Has anyone compared Emotiva amps to high end amps?


I was using an Aragon 8008BB and 8008x3B for a 5.1 system. The speakers are 95dB efficient. On a lark I purchased an Emotiva XPA-5. The ridiculously low price and 30 day return period was just too tempting.

To say that I was surprised by the sound quality is an understatement. This amp handily outperformed my Aragons with both my HT speakers and a set of Gallo Reference 3.1 speakers.

I am thinking about replacing the Aragon 8008BB that I am using along with a Crown K-2 that I use for the second voice coil with the Gallos. I would either keep the crown and go with a pair of XPA-1 amps or use an XPA-2. The other option is an XPA-5 instead of using 2 amps.

Has anyone compared these amps with the more upscale amps such as Theta, Simaudio, Halcro, etc? I'm wondering if the Emotiva amps are already approaching the diminishing returns point or if the other amps are a quantum leap in sound quality?
dave_newman
Jejaudio - my speakers are the Dynaudio Audience 82 (rated at 87db, 4 ohms) and the XPA-2 drives them with ease; have never had any issues. I had a Adcom GFA-555 years ago and can't believe it would outdo a XPA-2.
I have Hale Revelations Three's 86db 4ohm. These speaker love raw clean power(current). I played one of the XPA-2 for a month to get a Handel on the sound. It was good, but it made me miss my Belles 350A Reference that I sold (and regret). The Belles as it should be was a better amp in every way. But I did buy two XPA-2 amps. So I hooked up the other XPA-2 amp and the sound difference was in another class all together. As Bridge-Mono blocs I didn't even think about the Belles 350A Reference amp until I turn the volume up to were the Belles would play with ease and the Two XPA-2 amps went into protection mode as they were design to do when pushed into a 2ohm load. Now the Adcom I have is not your average 555Mk11. It is gutted with two bigger transformers (dual-mono) and upgraded guts and a IEC outlet. Net weight is about 60.lb. So this is not your typical Adcom 555 Mk11. Compared to the Emotiva XPA-2 as a stereo amp. It would be very hard not to pick the very musical Emotiva amp over the Adcom at anything under loud levels. But this is were the Adcom pulls ahead of the Emotiva XPA-2 amp in stereo, and Bridge Mono mode.It just can go places (volume) that the Emotiva XPA-2 can't and hold it's self together with ease. Please remember this is by design with the XPA-2 amp. So this is no knock on the amp, it is very good within it's self imposed limitations. That is why Emotiva makes the XPA-1 Mono-Blocs. Which I had my eye on before I got a Classe' amp that once again has me not missing the Belles 350A and the giant killer modded Adcom 555Mk11.
"Adcom GFA-555MK11 that laughs at a 2ohm load and sounds great."

If the Emotiva amps can't manage to sound better than an Adcom, they aren't even worth investigating.........

Shakey
I want to make this point clear, I am on the side of those saying the Emotiva XPA-2 is a very good amp. A great amp when you factor the price verse performance aspect. And as a side note there customer service is by far the best I have encountered. If something not right they fix it period. This company has and will continue to earn praise from me. Now the Adcom is what I would call an anomaly. I clearly stated it was gutted and modded with new, bigger power supply, transformers etc... So this is "not your Grandfather's Adcom 555 Mk11" as they say. I praise the modded Adcom because to me there is something highly respectable about a amp (any amp) that sounds good and keeps on cranking no matter how loud you take it. But that's just my thinking. You might disagree. If there is one thing I've learned in Audio ED.101 is you don't trash or bash what you have not heard yourself. But again that's just my thinking as well. You might disagree.