Ohms - speakers and amps? Verus & Emotiva

[jnboone]

I'm looking to buy Aperion Verus Grands and an Emotiva XPA-5. The speakers are rated as 6 ohm's (20-300w)), and the XPA-5 says connect either 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers (300w@4 ohms or 200w@ 8 ohms). I'm a newb and have no idea whether or not this will create any problems.

 

[fuzz092888]

Ohms - speakers and amps? Verus & Emotiva

I'm looking to buy Aperion Verus Grands and an Emotiva XPA-5. The speakers are rated as 6 ohm's (20-300w)), and the XPA-5 says connect either 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers (300w@4 ohms or 200w@ 8 ohms). I'm a newb and have no idea whether or not this will create any problems.

They won't cause any issues. The only thing you need to worry about are minimum impedances. The lowest impedance that the speakers will be (often not provided by speaker companies) and the minimum safe operating impedance of the amplifier (which is actually a little lower than 4 ohms in this case.

Most amplifier manufacturers will only rate their amps down to 4 ohms because speaker impedance ratings can be a bit suspect and they need to safe guard themselves warranty wise. Aperion is pretty good about their ratings and you will have no issues.

 

[jnboone]

Thank you very much!!

 

[zhimbo]

the XPA-5 says connect either 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers (300w@4 ohms or 200w@ 8 ohms).

As some additional explanation, the XPA-5 does not say to connect "either" 4 ohm or 8 ohm speakers. It gives ratings for those two situations, as an amp's output varies by the speaker's impedance. You can assume that the XPA-5's output at 6-ohms impedance will be intermediate between those two extremes (And, those are typically extremes - very few speakers are rated at higher than 8 or lower than 4; of course "rated at" by the manufacturer and reality can be pretty loosely correlated sometimes).

 

[herbu]

I'm looking to buy Aperion Verus Grands and an Emotiva XPA-5.

I have exactly that combination, and can tell you mine sound fantastic to me! The XPA-5 is driving 4 Aperion Verus Grand Towers and 1 Verus Grand Center. Audyssey set them all to "Large", and I got some popping from the fronts during extreme BOOMS in Lord of the Rings. I set them all to small with crossover at 80Hz, (as per recommendation by Aperion). No more pops, and a good subwoofer easily handles all the lows and LFE.

Movies sound great, and music is the best I've heard in a home system. (But I'll admit I've never heard someone with some of these $20-30k speakers.) Volume easily goes louder than I want, and no apparent distortion. I don't think you have to worry.

 

[jnboone]

That's "music to my ears"! I'm looking at a Yamaha RX-A1030 (so I know you have a different receiver-YPAo vs Audessey), and an SVS SB-13Ultra for the sub. Did you use the surrounds, bookshelves, or dipoles (or combo for 7.1)?

 

[herbu]

That's "music to my ears"! I'm looking at a Yamaha RX-A1030 (so I know you have a different receiver-YPAo vs Audessey), and an SVS SB-13Ultra for the sub. Did you use the surrounds, bookshelves, or dipoles (or combo for 7.1)?

I have a Denon X4000 AVR. From what the experts here say, I think the difference to your ears of any good AVR will be negligible if you run them both through the same amp. It really just comes down to features. (Right, experts?) I have a Rythmik FV15HP sub, and again from what I read here, it is relatively comparable to your SVS SB-13Ultra. I use 2 of the Grand Towers for fronts, 2 for surrounds, and smaller KEFs for surround rears. I drive the surround rears with the AVR, and honestly there is very little sound from the rears. Even big Bing/Bang/Boom action or SyFi movies seem to send most sound to the fronts, center and surrounds, (all driven with the XPA-5), with just the occasional noticeable sound from the rears. I also have a smaller KEF 10" subwoofer in the rear, so I'm really running 7.2. The Rythmik is such a monster, I believe the KEF sub is not necessary, but I already had it, and the Denon has 2 subwoofer outputs that can be separately balanced, (instead of just a y-cable splitter), so I'm using it.

I think you will be more than thrilled w/ your setup. I am with mine.

 

[herbu]

One more note. I suspect the Grand Towers are overkill for surrounds. I just use the fronts, (stereo), for music. For movies, the surrounds get so much less sound than the fronts, I have concluded maybe I was a bit over-zealous putting Grand Towers for surrounds. (But please don't tell my wife I said that.)

 

[herbu]

Sorry, OP... one more point. When I was researching like you are now, the experts here recommended the XPA-3 for only the fronts and center, driving the surrounds and rear surrounds with the AVR. I believe they already knew what I know now, that both the amp and Grand Towers are overkill and not necessary for the surrounds. When I went to the Emotiva site to buy the XPA-3, they had none in stock and no expected availability. I prefer to buy from the mfg simply for ease of support and warranty, so I bought the XPA-5. Then of course had to get 2 more Grand Towers.

The truth is, I really don't think I'm getting a noticeable difference from the surrounds with the amp and Grand Towers. I could have bought smaller speakers and the XPA-3 and likely not notice any difference.

BUT, I have now forgotten the price, love my system and won't change it in the near future. Good luck!

 

[herbu]

One more thing. (Sorry... I sound like Columbo). Be sure and plan for the weight and air circulation for your new amp & AVR. The XPA-5 is heavy.

I knew my old component stand wasn't strong enough, so searched and ordered what I thought would do the job. It came as a kit, and in the instructions it said max shelf weight was 50lbs. Geez. Beefed up the stand w/ extra wood/glue/screws. Also cut 27 4-inch holes in sides and back w/ a hole saw for ventilation. It was a chore.

But like the price, all is forgotten now and I'm happy. Just consider it.

 

[jnboone]

I greatly appreciate all the advice. I think I'll be going with the bookshelves for 5.1, and ultimately add the di/bipoles when I can. I understand the possibility of the amp being overkill on the surrounds, but for the price difference I'm fine with it, and it gives me the flexibility to go with just a pre-amp in the future. I'm sure the AVR will be the first piece of equipment that will ultimately be replaced when technology demands. Now I just have to wait for my divorce to be final so I can buy and enjoy - but there's good and bad in almost everything, and the wait has given me plenty of time to do my homework! Hoping it will be a good investment that brings lots of joy to all the kids in my house - myself included!