2. amps-preamps
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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
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
1,640 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.

auxinput
2,920 posts
 
Well, not exactly.  What you are doing is, essentially, running a bi-wire speaker cable.  The two binding posts on the XPA-1 amp are wired together, so it's just an extra binding post for convenience.  A bi-wire configuration uses a single point at the amplifier, then the speaker cable is split between the mid/high speaker connection and the bass speaker connection.  I generally like doing a bi-wire configuration instead of just using the jumpers on the speakers as the sound can be degraded some when using the jumpers.  Sometimes you have good jumpers, but it's another set of wire/spades/bananas that you have to send voltage through.  I recommend just starting with a double-run of your standard 12awg stranded OFC copper speaker cable.  Combine it together at the amp side and connect them separately at the speaker binding posts.  Or look for a higher gauge 10 or 9 awg speaker cable and get a bi-wire setup on one end.  It's all about lowering the resistance of the speaker cable (larger wire is less resistance).
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