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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 23, 2010 22:16:54 GMT -5
Hi folks I just cant decide , I listen to 30% music and70% movies. I currently have a XPA-3 I truly love powering my studio 60's and cc-690 center so when I add the new amp or amps I will have the xpa-3 power my surrounds and my center the new amp/s will power my front left and right. What do you guys think ? I'll be pulling the trigger pretty quick here I mean real quick ; ) I might have to flip a coin I think its that close when I weigh everything out .
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stiehl11
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Post by stiehl11 on Sept 23, 2010 22:35:11 GMT -5
My personal opinion would be the XPA-2 over the mono-blocks. I was thinking along the same lines but after talking with many of the forum members in person as well as the gang at Emotiva at this year's Emofest I'm convinced that, for me, I will go with the XPA-2.
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Post by Kidchewie on Sept 23, 2010 22:37:10 GMT -5
I had the same predicament and ended up going with the 4 XPA-2's for the 7.1 home theater, for the dynamics and extra headroom (bridging the center channel). And in the future, will be going with the XPA-1's (or UPA-1's in your case, mono-blocks either way) for the separation in the 2 channel set-up.
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Post by monkumonku on Sept 23, 2010 22:46:53 GMT -5
I have an XPA-2 and am perfectly happy with it at all volumes. Even when playing very loud, it hardly registers 3 of the LED's. I figure many on the lounge will tell you get the UPA-1's because they are monoblocks and monoblocks sound better and you get better separation of sound, etc., but I bet most couldn't tell the difference blindfolded. I think you can't go wrong either way, but I really like the XPA-2 in large part because I know it has plenty of clean power to spare.
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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 23, 2010 23:00:52 GMT -5
Thanks guys its a tough choice, for placement for me the upa-1's would be much easier but I dont want to get them predicated just on that .
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stiehl11
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Post by stiehl11 on Sept 23, 2010 23:06:12 GMT -5
Purely on esoterics: the UPA-1s, even when picked up together, don't weigh near as much as the XPA-2. So, for pure beefy-ness, nothing says "manly" like an XPA-2. This post is not to be taken seriously. A grain of salt is required for proper understanding.
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Post by roadrunner on Sept 23, 2010 23:06:12 GMT -5
You will extremely happy which ever way you elect to go. The best advice I can give you is to ask a question. Do you get more joy listening to great music reproduction or do you get more joy out of "feeling" the sound effects during a movie?
If you get more joy while listening to great musical reproduction buy the UPA-1 mono blocks. If you get more joy from feeling the sound effects explode into your chest buy the XPA-2. It's that simple, but don't fret about it because you are going to love which ever amp you buy. ;D ;D
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Post by monkumonku on Sept 23, 2010 23:10:09 GMT -5
Purely on esoterics: the UPA-1s, even when picked up together, don't weigh near as much as the XPA-2. So, for pure beefy-ness, nothing says "manly" like an XPA-2. This post is not to be taken seriously. A grain of salt is required for proper understanding.Yeah, I agree.. there's the masculine XPA-2 or the girly-men UPA-1. ;D (same disclaimer as was posted above)
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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 23, 2010 23:15:40 GMT -5
You will extremely happy which ever way you elect to go. The best advice I can give you is to ask a question. Do you get more joy listening to great music reproduction or do you get more joy out of "feeling" the sound effects during a movie? If you get more joy while listening to great musical reproduction buy the UPA-1 mono blocks. If you get more joy from feeling the sound effects explode into your chest buy the XPA-2. It's that simple, but don't fret about it because you are going to love which ever amp you buy. ;D ;D I think I get more joy from great musical reproduction and my two subs handle the bass and explosions well for movies .
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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 23, 2010 23:17:24 GMT -5
Purely on esoterics: the UPA-1s, even when picked up together, don't weigh near as much as the XPA-2. So, for pure beefy-ness, nothing says "manly" like an XPA-2. This post is not to be taken seriously. A grain of salt is required for proper understanding.Yeah, I agree.. there's the masculine XPA-2 or the girly-men UPA-1. ;D (same disclaimer as was posted above) I can see he's a bad influence on you but I must admit you guys had me thinking ;D
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stiehl11
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Post by stiehl11 on Sept 23, 2010 23:18:40 GMT -5
I would also say that the UPA-1 has a more "mellow" sound to it and not as punchy from the two occasions I've had to hear them.
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Post by strindl on Sept 23, 2010 23:30:56 GMT -5
Both the UPA-1 and the XPA-2 will make your speakers sing. The XPA-2 is the more powerful of the two, with double the toroidal transformer power per channel and double the number of output transistors per channel.
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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 23, 2010 23:38:18 GMT -5
I would also say that the UPA-1 has a more "mellow" sound to it and not as punchy from the two occasions I've had to hear them. Hmmm kinda layed back like I am lol might be a good match
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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 23, 2010 23:40:08 GMT -5
Both the UPA-1 and the XPA-2 will make your speakers sing. The XPA-2 is the more powerful of the two, with double the toroidal transformer power per channel and double the number of output transistors per channel. My Paradigm studio 60's arent real power hungry but im sure would welcome the extra juice .
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cgolf
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Post by cgolf on Sept 24, 2010 4:37:30 GMT -5
I've run every combination there is at one time or another except XPA-1s. Everything you've read on this thread is true!! It' so much a matter of opinion, speakers, room, etc. The UPA-1s will give a bit more separation but can you tell blind, nah!!! ;D The XPA-2 will give more power and headroom but can you tell blind, yeh!!! ;D But your ears will give out first....
I've been running a pair of UPA-1s in the game room but I'm going to put my XPA-2 back in there because I need to sell something and I just can't part with the 2.
Soooo, if you decide to go with the 1s, I have a fantastic pair for sale. ;D
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Post by ngmitter on Sept 24, 2010 7:39:34 GMT -5
I've posted this in other threads:
I have a pair of Paradigm Studio 100s V3 paired with two UPA-1s and a UMC-1. They absolutely have plenty of power feeding them. I will hurt my ears before I max the amps out. I also have a pair of 40s which work equally as well. The 60s are obviously in the middle of those two and would sound wonderful, with the added channel separation of two amps. It also allows flexibility if you want to add an amp for a center channel.
As an example, I put on Pendulum's new CD and did some two channel listening in direct mode. It was more than enough bass to shake my house. I also have a Paradigm Seismic 12 (1500 W RMS, 4500 W peak as if peak means anything) and I don't even need to use it for music anymore. The 100s have plenty of power from the UPA-1s to reproduce low frequencies at high dB.
Hope that helps.
-Nick
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Post by moovtune on Sept 24, 2010 12:03:10 GMT -5
My UPA-1's are powering some PSB towers and there's plenty of power to spare. Personally I don't see the need for 350 watts versus 200 watts when at most you're using maybe 100 of what's available and most often less unless you're trying to use your speakers as fans to stir the air. The other thing to consider is, if your speakers are bi-wirable, the UPA-1 makes it easy with it's two output connectors and coupled with the fact it's a monoblock, adds another level of clarity.
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Post by Nemesis.ie on Sept 24, 2010 12:08:35 GMT -5
The UPA-1s into my ERM-6.3s are not lacking in oomph, my ears would definitely give out first and they seem to have plenty or reserve.
Much easier to move around than the XPA-5 which is a similar weight to the XPA-2. A major consideration if you have to pay lots of shipping charges.
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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 24, 2010 16:23:18 GMT -5
I've run every combination there is at one time or another except XPA-1s. Everything you've read on this thread is true!! It' so much a matter of opinion, speakers, room, etc. The UPA-1s will give a bit more separation but can you tell blind, nah!!! ;D The XPA-2 will give more power and headroom but can you tell blind, yeh!!! ;D But your ears will give out first.... I've been running a pair of UPA-1s in the game room but I'm going to put my XPA-2 back in there because I need to sell something and I just can't part with the 2. Soooo, if you decide to go with the 1s, I have a fantastic pair for sale. ;D Thanks i'll keep that in mind ;D
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Post by thefactor1 on Sept 24, 2010 16:24:00 GMT -5
I've posted this in other threads: I have a pair of Paradigm Studio 100s V3 paired with two UPA-1s and a UMC-1. They absolutely have plenty of power feeding them. I will hurt my ears before I max the amps out. I also have a pair of 40s which work equally as well. The 60s are obviously in the middle of those two and would sound wonderful, with the added channel separation of two amps. It also allows flexibility if you want to add an amp for a center channel. As an example, I put on Pendulum's new CD and did some two channel listening in direct mode. It was more than enough bass to shake my house. I also have a Paradigm Seismic 12 (1500 W RMS, 4500 W peak as if peak means anything) and I don't even need to use it for music anymore. The 100s have plenty of power from the UPA-1s to reproduce low frequencies at high dB. Hope that helps. -Nick Thanks Nick and it does help alot !
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