Emotiva amp

[tmurnin]

So I'm adding an external amp to my setup. I am going to use my current Denon AVR 3312 as the pre, but want to add an external amp to power a new set of Dynaudio fronts. Trying to decide between the Emo XPA-3 to power the fronts and let the AVR handle the surrounds, or just get the UPA-5 and let it drive all 5 speakers. The UPA is about 1/2 the price of the 3-channel, but obviously it's a lot less power, too. I've never used an external amp before, so not sure whether I'll need the extra power of the XPA or not. I typically don't blast the receiver, but I like to listen at decent volumes and the Dynaudios are supposed to be pretty power-hungry.

Any thoughts?

 

[kingweb50]

I went with a xpa-3 for my front three channels and the avr to power the surrounds. I can tell the difference when I go from the receiver to the amp in my fronts. It's not like its louder just sounds fuller

 

[panteragstk]

I would just power the front three with a new amp and let the AVR do the rest. The surround channels are a lot less important and don't get near as much sound going through them as the front three.

Personally, I wouldn't buy an external amp until after I listened to the new speakers using the receiver first, then decide if you need it.

 

[tmurnin]

But if I do get a new amp, should I pay for the XPA3 or will I be fine with the UPA, even losing that much power?

 

[JonnyFive23517]

But if I do get a new amp, should I pay for the XPA3 or will I be fine with the UPA, even losing that much power?

I'd get the X series and follow panteragsk's advice. For an extra $180 you can go up to the XPA-5. That's what I would do and power all the channels

 

[Mkegreg]

On a side note.....I've been looking at building a 2 channel system with a pair of XPA-100s, anyone want to chime in, I hear nothing but great things. I'd probably match them to Somgtower RTs.

 

[PENG]

But if I do get a new amp, should I pay for the XPA3 or will I be fine with the UPA, even losing that much power?

Can you tell us what kind of speakers you have again, for all 7 channels? If only the front 2 are the 4 ohm Dyaudio floor standing speakers, and the rest are easier to drive speakers, then the XPA-2 may be a better choice than the 3 or 5, for about the same money.

 

[PENG]

On a side note.....I've been looking at building a 2 channel system with a pair of XPA-100s, anyone want to chime in, I hear nothing but great things. I'd probably match them to Somgtower RTs.

The specs looks good, it is a tough choice betwee it and the XPA-2.

 

[Mkegreg]

The specs looks good, it is a tough choice betwee it and the XPA-2.

It's quite a decision, although I think that the machismo is taking over my decision, going with mono blocks would make me feel like more of a man.....and there's the channel separation to boot!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

...Dynaudios are supposed to be pretty power-hungry.

If the midrange and treble sound good with just the 3312, don't buy anything.

If you need more bass, add some subs.

 

[PENG]

It's quite a decision, although I think that the machismo is taking over my decision, going with mono blocks would make me feel like more of a man.....and there's the channel separation to boot!

The XPA-2 has a much larger transformer, 1200 VA vs the XPA-100X2's 360X2 = 720 VA.
The XPA-100 has much more capacitance, 60,000 uF per channel vs the XPA-2's 45,000 uF, or only 22,500 uF per channel.

 

[Mkegreg]

There might not be an audible difference between the two and we're probably splitting hairs. I'd go with 100 for the machismo and probably will.

The XPA-2 has a much larger transformer, 1200 VA vs the XPA-100X2's 360X2 = 720 VA.
The XPA-100 has much more capacitance, 60,000 uF per channel vs the XPA-2's 45,000 uF, or only 22,500 uF per channel.

 

[ImcLoud]

I own an xpa2 {gen one} and its great, but I do love mono blocks for stereo systems... I have heard every emo amp made {including the gen2's} and they all sound the same obviously, so if you don't need the extra 50watts per channel go with the mono blocks.. I like the outlaw mono blocks too the 2200's, they are so thin and make a ton of sound, I honestly think they can go louder than the 100's...

 

[PENG]

I like monblocks too for Stereo but just want to point out the XPA-2 seems to have better specs in terms of power supply and much lower SNR, 97 dB at 1W, that's 8 dB better than the 100. That would not likely result in audible difference either.

 

[ImcLoud]

I have not heard a properly functioning amp lately that had any "audible" distortion, I stopped looking at them numbers a long time ago... If you can not hear .8% distortion then anything under that should be fine................................................. Its obviously not, but it should be.. {I don't know what level is audible to humans, but I haven't heard any lately... I remember an old avr that I could hear distort, and I have heard amp distort when pushed past their limits. them numbers are gibberish to me...

 

[PENG]

I have not heard a properly functioning amp lately that had any "audible" distortion, I stopped looking at them numbers a long time ago... If you can not hear .8% distortion then anything under that should be fine................................................. Its obviously not, but it should be.. {I don't know what level is audible to humans, but I haven't heard any lately... I remember an old avr that I could hear distort, and I have heard amp distort when pushed past their limits. them numbers are gibberish to me...

I wasn't talking about distortion, but noise. Some people are very sensitive to noise, but I do believe most could not tell the difference between SNR of 89 and 97 when listening to music from more than a few feet away from the speakers. Regardless of whether "them" numbers make any audible difference or not, I am sure Emotiva does make good effort to improve on "them" numbers. The OP already indicated he wouldn't worry about those splitting hair kind of difference. I was only trying to highlight some of the differences in specs between the two. I obviously shouldn't have bothered, especially when we have major Emo user like you, who is uniquely qualified to answer Emo amp related questions.

 

[ImcLoud]

I obviously shouldn't have bothered, especially when we have major Emo user like you, who is uniquely qualified to answer Emo amp related questions.

Don't let it happen again. lol.

that shows you how much I pay attention to "them numbers", I don't even care to know the difference between thd and snr.... Just get the amps home, plug them in and pick the one that sounds better, if they sound the same pick the one that is cheaper, if they are the same price, pick the one that looks better.. It works for me..

 

[PENG]

Don't let it happen again. lol.

that shows you how much I pay attention to "them numbers", I don't even care to know the difference between thd and snr.... Just get the amps home, plug them in and pick the one that sounds better, if they sound the same pick the one that is cheaper, if they are the same price, pick the one that looks better.. It works for me..

That's a good way to put it. I'll try to remember that, this time for sure.

 

[RichB]

I have not heard a properly functioning amp lately that had any "audible" distortion, I stopped looking at them numbers a long time ago... If you can not hear .8% distortion then anything under that should be fine................................................. Its obviously not, but it should be.. {I don't know what level is audible to humans, but I haven't heard any lately... I remember an old avr that I could hear distort, and I have heard amp distort when pushed past their limits. them numbers are gibberish to me...

Although I do believe there are amps with significantly less IM and that may be a contributing factor, I have settles on compression and the main reason to get a more powerful amp.

When an AVR runs out of power for whatever reason (difficult load etc), you will not hear the sound that is not produced

- Rich

 

[Goliath]

I went with a xpa-3 for my front three channels and the avr to power the surrounds. I can tell the difference when I go from the receiver to the amp in my fronts. It's not like its louder just sounds fuller

You can switch instantaneously between receiver and power amp, can you? If the pre-out/power amp combination results in a louder and therefore fuller sound, it's possible the gain was simply higher.