Alternative for Emotiva XPA-2 Amp

[walter duque]

Seems to me the OP has more of a build quality issue and not SQ, but maybe I am wrong. These amps are priced very low. I purchased a Belles 100 in the early 80's 100 watts X 2 and it cost more then that EMO. I did own it for 25 years till I decided to sell it. It's a matter of fact when I lived in my house that amp was on 13 years without ever turning it off. After 25 years I put it on Agon and the same guy I bought it from bought it back (small world) it was purchased at Hollywood Sound in Fl. My Cinepro is from 98 and has been nothing but abused for 16 years and is still going strong. Seems to me you get what you pay for. Besides I only like amps build in the US, just so much better customer service. For the money the EMO does seem like a good low budged purchase. Longevity I just can't see in a product at that price point.

 

[PENG]

This is the bottom line for the all electronics sound the same crowd. I've seen people recommend a $50 dvd play.

That's extreme, I hope such a crowd does not really exist, if it does, should be ignored.

 

[sharkman]

That's extreme, I hope such a crowd does not really exist, if it does, should be ignored.

I went back to where I remember reading this, and I guess inflation has had an effect, they now recommend $69 blu ray players!. Note post #7 and #8.

 

[walter duque]

I went back to where I remember reading this, and I guess inflation has had an effect, they now recommend $69 blu ray players!. Note post #7 and #8.

$ 69.00 players are OK if you're listening at -45 or lower. Turn it up to -15 and it sounds like crap. Go to +5 and you don't have a system left. That's where the OPPO's shines. That's what a $ 69.00 player gets you.

 

[Adam]

I went back to where I remember reading this, and I guess inflation has had an effect, they now recommend $69 blu ray players!. Note post #7 and #8.

I'd recommend my blu-ray player, which was selling for about $60 over Christmas time on Amazon. Do I think it sounds the same as a $1000 Oppo? I suspect it does using the digital connections...but I don't actually know. Ignorance is bliss, at least to my wallet.

 

[j_garcia]

I have the 105 and a $60 Panasonic. Both work fine for their respective jobs, but the Oppo sounds a lot nicer Aside from no analog outs, I have zero complaints about the Panasonic either, so I don't really get what people are even mentioning price as a factor? On a budget there's nothing wrong with the inexpensive players on the market.

As to Emotiva quality, they are a smaller company, direct sales, etc... IMO, some issues are expected with ALL manufacturers and sometimes that means you'll have a higher percentage of them with a smaller manufacturer. So you can try something new and different and support the small guy or not; its good to have that ability to choose AND to have that option even available IMHO.

 

[jinjuku]

This is the bottom line for the all electronics sound the same crowd. I've seen people recommend a $50 dvd player for someone asking for a mid level priced cd player, because everything sounds the same.

I'm not sure what you just said has to do with this thread? What I think people have mentioned is amplification, operating in the non-clipping manner, in their envelope that measure the same will sound indistinguishable.

That's a fair statement and it certainly is not "all electronics sound the same".

I owned two Parasound HCA 1000A's. One had a weekend worth of use on it at a home-a-rama display. Both were 9.5 out of 10 condition. They both had tweeter hiss on my Statements. Nothing plugged in other than speaker cable and power cord.

So the Parasounds don't measure the same (because my REW setup showed the hiss). Hence I could blind tell you which is which.

On a lark I pick up a Crown XLS 402D for $179 on clearance . Honestly it was embarrassing. The noise floor of the Crown was non-existent. Ink black. Also my speakers can take some wattage so the Parasound looses steam where the Crown has another 3-4dB of headroom.

On Elgars orchestration of Holtz's planets, and Sir Henry Wood Orchestration of La cathedrale engloutic (Debussy) the Crown simply dominated the Parasound. Both these CD's are easily the best reference sources I have. I HIGHLY recommend both. Just jaw dropping example of exemplary mastering.

So no, not all amps sound the same. Now some here take issue with it being a pro-amp. They haven't been able to tell me why it's a problem. They haven't been able to tell me why it's a problem to suggest someone checks it out as a potential option. Honestly I chalk it up to envy that I was able to put together a system for $1800 that runs in the $10-15K space.

In two instances I've seen my modest DIY + "pro-audio" amp (it's an amp folks, you can drop the badges of bias) drop the jaws of people with setups in the $15K on up.

Once was $7500 Classe amp and B&W803 and the other Aerial Acoustic LR9's and Anthem amp. I wouldn't hesitate to A/B my Statements and Crown XLS DriveCore 1500 vs your Paradigm and Parasound any given day of the week.

 

[PENG]

ser

I went back to where I remember reading this, and I guess inflation has had an effect, they now recommend $69 blu ray players!. Note post #7 and #8.

Sorry I refer to the "all electronics sound the same" part. I have never seen such a post. I have no comments regarding the $50 or $69 DVD player thing. However, I don't doubt you have seen posts like that (again, the all electronics sound the same.... part) though, but more often I see people say something like "Well designed amps should not have its own sonic characters...", or "Well designed amps should sound the same when operating within its design limits...", not in exact wording, but similar.

I rarely see people ask questions like "I am considering replacing my Paradigm monitor 9 speakers with the Signature S6, would I hear a difference?" yet the questions about amps to the same effect just keep coming up. Chances are, most people could tell the monitor series and signature series apart and the dreaded DBT word wouldn't even cross their mind.

For me, if I want better sound quality, better meaning accurate, live like kind of sound reproduction, I would definitely look to speakers such as the KEF Blade or the 207/2 but not amps because I really belive my amps are good enough. On the other hand supposing I currently own an entry level A23 and a pair of Studio 60 in a smaller room, and I want better sound, I would then likely consider the S6 because that should give me more audible difference than upgrading from the A23 to the JC Monoblocks. YMMV..

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Do you know how silly that sounds? One amp of the same class does a better job with the highs?

It seems risible to us, but a lot of people still wholeheartedly believe such things and a lot worse.

 

[ImcLoud]

It seems risible to us, but a lot of people still wholeheartedly believe such things and a lot worse.

I think he is just trolling, probably 16 years old, has no friends and nothing better to do...

 

[ematthews]

Any thoughts on the Parasound A23 Halo? Will it have enough quality power at 125w? And no I haven't given up on the pro gear. Going to do some more homework..
The NAD 275BEE looks good too.

 

[walter duque]

I've owned a few power amps over the years (on a low count 75+) and none sounded the same. Why don't we just all get Behringer's for $199.00 and call it the day. Why waste the money, there is no difference, all amps sound the same anyway. Be carefull not to bend the little fins when you set them Behringers's up. Look at it this way, you can drive 50k worth of speakers for under 1k, what a bargain, go for a $69.00 blu ray player and you're all set. Now you've got a hell of system, so you think.

 

[sharkman]

I think he is just trolling, probably 16 years old, has no friends and nothing better to do...

This from the guy who critiques a different poster by using the old "your mother is laughing" reference! LOL, talk about a sophomoric poster boy.

 

[sharkman]

Any thoughts on the Parasound A23 Halo? Will it have enough quality power at 125w? And no I haven't given up on the pro gear. Going to do some more homework..
The NAD 275BEE looks good too.

At the risk of getting more insults my way, here's a response from a pro amp owner who upgraded to the A23, post 22.

Edit: I don't think that all electronics sound the same. I was repeating an opinion that I've read on another forum.

 

[TheHills44060]

This from the guy who critiques a different poster by using the old "your mother is laughing" reference! LOL, talk about a sophomoric poster boy.

Exactly. Although I disagree with your statement that all electronics sound the same I respect your opinion and that no two people hear things the same.

ImcLoud is a sad person who complains on the internet and has an annoying signature that takes up more space than most posts. Just be glad you are not like him.

ematthews gosh I don't see how you could go wrong with the A23. It's going to cost you a little more coin but it's an amp you can keep for a long time and I think would be able to handle a fair amount of speakers should your tastes change or evolve.

 

[jinjuku]

At the risk of getting more insults my way, here's a response from a pro amp owner who upgraded to the A23, post 22.

As counterpoint:

New amp is making me grin from ear to ear

Peavey IPR 1600

Former Adcom AND Rotel, now Crown owner

 

[jinjuku]

I've owned a few power amps over the years (on a low count 75+) and none sounded the same. Why don't we just all get Behringer's for $199.00 and call it the day. Why waste the money, there is no difference, all amps sound the same anyway. Be carefull not to bend the little fins when you set them Behringers's up. Look at it this way, you can drive 50k worth of speakers for under 1k, what a bargain, go for a $69.00 blu ray player and you're all set. Now you've got a hell of system, so you think.

Walter, you know I love ya man, but Amps are a diminishing return.

I want to come back at you on your $50K reciprocal. I'll bet you any amount of money I can do better with $47K in speaker and $3K in the total electronics stack than you could with $20K of electronics and $30K of speaker.

No one is saying get a $199 amp.

I'm not saying get a $199 amp. I'm not saying DON'T get a Parasound A21/A23, Monarchy, Odyssey, Rotel, AB International, Sunfire etc...

What I am saying is try them all. Including something like the Crown or Yammy or QSC RMX/PLX or Peavey IPR or Crest ProLite.

Flush EVERYONES opinion, Including mine, down the toilet. Guitar Center is a short drive away, to short, to ignore the opportunity.

BTW you aren't the only one here with ears on a goodly number of amplifiers over the years.

 

[walter duque]

As counterpoint:

New amp is making me grin from ear to ear

Peavey IPR 1600

Former Adcom AND Rotel, now Crown owner

He just went from a boom box to Crown, now that was some change in SQ, that's for sure. Now if you're talking about real Crown amps now that's a different story. Far East Made Crowns are not for real, it's just a brand name to cash in on. You can't buy a real Crown for peanuts. In my field of work I pay more for a piece of ham than the cost of these inexpensive amps. My first Heathkit I build in 1964 blew me away, it all depends what pacifies you. Am I satisfied with my system, for now I would say yes, I am also looking at my next and last speaker system which is about 75k. Which is about twice the price of the speakers I own now. You got me thinking now, maybe I should have gotten some Andrew Jones speakers and saved myself 30k. I think you're on to something.

 

[sharkman]

Jinjuku, if you want to offer advice to someone looking for an amp, the wrong way to go about it is to force your opinions onto others as you have in this thread. You've made 18 posts, almost 25% of the posts(79 total so far) in this thread! You've been argumentative and belittling at times which only tends to turn away posters from your advice. You like pro gear, WE GET IT. But you're not going to get anyone to try your advice with such an attitude.

I'm not sure how it is a moderator can act like this in a forum, but geez man, sometimes discretion is the better part of valour.

 

[ImcLoud]

ImcLoud is a sad person who complains on the internet and has an annoying signature that takes up more space than most posts. Just be glad you are not like him.
.

What did I complain about? You left me a negative rep {that had no effect since you were red at the time} full of insults... I didn't start this...

Of course you have to say some amps sound better, you spent a ton of money on Mcintosh gear, if I wasn't so poor I would too... So lets see some pics of your gear.... "and other stuff..."