UPA-1's Meet my Rogue Stereo 90

[amplus]

Hi all, new user and new owner of Emotiva products! During the past few months I've been building my Home Theater room in my basement. I finished the room right before the holidays and since then have been selling off 2-channel equipment and saving for the move towards multi-channel. I love listening to music,that is still very very important to me, but I really enjoy a good concert or movie. The wife/kids are more into the movies so... since 2-channel and multi must both co-exist in the same room I'm trying find the right balance between the two.

I currently have a Rogue Stereo 90. It has been an amazing amp. For those who don't know, it is a tube amp. I actually sold an Aragon 8008ST after bringing the Rogue home from the audio shop and comparing the two. The two were very close, maybe giving the Aragon an edge as you head towards the lower end, but the Rogue sounded a little better to me as you got towards the upper end. Staging was great with both. So I got into the tube thing and have not really looked into something else for quite some time.

So now comes the home theater. I really wanted something matching for the front 3 channels. I couldn't afford 3 Rogue mono blocks so I decided to start looking for other amp options. Then I saw mention of Emotiva in a forum. Being the proud owner of an Oppo 83SE I knew high-end can be affordable. I simply can't spend the kind of money I used to on audio so I decided to give it a shot.

I received my Emotiva UPA-1's a few weeks ago and brought them downstairs. With a little rearranging and some level matching I got the amps setup so that I could do a fairly easy swap between the Emotiva's and the Rogue. All listening was done in 2-channel from CD's since that is the bulk of my listening and enjoyment.

The first night I listened I was not that impressed with the UPA-1's. I was not really totally convinced solid-state had to break-in. In the first round the Rogue sounded so beautiful and natural and the Emotiva's were a little bright and harsh... or should I say a little toppy. I hooked the Emotiva's back up and let them run with music for a few hours while I did other stuff. The next night I gave them a good workout, but did no critical listening.

After a few days I gave it another shot. This time things were different. The Emotiva's were a much closer match to what I was hearing from the Rogue. The mid's were more full and the top end was not as shouty. So, is it just me? I figure, let me give them a few more hours and see what happens.

The other night I sat down and this time was really paying attention. I had my listening ears on. And I still can't believe it, but the Emotiva's are now sounding incredibly good. I mean... really really good. Now I feel I can give a better comparison. Staging is very good on both the UPA-1's and the Rogue. The Rogue sounds a little more "round" or full in the lower octaves, but I feel that the UPA-1's have a clarity that may be defined as more articulate bass. In the vocal and mids I find both very good. The Rogue has a slight glow/bloom/depth advantage here. But is that what some call the tube sound? Maybe... and it is here that I am amazed that as I put more hours on the UPA-1's that they get closer and closer to the Rogue in this respect. So the Emotiva amps are doing something very well in the mids. I feel it is a natural and clear reproduction. In the top end both are now equals. Really, I am so amazed at what is coming from the UPA-1's.

One final note... when it comes to turning things up the UPA-1's just keep going. I never feel like they are running out of steam and the space around instruments never collapses. The Rouge is very good when turned up, but at times I feel it can't go much further and feel I have to stop. At that point I am probably damaging my hearing anyways. With the UPA's, these amps go to 11 so if I want to do more damage I can.

Those are my thoughts so far. I wanted to share them so that others considering these amps could have a reference against something else. The price is really amazing and that is why I decided to go for it. I still really love my Rogue amp, but I'm not sure what to do with it. There is something a little magical about the tubes. I hate the thought but it might make sense to sell it at this point. Maybe I can convince the wife to keep it upstairs as a 2-channel in our living room. Well, here is a list of equipment:

Emotiva UPA-1's for L/C/R
Oppo 83SE
Anthem Statement D1
Alon Lotus Elite main speakers
Zaph Audio ZA5.3c center speaker
Dayton US650C Coaxial ceiling surrounds
Dayton APA150 for surrounds
Definitive Tech PF1500 sub
Sharpvision XV-Z12000 w/ Curt Palm HD FuryII
Rogue Audio Stereo 90... currently sitting idle :-(

[strindl]

You're not imagining the improvement that a bit of break in time does for the emotiva amps. I experienced the exact same thing with my XPA-1's. The first night after I hooked them up they sounded a bit hard and bright in the treble from what I was used to.

I left them powered up overnight and that harshness was gone the next night and has not re appeared. Like you, I was skeptical about solid state electronics needing any break in time to sound their best, but I heard it.

[garret3037s]

welcome amplus. I had though about getting the Rogue Stereo 90 some time ago...but I finally got a tube int. amp instead...now...I had my tube amp sitting idle like you...
I'm using my xpa-2 everyday...very happy about it...

[40for60]

Amplus,

Thanks for the review. It's informative hearing how the UPA-1's stack up against other amps, especially one like yours. I'm considering the UPA-1s since many have claimed they are musical, so I'd like to use them for the front channels.

If you like the tube sound, you could get a tube preamp to use when listening to music. That's what I did. I have an Emotiva LPA-1 and a MMC-1 HT preamp, but when listening to music I hook up my Mapletree Line2A tube preamp. Sometimes it's a little bit of a hastle to change cables between the preamps, but it's not so bad.

You could sell your Rogue amp on Audiogon, and get something like the Rogue Metis (which I was also looking at when I got the Mapletree) either new or used. Some claim the octal type tubes (like the 6sn7) sound better than the 9-pin tubes (like 12ax7). The preamp would allow you to still get the tube sound.

Thanks again for the review,

Tom

[amplus]

Thanks for the responses. I was thinking about selling it on Audiogon. I'm going to give it a little time. Maybe I will use it in a second system. Last night I had my David Gilmour DVD playing and it was just amazing. I can't believe how you can keep turning it up and the sound never gets compressed or harsh. These are very MUSICAL amps!

[hawk14]

Thanks for the review! It sheds some more light on how good the UPA's can be as Rogue is a well respected amp. I wonder what impressions would be if the UPA-1's were compared to Rogue's M-150 monoblocks. You know, Mono y Mono. ;D

Anyhow, at some point I will grab a pair of UPA's to match with a tube pre and some Sonus Fabers and see what happens.

By the way, if you have the space for a second system, keep the Rogue as its a sweet amp (but you know that already). ;D

[Vespid]

Emotiva UPA-1's for L/C/R
Oppo 83SE
Anthem Statement D1
Alon Lotus Elite main speakers
Zaph Audio ZA5.3c center speaker
Dayton US650C Coaxial ceiling surrounds
Dayton APA150 for surrounds
Definitive Tech PF1500 sub
Sharpvision XV-Z12000 w/ Curt Palm HD FuryII
Rogue Audio Stereo 90... currently sitting idle :-([/quote]

Not trying to hi-jack the thread, but how do you like that ZA5.3C center channel?

[amplus]

No problem. As far as I'm concerned we're talking audio and home theater. So more than happy to talk center real quick here. The Zaph center is very nice. At first I wanted to build his ZD3C since it has the added midrange mounted vertically with the tweeter in that design (better for eliminating horizontal lobbing problems) but I was really interested in building the new ZA5.5tt towers based on these drivers so I chose this as my center to kind of get a preview of the driver quality. It sounds better and better the more I use it (needs a good break-in). Vocals are very clean. I think the combination of low-distortion drivers, close spacing, and reduced baffle step compensation really make this a great center. Last night I was watching something well off to the side and the clarity of the center was absolutely great. It cranks too, especially being crossed over at around 80 HZ. For a center it really doesn't get much better than this, especially when you consider how much it costs. If you want any additional info I can post pics. The UPA-1 is a beautiful match for it.