Emotiva amplifiers review/experience?


Anyone had a chance to try out the Emotiva amplifiers and compare them to some of the more well known brands? How are the sound quality of the amps and how do they compare to other brands? Are they significantly worse or by some slight margin? Please let me know as I'm very interested in their products! Thank you!
garrettni
I currently own an XPA-5 which replaced a Parasound HCA-1205A that I owned for more than nine years. The Emotiva has greater dynamics, more bass, is slightly more forward sounding than the Parasound. Overall, I was so impressed with the sound quality, I sold my Parasound of nine years. In regards to construction, it is built like a tank. My 46 lbs. Parasound was a lightweight to the 66 lbs. of the Emotiva. And as the other poster said, the Emotiva comes with a transferable 5 year warranty. The Emotiva also runs much cooler than my Parasound ever did. So I know that the parts in the Emotiva won't be subjected to high heat and age the electronic components as quickly as my Parasound did. Yes, I had to have my Parasound repaired twice during my ownership. No sound from two of the channels that I hardly used went out. Only time will really tell if the Emotiva can last for the long haul. I've only had my Emotiva for two years so far.
Ejman, I can't answer that since I haven't seen the circuit. I guess that sort of thing can happen with any device, no matter how good -- they might stop making an output transistor, what have you. As you say, 10-20 years from now it probably won't matter if they do. But in my experience, anyway, the caps are usually what go, and they're easily replaced. The longevity of capacitors varies dramatically and a company like Bryston is going to use very long-lived (and expensive) ones. But really, 10-20 years from now, won't there be something better along anyway? Like Magfan, I keep using stuff for many years -- I just retired the Hafler DH-220 that I bought some 30 years ago. I could refurbish it, but it isn't really worth it -- the Hafler was good for its time, but amp design has improved since then. And as you say, by then, at this price, it doesn't really matter. After 20 years, your Emotiva will have cost you $35 a year, less if you can sell it used.
Utley, yes, I'd consider the monoblocks. I doubt you'll be calling on their full power, since the 1.7's will start to sound edgy before that. But arguably, all that power reserve pays off in better regulation where they do play, and keeps them out of the range where distortion starts to increase. I haven't heard the XPA-1's, but the user reviews I've seen are raves.
Josh. Could there be such a thing as over kill? I live in apt and only rarely let thevolume go...That it might not work as well as the lower range of its power spectrum- even if the Maggies 1.7 has some minor low resolution problems ,compared to its predecessors. (or do i have it reversed) Thanks.....
The people at the Rmaf for Emotiva were very nice as are their amps. They do sound fuller than many other amps
I heard there