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PA-1 amps
Jun 22, 2018 17:37:54 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by garbulky on Jun 22, 2018 17:37:54 GMT -5
I’m impressed that it’s already out. Is it shipping?
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novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,213
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Post by novisnick on Jun 22, 2018 17:53:50 GMT -5
I’m impressed that it’s already out. Is it shipping? Shipping started two days ago.
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 9,901
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Post by KeithL on Jun 23, 2018 1:14:33 GMT -5
The Emotiva Stealth PA-1 - The Real Story
I've been seeing a lot of questions about our new little Stealth PA-1 Fully Balanced Class-D Monoblock Power Amp, so I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you a little bit about it. (You can find most of this information in the Owner's Manual, which you can download from the product page.)
The Stealth PA-1 is a fully balanced Class-D monoblock power amplifier based on the popular ICEpower ASC300 amplifier module. The ICEpower ASC300 module includes a high-efficiency Class-D audio amplifier and a dedicated high-efficiency switch mode power supply (SMPS) on a single board. This is the same great-sounding B & O ICEpower technology you've seen in audiophile products costing many times as much as the PA-1.
All of the actual circuitry that makes up the amplifier and power supply is part of the ICEpower module. Here at Emotiva, we've incorporated this great technology into a simple and practical product, which we can sell to you at a reasonable price. (A lot of other companies are quite comfortable putting the same module in a fancy case and charging you three or four times as much - or more - but that's not the way we roll.)
* This is the same B&O ICEpower technology that's been getting rave reviews in audiophile equipment for years - and it sounds really really good. * All of the active circuitry in the Stealth PA-1 is provided by an ICEpower ASC300 module - operated as a monoblock. * The Stealth PA-1 is a fully balanced design, with a balanced input, and a fully balanced output (but, yes, you can run it from an unbalanced source if you want to). * The Stealth PA-1 incorporates both a pure Class-D audio amplifier and a switch mode power supply (SMPS) on a single board. * The Stealth PA-1 requires minimum ventilation and runs cool. * You can mount a single PA-1, or a pair of PA-1's side by side, in a single 1U rack space... and you can mount multiples one above the other. * The PA-1 has great protection; if you overload it, or even if you short the outputs, it will simply shut down, and start again a few seconds after the fault is removed. * We won't be talking about things like the size of the power transformer or the filter capacitors because those simply don't apply to Class-D amplifiers. * We will be publishing AP reports. However, we'll tell you right now that some of the numbers may at first seem less than impressive. (You'll notice that some audiophile products that use ICEpower technology publish one or two impressive familiar specs - while omitting the rest). The reason is simply that the ICEpower technology is highly optimized for efficiency and excellent sound quality. ICEpower modules are designed to sound great playing music, to run cool, and to be almost bulletproof. They're NOT designed specifically to measure well on bench tests. It really is that simple. Many of the factors governing the performance of Class-D amps are quite different than the ones you're used to with Class A/B amps... so many of the performance specs you're familiar with simply don't apply to this technology. If you don't believe us, just read some of the recent rave reviews of products that use ICEpower technology... or, better yet, let the PA-1 speak for itself.
We think the Stealth PA-1 is the perfect solution if you're looking for a monoblock to power a center channel speaker. Or use a pair of them wherever you need a moderate amount of high quality audio power - especially if cooling is limited. Or even use a whole set of them to power your home theater system. (We're convinced you'll like the way they sound; after all, we do have a 30 day return policy.)
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Post by bolle on Jun 23, 2018 5:01:02 GMT -5
Just out of interest - why didn´t you go with Pascal Audio or Hypex nCore? I personally found both sounding superior to icepower. That´s just my opinion and no offence meant, just interested.
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Post by mgbpuff on Jun 23, 2018 9:48:54 GMT -5
Sounds like this product involves no Emotiva engineering at all. Emotiva going the Monoprice route?
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Post by pedrocols on Jun 23, 2018 10:17:25 GMT -5
But, but, but does it has any Tubes....
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Post by craigl59 on Jun 23, 2018 12:10:44 GMT -5
KeithL: Incisive as always; Thanks. Wondering about the new S12 subs; know there is another thread but the conversation about class D versus class A/B started on this thread so I will try here first. When first out, the web described the S12 amplification as A/B which the manual still does. Then it was replaced by a class D one. Two questions: 1. were the first group of S12s produced with A/B amps? 2. Is it possible to request the A/B option if you buy two? Thanks again and the discourse always improves with your participation.
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Post by leonski on Jun 23, 2018 12:33:31 GMT -5
Sounds like this product involves no Emotiva engineering at all. Emotiva going the Monoprice route? Not quite true: EMO will engineer the input section. And casework / layout. RF and that might still be an issue with 'D' amps Voicing should be pure ICE Choice of parts, like speaker connectors and input connectors matter, as does internal wiring NOT supplied by B&O. Power cord might be fairly generic, but must be of sufficient gauge. If you think this is trivial stuff, that's OK. But go ahead and buy yourself a couple nCore modules and let me know how THAT works out.
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Post by mgbpuff on Jun 23, 2018 15:18:34 GMT -5
Sounds like this product involves no Emotiva engineering at all. Emotiva going the Monoprice route? Not quite true: EMO will engineer the input section. And casework / layout. RF and that might still be an issue with 'D' amps Voicing should be pure ICE Choice of parts, like speaker connectors and input connectors matter, as does internal wiring NOT supplied by B&O. Power cord might be fairly generic, but must be of sufficient gauge. If you think this is trivial stuff, that's OK. But go ahead and buy yourself a couple nCore modules and let me know how THAT works out. So, lt is a kit project, only on a large scale. Whatever!
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Post by pedrocols on Jun 23, 2018 15:28:24 GMT -5
Not quite true: EMO will engineer the input section. And casework / layout. RF and that might still be an issue with 'D' amps Voicing should be pure ICE Choice of parts, like speaker connectors and input connectors matter, as does internal wiring NOT supplied by B&O. Power cord might be fairly generic, but must be of sufficient gauge. If you think this is trivial stuff, that's OK. But go ahead and buy yourself a couple nCore modules and let me know how THAT works out. So, lt is a kit project, only on a large scale. Whatever! You'd be better off building a Monoblock Tube Amp Kit
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Post by mgbpuff on Jun 23, 2018 15:37:19 GMT -5
Actually, I do think the engineering involved is trivial.
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Post by leonski on Jun 23, 2018 16:42:16 GMT -5
Not quite, with all due respect. Input section must be designed to eliminate crosstalk between balanced and single ended inputs. Amp board will have power for that, methinks.
The devil is in the details. Everything must be secured in the case, leads properly run and possible RFI issues minimized.
Complicated? No, not really, as you'd say, but certainly nothing BUT details.
Than? All the 'little stuff', like power connections, switching and any indicators lamps are considered.
If you have built a Tube Amp Kit? Yep, it' turns near-trivial. But most don't have such experience and depend on what amounts to a 'module installer' to get it right.
Hypex /NCore will sell you all sorts of kits. Check 'em out. Lots of Successful DIY and MOST of the engineering done for you.
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Post by Loop 7 on Jun 23, 2018 17:12:32 GMT -5
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Post by garbulky on Jun 23, 2018 17:26:05 GMT -5
If it sounds good, there's no doubt that this is a pretty nice price imo. You get monoblocks for $600 fully balanced and they go with your DC-1. $1000 full balanced monoblock setup. What's not to love? Add a bas-x A-100 for solid headphone amp performance
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novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,213
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Post by novisnick on Jun 23, 2018 17:41:20 GMT -5
The Brooklyn is a duel Monoblock design, not stereo. The Emotiva is a $1,900.00 savings though. We have no idea what either sounds like. There seems to be too many dissimilarities to make a competent comparison.
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novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,213
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Post by novisnick on Jun 23, 2018 18:12:10 GMT -5
Heres a thought, If the DC-2 were to hit the sales page I’d be in for it and a set of PA-1’s in a flash! Shame they couldn’t both drop together.
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Post by gld3gld3 on Jun 24, 2018 15:37:34 GMT -5
Part of me is tempted to run two of these balanced from my DC-1. I would build some stands so that they could be placed vertically behind my Tekton m-Lores and practically "disappear"! I could also have very short speaker cables, literally two inches long would due! The nagging thing is I have no way of knowing if this setup would be garner SQ improvements over my mini-x, given how easy my speakers are to drive. I guess I'll just wait and see what people say about the sound of these little units. For the price of two PA-1s I'm in the territory of a used SA-250, which is discrete and dual differential class AB. I would be more inclined to think the SA-250 would sound better in my system, but who knows...
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Post by teaman on Jun 24, 2018 16:18:27 GMT -5
I think this little amp will be out of production within a year. No way I can see that people are going to pay this price for so little power and subpar specs. Of course there are plenty of Koolaid drinkers so you never know. I feel Emotiva has lost it's way.
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Post by garbulky on Jun 24, 2018 16:38:42 GMT -5
I think this little amp will be out of production within a year. No way I can see that people are going to pay this price for so little power and subpar specs. Of course there are plenty of Koolaid drinkers so you never know. I feel Emotiva has lost it's way. I think this will be a really nice hit. It's priced quite nicely imo. It also seems like a high margin unit for Emotiva due to its size and it essentially being a rebadged ICE unit. More importantly, it's not a crown unit. It's an ICE power unit. Not all class D is created equal. And its compact size is very appealing. Would I replace my XPA-1 with it? No way. But man, it would be a great price to get in to fully balanced gear. It's Emotiva's lowest priced fully balanced amp yet released. Now I haven't heard it. If the sound sucks, then I think it will tank. But the appeal of the gen 3 was "lighter weight" but it was in the same big chassis. So other than helping with a brief move on to the shelf it still takes the same amount of space. Add to that, I didn't think it sounded that great, and it's priced somewhat high, I see little appeal. Now this one, is actually smaller. It puts out close to 250 watts at 4 ohms - I've only had 4 ohm speakers. It's fully balanced and matches the DC-1. I mean I think that's a homerun - pending on how I think it would sound.
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Post by brubacca on Jun 24, 2018 17:58:54 GMT -5
Maybe we shouldn't slam the product before more than a handful have gotten to hear it? Emotiva has been against class D amps until this module came along. Many others are selling ICE Amps for much more (and other digital technologies). It seems to be a decent price. I saw the ICE module on sale on Ebay.uk for $135 each US. Its going to cost you probably $200 total to roll one yourself not including your labor. Personally I think its a good deal for the amp.
Go check out a Red Dragon Audio or Wyred4 Sound amps if you want to see more expensive. (I realize not all exact comparisons)
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