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Post by leog2010 on Feb 20, 2011 9:20:50 GMT -5
Which ones do you people think are a better option?
Emotiva XPA1: $999 each
Wyred 4 Sound 500w Mono: $1199 each
Thanks.
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DYohn
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Post by DYohn on Feb 20, 2011 9:30:10 GMT -5
Which ones do you people think are a better option? Emotiva XPA1: $999 each Wyred 4 Sound 500w Mono: $1199 each Thanks. I prefer the sound of class A/B amps to the sound of ICE amps, so the choice between these would be easy for me.
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Post by jackfish on Feb 20, 2011 10:31:58 GMT -5
A switching power supply just can't match a massive toroidal and lots of capacitance. XPA-1
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Post by CrazyBlue on Feb 20, 2011 14:19:56 GMT -5
I agree.
Never, ever would or could be happy with a 14 lb amp. Ever. I'm a dinosaur. With strange hang-ups about certain stuff.
Like the look of their DAC's and Preamps and what I've heard/read though. Way out my current price range, however.
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Pauly
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Post by Pauly on Feb 20, 2011 20:49:28 GMT -5
I've heard very good things about the Wyred amps, but I'm with Crazy on this one. I love big heavy amps lol.
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Post by boarder1995 on Mar 3, 2011 17:16:00 GMT -5
I've tried D-sonic 500W class D amps, and other lower wattage ICE amps, and while light, quiet, efficient, cool, etc., they just didn't sound quite right. Very clinical, accurate, but uninvolving. The instrumentals' (music) attack didn't have the attention grabbing texture, just very abrupt, almost fatiguing. Movies, they were fine and quite impressive, but not for me for music. Just my take on things. I'll stick with class A or A/B for music involvement.
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Post by sharkman on Oct 25, 2011 20:36:15 GMT -5
LOL. Why don't you ask the question on a Wyred4sound thread. You'll get the exact same response, except in reverse.
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Post by paintedklown on Oct 25, 2011 20:40:37 GMT -5
I am also curious about the W4S amps. From my understanding, they are similar to Red Dragon amplifiers. Another forum member purchased the Red Dragons and reported that they put out some great bass. I would love to be able to A/B/C those three amplifiers.
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schu
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Post by schu on Dec 2, 2011 9:44:51 GMT -5
I think I might be the only dissension... if I could afford two mono block ice amps, I would go that way for sure.
nothing is better, in my humble O, than the blackness of a ice power.
that being said, I would never shake a stick at any emo product.. specially a X1
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Post by leog2010 on Dec 18, 2011 21:09:29 GMT -5
I'm getting a pretty good deal on a pair of Bel Canto REF1000, the original ones. i can get them for $1400. The new XPA1 are going for $1700. OPINIONS PLEASE !!! Thanks.
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Post by Porscheguy on Dec 18, 2011 21:14:49 GMT -5
I'll bet most people here have never even heard W4S amps :-)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2011 22:11:57 GMT -5
I'm getting a pretty good deal on a pair of Bel Canto REF1000, the original ones. i can get them for $1400. The new XPA1 are going for $1700. OPINIONS PLEASE !!! Thanks. Tough choice. Both are excellent products, and fully balanced. The older I get , the more I love light weight and efficient products...hint...
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Post by audiocr381ve on Jan 15, 2012 14:24:52 GMT -5
W4S all day everyday over the Emo.
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Legis
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Post by Legis on Jan 29, 2012 18:51:14 GMT -5
I'm getting a pretty good deal on a pair of Bel Canto REF1000, the original ones. i can get them for $1400. The new XPA1 are going for $1700. OPINIONS PLEASE !!! Thanks. Tough choice. Both are excellent products, and fully balanced. The older I get , the more I love light weight and efficient products...hint... W4S balanced? Balanced input does not mean balanced operation, balanced input in single ended equipment can be done with one differential opamp at the input. XPA-1 has much more current capability, W4S does not really drive 2ohm and 1ohm loads like breeze. Measurementswise XPA-1 has edge pretty much in every way if you look at these measurements of Bel canto Rer1000m monoblock, that have the same ICEpower modules than the W4S uses: www.stereophile.com/content/bel-canto-ref1000m-monoblock-power-amplifier-measurements . Just plain horrible (but they don't necessary sound bad, it a matter of taste).... There are much better measuring class D amps than W4S like Hypex Ncore... I took and would take again XPA-1s over any mid class class D amp mono blocks that I know of. Maybe first commercial hypex 1000w-ncore implementations could change my mind, if they would cost max ~1800$ $ per piece.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2012 16:36:03 GMT -5
Call Wyred 4 Sound and they'll tell you. Their amps are differentially fully balanced from input to output.
I can't comment on digital amps and what they sound like because I haven't heard one, but I will in the near future when the new Red Dragon amps come out. If they don't do what they're supposed to do, then see ya later.
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Pauly
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Post by Pauly on Jan 30, 2012 16:44:40 GMT -5
Legis, are you going off of reviews and measurements, or do you have experience with both of these amps in an A/B? Not trying to start anything, but I am curious.
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Legis
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Post by Legis on Jan 30, 2012 20:46:19 GMT -5
Legis, are you going off of reviews and measurements, or do you have experience with both of these amps in an A/B? Not trying to start anything, but I am curious. I have heard couple different class d amps but have not owned them myself. I could consider Ncore though... I was commenting mainly the measurements and like I said the actual sound preference is highly subjective matter like we all know. I cannot get past class D's high frequency reproduction, which has always come inferior (lifeless) to good Class A/AB amps, but bass drivers and subwoofers the class D drives usually excellent controlwise. However weight and oomp factor of the lower registers may not be as high as with massive linear amps. Almost all class D design employ low pass filter at the output, which causes the upper end response to vary with different load impedances and it also causes phase shift, which is poison for transient response. Class D is however going forward fast... I have quite high hopes for Ncore, would be interesting to hear it.
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Post by UT-Driven on Feb 8, 2012 18:15:45 GMT -5
I love the Pioneer SC-27 with IcePower Class D modules. I was listening to the Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed on SACD and was startled by the clarity of the highs.
I have been on a bit of a power conservation kick so I am favoring the high efficiency amplifiers.
Doug
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Post by Porscheguy on Feb 8, 2012 18:45:07 GMT -5
I have XPA-1's and I would put them on a very short list of power amps to consider under $3000-$4000..
The only amp that sonically sounds better (marginally) is the NAD M25 - and that's a multichannel. It's highs are so sweet and its bottom is almost right there with the XPA-1. Don't know how they do it. I'm a huge NAD fan. I'm surprised so few guys here have much of their offerings...
The M2 is in a league of its own. As a class D it combines a DAC and power amp and is one of the best amps I've heard albeit at 6K, not cheap.
To me, NAD is Emotiva on steroids...
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Post by Porscheguy on Feb 8, 2012 18:53:44 GMT -5
I also had a listen to the new Pioneer SC 57 while I was in Vegas... BIG improvement over the SC25,27..... Sterility is gone, bigger bottom no shrill highs... Its no NAD M2 but class D is a comin'
It just keeps getting better and better...
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