emotiva xpa 5

[mortonconst]

well, i just hooked up my xpa 5.....-20 on the volume still sounds like -20....what am i missing???? i called emotiva tech, they said to recalibrate my system with the auto set up.... secondly, i purchased the radio shack analogue spl meter...i tried calibrating my system a few days ago..(before i received the xpa 5)....in order to get the rears to the same DB i had to bring the level up to 8 and the fronts were at 0?????? yamaha auto calibration has the rears at around +2.5 and fronts at around 1.5???? maybe this all will change when i re-calibrate now that the amp is hooked up.....input please....


yamaha rx v661
emotive xpa 5
samsung 61" dlp
def tech bp7006 fronts
def tech clr2300 center
def tech uiw bpa rears

 

[j_garcia]

Run the Autocal a couple of times and see if it comes up with the same settings.

 

[zumbo]

-20 should still sound like -20. -5 should still sound like -5. Adding an amp doesn't make anything louder, nor does it change the sound.

Adding an amp gives the ability for the sound to remain cleaner at higher levels, provided it actually has more power than the amp section it replaced.

Speakers change sound.

 

[sholling]

In the olden days the volume control was a pot and adding a more powerful amp meant that you need to didn't turn it up as high. I recently read a thread over on AVS that claims that some "smart" receiver auto-setup schemes adjust "0" to equal "reference" level or 85db in room. I have no idea if it's true but if so then remaining power would still be available for additional headroom.

 

[mortonconst]

so last night i re-calibrated.....omg!!! what a difference!!!! the emotiva tech was spot on by saying that due to the difference in "gain" between the xpa 5 and the internal amp of the receiver, i had to re-calibrate. i went straight to "Rush" for the initial test. Neils tom's sounded like i have never heard them sound before!!! my UIW BPA rears "came alive" and i actually enjoyed listening to Rush in a 5.1 set up ("7 channel stereo" enhanced on the RX V661). i then moved onto terminator salvation..........helicopters are freaking awsome now!!!!!! in regards to volume settings "before and after"....i did not use the SPL meter to check my before and afters..(it was late) but my system definitely has "authority" now!!!!!

i highly recommend the XPA -5!!!!!!!!

now i just need a awsome sub....any suggestions????

 

[jp_over]

I'm glad to hear another good review on Emotiva products. Depending on my next setup, I'll either have the XPA2, 3, or 5.

I've heard a number of times that Rhythmic makes a great sub. HSU & SVS are big contenders as well.