SE. Maybe I don't have the 'ear' or maybe I don't know what to listen for or maybe my gear is not all setup right, or perhaps maybe they are actually similar--Of course I am still collecting my source gear and music, so my subjective judgment is reserved. I also have a Carver, an NHT, and a Cambridge to play with still. I've been buying different amps in an effort to see if I can in fact hear a difference or not.

I do not consider myself a fan-boy. I like to keep my mind open and remain impartial and open to change and not base my decisions on either fanboy comments, or naysayers alike. If somebody were to demonstrate to me that one amp was totally better than another amp and it was enough to really wow me and within a reasonable budget, I'd consider changing my gear. I'm not stuck on any one brand or style (SS, tube, hybrid)

If the opportunity ever comes up to allow others to audition the amps I have, I am open to it as well. This means that if I have somebody over, I'll move the amps around the house, or I'll pack the amp(s) in the car and bring them with me, I'm game for it. I am always looking to hear what others subjectively have to say, esp on gear and rooms different than my own.

Everything is subjective and I agree that synergy (the rest of the gear and the room) is key.

v/r
Madden

How has this thread devolved into a discussion about Emotiva products?:rolleyes: I mean, come on, let's keep it on the subject already.

Let's get it back on track before it hits 800 posts.

xcapri79 wrote: »

That is what the Emotiva story is all about. They are so similar to Polk Audio, which we all love, cause that's why we are here.

UUMMMKAAY!!!!:rolleyes: