Post by sidvicious on Oct 24, 2010 9:30:48 GMT -5
I must start this by saying that I have been involved in audio since 1977. I have had my fair share of equipment and around 1998, although I still had some of my audio equipment exp Harmon Kardon Citation 16 Amp, I just limped along. In Jun 2010, I decided to make some changes in some of my equipment, (Hey still have a Pioneer Rt-707) and went into a local used store and auditioned a Audio Refinement Multi-5, Pre dsp-2 and a pair of Magnepan 1.6 QR's. I had no intention on getting the items at first, but the AR equipment drew me in. My thought was I had purchased a Yamaha RXV-3900 receiver in Nov 09 and I knew I needed some more amplification to drive the Martin Logan Preface's. (Purchase April 2010)
I ended up purchasing the AR Equipment and traded in the Citation 16 AMP, because the sales men who I had dealt with in the pass mad me a deal I couldn't refuse, $1000.00 for the set of AR separates and he gave me $300.00 for my citation 16, which was brought in for repair, bad power button. (Cost out of my pocket of $725.00 for both pieces. I figured I'd use the amp. Well I bought the Magnepan's a day later. I liked what I heard and it flew me back into Audio with a vengeance. I have 10 hobbies. I started buying Cd's again and being over 40 now my taste had changed drastically now into more jazz, folk and classical. (Age mellow you a bit) During all of this I had been following Emotiva looking at their website since 2005, but like other people buying on the INTERNET I was cautioned.
Enter Oct 2010 and I'm still using the AR equipment for strictly 2 channel and the Yamaha RXV 3900 for home theater, along with a 50" plasma and a sanyo 1080p projector and 80" screen, two separate rooms, home theater in basement and 2 channel upstairs (magnepan upstairs and Martinlogan, def tech 7002 downstairs.) I decided that although my home theater system was okay, it was blah, the receiver wasn't cutting it and at the volume halfway point it was clipping. I checked on U-Tube and heard a system by Emotiva by Vincedog3. It was an Emotiva Usp-1, Erc-1 and a Xpa-2 playing Allison Kraus and the Union Station from the album favorite, song "Star". I then heard his system playing Oleta Adams on his reel to reel. I was blown away to say the least.
I did tons of research through the emotiva forums and on the INTERNET and found Hifi Secrets and Audioholics and checked out a review on the items. I decided that I wanted to keep the two systems separate home theater and two channel, but everything was too bright in the two channel. I called Emotiva and talked to Vincent and later learned that he was Vincedog3 and that he had posted that video before working for Emotiva and he had the Magnepan MMG's. I bought a Xpa-2 that day based off of his recommendations and I thought about the Erc-1 and Usp-1 for another couple of days and later purchased them from Cathy.
I have been so impressed with the three components and with the bass management features of the Usp-1 that the AR stuff, multi-5 went downstairs to be used with the Yamaha. I have listened to music all over again and bought new Cd's with a vengeance. After a week of owning everything, I called Vince again and talked to him about the Xpa-1's. We talked and I concluded that until I upgrade my electrical to a 20amp circuit in both basement and upstairs I would wait (electrician has been called). Vince told me to really listen to the Xpa-2 and if I decided after he would be more than willing to trade me up.
I was so impressed with the no push sales and the fact that even though I bought B-stock, I was assured that the warranty would still be 5 years and that the equipment would look new. Well it does look new. How many companies offer you a B-stock Item with the same warranty as new and offer you a trade up policy of 40% off of item in that series pre/processor. (Amazing) I have been so impressed that they now have a customer for life. I don't work for them, but I have heard other stories of customer's having similar experience. Three days before calling Emotiva, I had a local company try to talk me into some Rotel gear and told me that they weren't sure of Emotiva because of the INTERNET model. I'm a person that could have spent more, but my father always taught me one thing, "You have more time than, you have money". I'm not going to say that Xpa-2 sounds better than the AR-Multi-5, because I would be lying. They are more similar than different, but the Multi-5 is great. I'm also not going to say the Xpa-2 is better than Krell or other more expensive brands. I will say that Emotiva is great at what they do and offer prices that don't break the bank, I had looked at Outlaw as well. Big Dan has it right, Offer good products at a good price, with good service and they will come. Now with the Emotiva pro line I think they have about everything covered. I'm looking at the Xda-1 for adding my computer to my system.
With multi-hobbies, one being computer, big time, I wanted a way to marry both together and the time has come and Emotiva has the products!!! Way to go and the synergy of the Emo products and the Magnepans are great and I will be ordering more Emo gear. I want to replace the Yamaha receiver with the UMC-1, but waiting for the bugs to all get worked out or Order the XMC-1. Being able to marry both the two channel and home theater with the ht bypass if I choose would be such a gas. I'm sorry for being this long winded, but I haven't been this excited about audio in a while thinking about the possibilities and having such a large user base of customer's to bounce things off of. ;D ;D ;D
I ended up purchasing the AR Equipment and traded in the Citation 16 AMP, because the sales men who I had dealt with in the pass mad me a deal I couldn't refuse, $1000.00 for the set of AR separates and he gave me $300.00 for my citation 16, which was brought in for repair, bad power button. (Cost out of my pocket of $725.00 for both pieces. I figured I'd use the amp. Well I bought the Magnepan's a day later. I liked what I heard and it flew me back into Audio with a vengeance. I have 10 hobbies. I started buying Cd's again and being over 40 now my taste had changed drastically now into more jazz, folk and classical. (Age mellow you a bit) During all of this I had been following Emotiva looking at their website since 2005, but like other people buying on the INTERNET I was cautioned.
Enter Oct 2010 and I'm still using the AR equipment for strictly 2 channel and the Yamaha RXV 3900 for home theater, along with a 50" plasma and a sanyo 1080p projector and 80" screen, two separate rooms, home theater in basement and 2 channel upstairs (magnepan upstairs and Martinlogan, def tech 7002 downstairs.) I decided that although my home theater system was okay, it was blah, the receiver wasn't cutting it and at the volume halfway point it was clipping. I checked on U-Tube and heard a system by Emotiva by Vincedog3. It was an Emotiva Usp-1, Erc-1 and a Xpa-2 playing Allison Kraus and the Union Station from the album favorite, song "Star". I then heard his system playing Oleta Adams on his reel to reel. I was blown away to say the least.
I did tons of research through the emotiva forums and on the INTERNET and found Hifi Secrets and Audioholics and checked out a review on the items. I decided that I wanted to keep the two systems separate home theater and two channel, but everything was too bright in the two channel. I called Emotiva and talked to Vincent and later learned that he was Vincedog3 and that he had posted that video before working for Emotiva and he had the Magnepan MMG's. I bought a Xpa-2 that day based off of his recommendations and I thought about the Erc-1 and Usp-1 for another couple of days and later purchased them from Cathy.
I have been so impressed with the three components and with the bass management features of the Usp-1 that the AR stuff, multi-5 went downstairs to be used with the Yamaha. I have listened to music all over again and bought new Cd's with a vengeance. After a week of owning everything, I called Vince again and talked to him about the Xpa-1's. We talked and I concluded that until I upgrade my electrical to a 20amp circuit in both basement and upstairs I would wait (electrician has been called). Vince told me to really listen to the Xpa-2 and if I decided after he would be more than willing to trade me up.
I was so impressed with the no push sales and the fact that even though I bought B-stock, I was assured that the warranty would still be 5 years and that the equipment would look new. Well it does look new. How many companies offer you a B-stock Item with the same warranty as new and offer you a trade up policy of 40% off of item in that series pre/processor. (Amazing) I have been so impressed that they now have a customer for life. I don't work for them, but I have heard other stories of customer's having similar experience. Three days before calling Emotiva, I had a local company try to talk me into some Rotel gear and told me that they weren't sure of Emotiva because of the INTERNET model. I'm a person that could have spent more, but my father always taught me one thing, "You have more time than, you have money". I'm not going to say that Xpa-2 sounds better than the AR-Multi-5, because I would be lying. They are more similar than different, but the Multi-5 is great. I'm also not going to say the Xpa-2 is better than Krell or other more expensive brands. I will say that Emotiva is great at what they do and offer prices that don't break the bank, I had looked at Outlaw as well. Big Dan has it right, Offer good products at a good price, with good service and they will come. Now with the Emotiva pro line I think they have about everything covered. I'm looking at the Xda-1 for adding my computer to my system.
With multi-hobbies, one being computer, big time, I wanted a way to marry both together and the time has come and Emotiva has the products!!! Way to go and the synergy of the Emo products and the Magnepans are great and I will be ordering more Emo gear. I want to replace the Yamaha receiver with the UMC-1, but waiting for the bugs to all get worked out or Order the XMC-1. Being able to marry both the two channel and home theater with the ht bypass if I choose would be such a gas. I'm sorry for being this long winded, but I haven't been this excited about audio in a while thinking about the possibilities and having such a large user base of customer's to bounce things off of. ;D ;D ;D
