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Post by audiofile on Dec 16, 2011 23:29:44 GMT -5
So I thought I would start a thread about my new audio gear and how I got there. I found Emotiva, then the Lounge, in November of 2011 in my quest to find my next upgrade. Over the years I have owned many systems but nothing of any real quality except for a nice Mac and Marantz system a long time ago. My most recent search began with a home break-in. Yeah, someone decided to liberate some of my equipment. Looking back now, they did me a favor. At the time though I was pretty ticked off. I got lucky...they left my Vienna Acoustics speakers, an old Rotel amp, my Sonos bridge, my Panasonic BluRay player and my Denon AVR-2805. I also had a vintage set of ADS L-880 speakers in boxes upstairs. So, I scratched together a temporary system and went looking for new gear. I looked at review sites and it soon became apparent that they, and their associated magazines, had their favorites. The reviewed products were diverse and the reviews seemed pretty objective. So I learned a few things. But, I'll be darned if I understood 1/2 of what they were talking about. And c'mon...how many adjectives do you need to describe good music and sound reproduction, anyway???  But one thing became clear after I had started my search...I had been shortchanging myself with my previous systems and it was time to remedy that. I wanted power, lots of good clean power. I needed to stop choking my speakers and I needed to move into the 21st century with some HDMI capability for all my sources. So instead of shopping for a do it all AVR, I decided my route would take me to separates...amps and a pre/pro. And, I wanted to learn all I could about a Home Server, FLAC files and current amp technology. That search led me to an Emotiva component review in Stereophile, then to Emotiva's website and the Lounge... |
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NorthStar
Seeker Of Truth
"And it stoned me to my soul" - Van Morrison
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Post by NorthStar on Dec 16, 2011 23:43:20 GMT -5
Nice story.  |
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Post by audiofile on Dec 16, 2011 23:47:17 GMT -5
It's funny but for some reason, I now feel like a "Lounge Lizard"... LOL
Anyway, on with The Journey....
I can't begin to describe how many "expert" reviews I read online or how many customer reviews I read. All I can say is that it all became a blur....but one stood out. The words used were "stellar performance", "quite the audio value", "you could spend 10 times the amount they charge and still not match the quality of their components" and they were talking about Emotiva.
Like many here, my first read of the site was that it couldn't be true. Honestly, I was skeptical. I've always ascribed to the old adage that you get what you pay for. And for the prices Emotiva sells their equipment for, it can't be any good, right???
Does that mean it has to cost $5,000 (minimum) to get a good amp? Does that mean you should buy MacIntosh or Mark Levinson or God knows how many other high (and higher) dollar components to get good sound? According to those reviews, obviously not.
Now I have never listened to any system with Emotiva gear. So I began to read what the real world users were saying. Yes, my fellow Lounge Lizards were pretty up front about the good, bad and the ugly they had experienced. It was pretty clear, though, that the Emotiva amps were as good as, or better, than described.
So, I have stepped out on that proverbial limb and went with a full complement of Emotiva amps plus some other goodies:
Two (2) Emo XPA-1 amps
Two (2) Emo UPA-1 amps
(Many Many Thanks to Vincent Chen @ Emotiva for the conversation this morning and his advice)
One (1) Integra DHC-40.1 pre-amp/processor
Two (2) Panamax M5400-PM Power control centers
Two (2) custom speaker stands for my ADS L-880's
I'm even going to make up my own speaker wire runs with some good banana plugs. I have a box full of Audioquest Copperhead & Sidewinder interconnects plus what the thieves left behind so I am good there.
I picked up the Integra unit this afternoon (open box demo, $680 ;D) and Emotiva has already shipped 4 boxes, all due here on 12/22/2011.
Bear with me...but this is gonna be fun. I hope you all enjoy reading the next installment.
-Michael
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NorthStar
Seeker Of Truth
"And it stoned me to my soul" - Van Morrison
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Post by NorthStar on Dec 16, 2011 23:54:25 GMT -5
OK then, Merry Christmas! ;D
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Post by audiofile on Dec 16, 2011 23:56:46 GMT -5
hehehe...Truly, Merry Christmas Tooo Meeeeee...LOL
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Post by monkumonku on Dec 17, 2011 1:59:08 GMT -5
Congrats on your Emo purchases! I made my first one in January 2009, when I ran across the XPA-3 on sale. I really feel you can't go wrong with their products - they are solid, very well made, high quality items that are reasonably priced. They don't skimp on things. All in all, Emotiva is a wonderful company to deal with and I'm really glad I made that first purchase, which led to another and another..
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Post by hydrocat on Dec 17, 2011 5:31:22 GMT -5
Congrats on gear, I did the same thing in 2010. XPA-3, and before you know it the XPA-1's are in the stereo cab.
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Post by sidvicious on Dec 17, 2011 7:47:21 GMT -5
Hey my journey started in the early eighty's, but I bought my first emo piece in 2010. I followed their website for three years before making that purchase, due to another forum. It's great stuff at great prices. I wish you luck audiofile and enjoy your equipment and this forum, there are some great experience people on this forum. You are at home hear and people hear will talk about any topic and it is a great time.
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Post by geebo on Dec 17, 2011 9:50:09 GMT -5
I've been into audio for 40 years now. But my path the Emo began a couple of years ago when I decided to replace my Onkyo 604 with something that had HDMI switching and supported the newest codecs. I bought a Sony STR-DN1000. It had everything I wanted but I soon found out it sounded awful. I had always liked the sound of my Onkyo so I decided to ditch the Sony and get another Onk. I settled on an open box 807 from a local electronics store. So now the good sound was back and all the features were there too. That probably would have been it if it weren't for those pre-out jacks on the 807. So I just started looking for 5 channel amps with no real intention of buying anything. Then on the Polk forum I saw mention of a company called Emotiva. I couldn't believe the price on the UPA-5 amp. I thought about it and ordered one online during the July 4 2010 sale. Within an hour of ordering, I called and changed my order to an XPA-5. The rest of the story is in my sig.
So what brought me to Emo? It was a combination of a crappy sounding Sony and those little RCA jacks on the Onkyo. Thank you Sony, Onkyo and a very understanding wife!
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RadTech
Emo VIPs 
X Rayed It!
Posts: 4,462
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Post by RadTech on Dec 17, 2011 10:23:48 GMT -5
"Life is a journey not a destination."
Welcome to the ride audiofile!
Put my first system together in the mid 80s. I had a Fender Strat and Marshall full stack but I quickly became aware of the fact I wasn't going to be the next Eddie VanHalen so I sold my equipment and bought my first home system. I spent close to $2,000 which was a lot for a teenager in the 80s. I've not had a large variety of gear like others. I have pretty much stuck with Polk and Onkyo all these years. I was on the Polk forum too in 09 and a company named Emotiva was being flamed hard. I figured better them then me over there. I also decided to have a look. I mean all the bad things people were saying certainly couldn't be true. How would they stay in business? Anyway, I had a look and liked what I saw. Great equipment at a great price and I bit. My first order was for a UPA 7 in Feb of 09' and then a RPA 2 a few weeks later. They are both great and the RPA 2 one of the best pieces of audio equipment I've ever owned. I purchased a XDA 1 and await the all mighty XSP 1 to round off my 2 channel system.
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Post by audiofile on Dec 17, 2011 12:45:49 GMT -5
So the next part of The Journey has begun: The Wait ...
Many of you here can relate to this part of The Journey. You've read, researched, listened, "anal"yzed and finally sweated out a decision of what gear to go with and you order it. It has to be shipped. You are here and the gear is somewhere else. So you wait...
You get tracking information on the shipment. You ask for updates to be emailed to you. Sometime in the middle of the night the shipping company sends you an email telling you it has arrived here, then departed for there. They even tell you how much your shipment weighs! My shipment is 4 boxes with a total weight of 248 lbs/112.5kg. How's that for the wonders of technology?
However, all this updating does nothing besides tease me and still I wait...
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Post by audiofile on Dec 18, 2011 11:31:58 GMT -5
As "The Wait" continues, I have spent my time productively, sketching out how everything will be placed in the A/V furniture, unwrapping the Integra, measuring out my speaker cable runs and engaging in RTFM.
I have managed to not click on the FedEx link for a shipping status. Instead, when status changes, FedEx will send me an email.
It seems, however, I have misplaced a Denon SACD player....
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hemster
Global Moderator 
Particle Manufacturer
...still listening... still watching
Posts: 51,951
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Post by hemster on Dec 18, 2011 12:23:39 GMT -5
As "The Wait" continues, I have spent my time productively, sketching out how everything will be placed in the A/V furniture, unwrapping the Integra, measuring out my speaker cable runs and engaging in RTFM. I have managed to not click on the FedEx link for a shipping status. Instead, when status changes, FedEx will send me an email. It seems, however, I have misplaced a Denon SACD player.... FWIW, I signed up for the FedEx email on status change inthe past on several occasions. The only email I got was the one stating "Delivered"... after they had already delivered the goods.  Of course, YMMV. |
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Post by audiofile on Dec 18, 2011 12:53:13 GMT -5
Yeah...my experience is the same. I had a ship and hold at FedEx location set up for the UPA-1 and I called the store and they had it...the website said it was "In Transit".
I'll just call the store Thursday afternoon before I leave work to check on the status of the 4 amps.
I'm more interested in any exception notices or shipment failures.
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Post by audiofile on Dec 20, 2011 22:43:43 GMT -5
Today I see that my ADS L880 custom speaker stands are in Lenexa, Kansas as are all 4 of my Emotiva amplifiers!!! But...guess what...one of the worst storms in recent history has hit the MidWest and I noticed that the amplifiers have not moved on since the 18th....
So, The Wait may be a bit longer than anticipated.
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NorthStar
Seeker Of Truth
"And it stoned me to my soul" - Van Morrison
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Post by NorthStar on Dec 20, 2011 22:49:39 GMT -5
Storms can do that sometimes...
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Post by audiofile on Dec 21, 2011 15:30:18 GMT -5
Well, all my boxes cleared the Kansas FedEx depot and are headed this way. The delay wasn't too bad. I may still get this stuff before Xmas!!!
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NorthStar
Seeker Of Truth
"And it stoned me to my soul" - Van Morrison
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Post by NorthStar on Dec 21, 2011 19:33:55 GMT -5
That would be swell!  |
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Post by w27 on Dec 21, 2011 23:32:15 GMT -5
Let me get this straight... You just joined the forum about a month ago, racked up a few hundred posts already, and you don't even have any of the Emotiva pieces yet? WOW! I definitely think you've become a lounge lizard. LordOfTheRingsEE you better watch out, he's going to catch up to you in no time! I just hope you like em  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2011 23:44:36 GMT -5
Hey Geebo, how did you score an Emotiva coffee cup? I wants me one of those...
-RW-
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