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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
110 posts
 
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.
patrickp
59 posts
 
Has anyone ever compared the XA-1 to a Krell FPB amp?
bobgates
535 posts
 
Jejaudio - I found your comments to be very informative. I'm wondering if the Emotiva monoblocks wouldn't be a better way to go vs. two of the XPA-2s strapped. My listening room is on 13' x 21' so I'm thinking a single XPA-2 should suffice. Your modified Adcom 555 sounds really nice and I have to completely agree about the Belles 350A; I had one also and sold it.
jejaudio
110 posts
 
With low impedance speakers I would go with the Mono-Blocs. In my system Two XPA-2 amps sounded better than one amp. But if one XPA-2 is doing the job, I would go that route. Remember this amp will seam like over kill to allot of the higher efficiency speaker out there. Your speaker of course will determine that. The Adcom 555-Mk11 is now my backup amp, just in-case I go to Mono-Blocs(XPA-1). But I am "happy and content" with my Classe' amp. I know that is a kiss of death statement around hear. I had a Belles 400-A amp before the 350-A REF. That was my first highend amp and it was great as well.
patrickp
59 posts
 
I own a XA-5 and compared it to a Krell FPB-660.
I was very surprised at how well it did. It is not, however a Krell FPB.
The main difference I heard, in my very short evaluation, was in the upper midrange up. Female vocals, for example were a bit more ’grainy’ and it was more difficult to distinguish individual voices when several female artists were singing in harmony. Strings such as violins were a fuzzier characteristic to them. It may be due to the mode of operation (a-b as opposed to a) or it may be due to higher odd harmonics distortion, I don’t really know. On the plus side, they sound WAY better than anything at anywhere near the price I’ve personally heard. They are articulate, dynamic, and just plain fun to listen to. Emotiva may be the best bargain I’ve ever experienced.
Give one a try. Unless a person is completely obsessed with perfection then it’s hard not to like.
If a person just wants to enjoy the music, have a great time, and not be anal about the smallest of details then by all means go for it.
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