|
Post by sockemdog on Apr 7, 2016 11:56:25 GMT -5
My goal is to purchase two fully-balanced monoblocks with selectable Class "A" capabilities like the XPA-1 between now and 6 months from now. However, I would be willing to wait to pull-the-trigger if I could purchase one with XPR-like topology that's made in the USA. Weight is not an issue as I'm not going to move them very often once in place. 50 pounds or 200 pounds each... I don't care.
A nice feature would be if the Class "A" was single-ended instead of push-pull. I might be asking too much.
Also, does anyone know when the next big sale might come along?
What say you folks?
|
|
|
Post by garbulky on Apr 7, 2016 12:12:47 GMT -5
Okay so I am not sure if the new topology will support the class A architecture of the XPA-1 due to its power supply. The class A switch engaged consumes something like 250 watts of power in idle so I'm not sure if the swtiching power supply on the unit which is about the size of four 3300 mf capacitors will be sufficient providing that long term. FWIW and somewhat unrelated the XPA-1 has 180,000 mf capacitance. The yellow box is the power suuply for the XPA gen 3. Not saying it can't. How would I know? it is rated for a large 3.2 kva. But I imagine that may be an issue. But there is plans for a monoblock module to come out in the XPA gen 3 which is fully balanced (yay!) I have the XPA-1 gen 2 and they are outstanding. At first I knew they were special but I didn't know if hte class A contributed anything. After some more time spent with it I feel the class A does contribute something special to the amp. It feels closer to realism. I previously heard a 100 watt class A Nakamichi stasis amp. It also sounded very good with a brilliance to the treble and mid range. Maybe slightly further from absolute neutral but still intoxicating. The class A on the XPA-1 doesn't have this coloration (a good thing) and is much closer to neutral to my ears. I think the class A does help. However if you don't look at the big pcture, the difference in class A appears to be somewhat on the small side. But over time I feel it contributes something important to the overall enjoyment and immersion of the music. I've also heard a nice Ayre Class A stereo power amp. The XPA-1 does signficnatly better than it with more power on tap. The ayre was a bit closer to my old UPA-2. Long story short: class AB mode sounds very nice. Class A provides that little extrae something. Not necessarily something MAJOR but I feel it contributes to something important that I wouldn't do without. The XPA-1 gen 2s provided so much of a help to the transparency and realism of sound that I am considering putting the rest of my upgrade plans on hold and concentrating on room treatments for the time being. This was not expected. I bought the XPA-1 gen 2 initially just to be a foundation for the rest of my upgrades. It was meant to have enough power and low distortion to not hold back the other components. I didn't expect it to provide a nice improvement to my current setup. Its main stregnth was the ability to portray a 3d soundstage and portray the dimensions of hte room. Before I got some 3 dimensional sound. But the way it just showed the dimensions of the recording venue...never happened before for me. You get the instruments playing in a 3 dimensional recording venue. And its portrayal changes depending on the recording. That is its strength. My planned upgrade was Schiit Ygdrassil Audio GD HE-1 preamp 2X Powersound Audio S15 and the XPA-1 gen 2s. As you can see those above components are all top performers in their price range. But since I got this the urge to keep upgrading has slowed down. The DC-1 plays VERY nicely with the XPA-1 appearing to just drop right in to the role. Previously its preamp functionality felt just slightly strained compared to say the XSP-1 in dyanmics in the same system. But with the XPA-1 I have no compolaints about the preamp functionality. My current system is DC-1 XPA-1 gen 2 Axiom audio m80 V2 (with v3 components). I feel this is an amp with no compromise. There's no class H rails switching. There's no switching power supplies. It's fully balanced. It has a large power supply and capacitance. It's class A but switches to class AB for full power output. It has 29db of gain versus 32 db. It's perfect to me. If I were insane enough and had sufficient outlets, I would buy two more of these gems to bi amp and get me 120 watts of class A per channel and nearly unlimited power per side. Its downside is it's not cheap. But for what it does it's a bargain. If you have the cash this amp is what I would get without hesitation. Solid well built and sounds great. Here's my review. emotivalounge.proboards.com/thread/44968/garbulkys-xpa-1-gen-review
|
|
|
Post by teaman on Apr 7, 2016 12:18:19 GMT -5
Mono blocks are a solid choice. Personally I don't get the hype over Class A. I have not noticed a significant difference on my XPA-1's other than the heat it puts off.
|
|
|
Post by deltadube on Apr 7, 2016 13:20:25 GMT -5
Mono blocks are a solid choice. Personally I don't get the hype over Class A. I have not noticed a significant difference on my XPA-1's other than the heat it puts off. nothing like having a membership in the mono block society eh!!!!
|
|
|
Post by garbulky on Apr 7, 2016 14:10:56 GMT -5
teaman : I forgot to add that all my findings were subjective. It doesn't guarantee the OP will find the same benefits. Not saying anything negative. Just that everybody's experiences are different in some way. For me, if anything class A allows a bit more cohesiveness in the sound. And the cymbals sound more real.
|
|
|
Post by sockemdog on Apr 7, 2016 14:23:11 GMT -5
Thanks so far for the comments! I may not want to wait and just go for the XPA-1... but still not sure.
|
|
|
Post by teaman on Apr 7, 2016 14:36:29 GMT -5
Not knocking the Class A ability at all garbulky, mine were just getting too hot in the cabinet they were in. sckayak, you really cannot go wrong with a pair of XPA-1's Gen 1 or 2. Really nice amps that you really won't have to worry about replacing.
|
|
|
Post by tchaik on Apr 7, 2016 14:36:49 GMT -5
Mono blocks are a solid choice. Personally I don't get the hype over Class A. I have not noticed a significant difference on my XPA-1's other than the heat it puts off. some say class A is like having tubes without any of the coloration and 2nd, 3rd, or 4th order distortion…… in other words without the harmonics of the octave, 5th and the 4th which can give a more pleasing but not necessarily accurate sound. only the listener living with the amp for a while can say whether there is enough difference to make a difference. personally i liked the sound of my class A krell years ago but i have never done a direct comparison with a class A/B amp. only a comparison with an audio research tube amp which was btw… night and day difference. tchaik……….
|
|
|
Post by leonski on Apr 7, 2016 16:47:25 GMT -5
My goal is to purchase two fully-balanced monoblocks with selectable Class "A" capabilities like the XPA-1 between now and 6 months from now. However, I would be willing to wait to pull-the-trigger if I could purchase one with XPR-like topology that's made in the USA. Weight is not an issue as I'm not going to move them very often once in place. 50 pounds or 200 pounds each... I don't care. A nice feature would be if the Class "A" was single-ended instead of push-pull. I might be asking too much. Also, does anyone know when the next big sale might come along? What say you folks? Want single ended Class 'A'? Pass Labs. Buy 'em by the pound and bring a buddy.
|
|
|
Post by deltadube on Apr 7, 2016 19:18:29 GMT -5
Thanks so far for the comments! I may not want to wait and just go for the XPA-1... but still not sure. great choice.. I'm very happy with mine!!! might ad choosing an xsp 1 pre amp takes it up another notch and great for ht too... cheers...
|
|
|
Post by Gary Cook on Apr 7, 2016 19:54:30 GMT -5
I agree, a balanced discrete system with an XSP-1 and a pair of Emotiva XPA monoblocks is unbeatable sound quality and quantity for the money. Nothing comes close. The Class A difference is very subtle and not all music reveals it, not all speakers display it, not all rooms facilitate it and not all ears can hear it. Sometimes I convince myself that there's no difference and then I pop a Diana Krall CD into the ERC-3 and bingo there it is. Or Stevie Nicks on vinyl, or a sax solo in a Boz Scaggs track. Turn up the volume and listen to the harp on "If It's Magic" by Stevie Wonder from the "Songs in the Key of Life" SACD.
Cheers Gary
|
|
|
Post by sockemdog on Apr 7, 2016 20:15:47 GMT -5
They will be paired with an XMC-1 that I currently have. Going balanced from source to speaker terminals on the mains will be interesting.
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,744
|
Post by klinemj on Apr 7, 2016 21:03:17 GMT -5
I say don't worry about what class the amp is. Worry about the power level and sound.
What kind of power do you need for your speakers and the sound levels you like to listen to?
Mark
|
|
|
Post by sockemdog on Apr 8, 2016 8:19:39 GMT -5
I say don't worry about what class the amp is. Worry about the power level and sound. What kind of power do you need for your speakers and the sound levels you like to listen to? Mark As of right now, I have some not-quite full-size B&W speakers. In the near future, I want to move up to full-size. Those on the radar are Tektons, B&W, or Maggies. As far as sound levels, it depends on the mood. Some are quiet nights and others are pretty energetic dynamic swings.
|
|
|
Post by jdubs on Apr 8, 2016 8:28:23 GMT -5
I ordered Odyssey Monos. I got tired of waiting to see what Emotiva was going to do. I should get them sometime this month. They are made to order, so you have to wait.
|
|
|
Post by creimes on Apr 8, 2016 8:59:59 GMT -5
If I had the funds I would totally order two or three different brand and or types of amps and see which I preferred, as long as each one had a return trial like Emotiva, like Gary mentioned we all have different rooms, gear and ears so to each their own when it comes to what one likes to what another one likes especially when it comes to sound.
Chad
|
|
|
Post by garbulky on Apr 8, 2016 9:12:32 GMT -5
I ordered Odyssey Monos. I got tired of waiting to see what Emotiva was going to do. I should get them sometime this month. They are made to order, so you have to wait. Which Odyssey's?
|
|
|
Post by jdubs on Apr 8, 2016 9:25:06 GMT -5
I ordered Odyssey Monos. I got tired of waiting to see what Emotiva was going to do. I should get them sometime this month. They are made to order, so you have to wait. Which Odyssey's? Kismet in a Stratos case.
|
|
|
Post by qdtjni on Apr 8, 2016 9:58:05 GMT -5
I say don't worry about what class the amp is. Worry about the power level and sound. What kind of power do you need for your speakers and the sound levels you like to listen to? Mark As of right now, I have some not-quite full-size B&W speakers. In the near future, I want to move up to full-size. Those on the radar are Tektons, B&W, or Maggies. As far as sound levels, it depends on the mood. Some are quiet nights and others are pretty energetic dynamic swings. Which B&Ws?
|
|
|
Post by sockemdog on Apr 8, 2016 10:50:19 GMT -5
As of right now, I have some not-quite full-size B&W speakers. In the near future, I want to move up to full-size. Those on the radar are Tektons, B&W, or Maggies. As far as sound levels, it depends on the mood. Some are quiet nights and others are pretty energetic dynamic swings. Which B&Ws? DM-600i series 2-way with 8" mid-woofer I know the XPA-1 amp is overkill on those, but I'm looking to the future as well. I've used them on two amps in the past (Nakamichi and Anthem) but the most revealing and dynamic response out of them is on my XPA-5. They are wonderful speakers and have given me a benchmark over the years to judge improvements. BTW: I really don't want this thread to be about the speakers... just the amp decision. I know the XPA-1 is more powerful than the speakers can handle at full tilt. But, I know the limits of those and where I need to stop with the volume level.
|
|