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Post by wolffcub on Nov 7, 2013 22:42:41 GMT -5
By no means do i have a spectacular setup like all others on this forum but im thinking about doing some upgrading. At this time im focused on updating and expanding the amp side / preamp of my system. My current All in one Yamaha amp is lacking enough HDMI inputs and will soon be required to be used in my garage soon. Current setup is only utilizing Energy C500's with C-C100 center and C-200 surrounds. To date the speakers have served me well and i plan to stick with them a bit longer but will be replaced possibly in a few years. I would like to run separates however I am undecided. Amps would be utilized with my current preouts on the Yamaha till the XMC-1 comes out.
I know this whole bi-amping and bi-wiring thin is a whole can of worms for most but i honestly do not mind the extra cable runs for shits and giggles. I not posting this to discuss anything about bi-whatwever or pros and cons.
Option #1 considering to run one XPA-100 for each front tower (will use for bi-wiring), XPA-100 for center channel and a XPA-200 for the rear surrounds.
Option #2 considering to run one XPA-200 for fronts, XPA-100 for center, and XPA-200 for surrounds.
Option #3 considering to run one XPA-5 for fronts and center (2 chans would be used with a balanced splitter from the XMC-1 at a later date and then used as a passive bi amp setup) , and one XPA-3 for the rear surrounds.
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Post by knucklehead on Nov 7, 2013 23:22:20 GMT -5
You should consider buying new speakers and throttle back on your desire for amps. Speakers will make more of a difference than overpowering those Energy speakers. Just my two cents worth.
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Post by pedrocols on Nov 8, 2013 0:20:16 GMT -5
You should consider buying new speakers and throttle back on your desire for amps. Speakers will make more of a difference than overpowering those Energy speakers. Just my two cents worth. It is prohibited to use the term "overpowering" around here just so you know...  |
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Post by unsound on Nov 8, 2013 0:53:35 GMT -5
You should consider buying new speakers and throttle back on your desire for amps. Speakers will make more of a difference than overpowering those Energy speakers. Just my two cents worth. +1 |
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lewers
Emo VIPs 
You can't have too much clean power
Posts: 117
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Post by lewers on Nov 8, 2013 1:05:38 GMT -5
By no means do i have a spectacular setup like all others on this forum but im thinking about doing some upgrading. At this time im focused on updating and expanding the amp side / preamp of my system. My current All in one Yamaha amp is lacking enough HDMI inputs and will soon be required to be used in my garage soon. Current setup is only utilizing Energy C500's with C-C100 center and C-200 surrounds. To date the speakers have served me well and i plan to stick with them a bit longer but will be replaced possibly in a few years. I would like to run separates however I am undecided. Amps would be utilized with my current preouts on the Yamaha till the XMC-1 comes out. I know this whole bi-amping and bi-wiring thin is a whole can of worms for most but i honestly do not mind the extra cable runs for shits and giggles. I not posting this to discuss anything about bi-whatwever or pros and cons. Option #1 considering to run one XPA-100 for each front tower (will use for bi-wiring), XPA-100 for center channel and a XPA-200 for the rear surrounds. Option #2 considering to run one XPA-200 for fronts, XPA-100 for center, and XPA-200 for surrounds. Option #3 considering to run one XPA-5 for fronts and center (2 chans would be used with a balanced splitter from the XMC-1 at a later date and then used as a passive bi amp setup) , and one XPA-3 for the rear surrounds. Hello wolffcub and welcome to the Emotiva forums. You've outlined some very good options for maximizing your current speakers. I can't tell you how many times I've heard good speakers sound even better once they get some real power behind them. Option one appeals to the balanced side of my brain by keeping the front three the same as possible. Option two would also be good but lacks that mono-block feel that you can probably tell I like  Option three would kick some serious ass, but again no mono-blocks  My suggestion would be to aim as high on the amps as you would ever need with your eventual speaker instead of planning around the ones that you have now. As you can tell from my signature, and a brief browse around this forum, I and many folks here believe that choosing amplification is more about how it will sound than how much power it has been rated for. So if the XPA-100s are being considered because you feel that's what will match your speakers, but you could throw more money at this in consideration of future replacements in the speaker department, I recommend considering the upper XPA or XPR series mono-blocks, or a multichannel amp from one of those series to be supplemented later with mono blocks for the main channels. By slightly modifying option three you could start with the XPA-5 (which would be a very nice upgrade from what you're used to) and then you could save the XPA-3 money and some more for a while until you upgrade your speakers, then move to the big mono-blocks for the main channels. Cheers and above all have fun! -Chris |
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Post by wolffcub on Nov 8, 2013 1:29:50 GMT -5
A lot of this stuff is new to me as I'm just starting to get somewhat serious about it. Reading posts and other information I see numerous applications of the XPA-100 used on lower rated rms speakers with no issues posted. Am I really overpowering the towers and centre to that point with the XPA-100's? Granted its a home theatre setup and not a crazy party setup but I don't crank it up to the point you can't make heads or tails of the audio during a flick.
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Post by garbulky on Nov 8, 2013 2:03:37 GMT -5
No you aren't overpowering anything. But...I'd go with the XPA-2 instead. It's a significantly faster amplifier. At least the XPA-2 gen 1 was when versus the UPA-1 (which was the XPA-100 without a few upgrades). However the sound signatures are different - at least on the gen 1 gear. The XPA-2 was more forward while the UPA-1 was a bit more laidback. But the XPA-2 was audibly faster, and presented a tighter clearer soundstage. Everything just happened .... you guessed it - faster. However the differences aren't INCREDIBLY large. In the end....FOR MY SYSTEM, I preferred the sound of the UPA-2 which I was used to. But I think with a different source the XPA-2 would do very well. It is on a different level and a better amp though I preferred the UPA-2. |
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Post by wolffcub on Nov 8, 2013 14:26:00 GMT -5
Ok so looking into it more and my equipment layout option 3 for me will be scraped. Still somewhat favouring option one still but still. Just need to also look into a better power conditioner now to support the 4 amps and equipment.
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Post by knucklehead on Nov 8, 2013 15:02:34 GMT -5
The XPA-100 is an excellent bargain for $299 but you should reconsider the XPA-5. $100 less than three XPA-100's and you'll get two more channels to drive the surrounds and all in one neat (if not small) package. Look over your audio rack - do you have the room? Enough electrical plugs? Trust me - you won't run out of power with the XPA-5. I've owned many amps over the years and the XPA-5 is one of the best values in HT.
Since nobody else has asked I thought I would - how big is your listening area? How loud do you like to listen? You may need more amperage - but I suspect you don't - at least with the speakers you have. They aren't hard to drive and most AVRs would have little problem in driving them to louder than you can stand.
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garbulky: I've seen you mention how fast the XPA-2 is. What does that mean?
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Post by wolffcub on Nov 8, 2013 15:32:27 GMT -5
The room is 16' wide by 20' deep. Power might be a slight issue when running separates. That is actually one of the things I am looking into this second. Now that possibly 4 amps can find their way on to my stand I am not sure how to handle the outlets required. Should i get 2 power conditioners and run 2 amps off of each? I have duplex receptacles along the tv wall. Not going to *bleep* about cosmetics all that much but the stand i got would look so empty with just the xpa-5 all alone lol.
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Post by deltadube on Nov 8, 2013 15:50:57 GMT -5
The room is 16' wide by 20' deep. Power might be a slight issue when running separates. That is actually one of the things I am looking into this second. Now that possibly 4 amps can find their way on to my stand I am not sure how to handle the outlets required. Should i get 2 power conditioners and run 2 amps off of each? I have duplex receptacles along the tv wall. Not going to *bleep* about cosmetics all that much but the stand i got would look so empty with just the xpa-5 all alone lol. just get 5 xpa 1s... you will be happy! then get the new speakers.. cheers |
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novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,223 
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Post by novisnick on Nov 8, 2013 16:11:22 GMT -5
The room is 16' wide by 20' deep. Power might be a slight issue when running separates. That is actually one of the things I am looking into this second. Now that possibly 4 amps can find their way on to my stand I am not sure how to handle the outlets required. Should i get 2 power conditioners and run 2 amps off of each? I have duplex receptacles along the tv wall. Not going to *bleep* about cosmetics all that much but the stand i got would look so empty with just the xpa-5 all alone lol. just get 5 xpa 1s... you will be happy! then get the new speakers.. cheers RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRsssssssssssssss RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRssssssssssssssNick |
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bootman
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Post by bootman on Nov 8, 2013 16:49:31 GMT -5
I agree with knucklehead.
Keep it simple.
One XPA-5 will be enough for virtually anything you may plan to buy in the future.
Emotiva's easiest amp to recommend.
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Post by wolffcub on Nov 8, 2013 16:50:56 GMT -5
The future might bring in a setup using RF-7's or RF-82's with proper center channel and surrounds to match the front towers or possibly some other setup similar. Factor this into my possible amp options if it helps.
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Post by creimes on Nov 8, 2013 16:55:10 GMT -5
XPA-5 and a pair of XPA-1L's, what else could I recommend  and it will fill some space in that empty rack and be great for those Klipsch speakers Chad |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2013 17:17:44 GMT -5
XPA-5 and a pair of XPA-1L's, what else could I recommend and it will fill some space in that empty rack and be great for those Klipsch speakers Chad +1 |
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Post by deltadube on Nov 8, 2013 23:10:50 GMT -5
XPA-5 and a pair of XPA-1L's, what else could I recommend and it will fill some space in that empty rack and be great for those Klipsch speakers Chad come on Chad xpa 5 with some xpa 1s.... cheers.. |
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Post by vcautokid on Nov 9, 2013 1:04:12 GMT -5
You could never have too much power. No such thing. Dynamics are greatest with generous reserves of power, and the sense of scale especially with hungry speakers is great to have lots of power. But fundamentally I think the previous comments of changing the speakers will make a more profound impact than just more power. If you love your speakers you currently have, and want more punch, drive and control, and dynamic swing. More power is always the answer. Granted you would need to at least double if not more your power. At least with Emotiva Amplifiers, your cost will not be the debt of a third world country to accomplish. So there are a number of combinations you could do easily. You could even do them steps at a time to keep your costs in check. Though with the holiday sale, now is the time.  |
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Post by knucklehead on Nov 9, 2013 1:50:53 GMT -5
The future might bring in a setup using RF-7's or RF-82's with proper center channel and surrounds to match the front towers or possibly some other setup similar. Factor this into my possible amp options if it helps. Then find a used UPA-7. It'll drive 7 Klipsch speakers to ear-bleeding levels no problem. Or the current 7 channel Sherbourn. The Klipsch RF's are easy to drive. My nephew has RF-52s with RC center and RS surrounds and drives them to LOUD levels with a Yamaha HTR-7065 receiver and it sounds very good. Rated at 100wpc but you know how receiver ratings are - very optimistic. |
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Post by GreenKiwi on Nov 9, 2013 11:44:18 GMT -5
I'd agree with two of the comments above. I'd just get an XPA-5. It's going to be a really big improvement over an avr, and I don't think you'll be missing anything that the XPA-100 could provide.
In the future, you could get either an XPA-2 or 2 XPA-1Ls and use those for the LR.
The other comment is looking at speaker upgrades. I've found that speakers often have a bigger effect on sound than just about anything else.
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and it will fill some space in that empty rack and be great for those Klipsch speakers
