reccomendations on 3 channel amp

[el espectro]

I'm looking for a 3 channel amp with a true output of 200-250 WPC continuous. I've seen some used rotels and carvers around videogon/audiogon/ebay, etc for $600 or so. Any specific reccomendations? I only need two channel for now, but I'd like to have the same amp for my center when I get it. I won't be getting surrounds for a while, and I may just get efficient speakers and use my receiver power for those anyway. I'm trying out Outlaw 2200 monoblocks right now. They seem OK, but by the time I add another one for the center, it will have cost me over $325 more than a comparable spec used rotel or whatever.

Thanks

 

[j_garcia]

Unless you are gonig to have some demanding rear speakers or you intend to play back at concert levels, you generally don't need external amp for your surrounds. Offloading the work of the front 3 leaves the receiver to handle the surrounds and pretty much any receiver can handle that.

Speakers have a sensitivity rating, not an efficiency rating, and that alone does not guarantee they will be easy to drive.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'm looking for a 3 channel amp with a true output of 200-250 WPC continuous. I've seen some used rotels and carvers around videogon/audiogon/ebay, etc for $600 or so. Any specific reccomendations? I only need two channel for now, but I'd like to have the same amp for my center when I get it. I won't be getting surrounds for a while, and I may just get efficient speakers and use my receiver power for those anyway. I'm trying out Outlaw 2200 monoblocks right now. They seem OK, but by the time I add another one for the center, it will have cost me over $325 more than a comparable spec used rotel or whatever.

Thanks

For $600?

I say get the Emotiva XPA-5 (5 ch amp) for $800: 252 watts with 3 ch driven @ 8 ohms and 5 yrs parts and labor warranty. You may need the other 2 ch later on.

http://www.emotiva.com/xpa5.html

 

[el espectro]

For $600?

I say get the Emotiva XPA-5 (5 ch amp) for $800: 252 watts with 3 ch driven @ 8 ohms and 5 yrs parts and labor warranty. You may need the other 2 ch later on.

http://www.emotiva.com/xpa5.html

Nice, if I can swindle a little extra $$ from my wife that would work quite well I would think. Do you think it would sound as good as a rotel or carver for 2 channel music, that is what I care about most. I generally think that if an amp can handle HT well, it is good for music too because it is, well, a good amp. But since some folks seem to hear a difference I figured I'd ask. Anyone else? would I get a little more SQ for my money with a used rotel, etc.?

what does the XPA-2 have over the XPA-5? only two channels, but the same $$$?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Nice, if I can swindle a little extra $$ from my wife that would work quite well I would think. Do you think it would sound as good as a rotel or carver for 2 channel music, that is what I care about most. I generally think that if an amp can handle HT well, it is good for music too because it is, well, a good amp. But since some folks seem to hear a difference I figured I'd ask. Anyone else? would I get a little more SQ for my money with a used rotel, etc.?

what does the XPA-2 have over the XPA-5? only two channels, but the same $$$?

I think you will hear absolutely no difference whatsover between the XPA-2, XPA-5, Rotel, Carver, or any other good amps, except for the gain volume since different amps will have different gain voltage. Volume matching is critical when comparing components.

The one thing to look for in any amp or preamp is the build quality. Emotiva amps have TOP NOTCH EXCELLENT build quality. They are built like a tank. And they weigh like a tank. They are built for excellent sound quality and built to last.

My Emotiva MPS-2 amp is way too heavy!

Actually, I wish my amp were only 75 pounds, instead of 118 pounds!

My only complaint about Emotiva is that they are too heavy and too bulky!

 

[el espectro]

I think you will hear absolutely no difference whatsover between the XPA-2, XPA-5, Rotel, Carver, or any other good amps, except for the gain volume since different amps will have different gain voltage. Volume matching is critical when comparing components.

The one thing to look for in any amp or preamp is the build quality. Emotiva amps have TOP NOTCH EXCELLENT build quality. They are built like a tank. And they weigh like a tank. They are built for excellent sound quality and built to last.

My Emotiva MPS-2 amp is way too heavy!

Actually, I wish my amp were only 75 pounds, instead of 118 pounds!

My only complaint about Emotiva is that they are too heavy and too bulky!

sounds like good advice, and that amp still belts out 210 WPC with 5 driven, not bad. I do have a question about separate amps in general though. I THINK I understand the relationship between power and the Db reading for the volume dial when the receiver is powering the speakers. But with a separate power amp, are those numbers useless??

 

[ivseenbetter]

Nice, if I can swindle a little extra $$ from my wife that would work quite well I would think. Do you think it would sound as good as a rotel or carver for 2 channel music, that is what I care about most. I generally think that if an amp can handle HT well, it is good for music too because it is, well, a good amp. But since some folks seem to hear a difference I figured I'd ask. Anyone else? would I get a little more SQ for my money with a used rotel, etc.?

what does the XPA-2 have over the XPA-5? only two channels, but the same $$$?

I read somewhere on this forum that equipment that sounds good for Music tends to do well for HT but that the same cannot be said in reverse. If there is any truth to that, then you might want to focus more on the musical ability your equipment will provide over the HT ability.

I'm not a music afficianado so I can't really help you much on this but your statment reminded me of what I had read before so I thought I would share it just in case it is helpful at all.

Good luck.

 

[el espectro]

For $600?

I say get the Emotiva XPA-5 (5 ch amp) for $800: 252 watts with 3 ch driven @ 8 ohms and 5 yrs parts and labor warranty. You may need the other 2 ch later on.

http://www.emotiva.com/xpa5.html

I've only had the monoblocks for a couple days. I was surprised that my Marantz SR5002 gets as hot as it did when it was powering the speakers now it isn't powering anything.
Also, how much power is wasted by having the extra channels you don't use? If I get a 5 channel amp now, but have only 2 or 3 speakers for a year, isn't that a lot of wasted energy?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

sounds like good advice, and that amp still belts out 210 WPC with 5 driven, not bad. I do have a question about separate amps in general though. I THINK I understand the relationship between power and the Db reading for the volume dial when the receiver is powering the speakers. But with a separate power amp, are those numbers useless??

Well, those volume dial numbers on the receiver doesn't really tell you the power output anyway.

I think +0dB is supposed to be the Reference level, which is 90dB.

If your speaker has a sensitivity of 90dB w/m (that's watts per 1 meter distance), then you are basically outputing only 1 watt of power to achieve that volume of 90dB at 1 meter distance away from the speaker. So if you are sitting 3 meters away, that is still only 3 watts of power!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I read somewhere on this forum that equipment that sounds good for Music tends to do well for HT but that the same cannot be said in reverse. If there is any truth to that, then you might want to focus more on the musical ability your equipment will provide over the HT ability.

I'm not a music afficianado so I can't really help you much on this but your statment reminded me of what I had read before so I thought I would share it just in case it is helpful at all.

Good luck.

Yes, I agree that 2 Ch Stereo CD Music is more fastidious than 5.1 movie soundtracks.

I definitely have to get the 2 Ch music right first before going on further.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I've only had the monoblocks for a couple days. I was surprised that my Marantz SR5002 gets as hot as it did when it was powering the speakers now it isn't powering anything.
Also, how much power is wasted by having the extra channels you don't use? If I get a 5 channel amp now, but have only 2 or 3 speakers for a year, isn't that a lot of wasted energy?

I don't know about the newer XPA-5, but the MPS-2 will consume 60 watts of power during idle. So I guess some energy will unfortunately be wasted as you thought.

The Marantz receiver's amps will now be in idle, so it will not be powering any speakers. But again, even at idle, I think it is still consuming some lesser amount of power.

Maybe you are thinking that you may not even need the extra power amps?

Most of us actually don't even need the extra external amps.

 

[cfrizz]

I'm the practical sort. I would get the XPA 5 and be done with it. You won't have to think about updating that particular piece since it can be used with all gear. You will have all the power you could need now & in the future no matter how many speakers you are using or how efficient/inefficient they are.

You can focus on other upgrades to your system once the power is taken care of.

I have found that my back speakers really came to life once I a connected them to a separate amp. It is also important to calibrate all speakers to get maximum benefit.

I wouldn't be able to get either of those amps since they are way more than I can physically lift! You can't go wrong with either company. Good luck!