Anyone have experience with the Emotiva XPA-DR series? (Differential Reference amps)

So I will be in the market very soon for a high powered 3-channel amp. This would be used to power a Polk LSiM front stage.


I would really like 250+ watts per channel, but even 300+ would be fine


Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the new Emotiva XPA-DR3 (or DR2)? Here is a link: https://emotiva.com/products/xpa-dr3

They look like a relatively new product. It looks like a substantially beefier version of the XPA-3 gen3. It provides 450 watts RMS x 3 channels, into 8 Ohms, and supposedly had better quality sound.


According to Emotiva reps, the DR series is the best quality amps they are capable of making. Emotiva has stated that a DR series amp powering the front 2 or 3 channels, along with an XPA-5 powering the rest of your speakers, is the most stellar solution that they can provide from their products.

How this would compare to something a Parasound or "higher-end" brand, I don't know.





Questions
  1. Has anyone used one of these DR amps in person?
  2. Does this provide noticeably superior sound to the XPA-3?
  3. How would this amp compare to other branded competitors in ~$2000 price range? (Parasound, Outlaw, Monolith, ATI, etc)
  4. Is there anything in this $2,000 range that would obviously be a better performer?




Thanks for any thoughts or input on this.

Comments

  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,474
    ATI makes Outlaw, Monolith and many others of higher quality names and of course their own ATI branded amps. They are a manufacturer pure and simple. They have the manufacturing capabilities and many others use them.

    Parasound is the better amp of those named. In the past the Emotiva was a brighter sounding signature. For home theater Emotiva can be a bigger bang for the buck. Definitely not the end all be all though.
  • I understand Emotiva in the past may not have been as good. That's why I'm asking about the current top-of-the-line series from Emotiva.


    Would you venture to guess that a used Parasound would still trump the Emotiva differential reference series?
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    Hard to say without hearing it first. I'd look for a few reviews to get a handle on the sound signature to see if it would compliment what your looking for.
    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
  • mrloren
    mrloren Posts: 2,454
    edited August 2019
    I have the XPA3 G3 and like it, does my system well. I would like a Parasound but even a used A31 was almost twice what I paid for my new XPA 3. For me on my budget it was a coin toss between the XPA and Monolith.

    One thing to think about is your going to be hooking up how many amps, AVR, sub, TV and what not, hope you have more than a 15A circuit. Only so much juice to be had there.
    When I was a kid my parents told me to turn it down. Now I'm an adult and my kids tell me to turn it down.
    Family Room:LG QNED80 75", Onkyo RZ50 Emotiva XPA3 GEN3 Oppo BDP-93,Sony UBP-X800BM. Main: Polk LsiM 705Center: Polk LSiM 704CFront High/Rear High In-Ceiling Polk 80F/X RT Surrounds: Polk S15 Sub: HSU VTF3-MK5
    Bed Room; Marantz SR5010, BDP-S270Main: Polk Signature S20Center: Polk Signature S35Rear: Polk R15 Sub: SVS SB2000
    Working Warehouse; Yamaha A-S301, Sony DVP-NS3100ES for disc Plok TSX550T SVS PB2000 Mini tower PC with 400GB of music
  • dolbyd
    dolbyd Posts: 430
    edited August 2019
    I have the DR3 on my front speakers. It is an upgrade from the XPA2 G3 I have on the rear A9s. It has a smoother sound and has the headroom I was looking for when watching movies at a higher volume. The Gen3 amps are also a lot more neutral from the previous generations. They will work with the LSiMs.
    The A9s like a lot of power and it is a good fit for my system. I also would have gone Parasound if money was no problem but I like the amps I have.
    I also need an excuse to have a higher end setup for the basement later.

    Now that being said you will need a Pre/Pro to run the DR3 at its rated output. No receiver will have the Preamp voltage needed. XLR only.
    The Marantz Pre/Pros have the output from the XLRs at 2.4V. The DR3 needs 2.1V Min for rated output. A receiver is 1.0-1.2V on most units.

    mrloren is also right about the circuits. I have a 20amp circuit for the DR3 alone.
    Post edited by dolbyd on
    Main room- RTiA9 x4, CSiA6, in ceiling Atmos RT-70 x4, SVS PC 4000 x2, Marantz 8805A, OPPO 203, Emotiva DR3 G3, Emotiva XPA-2 G3, Emotiva XPA-5 G3, Emotiva X300, Sony 75" 940E, Panasonic Plasma VT50, PS Audio Power Port X2, PS Audio AC-5 x8, AQ Rocket 33 Biwire speaker cables, AQ King Cobra XLR IC, Furman PFi20 W/Cullen cable, SoildSteel S4-4 rack, Gik room treatments

    Office- Legend L600, in ceiling Polk RC80i, Marantz 7704, OPPO 203, Pioneer Elite PDF-59 CD, PSA Stellar 300, Sony 55" 800B, Gik room treatment

    Master BR- Signature ES60, Signature S35 Center, Signature S15 Dolby Height, LSI700 in ceiling, SVS-SB4000, Marantz 5012, Emotiva XPA5 G2, OPPO 203, Pioneer DVL-919 Laser Disc, Sony 55" OLED

    Patio- SDI Atrium8 x3, Emotiva A-100 amps x3
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    dolbyd wrote: »

    The Marantz Pre/Pros have the output from the XLRs at 2.4V. The DR3 needs 2.1V Min for rated output. A receiver is 1.0-1.2V on most units.

    mrloren is also right about the circuits. I have a 20amp circuit for the DR3 alone.

    You bring up a very good point, often overlooked. Receivers typical line out voltage being much lower than an amps required input voltage. I ran an amp off my receiver for years, until I added a pre amp which woke up that amp like night and day.

    Could be why some say they don't hear that much of a difference when adding an amp, or that they have to crank the volume to get any benefit. Check the specs on both amp and receiver/pre amp to see if it's a good match.....voltage wise anyway.
    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
  • Geoff4rfc
    Geoff4rfc Posts: 2,116
    edited August 2019
    I have the DR3 running off of a pre using XLR's. I've run XPA-2's and an XPA-3 off of a receiver for years and had excellent results.

    My Integra AVR DTR-70.4 has an RCA output rating of 1V/470 ohms with a maximum RCA output of 5.5V/470 ohms.
    Source: BRP Panasonic UB9000, CDP Emotiva ERC3 - Display: LG OLED EVO 83 C3 - Pre/Pro: Marantz 8802A - Amplification: Emotiva XPA-DR3, XPA-2 x 2, XPA-6, Speakers, Mains/2ch-Focal Kanta No2's, C-LSiM706, S-702F/X, RS-RTiA9's, WS-RTiA9's, FH-RTiA3's, Subs - Epik Empire x 2

    Cables: AudioQuest McKenzie XLR's/CDP/Amp, Carbon 48/BRP, Forest 48/Display

    EXPERIENCE: next to nothing, but I sure enjoy audio and video MY OPINION OF THIS HOBBY: I may not be a smart man, but I know what quicksand is.
    When I was young, I was Superman but now that old age has gotten the best of me I'm only Batman