XPR Reviews

[ocezam]

I'd have thought we'd be seeing some XPR-2/1 reviews by now. It might help if Emotiva provided a sub-forum for them in the Amp Reviews section.

I'm interested in what people who've owned XPA's for a while think of their XPR's. Really only interested in two channel also. The smattering of reviews from XPR-5 owners hasn't helped me much.

[LCSeminole]

I've been on vacation for a week, but did just get my XPR-2 in the home theater last night replacing an XPA-2. I'll be glad to give my opinions in a week or two after I've spent some time listening. I do fully expect the same differences from when I went from an XPA-5 to the XPR-5 though.

[jmac1516]

Jan 23, 2013 10:34:13 GMT -5 ocezam said:

I'd have thought we'd be seeing some XPR-2/1 reviews by now. It might help if Emotiva provided a sub-forum for them in the Amp Reviews section.

I'm interested in what people who've owned XPA's for a while think of their XPR's. Really only interested in two channel also. The smattering of reviews from XPR-5 owners hasn't helped me much.

I was thinking the same thing. Very few user or professional reviews of the XPR series. Hopefully this means users are too busy enjoying the amp to write up any sort of review or personal experience! Certainly the number of XPR units sold is a small fraction of the lower priced amps. Regardless, it would be great to hear what new users think.

[Erwin.BE]

Jan 23, 2013 10:34:13 GMT -5 ocezam said:

The smattering of reviews from XPR-5 owners hasn't helped me much.

Smattering, huh? Had to Google translate that one, which doesn't happen to me very much lately. If I back-translate, it means "superficial knowledge", correct? Don't you know all Emotiva amps basically sound the same, ie "neutral"! So, what's there to say?

Based on your speaker/room/listeningdistance/SPLpreference, you decide if you "need" the XPR-2/1. At a givven point, I "decided" that I "needed" the XPR-5...

[klinemj]

"smattering" basically means the reviews are not commonly seen...few and far between...rare to find, etc.

[Deleted]

KlineMJ is correct, few and far between...

-RW-

[tz]

I can give you a feedback on XPR-1, but want to make some more listening. I can compare these boys against some of the highest-end monsters, but first asked on pm Dan and Lonnie if XPR-1s can be fine tuned / adjusted for maximum performance, as it will be a hard challenge. Unfortunately none of them answered, which makes me feel a bit irritated, especially in consideration of my very positive attitude to Emotiva.

Up to the moment XPR-1s are doing good job producing very enjoyable sound in my home system, which is of a very high quality. I should say that this is quite an achievement for them.

For the price they are absolute winners.

Are they a match (sound quality wise, the mechanical construction cannot be matched, but I care of the sound and music only) to the other 5 - 10 times and even more expensive monsters?
I don't know yet, but will be happy to be able to answer "yes" or "very close" to this question. Being mass produced XPR-1s could miss some fine tuning, which the others most probably get.

[garbulky]

Zahov, emotiva customer service appears to work best by phone. I don't know if they have any time to check their PM's on this forum as it's not a recognized customer support avenue. Sometimes emails get missed as well. You can see on your "outbox" in proboards if they even had time to open their PM.

[Porscheguy]

My amps remain uninstalled...... Soon..... Work comes first!!

[bootman]

Jan 23, 2013 12:14:50 GMT -5 LCSeminole said:

I've been on vacation for a week, but did just get my XPR-2 in the home theater last night replacing an XPA-2. I'll be glad to give my opinions in a week or two after I've spent some time listening. I do fully expect the same differences from when I went from an XPA-5 to the XPR-5 though.

I missed your xpr-5 review.
Got a link?

[Erwin.BE]

Jan 23, 2013 15:41:59 GMT -5 klinemj said:

"smattering" basically means the reviews are not commonly seen...few and far between...rare to find, etc.

Okay, thanks.
Bad points for Google.

[tgfmusic]

I would like to offer my thoughts and listening experience with the XPR 1's.My system consists of an XSP1 and ERCD2 fully balanced with two XPA -1's and Legacy focus SE speakers , these XPA -1s are very good monoblocks , they offer all the detail ,soundstage and musicality I could wish for.As for the home theater listening i use a XPR-5 and two XPR1s with an Oppo 103 as source through an Onkyo TX 809 receiver and the Legacy Focus SEs for mains plus Legacy studio HDs for the rears, and even with just the XPR5 the musicality is excellent. Now that I have added an SVS PB 13 ultra sub I had to tame down the 4 twelve inch woofers in the front mains by switching the treble and bass downward , also turning down the sub by -3db has made the listening much more balanced ; we can hear more mids and highs with just the right amount off quality taut bass , that make tv, movie or music sound incredibly enjoyable , the background detail is alive and wonderful in 5.1 . My first amp was the XPA 5 which transformed the sound compared to the Onkyo receiver amps . I wholly disagree that these amps all sound the same , I personally think that with different components they offer a level warmth and a new audible experience .
I had the pleasure of auditioning some very expensive pnb class A mono blocks along with an esoteric transport, dac , clock ($60,000 )worth and the ($14,000 )stainless isolated rack , plus hooked to some Montana floor standing KAS 5 speakers ($38,000) the listening experience was warm and detailed , but we both felt the money in this system was not worth the cost , (not that we could afford it, or would buy it even if we could , too rich for us).
There's a enormous amount of hype with high end gear , and the point of diminishing returns is clearly evident. We left our audition smiling because the EMOTIVA XPA -1s along with the Erd2 and Legacys were not far apart , to our ears anyway.
Incidentally the pnb monoblocks were a 180 watt in class A , then AB, certainly not worth in our opinion $18,500 for each mono, the system we heard also had $4,000 worth of silver speaker cables and a fourteen hundred dollar power conditioner etc etc.
Anyway back to the XPR 1 monoblocks ; I disconnected the two XPA1s and hooked up the two XPR1s for two channel stereo and played them through an XSP1 pre-amp , plus an ercd2 , and two XLR balanced interconnects going though the Legacy focus SE speakers , what we heard was very warm sounding, and very detailed , the bass was very taut , the cymbals were crisp and shimmered , the violinist or cellist taking their breaths before striking the bows, I'm a Bach fan , Jimi H fan , Srv fan , Radiohead fan, steely Dan fan ,Pat metheny fan , frank Gambale fan , Coldplay , Eagles,Peter Gabriel, ZZ top , the Doobies,Andy Timmons , Monte Montgomery Tommy Emmanuel, Doyle *bleep* ,the list goes on etc. oh yeah the music sorry I lost track,
the organ was natural , the piano notes had a natural decay, and the female vocals were haunting . I then proceeded to listen to Larry Carlton room 335 , massive attack , Peter White,Cassandra Wilson , ( Closer to you) great album . I did not have an extensive listening session with the XPR1s , but what I heard was very engrossing ,very warm, not fatiguing , and very different from the XPA 1s . The XPA 1s with the same components sound excellent , more forward in there presentation highly musical nice deep sound stage , and very detailed with every subtle nuance . I might add that I like both sets of monoblocks very much indeed , I would not part with either pair ,or the XPR5.
Originally i had used the XPR 5 with a two Boston VR 280s as front mains ,plus two Emo 6.1 rear bookshelves as rears , and a 5.1 Emo center ; the speed ,attack and detail were superb with movie, TV , 5.1 , or music via the Oppo 103 . Adding the two XPR1s to the XPR5 was the icing on the cake and with with the SVS sub tamed a little, I could sit there till the early hours ( it is that good). Now that I kicked out the Boston's and should have used the Legacys in the first place ," what can I say. Sonic bliss ". I might add I am
just a (diy) (enthusiast) and musician and that I like all genres of music ; it's all about entertainment . I am not skilled at writing reviews , I just write down what I hear with my ears; everyone's ears are different, so what might appeal to me,might not appeal to others. Our listening area is 25ft x 25ft with a wooden floor and heavy rug.
I can say this , that in my opinion the amps that I have are all good in their own right, I do personally think that the XPR amps take it to whole new level, especially movie, HT and two channel stereo . The XPR5 runs very cool,and the XPR1s run a little warm , which I had enquired was very normal.
I will have to do some more lengthy listening sessions with the XPR1s balanced and see what else I am hearing . I have not heard Pass Labs , Mcintosh ,Krell etc, and all power to those who have them ,but one thing I am truly glad of is that I did not throw some silly money at them ; I think value wise you can not go wrong with these XPR series amps .what would you rather do ?? Sling ten or twenty thousand bucks at some monos, or two and a half grand ; I chose the the later, and I am grateful that I did not get sucked into the high end hype.
So , my parting thought is , if you are looking for five channel HT , the XPR5 is most definitely a big step up, and if you can stretch to a pair of XPR 1s They add another dimension to the overall listening experience ; let's face it EMOTIVA do not make a bad amp , and I can not wait to see what the XMC 1 offers in regard to the Home theater .
So my Final point is this , I do not usually write many offerings in the lounge ; I am not a pro review writer , I am just a (diy) (enthusiast) who likes good quality sound and home theater without spending a fortune to acquire it .

Ps just an after thought the XPR5 and XPR-1s are extremely articulate with
HT , they go from very quiet dialogue to full on action it's amazing the finesse and grace they have in bringing out detail , with both movie and music whether its full on drums, bullets flying,explosions , steel doors slamming , rain falling ,or birds singing , they bring out all the nuances and sound in a way that just sounds so real and dynamic, the XPR are very enjoyable at any volume level . As you can tell I really really like these XPR AMPS,all I need now is another SVS PB 13 ultra sub ,these amps put a grin and smile on my face ,and my wife has a lot of sympathy for my hobby, she is tolerant and likes them too.

I may give my, or our impressions of two channel listening with XPR-1s later.
Yours truly Dave.

[ribbonking]

That's a great review.

Thanks for taking the time to do it.

[Poodleluvr]

Thanks for your review.

I agree that the XPA-1s and the XPR-1s sound different.

For those who already own or are contemplating on purchasing XPA-1s, you still will have first class SQ IMO.

The XPA-1s do sound more forward in their presentation while the XPR-1s sound warmer IMO.

At the volume where the XPA-1s run out of gas, the XPR-1s still have more get up and go.

Another factor to consider is the XPA-1s have the 32 DB of gain while the XPR-1s have 29 DB of gain. For me, my XSP-1 preamp enters into positive territory with the volume knob display with the XPR-1s.

I can clip my XPA-1s with one red LED lit, than I immediately back off. I have not tried that with the XPR-1s. I don't think I want to since I fear I will be picking up drivers or what is left of them on the opposite side of the room!

BTW, I've had my home trial with XPR-1s for 15 days now. Still listening....

[ocezam]

Thank you tgfmusic, and poodleluvr.

[panterapunch]

im a little bit confused with this
"At the volume where the XPA-1s run out of gas, the XPR-1s still have more get up and go."
can you really get a xpa-1 out of gas? this happens before or after your brains pop out ? because the sound pressure? i got the xpa-2 and i have never come close to the max output

sorry but i find it hard to believe it

[Poodleluvr]

Confused or a "doubting Thomas"?

Calling me a liar?

My family room is 22' X 26' with a double tray ceiling and open to a large kitchen and dining hearth room.

Not everybody lives in a shoebox.

[phatfos1]

I had the XPA-2 for a bit and I was able to get all the blue LEDs lit, though I never saw a red one. I have some pretty inefficient speakers in the Polk LSI-25s, but I don't think it would be impossible or brain melting to push the XPA-1s to max with inefficient speakers. That being said I don't think it would be much fun to listen at those levels with any type of speaker. I now have the XPR-5 and I think there is a marked difference in the presentation of these amps. I do think it has something to do with the gain but there is something else there. I find the XPR to be warmer and more engaging. Obviously this isn't a blind comparison but it's certainly something I noticed. As configured in my system with a stereo source my speakers can receive 750 watts each with the XPR while they could receive 500 from the XPA.
I feel that the XPR has a wider soundstage and is not nearly as bright on the top end. I honestly thought the XPA sounded a little too bright. I re-ran audissey after integrating the XPA hoping that the top end would calm down a bit, but that didn't happen. When I got the XPR-5 I just plugged it right in where the XPA-2 had been (stereo) and listened for quite a while after having listened to the XPA-2 for about twenty minutes just prior (and for a couple months before ordering the XPR). I used the exact same source material at the same volume (about -15 to -10 on my Denon 3808 with Norah Jones' Little Broken Hearts played through a Denon 2500 Blu Ray) and so I felt like I had a pretty direct comparison. The XPR was certainly warmer, as others have said, and seemed much less involved in the music--I felt like the XPA added brightness. Details were revealed with the XPR that were not there with the XPA. I could hear the brushes on the snare; I could hear cymbals that sounded very natural; I could hear Norah taking breaths during quite passages. I know that both amps were working to play at this level as noted above the XPA would really light up. The XPR would certainly light up six or seven LEDs but I never saw them all glow. In what would amount to a pretty direct comparison between the two, the XPR is very much worth the extra money I spent on it. I have not yet connected my surrounds to the XPR, as I need to run more speaker wire. But I did watch Saving Private Ryan on blu ray with the XPR running R, L, and C. I was blown away by the level of detail resolved by this set up. Over the past 10 years I have gone from no surround, to a bookshelf Sony system, to a surround sound in a box setup and on through every iteration of the Best Buy options...arriving finally to where I am today.

I am very happy with this setup and I don't think I will need another amp for a very long time. I have spent so much time listening to this new XPR over the past month that I'm confident I can say, without reservation, that it is worth every penny I spent on it and at least three times the MSRP when compared with what else is out there. I do feel that the XPR series can hold its own with all the big name separates. Like I'm sure others have, I've lusted after those $10,000 and $20,000 amps and $30,000 speakers. I cannot ever see myself spending that kind of money on audio equipment, though I would never fault anyone who does. I am very familiar with the diminishing returns we see in high end audio, and I simply would rather spend that extra money on other things that I enjoy (and that my wife enjoys). I say that to say this: These XPR amps will give you what you always dreamed you couldn't afford (or your wife wouldn't let you buy) and that's world-class audio that rivals the best of the best. I am truly thankful that I found this brand. Despite some of the issues I've had with their Airmotiv line of monitors, I am and will remain a loyal customer.

[benzo]

tgfmusic and phatfros1, thank you for your impressions of the XPR amplifiers. Your posts have given me the courage to add my thoughts.

I'd hoped to buy a Passlabs 350.5 amp for my soon to be completed 650 square foot dedicated music room. Unfortunately my reno went well over budget. (what a surprise) I read Kalman Rubinson's review of the Emotiva XPA-5 amp, comparing it to a Bryston amp. We have very similar tastes in gear so I thought I'd try something in the Emotiva lineup.

I phoned up Emotiva. Everyone in sales apparently was busy so I was transferred to a different department. I spoke to very helpful fellow named Keith (I think) who recommended the XPR-2 for my music only needs. A few days later I picked the amp up at Pt Roberts Washington, declared it at the border, and brought it back into Canada. Smooth as silk, no border issues of any kind.

I brought the amp over to my friends to compare it to my Bryston 4bst. From the first notes it was obvious that something special was happening. He's a tube guy, owns vintage Audio Research, hates transistors but loved the presentation of this amp. This new design appears to have addressed Mr Rubinson's only criticism of the XPA-5, relatively lower midrange resolution. To me the amp is better in every way than the 4bst, including the midrange resolution. I haven't heard the newer Brystons. They are supposedly improved as well but have seen dramatic price increases lately. The 14bsst2 which is the direct features competitor to the XPR-2 goes for $10,000!

The XPR-2 continues to impress me in my own temporary listening room. It's a small room compared to what I'll have in a few weeks. I'm using a 15 amp rather than 20 amp circuit and 16 gauge speaker cable. Not ideal , but still this amp's sophistication is obvious. I agree with other posters that this amp is warm and engaging, with a grain free warm high end. My Paradigm Signature 6 speakers love this amp. Lateral imaging is superb and image size is the most realistic I've ever encountered, maybe because of the ridiculously good bass response of this amp. I can't comment about how this amp resolves depth information because my system is not yet setup properly but I have no doubt that this amp will resolve everything to be had out of any recording.

But for me the most important quality has not yet been mentioned, the sound doesn't disappear at lower volumes. I can't even get the meters to flicker! The amp runs a bit warm which might suggest some class a biasing. At any rate, I do a lot of late night listening at low volumes and the sound stays sweet and detailed with ample bass. No more headphones and no more loudness controls. No idea why its better than my other amps at low volume.

Paul Seydor of the Absolute Sound reviewed a Cambridge home theater amp a couple of years ago. His column alerted me that reasonably priced home theater gear was kicking down the audiophile equipment walls. Indeed this amp reminds me more of my friends Krell KSA-200S than of any Denon gear I've heard. But unlike old school audiophile gear it has some convenience features. How could I have lived all these years without a standby button? I obviously can't speak to how well the amp will do in the future. I was happy with Bryston for more than 12 years and still love my 20 year old Audio Research Classic 60. But it looks like my contractor did me a favor with his cost overruns! Great amp.

[phatfos1]

benzo that's great to hear! I would echo your sentiments (though I'm sorry to hear about a cost overrun on your construction--par for the course). I want to highlight something that you've mentioned, the lower volume performance of this amp. I am sure that there are countless people who look at these amps and think we're crazy for buying this kind of power and then talking about how they perform at low SP levels. Personally, though, I think the lower-volume performance is important too and that it's rarely discussed.

I have listened to my AVR (Denon 3808 as mentioned) for a couple years and although I felt it was great I never knew what I was missing until I moved to separates. With the Denon I needed to crank it to get dynamics and engaging bass/mids out of it. The mids always felt lacking and the highs were not extending (when listening at -30 to -20). With the XPA and now with the XPR I have noticed that I get a really engaging soundstage at low to moderate volumes. I think it's important to listen to recorded music at volumes approaching what we'd experience if we were "there," but that's not always something we can do with a sleeping baby and without a REAL cave in the back yard for our scotch and audio. So, an amp that can perform very well at various volume positions is ideal for me and I'm sure others. We have that with the XPR series. I don't know much about amp design or the differences between the A and R series in terms of how they are designed to deliver their power, but I do know that the XPR is remarkable at all volume levels and that I hear a difference at all volume levels. It's funny that I would notice, and write about, the low-volume performance of an amp this beastly but since benzo mentioned it I thought I would give my thoughts as well. Also, when you turn this amp up it sings like you wouldn't believe. See www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dl2L4v6ecM