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Post by speakerbuilder on Jan 26, 2013 15:16:07 GMT -5
Hello, brand new to the forum. I am wanting to get back into separates after a long hiatus of integrateds and seriously thinking of getting 2 of the new XPA-100s for my system. I have seen some talk of the 100s, at least talk about them, but no serious reviews, or anyone who has actually bought them, give a review or thoughts. I have seen all the stuff and read almost everything in the XPA-2 (including the comparisons and side by sides on the UPA-1 to the XPA-2) , the XPA-1 and the new XPA-200. All of those seem well covered and listened to, but not the XPA-100.  I am intrigued by the mono-block idea, but not the price and power of the XPA-1s. Also, I live in central CA, so getting to the show room, or even the Orange Co. Emofest this spring is a little cost prohibitive... ya know with gas prices and all. So can anyone help? Has anyone had a good listen to them? Especially a side by side with the XPA-2 or the 200. Sound advantages/ disadvantages? Sound characteristics? Thanks! |
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Post by garbulky on Jan 26, 2013 16:42:34 GMT -5
The XPA-100 is the rebadged and slightly upgraded version of the old discontinued UPA-1 if you are wondering about that. There should be more reviews of that.
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Post by audiohead on Jan 26, 2013 16:49:57 GMT -5
Yep its Damping facter is much better too 500,200 on the UPA-1 plus a 360 v power supply and a more output at the rail.But its 60,000uf's the UPA-1's has 80,000uf's shouldn't matter much.Plus 1lbs more. XPA-100 that's is.  |
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Post by speakerbuilder on Jan 26, 2013 17:06:06 GMT -5
Ya, I like all the numbers and I do believe all the posts on it being an upgrade to the UPA-1, but I would love to hear a critical listen breakdown on it.
There must be someone out there that has bought a pair? Surely after this last sale someone gave em a try. Even if they returned them and went to something else. I would love to get opinions on the actual sound of them. Other wise, it may be I will need to save a bit more for the higher ups on the monos.
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Post by cardiffkook on Jan 31, 2013 11:51:36 GMT -5
I just bought a pair and am preparing a review. Short version is OMG, these amps are amazing! Best audio purchase of my life"
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Post by ossif on Apr 10, 2013 11:33:49 GMT -5
The XPA-100 is the rebadged and slightly upgraded version of the old discontinued UPA-1 if you are wondering about that. There should be more reviews of that. Not sure to see where the "Upgrade" to the old Version can be found? |
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Post by garbulky on Apr 10, 2013 14:29:51 GMT -5
It can be found in the XPA-100 ;D THere is no kit. The XPA-100 is the old UPA-1 with XLR outputs and maybe different capacitor values/slightly different power handling capabilities. The XPA-200 is the old UPA-2 with XLR outputs, 29db gain, a bit more power, quite a bit more price, and a heck of a lot more capacitance. As for the other differences, they are either non-existent or not released to the public as far as I know.
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Post by solidstate on Jun 23, 2013 23:59:27 GMT -5
It can be found in the XPA-100 ;D THere is no kit. The XPA-100 is the old UPA-1 with XLR outputs and maybe different capacitor values/slightly different power handling capabilities. The XPA-200 is the old UPA-2 with XLR outputs, 29db gain, a bit more power, quite a bit more price, and a heck of a lot more capacitance. As for the other differences, they are either non-existent or not released to the public as far as I know. How can an amplifier have outputs outside of speaker level terminals? Also I thought most if not all Emo amps have balanced inputs even if the design isn't truly differential. |
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Post by garbulky on Jun 24, 2013 0:05:18 GMT -5
It can be found in the XPA-100 ;D THere is no kit. The XPA-100 is the old UPA-1 with XLR outputs and maybe different capacitor values/slightly different power handling capabilities. The XPA-200 is the old UPA-2 with XLR outputs, 29db gain, a bit more power, quite a bit more price, and a heck of a lot more capacitance. As for the other differences, they are either non-existent or not released to the public as far as I know. How can an amplifier have outputs outside of speaker level terminals? Also I thought most if not all Emo amps have balanced inputs even if the design isn't truly differential. I meeant xlr inputs. What I mean by fully balanced is the truly differential thing you were referring to. |
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Post by solidstate on Jun 24, 2013 0:13:45 GMT -5
How can an amplifier have outputs outside of speaker level terminals? Also I thought most if not all Emo amps have balanced inputs even if the design isn't truly differential. I meeant xlr inputs. What I mean by fully balanced is the truly differential thing you were referring to. The big difference according to the spec sheet is the big improvement in dampening factor with the XPA-100. |
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Post by Golden Ear on Jun 24, 2013 1:41:16 GMT -5
I meeant xlr inputs. What I mean by fully balanced is the truly differential thing you were referring to. The big difference according to the spec sheet is the big improvement in dampening factor with the XPA-100. Just to let you know damping factor is the ability of an amp to stop the speaker cone from vibrating when the signal stop. Damping factor of 200 in 8 ohms is sufficient and very high damping factor does not necessary mean better sound. |
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Post by taxman48 on Oct 19, 2013 10:49:50 GMT -5
Would these mono amps be suitable for Paradigm Monitor 11's? .. the sale is tempting  |
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stiehl11
Emo VIPs 
Give me available light!
Posts: 7,261
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Post by stiehl11 on Oct 19, 2013 10:59:16 GMT -5
Yes.
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Post by taxman48 on Oct 19, 2013 11:29:00 GMT -5
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Post by deltadube on Oct 19, 2013 11:34:48 GMT -5
should be 1 trigger cable in each box.. but go for da power xpa 1s cheers |
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Post by gohantanch on Oct 19, 2013 21:11:36 GMT -5
I've been really interested in getting a pair to run mains. Hopefully someone will post a review soon.
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Post by brubacca on Oct 20, 2013 8:29:48 GMT -5
Around the time that the XPA-1l amps came out there was a user here who had them temporarily. I don't recall the exact story, but this person had a XPA-2, sold it. Had the XPA-100 temporarily and then got the XPA-1l ( or possibly other monoblocks).
His impression was that the XPA-2 was a superior sounding amp to the XPA-100. With the general consensus being that the XPA-1L are superior to the XPA-2.
As stated above the XPA-100 is evolution of the upa-1 which many people liked, in fact Tone Audio really liked the usp-1/ upa-1 combination and considered them to be right in there with the new Rega Brio-R, which is universally praised as a great integrated amp.
Good luck.
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chopin
Seeker Of Truth
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Post by chopin on Dec 3, 2013 3:07:52 GMT -5
My brother bought the monoblock block xpa-100 and received last week, so last weekend
we made a listening session and here is my first impressions:
the sound is so dynamic and precise, the separation is fantastic and everything is clear
and open, the only thing that intrigued me is the fact that the sound is also very clinical,
not warm at all, and not musical, my question is it because they need some break in period
or that is the sound that we should expect from the xpa-100??
If it is related to the break in period what should be the period of playing time to complete
the break in period?
Thanks for any help.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2013 1:22:48 GMT -5
My brother bought the monoblock block xpa-100 and received last week, so last weekend we made a listening session and here is my first impressions: the sound is so dynamic and precise, the separation is fantastic and everything is clear and open, the only thing that intrigued me is the fact that the sound is also very clinical, not warm at all, and not musical, my question is it because they need some break in period or that is the sound that we should expect from the xpa-100?? If it is related to the break in period what should be the period of playing time to complete the break in period? Thanks for any help. I've had my new pair of XPA-100s up for 8 days now - I left them turned on for a few days before playing. First impressions - utterly clean, clear, noiseless and very powerful, and yes, I agree, they do tend to sound clinical and not as musical as my old NADs (2200s) BUT, this seems to be very much dependent on the quality of the source. Until I upgrade my pre to an XSP-1 I'm stilling running my old NAD 7100 analogue reciever, not the best combo but it's doing very well for its age. Anyway, right now I'm playing Jimmy Smith's' Back at the Chicken Shack', flac, 24/96 via Samsung laptop USB to NAD D1050 dac. , as this was recorded in about 1968 or 69 there seems to be the same lack of engaging dynamics that was there before the new amps - things are more 'forward and in my face now, clearer, but still, the bass is somewhere in the back ground and has little or no punch to it....however before that I had Sandor Veress's 'Four Transylvanian Dances - Dobbantus' by The Australian Chamber Orchestra, CD via the NAD dac again- amazing dynamics, punchy deep bass kick that comes in at around 1 min or so, warmth, precision and presence. Cranking up my old DUAl 505-2 turntable and ClearAudio cartridge finds gorgeous detail and engaging musicality of 1979's Junko trio playing 'Fly me to the Moon' - Switching to Moody Blues 'In Search of the Lost Chord', vinyl again, finds a dull channeling of sound that's been pretty much homogenized by whatever...Moving back to the flac files, something some would not even call music - Ryoji Ikeda's 'Test Patter' No 5 and 6'...these are clicks, pops, glitch, pink noise and deep bass tones, very abstract and utterly amazing - I was blown away - the 100s just grabbed this stuff and pounded me beautifully with clearly sepereated sounds that seem to have great 3D spatiality, I've only heard this detail from Ikeda's stuff via headphones before the 100s got hold of it. Keeping in mind that the NAD D 1050 adds a bit of warmth to things I tried vocals - Sarah McLachlan's "Bloom' has warmth but is also detached, distant and somehow not engaging at all - Julie London singing "Black Coffee' was velvet in the extreme while her band was just not really 'there somehow. Jamie Cullen on 'Gran Torino' was just totally 'in the room', loved it. I listen to a lot of electronic music but have a wide range in the collection which I'm revisiting now to test the 100s out. I am at this stage leaning towards the feeling that they do need a lot of burning in but it's hard to ultimately know as I will be upgrading the pre-amp and once I've taken the older analogue sound out of the loop (plus quite a few of its idiosyncrasies...) I may be in a better situation to judge if I have made the right choice. My 34 year old AR9s are hard to drive but when the XP-100s get going they do have authority and grip - it' s just that they don't seem to be doing that all the time at present. My listening room is small apartment loungeroom and constrained by some furniture positioning that I have no control over (my wife's) so there are lots of things to consider re the sound at the end of the day... I would say a lot would depend on your budget - I would love a pair of XPR-1s but don't have the money (plus tax and duty to Australia is a killer) nor would I get the permissions to install a dedicated 20 amp circuit in my rented apartment, nor fit two in the lounge room without a divorce or floor strengthening :-) .A pair of XPA-1s would be my other choice but at present my budget won't meet those either - I would rather get my XSP-1 in 2014 - looking forward to it! I'll wait a few weeks and report back. |
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Post by jmasterj on Dec 13, 2013 5:17:14 GMT -5
Hi Blooloo,
Welcome to the forum.
I am really interested in your review of the XPA-100's when you post it. I just received my second XPA-100 on Tuesday, so now I have a pair. I just won't be able to hear mine until February though. That's when I'll be able to get the tube preamp that I'm purchasing to put with them.
I must admit at first I had reservations about the XPA-100's because there wasn't really any support for them by forum members. I even started a post asking if the XPA-100's were the "black sheep" of the Emotiva amps. What I found out is that there seems to be some bias towards the XPA-100 amps for some reason. Weather founded or not. I decided to go on and take the plunge anyway.
It's almost like the forum members who own XPA-100's take a backseat to the forum members who own more expensive higher end Emotiva amps. I don't understand this because the actual non sale price for the pair of mono blocks is the same as the highly regarded XPA-2. I expect the performance to be comparable as well.
I believe all of the amps Emotiva manufactures are good quality. I think catching the XPA-100's for the sale price was one of the best bargains Emotiva has had during this entire holiday sale. At $299.00 for 250 watts into 8 Ohms, 400watts into 4 Ohms. The dollar for watt price is incredible.
I'm looking forward to hearing these amps. I think once we put them with the right preamp, source, and speakers these amps will truly shine. Since I won't be able to hear mine for a couple months I'll be looking forward to hearing your impressions.
I can also relate to setting a budget for the equipment you plan to purchase and sticking to it. We both took advantage of the sale, and it seems, we both have to wait for the Pre/Pro we want to put with the amps. I'm one of those people who thrives on getting champagne and clavier audio equipment at beer and pretzel prices. I don't need the absolute best, I'm more interested in getting the best bargains for each audio dollar I spend.
I also had a size, weight issue with some of the other Emo amps. These XPA-100's slide neatly into my equipment stand, and will be easy to take out when I choose to listen to other equipment. I know you won't be able to give your truest impressions until you can put the amps with the XSP-1. Until then anything you can share will be appreciated. j
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I am intrigued by the mono-block idea, but not the price and power of the XPA-1s. Also, I live in central CA, so getting to the show room, or even the Orange Co. Emofest this spring is a little cost prohibitive... ya know with gas prices and all.
