Emotiva XSP-1 vs XSP-1 Gen 2

Lev,

A big thank you for sharing. We've had Threshold T-200 and T-400 amplifiers and they were very good, even by todays standards.

Your feedback on the XPR-1's is impressive. An endorsement for certain.

I would think the XPR-1's betters the T-50 in the lower registers, due to the difference in power output. How does it compare in the mid-range and high frequencies, with sound staging and imaging, and with it's ability to reproduce the acoustic which the recording was made?

You've mentioned reputable amplifiers, so I'm being critical - and justifiably so. These are big heavy mono-blocks. We have 3 young children and multiple businesses - I don't have the time or desire to try things. Especially considering these are big, heavy amplifiers. Rather, we try to research as much as possible before purchasing so our investment is a long term one.

The last amplifiers we were considering for our summer home was a pair of Parasound Halo JC-1's. If these Emotiva's are anything near that level of performance (and it seems like they are) - we'll be happy to make a smart investment in owning and enjoying them for years to come.

Again - thank you for your feedback.

Kindest regards, TJF.

Lev,

You make several confirmed points, but there's more to consider. I don't disagree with you, I want to share our experiences.

First - American Company Products:
I support manufacturer's who maintain a financially sound company, offer products that perform well, maintain their value and offer some sort of customer loyalty / upgrade program. I look to buy American (Company) products first but sometimes I don't.

Our current system runs Pass amplifiers, Wilson and Eggleston speakers, Meridian and Oppo electronics, MIT and CH Acoustic cables, Mapleshade bases and a Sound Application power conditioner. 8 our of 9 companies are American. These American companies service their own equipment and don't substitute lesser quality parts.

Without trying to sound snobbish - we make informed, educated investments and keep and enjoy music through our equipment for years. Otherwise, this would be a poor investment which we could not justify the expenditure for the hours / years of pleasure my family and I enjoy and get from listening to music.

Ideally, buying American company products means supporting America and more jobs for Americans - but foreign cost effective parts and manufacturing is an issue.

Second Point - Brick and Mortar Building Retailers:

I've had exceptional experiences at these, both good and bad. No different from retailers in other commodities.

One NYC retailer (who had gone out of business and recently re-opened as an appointment only business) was so pushy with a Wilson Watt Puppy promotion, I discussed his high pressure, adverse, curt, offensive sales behavior with the Wilson representative and told him I would NEVER return to much less make a purchase from this store owner. Later, I purchased our first Wilson speakers from a local (~ 50 miles away) retailer whom I had developed an extended relationship with. I listened to different equipment in his store, discussed our goals, listened to his input / advise and made purchases as a long term investment.

IMHO, there's no way this could have been done via internet purchases. Before any significant purchase - we'll do as much research and listening as possible. Now, we travel just over 100 miles to visit a NYC retailer that has EXCEPTIONAL integrity. Unfortunately the retailer we used to patronize restructured their products away from higher end gear and more towards cost effective audiophile equipment. But they're still in business and I can confidently recommend them to family and friends.

I digress - my point is, before we invested in our Pass XA-200.5 mono-block amplifiers, I was prepared to travel for an extended weekend which included airfare, hotel stay and rental car - to audition these amplifiers. There's no way I would have made a purchase "to try them." I make informed purchases to enjoy music (we attend live performances regularly but not as frequently as I'd like). And this Pass retailer offers the same try and return policy as Emotiva.

The way people purchase equipment has changed. People's priority seems to be a significant discount instead of purchasing equipment that will provide years of quality, reliable enjoyment.

I don't try lots of equipment, I guess because of our limited time. Rather - my family and I want to enjoy music (and theater) without the hassle of trial and error - and the time and expensive involved in that process.

But that's just me - my wife tells me I'm not the norm. Hopefully, that's a good thing?

Only good wishes to you and yours, TJF.

Lev,

I mistakenly hit the submit button.

Product margins may seem excessive, but if you find a full service retailer who will support you in making long term investments - well I feel they've earned their profit.

Operating a retail store involves selecting optimum equipment, setting up and rotating displays, keeping inventory, operating a store whose logistics include staff & scheduling, employee benefits and taxes, business insurance, utilities, building maintenance - to name the first few that come to mind.

That doesn't mean the conventional retailer doesn't discount, it means they can offer a reasonable discount and still stay in business. But a conventional retailer will never be able to match internet retailers' discounts because they have significantly greater fixed expenses.

The high end conventional retailer educates clients where the internet retailer relies on volume.

For my family and I, it's essential to get things right instead of making repeated attempts to create a system for enjoying music.

Life it too short to not listen to music that stirs our senses and moves our souls .

I am skeptical that the ERC-3 is anything near as wild a performer as described. One, it has a noisy transport for loading, ejecting, etc. 2, it has a budget chip for DAC duties. I had the ERC-1, and it was a disappointment. Too bright sounding, which is a weakness of all three Emotiva components I purchased.

The XPA amp would produce distortion at higher volumes when the vocalist sang an "sss". Repeatable every time, and when I replaced the amp with a Parasound Halo A21, WOW, what a difference. They offer a 30 day free trial, but you gotta pay over a $100 on average to ship a heavy amp back.

At the end of the day, there's no free lunch.

Runnin,

What XPA amplifier did you have?

Anyone have the XPR-1 mono-blocks that could share their system and experiences?

I'd like to get some feedback on these XPR-1 mono's.

Sorry Lev if I inadvertently misguided this thread.