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Need Amp Advice

Hey guys,

New member here but music lover for many years.
I am looking to upgrade my amps to get better sound quality and really need some help. I watch movies and listen to music daily. I would say in general, 70/30 (movies 70). I run a 5.1 setup and plan on upgrading to 7.1.4 in the future, but happy with 5.1 at the moment.
When I listen to music I only use the 802's (no sub and no multichannel music).

Currently, my setup is:

Speakers
Main speakers: B&W 802D (first Diamond)
Center: B&W HTM2D
Surrounds: Klipsch
Sub: Klipsch

Pre-amp
Marantz AV8802A

Amps
Emotiva XPA-1 monoblock x2 for the main speakers 
Emotiva XPA-3 Gen 3 for the center and surrounds

The sounds is good, it's actually more than good but I want it to be even better. I have been looking at many used amps (can not afford new ones) and wanted to ask for your opinion on the following that I have considered. I have not heard any of them with my speakers.

1. Classe CM-A600 monoblocks 
2. McIntosh MC501 monoblocks
3. I even looked at the Devialet 200 which was recommended by someone I know
4. Krell?

Do those amps make sense? Am I looking at a noticeable improvement over the Emotivas? I would love to hear from people who know and heard those amps, especially driving 802's.
I am of course open to any other suggestions as well.

Thank you in advance!

killergurt
killergurt OP
9 posts
 
Hey Dweller,

I found both 250.8 and 350.8 that are within my budget. 3 questions:

1. Is there an advantage to using 2 monoblocks as opposed to a stereo amp?

2. Will those 2 amps be enough in terms of power for the 802's?

3. Currently I bi-amp the speakers using the Emotivas. In the case of the Pass Labs amps I will "only" be able to bi-wire. Am I losing something significant by doing so?

thanks for your time!
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

Monoblocks will normally have much bigger power supplies and are usually fully balanced/differential on the amplifier output stage.  Stereo amps do not normally have balanced/differential output stages, but there are definitely exceptions.

The Pass Labs could be fully balanced/differential, even though they are stereo (I know of at least one post, possibly by Bob Reynolds, that indicates a Pass Labs stereo was differential on the output).  That being said, either the 250.8 or the 350.8 will most likely wipe the floor with the Emotiva amps, so I wouldn't worry that these are stereo or lower power rating.  Check out the following thread:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/my-long-list-of-amplifiers-and-my-personal-review-of-each

He does a massive list of amps and descriptions of their sonic signature.  As far as the thread goes, the Pass ".8" models are near the top of the line.

I would not bi-amp the speakers using the extra "bi-amp outputs" on the 8802a.  This never works out best anyways.  The Marantz processor (and any other processor) will send higher frequencies to the upper bi-amp output by comparing the used frequencies of the main output and subtracting them from the full-range signal.  This results in lost resolution and the sound is just soft and not impactful.  Better way to bi-amp is just to use a Y-splitter cable, but then you are messing with combining two amplifier input impedances and you may lose sound quality this way.  It's better just to run an amplifier full-range to a speaker.  Bi-wire is good to reduce the speaker cable resistance.

auxinput
2,920 posts
 

Oh, I just figured what you mean when you say "bi-amping with the Emotivas". The XPA-1 has two sets of binding posts. This is not true bi-amping. The two binding posts are connected to the same amplifier output stage, so you are basically just bi-wiring anyways.

Also, don't forget about your center channel.  For home theater and movies, this is the absolute most important speaker.  Skimping on this will definitely affect quality of movies and dialog and action.

killergurt OP
9 posts
 
Thank you auxinput,

So what I am doing with my speakers now is equivalent to running one pair of cable to the speakers and use the jumpers that came with them?

As for Center, I have a 3rd Emotiva amp (XPA-3 Gen 3) that power that Center and 2 surrounds.

  
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,644 posts
 

Any thoughts on you using a multi channel amp for your whole home theater system like a Bryston 9bsst2 or something similar and then an upgraded processor to match like the Bryston SP3. there are many choices out there but the whole system approach may give better synergy.

20 year warranty don't hurt either on the Bryston.

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