Emotiva XPA-2 and XPA-5 Gen2 Amplifier Preview

[admin]

Emotiva has certainly had a busy summer in their amplifier department. They have quietly updated their XPA-2 stereo and XPA-5 multichannel amplifiers with new models. The XPA-1 monoblock and XPA-3 three-channel amps will have their updates formally released in the next few weeks as well. According to Emotiva, the new Gen 2 amplifiers feature a refined differential input and short signal path Class A/B topology that Emotiva says lowers the noise floor when compared to the previous versions. There will be a special feature added to the new XPA-1 Gen2 that you're gonna have to read this preview article to learn about. Audiophiles rejoice!

Discuss "Emotiva XPA-2 and XPA-5 Gen2 Amplifier Preview" here. Read the article.

 

[haraldo]

Wah.... the XPA-1 gen2 must be the new benchmark out there
Although it's a logical next step that they provide a class A possibility here, based on what they've been doing lately...

 

[RichB]

Wah.... the XPA-1 gen2 must be the new benchmark out there
Although it's a logical next step that they provide a class A possibility here, based on what they've been doing lately...

Interesting amp. I like the new look.
60 watts class-a seems excessive. I wonder how much power it uses idling.

- Rich

 

[haraldo]

Interesting amp. I like the new look.
60 watts class-a seems excessive. I wonder how much power it uses idling.

- Rich

I like the looks too, as being Class A it uses a lot when idling, but then again maybe you can switch it to A/B in idle periods.... and then bias current will be low .....

 

[RichB]

I like the looks too, as being Class A it uses a lot when idling, but then again maybe you can switch it to A/B in idle periods.... and then bias current will be low .....

I wonder how low.
For example, 5 to 10 watts of class-A would be sufficient for most.

- Rich

 

[haraldo]

I wonder how low.
For example, 5 to 10 watts of class-A would be sufficient for most.

- Rich

No, you really need more for dynamic peaks, unless you have really extremely efficient speakers like some of the Tekton products....
Then you still have the XPA-1L that gives you 35 watts @ 8 ohm; Class A at only $650, wah!

NO, I'M NOT AN EMOTIVA RESELLER, LOL.......

 

[RichB]

No, you really need more for dynamic peaks, unless you have really extremely efficient speakers like some of the Tekton products....
Then you still have the XPA-1L that gives you 35 watts @ 8 ohm; Class A at only $650, wah!

NO, I'M NOT AN EMOTIVA RESELLER, LOL.......

I am resell my equipment when I upgrade that does not count.
Actually, I listen to music in to mid to low 70 DB range.
My speakers are 86DB efficient.
Everyone is different, but I am hanging around in the first watt most of the time.

- Rich

 

[haraldo]

Still you really need more power than what you think.....
I do have some 82dB efficiency speakers, driving them with a tandberg TIA 3032A, which is 100W was just not powerful enough, not even close
Changing to a Krell KAV-400xi was like a revelation, even at very moderate listening levels... I guess... probably due to more power

So even if you listen at moderate levels, the power of XPA-1 gen2 would be useful, it's at least my claim, but I can't prove it

 

[gene]

Interesting amp. I like the new look.
60 watts class-a seems excessive. I wonder how much power it uses idling.

- Rich

Assuming 25% efficiency, power consumption at 60 watts output would be 240 watts.

 

[haraldo]

Gene

I reckon you already got the XPA-1 gen2 in line for review already

 

[JonnyFive23517]

I saw an Emotiva rep post that the XPA-1L uses approx 300 watts idling in Class A (35 watts), but I can't find the post at the moment.

Addendum, Emotiva user posted this stat about his XPA-1L:

"Class A mode current (idle): ~2.34 amp, 288 VA, ~201 watts (123.1 volts)"

DR's XPA-1L thread - review and feedback | The Emotiva Lounge

 

[moves]

I have a speaker rater at 250 watts... would an XPA damage my speaker or would all this power just be in 'reserve'? I am asking because I am interested in this class A mode.

 

[ski2xblack]

Gene, the class A thing is filtering down even into Emotiva products. Isn't this just begging for some sort of sciency, skeptical test? It's been my impression and experience that the benefits of class A are only relevant at extremely low, milliwatt levels, and unless you're rocking the Jubilees, you just won't hear the benefits.

 

[haraldo]

I have a speaker rater at 250 watts... would an XPA damage my speaker or would all this power just be in 'reserve'? I am asking because I am interested in this class A mode.

You're probably more likely to put your speakers in danger using a lower powered amp than a really powerful one, the one most dangerous thing is when the amp starts clipping, you get a load of high powered high-frequency distortion that's gonna blow the tweeters of the speakers, with a much higher powered amp the output's gonna be clean and you're much safer... actually

 

[RichB]

Gene, the class A thing is filtering down even into Emotiva products. Isn't this just begging for some sort of sciency, skeptical test? It's been my impression and experience that the benefits of class A are only relevant at extremely low, milliwatt levels, and unless you're rocking the Jubilees, you just won't hear the benefits.

Perhaps it is not audible but the A51 has less artifacts when in class-a mode. Class A/B amps show less percentage distoertion as the output increases and then they begin to increase again. Of course, that is a mathy-thing where the artifacts may not be less but they less in proportion to the output.

- Rich

 

[gene]

I saw an Emotiva rep post that the XPA-1L uses approx 300 watts idling in Class A (35 watts), but I can't find the post at the moment.

Addendum, Emotiva user posted this stat about his XPA-1L:

"Class A mode current (idle): ~2.34 amp, 288 VA, ~201 watts (123.1 volts)"

DR's XPA-1L thread - review and feedback | The Emotiva Lounge

Makes sense as 25% efficiency is a theoretical max efficiency of Class A and it doesn't take into account the power used for the ARM processor and other active devices in the amp. That said, the XPA-1 in Class A mode would probably dissipate more like 300 watts but you can check with Emotiva to get a more precise estimate.

 

[gene]

Gene, the class A thing is filtering down even into Emotiva products. Isn't this just begging for some sort of sciency, skeptical test? It's been my impression and experience that the benefits of class A are only relevant at extremely low, milliwatt levels, and unless you're rocking the Jubilees, you just won't hear the benefits.

I tend to agree that beyond a few watts of Class A bias, you're simply wasting power but there are diehard fans of Class A amplification and it does measure better. The tradeoff is heat and watts wasted but it's up to the Audiophile to decide how green they want to be.

 

[ski2xblack]

Perhaps it is not audible but the A51 has less artifacts when in class-a mode. Class A/B amps show less percentage distoertion as the output increases and then they begin to increase again. Of course, that is a mathy-thing where the artifacts may not be less but they less in proportion to the output.

- Rich

But advances in amplifiers has any crossover distortion squashed down to inaudible levels. Plus most speakers need more power just to get to whisper levels, getting above the milliwatt problem area you describe. Only hyper-sensitive speakers have appreciable output at such levels.

Another thing to consider is the difficulty trying to attribute any subjective preference to one particular differential slice of a greater whole. I've had only one clean ss class A and could not tell a difference between it and regular old class AB, at least with the speakers I had, which were sensitive, but not hyper-sensitive. I wouldn't bet money that I could differentiate the two. The only amps I felt confident I could had other obvious issues compounding things, like tubes and output trannys. They're class A, in a more pure sense than a hard biased pp circuit is for that matter, with lot's of clearly discernable cosmetic embellishments applied. Kinda hard to differentiate any class A-ness from all the other artifacts.

I have not heard the more mainstream amps that are biased into class A for significant output, so feel free to disregard my questions as the ravings of a dunning kruger case. I still think Gene should consider a class A blind test and article with the results, for the benefit of me and the rest of the dk cases in audiophile land.

 

[RichB]

But advances in amplifiers has any crossover distortion squashed down to inaudible levels. Plus most speakers need more power just to get to whisper levels, getting above the milliwatt problem area you describe. Only hyper-sensitive speakers have appreciable output at such levels.

Is crossover distortion separate from IM?

I still think Gene should consider a class A blind test and article with the results, for the benefit of me and the rest of the dk cases in audiophile land.

That would be interesting.

- Rich

 

[ski2xblack]

Is crossover distortion separate from IM?

- Rich

Crossover distortion is what is responsible for the rising noise at low levels in class AB amps that you described in post 15. It's basically a solved problem these days. Yes, it's separate from IM, which concerns distortion caused from multiple frequencies being amplified, or harmonic distortion products interacting in the case of the tube toys.