Post by ny1pr2009 on Nov 28, 2010 11:14:18 GMT -5
I have own this Onkyo PA-MC5500 for almost a month and prior to that I had owned the Emotiva UPA-7 for almost a year and I made the comparison between both of them and this is what I have experienced,
As far as the Onkyo PA-MC5500, 9 channel amplifier all I can honestly say is that it sounds and perfoms much better than the Emotiva UPA-7. Remember that I had used the UPA-7 for almost a year an I think it is a very good 7 channel amplifier specially for the price.
Price wise yes, It beats the Onkyo. If you are on a budget I will strongly suggest to buy the Emotiva UPA-7. It is a very good Multi- Channel amplifier for the price. As far as performance compare to my Onkyo 9 channel Class A/B amplifier it is not.
Im my system the Emotiva UPA-7 had the tendency of sounding laid back for my taste. It was more of a neutral sounding amplifier. I am not saying that this is a bad thing. If you are a person that likes this kind of sound then this may be the amplifier for you.
On the other hand the Onkyo Amplifer is a very detailed amplifier. There is a better sense of dynamics than with the Emotiva amplifer. Surround sounds are more real and transparent.There is a wider soundstage.The transient response is faster and better than with the UPA-7. The Onkyo PA-MC5505 involves you with pitch-perfect sonics, pinpoint placement of sound effects, and a huge ambient soundfield. This is something that I did not experienced with the UPA-7.
I am not saying in any way that the Emotiva UPA-7 is not a good multichannel amplifier. For my taste and in my home thater system compare to the Onkyo PA-MC5500 the Onkyo out performed the UPA-7 in many ways. Someone else's system may sound different using the Onkyo. Also please understand that speaker cables and interconnects play a big part in how an amplifier may sound from one system to another.
I know that a few people might say, sure the Onkyo is $1699 compare to the Emotiva $599 so the Onkyo should performed better than the Emotiva. Gentleman this is not the case here!
In my many years in this hobby I have heard many so called "high end "expensive multichannel amplifiers sound like a tin can even after giving them 100+ of hours of break in period and yet I have heard lower end "entry level" multichannel amplifers trounced these high end ones.
I am very happy with my Onkyo 9 Channel Amplifier. It performs as I expect a multichannel amplifier to do so. I feel that Onkyo has done a terrific job with this amplifer.
I am also waiting for Emotiva to released their XRP-7 or the PMA-7200 to compare it to the Onkyo. Since I am only using 7 channels for now I will not mind giving these amps a try. Who knows maybe either of these two Emotiva amps will out performed my Onkyo PA-MC5500.
But for now the Onkyo PA-MC5500 9 Channel Class A/B Amplifier is here to stay together with it's Big Brother the PR-SC5508 THX Ultra 2 Certified with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 Preamplifier Processor!!!!
As far as the Onkyo PA-MC5500, 9 channel amplifier all I can honestly say is that it sounds and perfoms much better than the Emotiva UPA-7. Remember that I had used the UPA-7 for almost a year an I think it is a very good 7 channel amplifier specially for the price.
Price wise yes, It beats the Onkyo. If you are on a budget I will strongly suggest to buy the Emotiva UPA-7. It is a very good Multi- Channel amplifier for the price. As far as performance compare to my Onkyo 9 channel Class A/B amplifier it is not.
Im my system the Emotiva UPA-7 had the tendency of sounding laid back for my taste. It was more of a neutral sounding amplifier. I am not saying that this is a bad thing. If you are a person that likes this kind of sound then this may be the amplifier for you.
On the other hand the Onkyo Amplifer is a very detailed amplifier. There is a better sense of dynamics than with the Emotiva amplifer. Surround sounds are more real and transparent.There is a wider soundstage.The transient response is faster and better than with the UPA-7. The Onkyo PA-MC5505 involves you with pitch-perfect sonics, pinpoint placement of sound effects, and a huge ambient soundfield. This is something that I did not experienced with the UPA-7.
I am not saying in any way that the Emotiva UPA-7 is not a good multichannel amplifier. For my taste and in my home thater system compare to the Onkyo PA-MC5500 the Onkyo out performed the UPA-7 in many ways. Someone else's system may sound different using the Onkyo. Also please understand that speaker cables and interconnects play a big part in how an amplifier may sound from one system to another.
I know that a few people might say, sure the Onkyo is $1699 compare to the Emotiva $599 so the Onkyo should performed better than the Emotiva. Gentleman this is not the case here!
In my many years in this hobby I have heard many so called "high end "expensive multichannel amplifiers sound like a tin can even after giving them 100+ of hours of break in period and yet I have heard lower end "entry level" multichannel amplifers trounced these high end ones.
I am very happy with my Onkyo 9 Channel Amplifier. It performs as I expect a multichannel amplifier to do so. I feel that Onkyo has done a terrific job with this amplifer.
I am also waiting for Emotiva to released their XRP-7 or the PMA-7200 to compare it to the Onkyo. Since I am only using 7 channels for now I will not mind giving these amps a try. Who knows maybe either of these two Emotiva amps will out performed my Onkyo PA-MC5500.
But for now the Onkyo PA-MC5500 9 Channel Class A/B Amplifier is here to stay together with it's Big Brother the PR-SC5508 THX Ultra 2 Certified with Audyssey MultEQ XT32 Preamplifier Processor!!!!
