I need a amp for my Rti a5's!

bklynNupe · January 2009

I am very new to this quality audio game. I probably use more HT than listen to music but I have come to appreciate a quality sound for the latter. Im in the process of looking for a two-channel amp to supplement the power for my front Rti a5s. I just exchanged my Onkyo from the 606 to the 806 because it has the pre-outs. Unfortunately, there are very few places for me to sample equipment. I rely mostly on online reviews and descriptions. Im trying to step up my game on a tight budget. Ive been most impressed with what Ive read about used Rotel and Adcom . Again, its hard to judge these things without a demo.

I love what I hear thus far but I would like a little more rich mids and lows.

Im also doing the bi-wiring thing, so when I do get an external amp is the bi-amping wiring done with two sets from each speaker as well?

I also need some surrounds any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Samsung ln46a650
Onkyo Tx-SR8067.1
Polk PSW 505
Polk CSI 3
Polk RTI A5

JohnLocke88 · January 2009

Look into emotiva. They seem pretty popular here with some people.

www.emotiva.com

They're running a sale on the XPA-3 and UPA-7 amps; both of which may suit your needs.

leroyjr1 · January 2009

What's your budget?

bigred7078 · January 2009

I posted this is the "What amp for my RTi A7" thread, but i figured it would be beneficial for you as well.

here is a list of amps to choose from that may help ya out...

-Odyssey audio: Fantastic for music http://www.odysseyaudio.com/products.html

-Emotiva: awesome bang for the buck
http://emotiva.com/featured.shtm

-Sunfire: amazing power capabilites
http://www.sunfire.com/amp.htm

-Outlaw: awesome bang for the buck
http://outlawaudio.com/products/index.html

-NAD: great audio company with great quality equipment
http://nadelectronics.com/products/h...tre-amplifiers

-Rotel: always known as a great company with great products
http://www.rotel.com/NA/products/index.htm?cat=18

and many many others but that should get you started And also dont forget to check out audiogon.com for MUCHO cheaper used gear.

bklynNupe · January 2009

leroyjr1 wrote: »

What's your budget?

Thanks for the reply.
I'm hoping I can do it on 3-450.

MLZ · January 2009

I have been very pleased with my Onkyo A-9555 Class D integrated amp, which very easily drives my Polk RTi8's. I got a refurb unit from AC4L.com for $399 and now some sellers have it for around $450 new.

Check out the reviews - both Absolute Sound and Sterophile listed it as a prefered product

bklynNupe · January 2009

Thanks, I've been looking at Audiogon, but I see you have to be quick at draw.
I just need to know what i'm going to pull the trigger on.

bklynNupe · January 2009

Thanks, I'll take a look

bklynNupe · January 2009

Thanks Kex, it's all making more sense already!

danz1906 · January 2009

You cant go wrong with the Odyssey Audio amps:D

leroyjr1 · January 2009

danz1906 wrote: »

You cant go wrong with the Odyssey Audio amps:D

Danz1906

Wish I could afford some Odyssey gear

danz1906 · January 2009

leroyjr1 wrote: »

Danz1906

Wish I could afford some Odyssey gear

Wish I had some RTiA9:D:D:D

MSALLA · January 2009

bklynNupe wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
I'm hoping I can do it on 3-450.

I bought my Adcom 555 for just over $300. I like a good deal and for the money you get a high amp rated 200 wpc. You can still find good units on e-bay and audiogon for the 300 range. All the amps talked about above will have a great sound.

bigred7078 · January 2009

Kex wrote: »

I would add Adcom to that list. There are several venerable members here at CP that think Adcom amps match especially well with Polk speakers. I'm not sure if that holds more true for the older series, such as SDA or older Monitors, or equally so for newer gear such as the RTi products, or RTi A.

http://www.adcom.com/

The problem with chosing amplifiers, at least for me, is that there is no standard for specifications. People usually focus mostly on watts per channel - the more the better, and Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) - the lower the figure the better it is. A respected member here on CP believes that an amplifier with at least 200w/ch (8 ohms) is the only way to go, and the only way to ensure a noticeable difference with a good receiver or an entry level amplifier. I think it might be more complex than just w/ch and THD, and things don't always work out as you would expect. I've had one receiver rated conservatively at 40w/ch deliver equivalent performance with my speakers to an external amplifier rated 125w/ch. I've had another receiver, also conservatively rated at 70w/ch, deliver much better results with my sytem than that same amplifier. So, IMO, the specifications are not a reliable measure of what true life performance may be in all cases.

Speakers may make a big difference in the equation too. Your RTi A5 are quite similar to my older RT800 and RT55 (older generation of the same product, essentially). It also depends on what you want. What I wanted mostly was more tightly controlled bass (lots of bass, but very clean and tight, not sloppy and boomy) and better detail.

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/rt800i/
http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/rt55i/

There are some used Rotel on the Flea Market here, I think. There are also some great deals on NAD at Spearit Sound, a highly reputable dealer, including the two channel C272 and multi-channel T955.

http://www.spearitsound.com/nad/nadspec.htm
http://www.spearitsound.com/nad/C272.asp
http://www.spearitsound.com/nad/T955.asp

ahhh of course, i forgot about Adcom. Very popular company.

And your right it's definately not all about the power. Class A amps for example dont put out alot of power, and are fantastic, often the choice of many music lovers. Tube amps for example dont put out alot of power, but are loved by many due to their warm initimate sound quality.

And another thing, not in all cases is a lower THD better. Tube amps often have high distortion ratings. Thats how they get the "warm" sound characteristics and they can sound fantastic. But thats the only case i can think of distortion being ok.

bklynNupe · January 2009

I've heard great things about Carver, but I've also read that they can be a bit temperamental. I've been looking at the emotiva XPA-3, they are really sweet lookin'.

leroyjr1 · January 2009

bigred7078 wrote: »

ahhh of course, i forgot about Adcom. Very popular company.

Great bang for buck company.

manman · January 2009

I'm still on this same question looking between new emotiva and used rotel gear myself. Leaning toward emotiva because of the 30 day return policy and getting a warranty for buying new, but not quite sure yet.

One thing I've still been wondering from someone who owns the newer xpa line- people tend to say about different brands of amps that they all have their own sound. Some terms used to describe amps I've heard are 'musical', 'warm', 'laid back', and 'harsh'. Some people say they get tighter bass with some brands as well. But I have yet to hear anyone classify the emotiva sound. Mostly what I hear about them is related to looks for value for the price. Can anyone who owns or has heard one give their impression?

bopicasso · January 2009

If you go to the emotiva lounge you will here everything you are looking for. Alot tighter bass, treble and mids more detailed, instruments have more seperation, and a broader soundstage. It sold me, i will get my xpa-3 today! :-)

Willow · January 2009

If you are interested in monoblocks, I might have some to sell. Marantz MA700.

manman · January 2009

Kex wrote: »

That's a fairly generic statement of what you should expect from good amplification in general, Emotiva or otherwise.

The difficulty with the Emotiva Lounge, IMO, is that it does seem very one sided. Most of the posts are just about how great the gear is. It's a great place to hang out if you want to wallow in your enjoyment of your new Emotiva gear, or convince your significant other that you really really needed it and that you made the right choice, but I'm not sure about getting to the bottom of things when researching a new purchase if you expect to include any other viable options in your decision. If all you need are opinions of different products within the Emotiva range, then that might be a different story.

AVS Forum might be worth a search, if nobody here chimes in, but Club Polk is still the place for the most honest opinions IMO, but some might say that I'm a bit "different"! As always: YMMV.

Enjoy your new gear, BTW, bopicasso!

Yeah- the lack of a balanced opinion (and the fact that I've heard negative comments about emotiva have been removed by emotiva staff) is why I stayed out of the emo lounge and asked here... Appologies to the long-time members here sick of hearing about emotiva, but I personally think there should be no problem as long as it's kept in the correct threads (i stayed out of that battle though

)

Dawgfish · January 2009

I can't comment on all the brands out there, but I can tell you how the Emotiva sounds compared to the other two brand amps I own. I own a Monster Power MPA3250 (which is actually a Marsh Designs Amp), Adcom GFA 555 and GFA 545 (recent addition), and Emotiva XPA-3. [I also have friends that have Rotel and Parasound amps, so I am familiar with their sound also). I'll describe how each of my amps sound seperately.

Monster Power MPA 3250. I would describe this amp as neutral. It seems to have a very natural, crisp sound. Music is very detailed with this amp. It gives a wide soundstage and is very accurate. Overall I like the sound of this amp. It's at it's best listening to classical, jazz, or any instrumental music where accuracy and detail are most important. The only negative I can say about this amp is it lacks a little low end punch for listening to rock and blues, or any other hard driving music on my RTi12s compared to some of the other amps I've tried. Bass is accurate and detailed, but lacks punch.

Emotiva XPA-3; Overall I would describe this amp as having a slightly forward sound. It has a very good bass punch! Bass is also detailed and accurate. Highs and mids are also very detailed. It has an even wider soundstage than the MPA-3250. The sound stage and detail are really impressive on this amp. It sounds good on all types of music, but is at it's best at rock and harder driving music. I really like this amp. The only negative I can say is some may prefer a slightly more neutral amp for classical and jazz, but that is a personal thing. Again it sounded great with all types of music and home theater to me. It's a great sounding amp to me regardless of price.

Adcom GFA-555. I would describe this as having a warm sound. It is not as detailed in the lows, mids, or highs as the other amps, but it is still good. It has a great bass punch, but the bass can be slightly on the muddy side at times. The soundstage is good, but not as wide as either of the above amps. Seperation of instruments was not as good as the other amps also. I still like this amp, but I prefer the other amps overall. What this amp reperesents is a solid, dependable, workhorse of an amp with good sound, that can be picked up used at good prices. I have no problem recommending this amp to anyone.

Adcom GFA 545; I would describe this as being a warm sounding amp also. It doesn't quite have the bass response of the 555, but it is more detailed and accurate. It also seems to be more detailed than the 555. I would describe this as being more musical than the 555. It lacks a little on the low end compared to some of the others, but it's a solid 100 wpc amp. If you can find a good deal on one of these, go for it.

bopicasso · January 2009

So dawgfish, would you rate your amps:
1 Emotiva xpa-3
2 Monster Power MPA 3250
3 Then the adcoms

cfrizz · January 2009

Nice writeup Dawgfish.

Dawgfish · January 2009

Thank you folks for the kind words.

Bopicasso,

That about sums it up at least with my setup and tastes. I would rate the four amps for me as follows:

1: Emotiva XPA-1. Easily the best all around.
2: Monster Power MPA-3250, even though the GFA 545 is really close. The Monster is better with classical and jazz, while the GFA-545 is probably a little better for rock and blues.
3. GFA-545 (see above comments)
4. GFA-555, still a great amp and will blow the doors off of any receiver out there. It just lacks a little detail to me compared to the others. Some may like this, as it will tame down bright speakers and cause less listener fatigue. YMMV!

manman · January 2009

Great reviews Dawgfish! That definitely gives me some useful info to consider. Of course mostly it just solidified my choice to go with the xpa-3 or 5.

One question- I got most of what you were saying, but can you tell me what having a 'forward sound' means?

Dawgfish · January 2009

To me having a forward sound means it's a little more on the agressive and punchy side of things than a neutral or laid back amp. I find the XPA-3 to have a great low end that's very punchy. Fortunately the low-end is also very tight and detailed. I find the mids and highs to be more on the warm side of things. It's not bright at all to me. It's just a good sounding amp, especially for home theater, rock, and hard driving, up-tempo music. I find it to sound good with classical, jazz, and other instrumental music also, but some purists out there my prefer a more neutral or laid-back amp for these types of music. Just my dos pesos.

bigred7078 · January 2009

Dawgfish wrote: »

To me having a forward sound means it's a little more on the agressive and punchy side of things than a neutral or laid back amp. I find the XPA-3 to have a great low end that's very punchy. Fortunately the low-end is also very tight and detailed. I find the mids and highs to be more on the warm side of things. It's not bright at all to me. It's just a good sounding amp, especially for home theater, rock, and hard driving, up-tempo music. I find it to sound good with classical, jazz, and other instrumental music also, but some purists out there my prefer a more neutral or laid-back amp for these types of music. Just my dos pesos.

Nice write up Dawgfish

IF your looking for a more neutral amp, look into the RPA-2. Excellent amp for jazz, classical, and other intrumental music.

bigred7078 · January 2009

manman wrote: »

Yeah- the lack of a balanced opinion (and the fact that I've heard negative comments about emotiva have been removed by emotiva staff) is why I stayed out of the emo lounge and asked here... Appologies to the long-time members here sick of hearing about emotiva, but I personally think there should be no problem as long as it's kept in the correct threads (i stayed out of that battle though )

negative comments about the company are not removed, comments that are causing problems are removed (like pointless arguing, fights, name calling, etc), just like in most forums.

bklynNupe · January 2009

Hi: I will be adding an external amp to my Polk speakers and I would like some advice on how to proceed for best listen results.
Equipment:

Onkyo 806 avr
Polk Rti a5's
Polk csi3
Polk PSW 505
Polk fx300i's*
I am waiting for delivery of a emotiva XPA 3
Currently I have the Polk Rti a5's set up in a bi-wired mode with the Onkyo 806. I will connect the emotiva XPA-3 to the Rti a5 fronts, and csi 3 center.
1) How should my wiring be configured for best results. It there are instructions somewhere on the Polk Forum, that would do as well.
2) Also, I just purchased the Polk fx300i's from another member in the forum to replace my current crappy HTB Sony surrounds. They are in transit as we speak. Is a good match for the rest of my other speakers? I got them at a good price ( I think), I just want to know if I need to pass these on and go with something else.
3) Should I use any special rca's to connect my XPA-3's and should I have any other special connections ready other than a 3.5mm to 3.5mm for the triggers?
Any insight is greatly appreciated.
Brad

Dawgfish · January 2009

bklynNupe,

You've got one nice system there you are assembling. You are really going to like what external amplification will do for your system btw!

To answer your questions:
1. When you get your XPA-3, run your speaker wires directly from the amp to the speakers and don't worry about bi-wiring the speakers. This means you will have to either put the gold jumper plates that came with the speakers back on the speaker terminals, or you can make a homemade jumper with heavy guage speaker wire if you prefer. Running good clean power to your speakers will far outweigh any percieved improvements in sound biwiring may (or may not) make. Just make sure you do that amp some justice and run 14 guage or bigger (really I would recommend 12 or bigger, but 14 is the minimum) quality speaker wire from the amp to the speakers.

2. The FX300is are a great match for the rest of your system. Try them and see how you like them.

3. You don't need any special RCAs, just make sure they are good quality with gold terminal ends and plenty of shielding since they are going to be around a lot of other wires. Hope this helps!

Steve

manman · January 2009

bigred7078 wrote: »

negative comments about the company are not removed, comments that are causing problems are removed (like pointless arguing, fights, name calling, etc), just like in most forums.

Yeah, I've never been on there, so I can't really say. I just heard comments from people on other boards saying that when they put negative comments/reviews about emotiva products they were deleted. Could be that the guys were causing trouble or saying something in an inappropriate way and are just mad at them, but reading that kind of stuff kept me out of there because I wanted an objective opinion. Maybe I'll check it out some time- but I think my mind is already made up on going with an xpa-3 or 5

I need a amp for my Rti a5's!

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