hemster
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Particle Manufacturer
...still listening... still watching
Posts: 51,920
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Post by hemster on Jun 23, 2013 0:10:43 GMT -5
what is picture #11? looks like a cylinder with nubs on it... I believe it's the volume control gizmo (called Control Freak). Read more here. link
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Post by audiosanity on Jun 23, 2013 0:21:49 GMT -5
My question since USP-1 has a touchy volume control would 29db gain will help make wide range of use in the volume control? The lower gain will help, but I am not sure it will be all that much. I suspect one reason the volume is so touchy is that the USP-1 can output 9V RMS and I think the XPA-2 can be driven to full power with about 1.2-1.2 volts (not sure). Typical preamps output 5-7 Volts.
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Post by audiosanity on Jun 23, 2013 0:23:59 GMT -5
Btwy, any new products or updates on the preamp front?
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Post by Golden Ear on Jun 23, 2013 1:20:33 GMT -5
My question since USP-1 has a touchy volume control would 29db gain will help make wide range of use in the volume control? The lower gain will help, but I am not sure it will be all that much. I suspect one reason the volume is so touchy is that the USP-1 can output 9V RMS and I think the XPA-2 can be driven to full power with about 1.2-1.2 volts (not sure). Typical preamps output 5-7 Volts. That's why the volume control has so much gain because it can put as much as 9V RMS which is high compare to typical AV receiver 1 or 2 volt. XDA-2 has a max of 2V RMS on unbalanced and the volume adjustment was great. USP-1 would have been great if it has digitally controlled analog volume control and not very high voltage output. I wonder if USP-1 will get Gen II update similar to X series amp.
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Post by htinparadise on Jun 23, 2013 3:56:15 GMT -5
Really disapointing for Emo to not have added locking XLRs to the next gen XPA's...
Regards,
HTinP
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Post by gearhead2003 on Jun 23, 2013 4:05:12 GMT -5
Great Video thanks for sharing!
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Post by garbulky on Jun 23, 2013 4:36:34 GMT -5
29 db is very welcome to me. Thanks Emo! Also really would like to know how and what they improved to charge $100 more? Does this mean the XPA-2 is now fully balanced? Maybe more capacitance, class A? Maybe I'm nlind but other than the silver trim peices being left off I just can't see a difference in the cosmetics.
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Post by jmilton on Jun 23, 2013 5:24:02 GMT -5
what is picture #11? looks like a cylinder with nubs on it... I believe it's the volume control gizmo (called Control Freak). Read more here. linkYes. That's the vol. knob used with the Pro DAC. I just liked the look of it and included it. also, gen 2 has modified power buttons. Instead of being shiny, they will have a smoked gun metal appearance and the illumination will be a bit more subtle. Dan said it was difficult to take the shine down, as a special film was applied to it. The overall construction of the amps is noticeably improved. Notice the extra screws on the sides, the Tiffany style binding posts, the heavy gauge RCA connectors. Why the price bump? Not just the internal improvements, but Emo has not had price increase for years and some adjustments in pricing were in order. In person, I think you will all like the new look and build quality.... IMHO.
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Post by AudioHTIT on Jun 23, 2013 7:48:25 GMT -5
I wouldn't think the Class A bump would be significant - certainly nothing like the XPA-1L, but the gain change does make sense and I'm glad to see the upgraded connectors - the X series deserves them. I'm sorry the XPA-7 has seemingly fallen off the map.
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Post by ocezam on Jun 23, 2013 16:00:00 GMT -5
Well the black side trim does look better than the old style. Guess I can quit taking the trim off immediately after I unbox my Emo stuff. I notice the new chassis mount tiffany RCA jacks on the back of the XPA-2 just like the XPA-1L, but it doesn't have the locking XLR jacks.
I also find it interesting that they are using B&W speakers.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2013 17:36:28 GMT -5
Well the black side trim does look better than the old style. Guess I can quit taking the trim off immediately after I unbox my Emo stuff. I notice the new chassis mount tiffany RCA jacks on the back of the XPA-2 just like the XPA-1L, but it doesn't have the locking XLR jacks. I also find it interesting that they are using B&W speakers. I thought that the use of the B&W speakers was interesting as well. Its the first time in a long time I can remember Emotiva not using their own speakers.
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Post by paintedklown on Jun 23, 2013 17:53:18 GMT -5
Well the black side trim does look better than the old style. Guess I can quit taking the trim off immediately after I unbox my Emo stuff. I notice the new chassis mount tiffany RCA jacks on the back of the XPA-2 just like the XPA-1L, but it doesn't have the locking XLR jacks. I also find it interesting that they are using B&W speakers. I thought that the use of the B&W speakers was interesting as well. Its the first time in a long time I can remember Emotiva not using their own speakers. I believe that Emo decided to use B&W speakers for this show for two reasons. 1. It is a very well known speaker, and a lot of people are familiar with the "B&W sound". 2. These are an expensive pair of speakers, and Emo wanted to show that a low cost Emotiva front end, could be mated with expensive speakers and serve them very well. I think it is referred to as "scaling up"...or something like that...LOL! EDIT: If I read/heard correctly, I think big Dan was so impressed with these B&W's that he actually bought the pair of them that was used in the show.
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Post by garbulky on Jun 23, 2013 18:45:43 GMT -5
True. If they used emo speakers, people wouldn't have a clue as to how they would compare to the higher end stuff. This shows that they can hang with the big boys and sound great doing so.
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Post by Andrew Robinson on Jun 23, 2013 18:55:24 GMT -5
We used the Bowers & Wilkins at THE Show in Newport Beach, CA because I recommended them to Dan. I also thought that because so many folks were more familiar with Bowers & Wilkins that it would give them a better point of reference rather than go with something too esoteric or in-house. At the end of the show Dan was so taken aback by the Bowers & Wilkins speakers that he purchased them outright from the manufacturer for use at Emotiva's offices. I was curious if he'd bring them to Boston. I'm glad to see/read that he did. They are terrific loudspeakers if I do say so myself.
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Post by Golden Ear on Jun 23, 2013 19:35:08 GMT -5
I only have their 685 and these speakers sounds great and very revealing. I can only imagine how much better those diamond speakers.
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Post by paintedklown on Jun 23, 2013 19:45:02 GMT -5
I only have their 685 and these speakers sounds great and very revealing. I can only imagine how much better those diamond speakers. I LOVE the FST mid-range drivers on the 685 series. I kick myself every day for going with the 684's instead, but money was tight at the time, and I HAD to get me some B&W's that day, no more saving & waiting!
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Post by Golden Ear on Jun 23, 2013 20:04:54 GMT -5
I only have their 685 and these speakers sounds great and very revealing. I can only imagine how much better those diamond speakers. I LOVE the FST mid-range drivers on the 685 series. I kick myself every day for going with the 684's instead, but money was tight at the time, and I HAD to get me some B&W's that day, no more saving & waiting! The only 600 series that features FST is their 683. It's a 3 way design. There is no FST driver on two way design.
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Post by paintedklown on Jun 23, 2013 20:14:34 GMT -5
I LOVE the FST mid-range drivers on the 685 series. I kick myself every day for going with the 684's instead, but money was tight at the time, and I HAD to get me some B&W's that day, no more saving & waiting! The only 600 series that features FST is their 683. It's a 3 way design. There is no FST driver on two way design. You are correct. Sorry about the confusion. The 684 and 685 have the same mid-range driver tech (kevlar). I am an idiot...never mind me...
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Post by Golden Ear on Jun 23, 2013 20:28:33 GMT -5
The only 600 series that features FST is their 683. It's a 3 way design. There is no FST driver on two way design. You are correct. Sorry about the confusion. The 684 and 685 have the same mid-range driver tech (kevlar). I am an idiot...never mind me... The first time I heard the 685 on Best buy demo room I took a notice. The vocal clarity, detail and the integration between the woofer and tweeter are downright impressive.
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Post by TUGA Audiophile on Jun 24, 2013 5:40:53 GMT -5
We used the Bowers & Wilkins at THE Show in Newport Beach, CA because I recommended them to Dan. I also thought that because so many folks were more familiar with Bowers & Wilkins that it would give them a better point of reference rather than go with something too esoteric or in-house. At the end of the show Dan was so taken aback by the Bowers & Wilkins speakers that he purchased them outright from the manufacturer for use at Emotiva's offices. I was curious if he'd bring them to Boston. I'm glad to see/read that he did. They are terrific loudspeakers if I do say so myself. I like to see a video with the BOB CARVER and XPA-1 vs B&W 804 DIAMOND, can you post here? They are in BI-AMPING mode? - This setup is very interesting...!
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