Post by jasonf on Dec 16, 2008 2:17:07 GMT -5
I've had my XPA-2 for about a week now, and it's shelf buddy, an XPA-5 showed up today. I had been debating for a while which set of amps I wanted to use to build out my 5.1 system. The first part in deciding which way to go was choosing an amp for my 2-channel listening. I thought I'd put my comparision up here for those trying to decide if they should go for an XPA-2 for stereo music listening in their home theater.
My setup and testing:
Speakers: Paradigm Studio 100 v4 (bi-wired)
Pre/pro: Outlaw Audio 990 (TOSLINK in)
Transport: PlayStation 3 playing CDs
Amps: XPA-2 vs XPA-5 (XLR in)
All material tested was more "delicate" music at moderate listening levels (-35 db) in stereo direct mode. I know that you can crank the hell out of either amp, my goal was to see which one had more finesse.
On my initial comparison without picking apart details, the XPA-2 jumped out as my quick pick. I didn't have any particular reason for this, and I'd most likely attribute it to placebo effect. I spent a solid two hours swapping back and forth with different material trying to disect the details and figure out what was different about the two. I went through many different styles of music - N.E.R.D., Norah Jones, Coldplay, Seal, Paul Oakenfold (yaya), Zero 7. I spent most of this time alternating between deciding the XPA-2 was better and deciding that there was actually no difference and I was trying to convince myself the XPA-2 was better for some reason. I wasn't able to find any music detail which could clearly say was different one way or the other...
Then I found it.
Track 7 ("Distractions") on Simple Things by Zero 7. At 0:43 on this track vocals come in along with something that's like an ambient flute transition (most likely an electronic flute
) Listening carefuly to this on both amps, was very different. On the XPA-5 the flute sound is like a single instrument, in the background, behind the vocalist. Clear but subdued. The XPA-2 revealed a whole new dimension. The flute sound was no longer a single instrument in the background -- it was a soundscape the filled the entire area with an immense soundstage, the the vocalist placed in the middle. The sound surrounded me as a listener and drew me in, and there was a strong emotional grab to it.
It took me two hours and lots of content to find one thing I could actually find different. I suspect one could own both and never find a difference with casual listening. However, my senses had caught right up front that the XPA-2 was a more enjoyable stereo experience and I find that with something as subjective as critical listening, that the gut feeling of enjoyment you get is just as important as objective differences.
My 5.1 configuration is finally decided. XPA-2 for fronts, XPA-5 for center and surrounds.
My setup and testing:
Speakers: Paradigm Studio 100 v4 (bi-wired)
Pre/pro: Outlaw Audio 990 (TOSLINK in)
Transport: PlayStation 3 playing CDs
Amps: XPA-2 vs XPA-5 (XLR in)
All material tested was more "delicate" music at moderate listening levels (-35 db) in stereo direct mode. I know that you can crank the hell out of either amp, my goal was to see which one had more finesse.
On my initial comparison without picking apart details, the XPA-2 jumped out as my quick pick. I didn't have any particular reason for this, and I'd most likely attribute it to placebo effect. I spent a solid two hours swapping back and forth with different material trying to disect the details and figure out what was different about the two. I went through many different styles of music - N.E.R.D., Norah Jones, Coldplay, Seal, Paul Oakenfold (yaya), Zero 7. I spent most of this time alternating between deciding the XPA-2 was better and deciding that there was actually no difference and I was trying to convince myself the XPA-2 was better for some reason. I wasn't able to find any music detail which could clearly say was different one way or the other...
Then I found it.
Track 7 ("Distractions") on Simple Things by Zero 7. At 0:43 on this track vocals come in along with something that's like an ambient flute transition (most likely an electronic flute
) Listening carefuly to this on both amps, was very different. On the XPA-5 the flute sound is like a single instrument, in the background, behind the vocalist. Clear but subdued. The XPA-2 revealed a whole new dimension. The flute sound was no longer a single instrument in the background -- it was a soundscape the filled the entire area with an immense soundstage, the the vocalist placed in the middle. The sound surrounded me as a listener and drew me in, and there was a strong emotional grab to it.It took me two hours and lots of content to find one thing I could actually find different. I suspect one could own both and never find a difference with casual listening. However, my senses had caught right up front that the XPA-2 was a more enjoyable stereo experience and I find that with something as subjective as critical listening, that the gut feeling of enjoyment you get is just as important as objective differences.
My 5.1 configuration is finally decided. XPA-2 for fronts, XPA-5 for center and surrounds.
