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Post by harrytheheadphones on Jun 5, 2011 9:52:03 GMT -5
I'm new to this site, live in Scotland but I've heard good things about Emotiva amps and I'm thinking of taking the plunge and buying one. However before I do can I ask the group if anyone have any experience of running a XPA-2 with B&W CM9 speakers? The amp has rave reviews in some quarters but being unable to personally audition one is an obvious concern. I've heard Bryston 4B SST2 power amplifier and Bryston BP26 preamplifier with CM9s and they sounded fine, powerful enough to drive these power hungry speakers. Your advice is welcomed. Thanks. HTH
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Post by normanu on Jun 7, 2011 8:08:57 GMT -5
If you have audition a Emotiva vs the Bryston, I'd like to hear your findings
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2011 8:16:33 GMT -5
From my experience and what I've read the Emotiva amps drive difficult loads without compromise. I would expect the Bryston to have better build quality that might allow it to last longer but as for sound I would expect them to be indistinguishable.
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Post by normanu on Jun 8, 2011 5:18:37 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2011 5:56:57 GMT -5
I don't think that modern amps (other than PERHAPS Class D and Class H and Single Ended Class A tube amps and their ilk) have a "sound," and that the only real differences are in build quality and power output. There are tube amps with a "tubey" sound but from what I've read it is because of higher distortion. For this reason I do not hesitate to recommend Emotiva amps over more expensive ones unless you have money to burn or want that low power clipping Single Ended Triode sound. But that's just my honest opinion.
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Post by normanu on Jun 8, 2011 6:50:37 GMT -5
I don't think that modern amps (other than PERHAPS Class D and Class H and Single Ended Class A tube amps and their ilk) have a "sound," and that the only real differences are in build quality and power output. There are tube amps with a "tubey" sound but from what I've read it is because of higher distortion. For this reason I do not hesitate to recommend Emotiva amps over more expensive ones unless you have money to burn or want that low power clipping Single Ended Triode sound. But that's just my honest opinion. I definitely disagree with you on that one... I had a Rotel RMB-1075 before this, and this definitely had another sound then the XPA.
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Post by xyz1 on Jun 8, 2011 8:52:48 GMT -5
I don't think that modern amps (other than PERHAPS Class D and Class H and Single Ended Class A tube amps and their ilk) have a "sound," and that the only real differences are in build quality and power output. There are tube amps with a "tubey" sound but from what I've read it is because of higher distortion. For this reason I do not hesitate to recommend Emotiva amps over more expensive ones unless you have money to burn or want that low power clipping Single Ended Triode sound. But that's just my honest opinion. I definitely disagree with you on that one... I had a Rotel RMB-1075 before this, and this definitely had another sound then the XPA. A warmer sound right? I had to send in my XPA 1 to get fixed and had to fall back and use my Rotel as a back up, and I could definitely tell a differance. They say around here I am not supposed too, but I did.
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Post by Nemesis.ie on Jun 8, 2011 9:57:02 GMT -5
I heard a difference between the XPA-5 and UPA-1s. The XPA seems a little "harder" and the UPA-1 a little smoother, nothing huge, but there is something. I also experiences a larger sound stage from the UPA-1s, whether this is them being mono-blocks or something else I can't say.
I even made recordings of both amps running in stereo and 4/5 people were able to pick 1 amp over the other consistently and most preferred the UPA-1s but a couple preferred the XPA-5.
Not quite a "proper" blind A/B but food for thought.
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Post by normanu on Jun 8, 2011 12:08:34 GMT -5
I definitely disagree with you on that one... I had a Rotel RMB-1075 before this, and this definitely had another sound then the XPA. A warmer sound right? I had to send in my XPA 1 to get fixed and had to fall back and use my Rotel as a back up, and I could definitely tell a differance. They say around here I am not supposed too, but I did. I'm always bad at describing things like this But if I must call it something I guess warmer could be it ... One thing is for sure, there is definitely differences between amps....
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