Alternative for Emotiva XPA-2 Amp

[ematthews]

Not having a lot of luck with my Emotiva gear.{XPA-2 ISSUES}... Call it bad luck. Who knows. Is there an alternative in the market to the XPA-2? I know of parasound. Anything else in the same price range? It doesn't have to have as much juice as the Emo. Not sure if I will just buy another XPA-2 but I would like to know my options on some very reliable amps out there.
Thanks

 

[jinjuku]

I dumped my Parasound gear (two HCA 1000A) and Adcom GFA 5503.

Running Crown XLS DriveCore and couldn't be happier. Switching to Crown only took me 15 minutes and saved me a bunch of money

 

[j_garcia]

Parasound A23? Pro is an option.

 

[ematthews]

Just remembered Outlaw mono amps... Marantz sells a nice 150x2 for 799. My Marantz gear has always been reliable. Hard to really find something to compete at the same price point since Emotiva offers so much. It's just been such an inconvenience to ship this amp back three times for faults.

 

[jinjuku]

Hard to really find something to compete at the same price point since Emotiva offers so much.

Not really. You can go to your local Guitar Center and pick up a Crown DriveCore or Yamaha PS series really easy. They have a great return policy and you don't have to hassle with shipping.

 

[pg_rider]

I always wonder why more people don't look at used amps. Seems like a lot of value for the money -- better than buying new. For example:

Adcom GFA-555 | Solid state | Dyer, Tennessee 38330 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community

Adcom 555 Amplifier | Solid state | Spanaway, Washington 98387 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community


Full disclosure -- I myself bought a used Adcom amp that must be 10 years old (maybe more) and it's been great. Perhaps I'm biased....

 

[jinjuku]

I always wonder why more people don't look at used amps. Seems like a lot of value for the money -- better than buying new. For example:

Adcom GFA-555 | Solid state | Dyer, Tennessee 38330 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community

Adcom 555 Amplifier | Solid state | Spanaway, Washington 98387 | AudiogoN - The High-end Audio Community


Full disclosure -- I myself bought a used Adcom amp that must be 10 years old (maybe more) and it's been great. Perhaps I'm biased....

Because with the commodization of Class D amps, shrinking 400 discrete components to a single piece of silicon etc... That has enabled great SQ, lower prices.

For the $425 that the GFA-555 in Tennessee is being asked you can get a DriveCore 1500 that will mop the floor with it for $399. New, has a warranty, stable into 2 ohms, has RCA and XLR inputs, and both binding post and Nuetrik locking speaker connectors.

Why would I pay $425 for an old, out of warranty Adcom?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I say ATI AT2002 for ~ $1100 or AT1802 for ~ $800.

But what's wrong with your XPA-2?

 

[pg_rider]

Because with the commodization of Class D amps, shrinking 400 discrete components to a single piece of silicon etc... That has enabled great SQ, lower prices.

For the $425 that the GFA-555 in Tennessee is being asked you can get a DriveCore 1500 that will mop the floor with it for $399. New, has a warranty, stable into 2 ohms, has RCA and XLR inputs, and both binding post and Nuetrik locking speaker connectors.

Why would I pay $425 for an old, out of warranty Adcom?

Fair enough. I guess my point was directed more towards those who buy an $800 Emotiva. Other than getting the warranty and peace of mind of a new unit, is there anything that warrants the nearly double cost?

 

[jinjuku]

Fair enough. I guess my point was directed more towards those who buy an $800 Emotiva. Other than getting the warranty and peace of mind of a new unit, is there anything that warrants the nearly double cost?

I wouldn't purchase an $800 Emotiva when I could get two Crown or Yammys or Peavey IPRs for $800 and monoblock them.

Amps are commodity items.

 

[ematthews]

I say ATI AT2002 for ~ $1100 or AT1802 for ~ $800.

But what's wrong with your XPA-2?

It's back at Emotiva getting the right channel fixed as well as the LED lights fixed. Powering the amp up is faulty too.. For the third time. Not bashing Emo in any way. I own a full set of Emotiva gear.

 

[ematthews]

I wouldn't purchase an $800 Emotiva when I could get two Crown or Yammys or Peavey IPRs for $800 and monoblock them.

Amps are commodity items.

Are these Commercial/dj/band amps as clean as the Hifi stuff for critical listening? Power is not my concern..

 

[billy p]

Are these Commercial/dj/band amps as clean as the Hifi stuff for critical listening? Power is not my concern..

Meh...on pro audio gear myself.

 

[jinjuku]

Are these Commercial/dj/band amps as clean as the Hifi stuff for critical listening? Power is not my concern..

Not sure what you mean. An amp amplifies. I'm sure commercial bands like sounding clean at their venues.

I've owned Carver, Adcom, Parasound. Crowns been around longer, produced more designs, have more patents. They didn't get where they are at today by producing amps that sound like crap.

Look, a Crown DriveCore or Yamaha PS (you know their logo is three tuning forks right?) is just a drive away. The first and best thing you can do is dump the misconception about pro-audio gear. Not saying there isn't a bad amp out there in either boutique or pro audio.

For three years running I had a public offer:

Come over and pick a Crown XLS 402D vs Parasound HCA 1000A stone cold on my Statements in a 9 out of 10 coin flips. You would get the Parasound, you would get $5K, all your air fair, hotel, car taken care of and shut me up.

After that I simply sold them and the Adcom.

Go to Parts Express Tech Talk and ask for opinions from hardcore speaker designers what they think of the Crown DriveCores.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Are these Commercial/dj/band amps as clean as the Hifi stuff for critical listening? Power is not my concern..

Just don't ask anyone on the B&W owners' thread on AVS.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It's back at Emotiva getting the right channel fixed as well as the LED lights fixed. Powering the amp up is faulty too.. For the third time. Not bashing Emo in any way. I own a full set of Emotiva gear.

Gotcha. Yeah, I would go with ATI, especially at close to 50% MSRP.

 

[j_garcia]

It's back at Emotiva getting the right channel fixed as well as the LED lights fixed. Powering the amp up is faulty too.. For the third time. Not bashing Emo in any way. I own a full set of Emotiva gear.

Tell them to upgrade you to a XPR2 Maybe at least a Gen2 to see if that makes any difference.

 

[jinjuku]

Meh...on pro audio gear myself.

Let me know what source of yours you would like to A/B vs my EMU 1212M and what amp you have that you would like to A/B my 1500.

 

[billy p]

Let me know what source of yours you would like to A/B vs my EMU 1212M and what amp you have that you would like to A/B my 1500.

Their looks don't appeal to me...is that good enough...You are always pushing DIY & pro audio...GMAB.

 

[jinjuku]

Their looks don't appeal to me...good enough....You are always pushing DIY & pro audio...GMAB

And you are always pushing Pre-built and consumer audio gear. What an idiotic statement.

I wouldn't know, I keep all my stuff in a cabinet. Not on display between speakers sitting there in the sound stage mucking it up.

I'll push what ever I want when ever I want. Why wouldn't I and why shouldn't I? GMAB? One break coming right up....

Talk is certainly talk, if you can't back it up. You don't need luck if you have the skills.

When I see unsubstantiated posts like 'Pro audio-meh...' That certainly helps the OP out. I mean with such an insightful post why even bother posting? It's going to be challenged.