Parasound A23+ vs. Emotiva XPA-DR2

[darknrg]

I know - doesn't seem like a fair comparison right?
Putting together a modest 2 channel system, considering these two power amps.
Would you take the A23+, 160w/ch with better sound staging, detail, clarity?
Would you go with the DR2, 550w/ch with more grunt, punch and dynamics?
Speakers for these will be Paradigm Tributes. Room and speakers can handle either amp.
I can acquire both amps for exactly the same price.

Which would you choose and why?

Side note - while there's no problem finding reviews on Parasound amps, I looked long and hard and couldn't find even a hint of a real review on one of the Emotiva DR models - and they've been out for a while now. I'm curious about the overwhelming silence on the DRs.

 

[ski2xblack]

Neither amp would have an effect on sound-stage, detail, or clarity.

Aside from the power difference (about ~+5db in favor of the Emo, if your speakers can handle that much power), both amps spec very well. Emo is more watts/$, that's the big advantage.

Have you more carefully assessed your actual power needs? (Play around with THIS.) Your speakers are kinda sorta sensitive, so unless you have a huge room, you may not need the deep breathing capabilities of the Emo, and unused watts just go unused. At the same time, if your room is large, your seating is far away from the speakers, and you listen loud, then the Emo may provide that additional clean headroom you might need to tap into once in a while. You don't want to flog your speakers with so much brute power they hit their limits and fail.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If those are the only 2 choices on a test, I would choose the Parasound.

Why?

1. I don’t like the name Emotiva
2. I don’t like the emo cheesy aesthetic
3. I could get amps from more famous brands- You could get the Adcom 565se 250W x 2Ch or Monolith 200x2 for about $1,000 (made by ATI).
4. I don’t need 500 WPC

 

[pacman9270]

What about the fully balanced design. Is there an audible difference with this design? Kind of the same as McIntosh’s Quad-Balanced amps?

 

[PENG]

What about the fully balanced design. Is there an audible difference with this design? Kind of the same as McIntosh’s Quad-Balanced amps?

Fully balanced offer some advantages in noise and harmonic distortions but everything being equal, the design would result in much higher cost. I don't trust low cost (relatively speaking) truly fully balanced from input to output amps so I would avoid such amps at the price range of Emotiva's but that's just me. I generally believe if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If either one has more than enough power for your need, I would take the A23. The hearsay talks of better sound staging, detail, clarity, grunt, punch, dynamics are mostly bs, unless power output is an issue.

 

[pacman9270]

Fully balanced offer some advantages in noise and harmonic distortions but everything being equal, the design would result in much higher cost. I don't trust low cost (relatively speaking) truly fully balanced from input to output amps so I would avoid such amps at the price range of Emotiva's but that's just me. I generally believe if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If either one has more than enough power for your need, I would take the A23. The hearsay talks of better sound staging, detail, clarity, grunt, punch, dynamics are mostly bs, unless power output is an issue.

I have Venere 2.0 Speakers (89db/6-Ohm/50-200W). Marantz AV8802A prepro. Of course XLR to my current XPA-5 Gen2 amp. I do not believe I need all this power. I was referred to the MC-452 but then I saw the price tag. I’ve only heard the MC-452 on B&W 802 and Sonus Faber Olympica I speakers. I just don’t to make this big purchase and then send it back. I can justify medium size purchases to return but not something this expensive.

 

[PENG]

I have Venere 2.0 Speakers (89db/6-Ohm/50-200W). Marantz AV8802A prepro. Of course XLR to my current XPA-5 Gen2 amp. I do not believe I need all this power. I was referred to the MC-452 but then I saw the price tag. I’ve only heard the MC-452 on B&W 802 and Sonus Faber Olympica I speakers. I just don’t to make this big purchase and then send it back. I can justify medium size purchases to return but not something this expensive.

In that case I have no concerns. Whether the improved DR and THD would make an audible difference or not is a different story. If money is not an issue I would buy the Mc1kW just for the specs and the look, not that I need a kW. I don't like the autoformer approach but the 1kW version has more than enough output for any speakers for a lot of people.

 

[Pogre]

Sound staging, detail and clarity are all traits that have to do with speakers and placement of them, not the amplifier.

 

[pacman9270]

In that case I have no concerns. Whether the improved DR and THD would make an audible difference or not is a different story. If money is not an issue I would buy the Mc1kW just for the specs and the look, not that I need a kW. I don't like the autoformer approach but the 1kW version has more than enough output for any speakers for a lot of people.

Ok, I just looked up this amp. No. I can not afford a $15k used mc1kw. I’m just questioning if I can get more sound quality than what I have with my current setup. After all of the reading of reviews and forums and visits to multiple shops, I’m still stuck on my next move. Every review, forum, and blog is so bipolar. Do I go upgrade my amp or my prepro or my speakers? One does better at music and another at HT. (Hysterically laughing). And the only reason I have this internal conflict is because I listened to a much more expensive setup and heard a difference. I just can’t decide on my next move. Oh, and I’ve been researching since early last year.

 

[Pogre]

Ok, I just looked up this amp. No. I can not afford a $15k used mc1kw. I’m just questioning if I can get more sound quality than what I have with my current setup. After all of the reading of reviews and forums and visits to multiple shops, I’m still stuck on my next move. Every review, forum, and blog is so bipolar. Do I go upgrade my amp or my prepro or my speakers? One does better at music and another at HT. (Hysterically laughing). And the only reason I have this internal conflict is because I listened to a much more expensive setup and heard a difference. I just can’t decide on my next move. Oh, and I’ve been researching since early last year.

Speakers. Always, always look at speakers when you're wanting to improve on sq.

 

[gene]

Reliability and serviceability should factor into your decision when buying an amplifier. I loved my Emotiva XPR-1 nonoblocks but they died after the warranty expired and Emotiva refused to service them. That reason alone makes me shy away from ever recommending an Emotiva product again.

 

[pacman9270]

Speakers. Always, always look at speakers when you're wanting to improve on sq.

So what if I pick up a pair of B&W 805D3 or Monitor Audio PL100II speakers? Should I upgrade my XPA-5 Gen2 amp? Or is it enough? I’d like to have input before making such expensive purchases.

 

[pacman9270]

Reliability and serviceability should factor into your decision when buying an amplifier. I loved my Emotiva XPR-1 nonoblocks but they died after the warranty expired and Emotiva refused to service them. That reason alone makes me shy away from ever recommending an Emotiva product again.

Well that’s a douche move by them. So, just to confirm, fully balanced differential amps have no audible improvement over linear AB and Class D designs?

 

[Pogre]

So what if I pick up a pair of B&W 805D3 or Monitor Audio PL100II speakers? Should I upgrade my XPA-5 Gen2 amp? Or is it enough? I’d like to have input before making such expensive purchases.

I say get the idea that a different amp is going to make a profound difference out of your head and start listening to different speakers. Of 3 different brands of receivers and the addition of a powerful amplifier the only time I noticed any jaw dropping differences is when I upgraded my speakers and subs. That's where it's at. Once you get your speakers sorted then that's when you take a look at electronics.

 

[Phase 2]

Reliability and serviceability should factor into your decision when buying an amplifier. I loved my Emotiva XPR-1 nonoblocks but they died after the warranty expired and Emotiva refused to service them. That reason alone makes me shy away from ever recommending an Emotiva product again.

Thank you Gene for posting up you thoughts on your Emotive experience. Like you I've experienced poor customer service from RBH with my speaker QC issue I had. But that's neither here nor there. Would I recommend RBH speakers, yes but with caution. Only because their an internet company purchase, plus you have to find a dealer. Other than that the sound quality of RBH speakers that I purchased I still stand by my previous reviews. QC? That's a whole other subject for a different Thread.

 

[Phase 2]

The Emotive amps I've had never crapped out on me. But i did keep but two over the 5 year warranty. XPA-5 and XPA-2 one got high jacked, the other is still going strong so far. That one is the XPA-2 both 1st gen. Parasound has been around a lot longer than Emotiva. Like with anything you get longevity or you get issues. It all depends where you have to spend your money. Both will do what they are designed to do amplify the volume.

 

[pacman9270]

I say get the idea that a different amp is going to make a profound difference out of your head and start listening to different speakers. Of 3 different brands of receivers and the addition of a powerful amplifier the only time I noticed any jaw dropping differences is when I upgraded my speakers and subs. That's where it's at. Once you get your speakers sorted then that's when you take a look at electronics.

Got it. That’s a tough thing for me to hear and absorb vs the amount of noise that is out there. I did audition me Venere 2.0 books against many other books. The only others that I liked more were the 805D3 and Olymica I books but they were $4k more. Now that I’m in a better position financially, I’ll give them another shot. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my Venere but I’m always searching to see if I can take it up a notch while being somewhat budget-friendly.

 

[Leemix]

Nice speakers like the OP has can benefit a lot by a nice amplifier. Especially if he likes them its worth getting the best out of them.


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[Pogre]

Got it. That’s a tough thing for me to hear and absorb vs the amount of noise that is out there. I did audition me Venere 2.0 books against many other books. The only others that I liked more were the 805D3 and Olymica I books but they were $4k more. Now that I’m in a better position financially, I’ll give them another shot. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my Venere but I’m always searching to see if I can take it up a notch while being somewhat budget-friendly.

Oh I get it. There is definitely a lot of noise out there and opinions vary wildly. It's tough when you first start getting serious and want to research. I personally have changed my perspective on what will have the most impact on sq. Coming from car audio and having installed a couple of my own systems I was firmly in the camp of "the amp is going to make a huge difference".

My time spent here and personal experience have both helped me reshape that opinion. I feel like most of the guys here try to be as objective as possible, backing claims with measurements, knowledge of physics and experience. Gene has always pushed objectivity when reviewing stuff and I've learned to trust his take on things. Plus if you really think about it, the speakers are the ones producing the sound. The job of the electronics is to send the signal to them and almost all maufacturers have the same goal of making sure that signal reaches the speakers as intact and accurately as possible.

 

[ryanosaur]

So what if I pick up a pair of B&W 805D3 or Monitor Audio PL100II speakers? Should I upgrade my XPA-5 Gen2 amp? Or is it enough? I’d like to have input before making such expensive purchases.

I would look at offerings by Salk Sound, if you are considering an upgrade to speakers. Dennis Murphy's XO work is outstanding, and together, they have built some amazingly nice speakers. Reach out to Jim and have a conversation with him about what you want to achieve.
Otherwise, I agree with most of what has been said... the amp is only going to improve your system if you have speakers being starved of power. If you have low sensitivity speakers and want reference level sound, you need an amp. Absolutely. If you have High sensitivity speakers and never listen above -15dB, any old AVR can drive that.