Emotiva not so good

I think this is being unkind to Emotiva. I have 6 of their amps, ranging from XPA's (monoblock and 5 channel version), plus one of their low-cost BasX amps. Plus I have 3 of their XMC-1 processors. I also own their speakers and subwoofers (although not as my main system speakers).

So I'm kind of heavily invested in them. I have heard better, but only from a friend's custom built electronics. Their Stealth 8 powered monitors are truly spectacular (I use them as my computer system speakers both at home and work).

The processors are still being supported with firmware updates, and their service is second to none. I would certainly recommend them to anyone starting in this hobby. Try them, you may find they are all you need. I did :-).

I am 62 years old and have been in the hobby for 45+ years. Early on most of my systems were mass market and Mid-fi. An awful lot of Adcom, Yamaha, Hafler, Carver and B&K... went through my home and my systems. Now you are more likely to find Audio Research, Esoteric, Mark Levinson, McIntosh, Rogue Audio... As well as other high-end and boutique brands. I also play with vintage gear and modern high-value electronics as well. While I love my expensive electronics I get particular Joy from modern high value components that sound as good or nearly as good as the higher priced spread. These include Odyssey, Rotel, Marantz and Emotiva. I have owned and heard a number of Emotiva pieces. I find them to range from very good for the money to truly excellent! One of my best Audio buddies has the XDA-2 DAC in his main system. I have always found it to be engaging. I had the original XPA-2 amplifier. At the same time I had the Parasound Halo A-21 and a Mark Levinson 532H amplifier on hand as well. The  75 lb. EMO drove my KEF blade two speakers as well as any amplifier that I have owned (I currently use a Mac 452). I sold the Parasound and Levinson and kept the EMOTIVA. The fellow who purchased the EMOTIVA from me has more high end/exotic gear than anyone I know. He uses the XPA 2 On speakers that are difficult to drive. Every time I see him he tells me how much he loves that amplifier. More recently I had the BASX preamplifier and A-300 Amplifier in a spare bedroom system. They aquitted themselves well and even pinch-hit in the big rig for my Mac amp and preamp while they were away for a check up. Emotiva is today’s Adcom/Hafler. There is nothing wrong with that!

I have had many Emotiva and Sherbourn  products over the years and have enjoyed every one of them for the price paid.  I still use an xda-2 dac and a Sherborne CD-1 as my player.  It’s the one CD player that I have had that I do not feel the need to run through the dac.  I also have a Sherborn Pre-1 preamp which is basically a Emotiva Usp-1 without the bass crossover but does have excellent XLR outputs.  The remotes for all of them are some of the best made I’ve used.  i had a Xpa-200 amp as well as the Sherbourn 2-160.  Both were solid performers.  Say what you want but you generally have to spend a lot more than the cost of the Emotiva gear to actually see dramatic differences in sound quality. 

There is no way that Emotiva is today's Adcom or Hafler.  In at least Adcom's case, they were designed from the ground up by an audio god, Nelson Pass.  Emotiva?  Typically ordered from a factory in China, and then assembled in the US.  

The other idea expressed by Jax that you have to spend a lot more than Emotiva's prices to get dramatic differences in sound quality I must also take issue with.  Both of Schiit Audio's amps have far superior SQ than Emotiva and at 699 and 799 are cheaper than Emotiva's XPA line.  Adcom's current line up also measures quite a lot better than Emotiva's XPA line, albeit at somewhat higher prices.  Outlaw Audio's multi channel amps also measure better and sound better, take it from personal experience.

In fact there are several companies now making amps that challenge Emotiva's price/performance levels, and some of those are Class D designs.  I'll disclose that I was a true blue Emotiva fanboy, but got the shock of my young life when I swapped in a Parasound Halo amp.  Putting aside one's fanboyism is the first step in realizing the world is not Emotiva blue.

Well said!