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Post by Dark Ranger on Sept 22, 2012 0:14:09 GMT -5
Houston, Tranquility Base here. The XPA-200 has landed. ;D I picked it up from FedEx today late afternoon* and carried it out proudly in my grubby little paws. I think I may have even talked to it on the way home. *I had requested a Hold At Location since I wouldn't be around to sign for it at home. There was no way I wanted a delivery exception and have to wait until Monday! Upon arriving home in record time, I carefully opened the box and unpacked the contents. The amplifier arrived in perfect condition with minimal damage to the exterior box. Like all Emotiva amps, this one was double-boxed and encased with two pieces of Styrofoam. One of the pieces was severed in two places due to impact during shipping no doubt, but no visible damage to the amp. Package contents: - XPA-200 amplifier - three prong power cable - trigger cable - two packets of silica gel, which I later sprinkled atop my dinner to give it "character" This amp weighs 31 pounds and it definitely feels like it! After finding a comfortable place to work, I removed the eight screws securing the top chassis cover. Very impressive sight, this amp is no toy. I visually inspected just about every part inside that could be seen without removing boards. I know that some members here will be interested to know the following details: there are six (6) SEACON 15,000 uF 63v capacitors. Unless these are wired like the XPA-2 storage caps (series-parallel), Emotiva's product page is correct stating 90,000 uF of secondary capacitance! After grabbing a few pics, I replaced the top cover and prepared for installation. Once the mini-X a-100 was removed from my rack, I moved the XPA-200 in its place making sure everything was wired properly. Turned it on and we have liftoff, err, blue lights. No magic smoke, no flaming pillar, looks like we're done! I'll now take the opportunity to share some iPhone pics. I don't have a Kill-A-Watt meter, but I do have a precision ammeter on my Furman voltage regular/conditioner. It displays input current in 0.1 step. Here are the approximate figures for the XPA-200: Inrush current (cold): ~1.2 amps Inrush current (warm): ~0.6 amps Idle current: ~0.3 amps I've been listening to a variety of stereo recordings tonight, including Kelly Sweet, Jesse Cook, Daft Punk, Patrick O'Hearn, Above & Beyond, and Darshan Ambient. I also watched Avatar tonight. So far, I'm very pleased with my purchase. I mentioned earlier that I could always return the amp if I wasn't happy. Well, based on my experience tonight, the XPA-200 will not be shipping back to Emotiva. I need a bit more time to evaluate it and better organize my thoughts. I'm also quite fatigued, so I want to listen again when I'm fresh. Stay tuned for another update soon and a few more pics of my entire setup. -Jacob
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Post by paintedklown on Sept 22, 2012 0:19:23 GMT -5
Awesome! Thanks for the nice pics and first thoughts. It sounds like you have made a an excellent decision by going with the XPA-200. Please keep us updated on your thoughts after you have had time to rest and do some critical listening. Congrats on the new amp.
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hemster
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...still listening... still watching
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Post by hemster on Sept 22, 2012 0:25:21 GMT -5
Congrats on the new toy Jacob. It looks right at home in your setup! Just don't give it a name... because if you do, your life will never be the same! ;D
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iceman66
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"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" The Great One
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Post by iceman66 on Sept 22, 2012 0:40:35 GMT -5
Congrats and thanks for sharing! I haven't bought any new gear in awhile, I sure miss that rush of excitement and anticipation, guess I'll have to live vicariously through this board till Christmas ;D
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Post by garbulky on Sept 22, 2012 6:28:26 GMT -5
Wow! I am very glad to hear about the 90,000 capacitance. That is REALLY REALLY good. I will eat my words. So it is a UPA-2 on steroids ;D! Yum! Congrats on your purchase!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2012 8:32:58 GMT -5
Heck yeah!!
Always fun to get new gear ;D
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LCSeminole
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Res firma mitescere nescit.
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Post by LCSeminole on Sept 22, 2012 8:44:02 GMT -5
Wow, now that Jacob literally un-clothed her, I must say that looks to be one impressive power amplifier. Oh yeah, ignore Hemster and give her a name! ;D
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Post by frenchyfranky on Sept 22, 2012 13:02:06 GMT -5
Thanks Jacob for the very nice pictures and feedback, I'm waiting for further evaluation and appreciation.
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Post by garbulky on Sept 22, 2012 13:37:17 GMT -5
+1 Whenever you can, I would like to know what you think
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Post by john57 on Sept 22, 2012 14:40:56 GMT -5
I would like to know what your sound impression of the amp is and how quiet is the amp.
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Post by Dark Ranger on Sept 23, 2012 17:12:29 GMT -5
Hi guys! ;D So sorry for the delay, I am finally able to sit down and write a follow-up. My evaluation so far has been entirely positive and I'm still enjoying that new amp smell. SETUP, ROOM, & LEVELSFor those interested, let me give you a run-down of my setup for two-channel: - My HTPC hosts a library of mostly lossless digital music files and these are played back with JRiver Media Center 17.
- JRiver Media Center 17 is configured for bit-perfect/Direct playback with no digital enhancements. The output mode is WASAPI - Event Style with a 100 ms hardware buffer and exclusive mode priority.
- Output from HTPC occurs via a HT Omega Claro halo sound card using TOSLINK, and a PCM signal is fed to UMC-1 optical input via an Emotiva X-Series 2-meter TOSLINK cable.
- UMC-1 is configured to run in Direct mode with no digital processing (including bass management).
- UMC-1 outputs via unbalanced cable to XPA-200 using Emotiva X-Series 2-meter RCAs.
- XPA-200 outputs to a pair of Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 Reference Monitors via Emotiva X-Series 6-meter speaker cables.
Room size: 1,031.25 cu. ft. [12.5 ft. wide x 10 ft. long x 8.25 ft. high (average height)] My Sierra-1s are in a near-field arrangement on a computer desk. Unfortunately, the placement is arranged on the longer 12.5' wall, so I only have 10' to optimally position the speakers and listening chair. There is no other way. There are multi-shelf ranks directly behind my chair and I must use an entire wall for storage space. This room has to be an office and a home theater. Listening position is typically 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) from Sierra-1s. This position is about 38% into the room measured from the back wall. Occasionally, I'll push the listening position back to about 6 feet (1.83 meters) from the Sierras for movies when I have a guest with me. - rear port is 13.5" from the front wall
- Sierra-1s placed 38" apart, measured from left woofer (centered) to right woofer (centered)
- raised 2" from desk height on Auralex MoPads to boost the tweeter height closer to ear level when sitting (center of woofer is 36.5" from floor), and to control vibrations to the desk (although the cabinet is quite inert)
- toed in ~7 degrees
My typical listening levels (dBC/slow): - 55 dB - 65 dB (background music while working)
- 65 dB - 85 dB (typical range for enjoyment and critical listening)
- 85 dB - 95 dB (very occasional, like when the neighbors aren't home! I don't listen at this level for more than an hour or two at a time.)
SOUNDBefore I upgraded to the mini-X earlier this year, the only way I had heard my loudspeakers was through my aging Denon AVR. They sounded great, much better than my previous speaker system I had for ~5 years. However, when I plugged the Sierras into the mini-X, it was literally night and day difference and the speakers came alive like I had never heard before. Everything improved, from the bass control/authority to a clearer sound stage. It's amazing what a real amplifier can do. Wait a minute, why am I talking about the mini-X? Well, I mention this because the upgrade from the mini-X to the XPA-200 was not "night and day," but more subtle. To be honest, I didn't know what to expect with the new amp, so I tried to keep an open mind and not form preconceptions. To me, one of the most noticeable improvements is how quickly the XPA-200 responds to dynamics compared to the mini-X. The sound feels more lively especially when you turn up the volume. I don't consider my listening levels to be excessive, so it's not like the mini was running out of juice (especially considering the small room). However, the XPA-200 just delivers the goods more effortlessly and the sound never felt stressed or thin. I would guess this is from the robust power supply section and increased headroom available. This amp also has a subtle smoothness compared to the mini. The higher frequencies seemed to be less harsh (not that that mini would be considered harsh to begin with). I don't notice any roll-offs though and the amp doesn't emphasize any particular frequency range from what I can hear. I've read some amplifiers being characterized as having "liquidity" and although I don't completely understand that term, I believe that "smooth" is the best adjective I can use here. I noticed a small improvement in the low-frequency authority and control compared to the mini-X. Some of the test material highlighted this more than others. The low bass (< 50 Hz) seems to have the most improvement compared to 50 - 100 Hz. It was most noticeable on recordings with a strong, thumpy kick drum and on recordings with rolling synth bass. Sound stage seems to have tightened up a bit. The imaging seems a bit more focused than the mini, although this characteristic was difficult to point out for sure and could be placebo effect. In any case, it certainly did not worsen. I also noticed one unexpected improvement: on some systems, it sounds like you're listening to the speakers rather than the music (let's exclude room effects for now). My Sierras are very good at getting out of the way. However, I noticed that with the XPA-200, my speakers became more transparent and let more of the recording through. Dala's Horses was a great track to show this effect. It took me a little bit before I noticed that something was slightly different. I don't have the extensive background and trained ears like some members do, but I noticed it after trying to figure out what had changed. The effect is uncanny and I can understand why some people go to great lengths to achieve this result, e.g. make it sound like the musicians are in my room. Well, to my ears, the XPA-200 gives a little bit more of that realism. I believe someone asked about how quiet the amp is. Well, to my ears, it is quieter than the mini-X. My speakers have a sensitivity around 87 dB (1 watt/1 meter). With the RCA input cables disconnected and the amp turned on, there is a very faint hiss from the tweeters. I literally had to put my ear right up to the fabric grill, but it is completely inaudible about 12 inches away. There is no hum, no buzz, just a very faint hiss. The mini-X had a hiss, too, but it was definitely louder. To be fair, I haven't come across an amplifier yet without any hiss. I used to work in live audio with PA equipment. Sometimes, you could even hear the hiss from FOH! Anyway, the amp itself is completely silent. I put my ear up to the top vented chassis and listened for noises in several areas. Nada, no noise to speak of. The only noise is the faint hiss I mentioned at the speakers. Actually, my UMC-1's output noise is much higher, at least 3-4 times I'd say. When the UMC-1 starts and stops playback, it seems to have a noise gate that opens and closes. When the music is stopped or paused, the noise gate remains open for about a second. During this time, I can hear a hiss much, much louder than the amp hiss. So I'd say this amp is pretty quiet. It certainly passes my judgement. ;D MISC DETAILS- I wanted to mention a few other things about this amp. I really like the upgraded Tiffany connectors and binding posts!
- The front power button feels more solid than the button on my UPA-500. Not as much "play" or loose space. It's got a tighter feel.
- In my first post I noted the inrush and idle current draw. These figures are accurate, but I wanted to add another one: cold inrush current draw. When I was testing this, the amp was powered off only for a short time, so the capacitors did not discharge much. On Saturday morning when I turned on the amp, I noticed the Furman ammeter load increase more than 0.6 amps. I noted this, shut the amp off for about 6 hours while I was out to work, and tried it again later. Same result. I performed one last test today after letting it sit overnight. I have updated the original post with the new figure, but I'll copy them here as well:
Inrush current (cold): ~1.2 amps
Inrush current (warm): ~0.6 amps
Idle current: ~0.3 amps
Well, that's about all I can think of for now. Hopefully this mini review helps some of you. I am completely satisfied with this amplifier. Regarding the posted specs on the product page: at this point I don't know which specs have typos and which are accurate. If the SNR spec is indeed true, then I will go on record saying that I cannot hear the "poor spec" of 82 dB SNR at 1 watt. In addition (and based on my pics above), it appears that I was also wrong in second-guessing Emotiva about the 90,000 microfarads of storage capacitance for this model. I found it hard to believe they'd outfit an amp in this price range with ninety grand worth of storage. It turns out I assumed wrongly and there really is ninety grand of storage. In my opinion, this should be one of the primary selling points! I am still interested (from a purely academic view) to know the transformer size, but perhaps that will show up in the manual. No rush. So folks, if you're on the fence about this new amp, give it a try if the bigger amps pose a challenge (size, cost, etc.). It very well may surprise you. To end this long post, here is an iPhone pic showing my audio rack. Later today I will make an official post in the "Show us your room..." thread with more pics of my setup.
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Post by garbulky on Sept 23, 2012 17:52:05 GMT -5
Very nice review. Enjoyed the pictures and measurements. Thanks!
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Post by john57 on Sept 23, 2012 20:53:55 GMT -5
The reason I stated how quiet the amp is because I would be using this amp with the Kef Q300 for near field listening. The other amp I was considering is the Crown XLS1500 since I need balanced inputs.
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Post by Dark Ranger on Sept 23, 2012 22:22:21 GMT -5
Very nice review. Enjoyed the pictures and measurements. Thanks! No problem! I enjoyed it. I am looking forward to rewatching my favorite films and going through more music. The reason I stated how quiet the amp is because I would be using this amp with the Kef Q300 for near field listening. The other amp I was considering is the Crown XLS1500. Hi john57, Just for clarification, you were asking about how quiet the amp is when there is no signal, right? I just ran more tests to put some scientific methodology behind my claim that the "idle hiss" is insignificant. Test #1: I have quiet fans in my HTPC. Ambient room noise is steady at 32.5 dBA (fast). Amp hiss from tweeters is not perceptible at greater than 12 inches. Test #2: I turned off my HTPC. Ambient room noise drops to 28.5 dbA (fast). Amp hiss from tweeters is still not perceptible at greater than 12 inches. Test #3: I placed the SPL meter microphone directly in front of the tweeter (grill off) so that the mic was nearly touching the soft dome. The SPL meter went from 28.5 dBA to 30.1 dBA and held steady. At 12 inches from tweeter, the meter was back at 28.5 dBA. With that said, your Q300s have the same sensitivity as my Sierra-1s, so your results should be very similar. I mentioned earlier that my monitors are in a near-field arrangement. When I'm working at my keyboard, I'm only about 30 inches from the center of the drivers. No complaints so far. I took a quick look at the XLS 1500. It is a Class D amp weighing around 9 pounds, whereas the XPA-200 is a Class A/B amp weighing 31 pounds. The Crown does offer greater stated power output into standard loads. However, I noticed it has a force-air cooling system along with heatsinks. Nearly all of the pro audio amps I've worked with have fans that run constantly. If the XLS 1500 is similar, this could be an issue to check out. Emotiva's new UPA amps also have forced-air cooling fans, but they only kick on under specific thermal events. My two cents.
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Post by Dark Ranger on Sept 23, 2012 23:53:37 GMT -5
For anyone interested in seeing my whole setup, check out my post here. I am very proud of everything. Now I am finally to the point where I can sit back and enjoy music/movies without thinking about upgrading. ;D
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Erwin.BE
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It's the room, stupid!
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Post by Erwin.BE on Sept 24, 2012 12:00:30 GMT -5
Thanks, Jacob! Very thoughtfull of you to include foot to meter conversions Your writings confirm that I was correct that the XPA-200 is a great bargain and a fine audiophile stereo amp. The UPA-200 just gets the job done but the XPA-200 gives you just that little bit extra... If I recall correctly the UPA-1 had 60K microfarad. Can anyone confirm this?
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Post by rob80b on Sept 24, 2012 12:38:57 GMT -5
.............. If I recall correctly the UPA-1 had 60K microfarad. Can anyone confirm this? I was just checking up on these amps last week as I need low profile units for the centre (UPA-1 or XPA-100) and for the surrounds (XPA-200) to augment the Bryston 4BSST. L/Rs The UPA-1 is Power output (all channels driven): 350 watts RMS @ 4 ohm (0.1% THD) 200 watts RMS @ 8 ohm (0.1% THD) Power Band Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz with less than .05db deviation at rated power Broadband Frequency Response (-3db): 5Hz to 150kHz Secondary capacitance: 80,000uF.
web.archive.org/web/20101123163908/http://emotiva.com/upa1.shtmJust got a quote from Vincent for the XPA-100 but I was lucky enough to find a seller over the weekend here in Canada who has a UPA-1 for sale so that one is on the way to replace a Bryston 2BLP for the centre (Dynaudio Contour Center), 350 watts should level the playing field as the 2BLP cannot be used with 4 ohm speakers in bridged mode. And later on hoping to add the XPA-200, should be sufficient to replace a Bryston B60R (60 watts 8ohm) for the Dynaudio Contour MKIIs as the surrounds.
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Erwin.BE
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Post by Erwin.BE on Sept 24, 2012 13:03:28 GMT -5
Thanks!
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Post by Dark Ranger on Sept 29, 2012 13:21:01 GMT -5
~1 week update:Well, I've had the new XPA-200 in my system for just over a week. During this time, I've watched many movies and TV shows, plus listened to stereo and multichannel music. This amp just rocks. It's been an absolute joy to go through even more recordings from my music library. The XPA-200 brings a whole new level of detail, texture, resolution, and dynamics compared to my mini-X a-100 and UPA-500. It's really quite special. Like I mentioned earlier, with this amp my speakers disappear even further and allow me to enjoy more of the music. At first, the differences were more subtle, but now they are very apparent. I now understand the sonic signature of the new amp. I am very impressed with this product. In fact, I am now reconsidering the XPA-1L. I bought this as a hold-over until the new monoblock design was released, but this amp sounds fantastic as is. For now, I am going to finish all the other planned upgrades before even thinking about the XPA-1L. Perhaps I might buy just one for my monster center channel so I can free up the UPA-500 for surrounds only (my original intent). A pair of monoblocks, though, is definitely on the back burner. Oh, I wanted to share two technical details about this amplifier for anyone interested like I was. I e-mailed customer service last week about several things, and along with that I asked about the transformer size (VA) and the number of output devices per channel. - 360 VA transformer (which we now know)
- 6 output devices per channel (UPA-2 had 4 per channel)
If you're on the fence about this new amp, I highly recommend you give it a shot! Last, but certainly not least, I want to give a BIG THANKS to Lonnie and Co. for an awesome amplifier!
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Post by garbulky on Sept 29, 2012 13:45:28 GMT -5
Sounds like a winner. I'm glad this is as good or maybe even better than the UPA-2 especially with that capacitance. Yum yum. Their upa-2 was one heck of a deal and having XLR's and more horsepower does give it that extra bit of class.
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