Looking for opinions on Emotiva amplifiers

That is one thing I noticed being around here for about a year, is that Emotiva does not get too much love. I could be wrong but that is the feeling I get.
I think their amps are great. I have had the XPA-1s and they were beasts. I ran them with my MMG speakers and loved the sound. The comment about them not so good for refined 2 channel audio is wrong in my opinion. They are very neutral amps. But like everything in audio, its personal taste. Are there better amps? Sure but how much do you want to spend. Give them a shot, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Well made, very high value. Excellent for refined 2 channel audio.

You get what you pay for. I think some of you who think Emotiva is fantastic have never heard a really fine amp. Of course we all have different level of compromise and different views as to what sounds good.

It's fine, nothing special. Hits a price point and not great for a really serious 2 channel rig.

H9

I think the issue is that "refined" and "really serious" are subjective. Your "refined" is different than mine. Your standards are likely a lot higher than mine. I'm not willing to spend outrageous money for an amp, and neither are a lot of other people. They want great sound and if they can get a good value, all the better. Emotiva offers great sound, great built quality for a good deal less than the competition. More sound per dollar. I think they're a sweet spot in hi-fi.

So a lot of people would feel they can build a really serious 2 channel rig with an Emotiva amp. Some may not.

Then there's all the evidence out there showing that even the most experienced audiophiles can't ever tell the difference between amps of similar specs in double blind comparisons regardless of whether they're $200 or $20,000, but that's a different topic.

......

I used to own a XPA-5 that replaced my Parasound HCA-1205A 5 channel amp. The Emotiva was neutral and had a more upfront sound stage than the Parasound that it replaced. Very well built and ran much cooler than my Parasound. I would recommend Emotiva.

nooshinjohn wrote: »

I'm selling popcorn for 50 cents a bag...

Rex81 wrote: »

Then there's all the evidence out there showing that even the most experienced audiophiles can't ever tell the difference between amps of similar specs in double blind comparisons regardless of whether they're $200 or $20,000, but that's a different topic.

That is one BOLD statement.....

If you go and listen to very good gear you CAN tell...its all in the dynamics.

Hey I have a Carver TFM 45 it has been rebuilt to the max and has some film caps in critical areas. It sounds 100% better that it did new, but let me tell you I could tell right away when I put it in the chain and compared it to a Ayre amp at 1/2 the wattage the Ayre just blew it away it all aspects.

nooshinjohn wrote: »

I'm selling popcorn for 50 cents a bag...

if you have beer also DEAL

I don't know PFB, ignore who you want but I'm not ready to write Rex off that easy.
He parroted an outrageous comment. So what.

I still have the Emo pre in my system as it ties HT and 2 channel together nicely.
It is neutral sounding. Some would say too lean. So, I've been out there trying to
find a replacement pre that has the flexibility the Emo does and have come up short.
I was looking at a Sim Audio and other than no sub X-over it fits the bill. Three
times as much used. Oh and the complaint is people find it too lean.

Getting back on point, the Emo amps I've heard and used have no richness in the
bottom end and they don't have the detail. Deadly combo.

I picked up two of their XPA-100 amps to drive my recent acquisition of LSi9 (with Vr3's Fortress crossovers). For what I paid, I'm exceedingly happy. The general consensus is that they are bright and admittedly, I found the top end harsh when hooked up to my old RT5's.

I went with them because I knew I needed gobs of stable power, I was in a hurry and didn't want to wait to find a used Parasound 1200 or 1500, and I got a great price.

I've experienced a good amount of their gear and have always thought the performance and quality far surpassed the cost. I own their Stealth DC-1 DAC (great piece of gear), UMC-200, and their Little Ego portable DAC in addition to the amps. I'm happy with all of it.

I'm not one of their ravenous fanboys that thinks anything more expensive is useless but do think the product far out-punches its price class. For Home Theater use, I'd likely look no further than their products. For music, I'd avoid pairing them with a bright speaker (Emo + Klipsch would likely lead me to buying Excedrin in bulk).

If you're wanting one of their current Gen2 Amps, you'd better hurry up and grab one - they're selling off their remaining stock before the Gen3 Class-H stuff is sold (at higher prices).

So there you have it OP. Now on to speaker cable...

Dskip how would the Ampino do with SDA 2 B TL modded? I wish there was a way to hook one up and test drive it in my rig.

rednedtugent wrote: »

Well, if they are Monster or Rocketfish you are golden.
NOW vinyl .vs. Hi res digital...

Both. High resolution digital for the black background and superior channel separation, vinyl for the fun/experience and organic sound.