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Post by goozoo on Nov 26, 2014 1:12:11 GMT -5
Just wanted to get people's take on what other high end multi channel amp the XPR-5 would compare to? ATI, Theta, Classe? I'm asking because Emo claims it to rival very high end amps but that doesn't mean much unless you actually compare it to the high end stuff.
So if anyone has any thoughts THAT ACTUALLY OWNS OR HAS OWNED one of the high end amps or XPR-5 your thoughts would be appreciated.
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Post by ocezam on Nov 26, 2014 8:13:27 GMT -5
Considering Emotiva's generous 30 day trial, why don't you simply order one and find out for yourself? The opinion of a stranger isn't worth much IMO.
Peace
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Post by Canuck_fr on Nov 26, 2014 8:42:19 GMT -5
I think you can put them up to Classé, ATi, Theta, Krell and any other amplifier you can think of.
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Lsc
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Post by Lsc on Nov 26, 2014 13:39:32 GMT -5
Someone compared the XPR-5 to the McIntosh monoblocks and said they were the same. Same with the XPA-1. The search sucks here so it's probably tough to find.
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Post by garbulky on Nov 26, 2014 15:37:58 GMT -5
I remember somebody compared them to mcintosh too, he found the macs slightly clearer but felt the XPR's were close. Somebody else replaced his classe multichannel amp with XPA-1 L's and felt there was an improvement.
Somebody had Krell electronics, and though he felt they were superior, he felt the difference wasn't massive. The XPA-1 was compared to a multichannel ATI amp by a professional reviewer. Though he liked the XPA-1, he measured better significantly better SNR values on the ATI amp.
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bootman
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Post by bootman on Nov 26, 2014 17:12:35 GMT -5
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Lsc
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Post by Lsc on Nov 26, 2014 18:58:15 GMT -5
So there you have it  . Thanks Bootman... Perhaps this is why I don't feel like I'm missing out by not having XPR-1s. Combine the XPR amps with the XMC-1 (just ordered today), the front end is solid enough to be worthy of just about any speaker system. You got champagne tastes on a beer budget? No worries, emotiva's beer tastes like champagne.  . |
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kdm
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Post by kdm on Nov 29, 2014 20:00:06 GMT -5
The opinion of a stranger isn't worth much IMO. Peace Agreed. At least, as related to the question asked, and what it concerns. I "professionally" sold A/V equipment back in the 80's, and I can tell you (anyone), that a skilled person can make any one piece of an audio system sound good....via the variables that are at a sales persons hands. Examples: 1. Give me the cheapest....$49 CD player, and I can make someone think it's the best....by pairing it with fantastic reference material on a CD, and a "decent" pair of speakers, with ample power. 2. Give me a great reference CD, and I can make a low-level pair of speakers sound pretty darn decent. 3. Give me a great-spec pre-amp & amp...."$hitty" quality production CD...couple it with mediocre speakers......and you'll think the amp is crap, but it's not! I could list about a dozen more combinations, but you get my point. The truth is (and many here won't want to face this), is that, beside the aforementioned examples, the human ear becomes another important variable. That is, all things perfect, the above examples stand firm. When we age, like me (56), our ability to distinguish the true differences in audio excellence/material really changes. This is a fact, not an opinion. So you may ask, "Why are you buying Emotiva gear?" My answer is pretty simple; They have great specs, great reviews....and their equipment just, plain, looks "impressive" (another real, psychological aspect in consumer buying). I'm now, an Emotiva guy :-). Shallow, I know  . But yes, I am also impressed with their commitment and intention to offer excellence. |
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Post by ocezam on Nov 29, 2014 22:35:21 GMT -5
So you may ask, "Why are you buying Emotiva gear?" My answer is pretty simple; They have great specs, great reviews....and their equipment just, plain, looks "impressive" I'm now, an Emotiva guy :-). Shallow, I know . But yes, I am also impressed with their commitment and intention to offer excellence. Nothing shallow about it. Emotiva makes VERY good equipment for an incredible price. You can pay more, sometimes MUCH more and get less. Only thing missing is snob appeal. I'm good with that. Just really good solid equipment.... |
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kdm
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Post by kdm on Nov 29, 2014 22:58:10 GMT -5
The shallow statement was about myself. My overall statement is self explanatory.
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Post by gohantanch on Nov 29, 2014 23:26:45 GMT -5
The opinion of a stranger isn't worth much IMO. Peace Agreed. At least, as related to the question asked, and what it concerns. I "professionally" sold A/V equipment back in the 80's, and I can tell you (anyone), that a skilled person can make any one piece of an audio system sound good....via the variables that are at a sales persons hands. Examples: 1. Give me the cheapest....$49 CD player, and I can make someone think it's the best....by pairing it with fantastic reference material on a CD, and a "decent" pair of speakers, with ample power. 2. Give me a great reference CD, and I can make a low-level pair of speakers sound pretty darn decent. 3. Give me a great-spec pre-amp & amp...."$hitty" quality production CD...couple it with mediocre speakers......and you'll think the amp is crap, but it's not! I could list about a dozen more combinations, but you get my point. The truth is (and many here won't want to face this), is that, beside the aforementioned examples, the human ear becomes another important variable. That is, all things perfect, the above examples stand firm. When we age, like me (56), our ability to distinguish the true differences in audio excellence/material really changes. This is a fact, not an opinion. So you may ask, "Why are you buying Emotiva gear?" My answer is pretty simple; They have great specs, great reviews....and their equipment just, plain, looks "impressive" (another real, psychological aspect in consumer buying). I'm now, an Emotiva guy :-). Shallow, I know . But yes, I am also impressed with their commitment and intention to offer excellence. I still in the HT sales biz and to your point, at the magnolia design center we took a pair of monoblock McIntosh amps, an oppo, and powered a $80 pair of best buy brand insignia speakers and holy crap those puppies sang. Never thought that could come from speakers like that. |
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Post by garbulky on Nov 30, 2014 2:39:15 GMT -5
Agreed. At least, as related to the question asked, and what it concerns. I "professionally" sold A/V equipment back in the 80's, and I can tell you (anyone), that a skilled person can make any one piece of an audio system sound good....via the variables that are at a sales persons hands. Examples: 1. Give me the cheapest....$49 CD player, and I can make someone think it's the best....by pairing it with fantastic reference material on a CD, and a "decent" pair of speakers, with ample power. 2. Give me a great reference CD, and I can make a low-level pair of speakers sound pretty darn decent. 3. Give me a great-spec pre-amp & amp...."$hitty" quality production CD...couple it with mediocre speakers......and you'll think the amp is crap, but it's not! I could list about a dozen more combinations, but you get my point. The truth is (and many here won't want to face this), is that, beside the aforementioned examples, the human ear becomes another important variable. That is, all things perfect, the above examples stand firm. When we age, like me (56), our ability to distinguish the true differences in audio excellence/material really changes. This is a fact, not an opinion. So you may ask, "Why are you buying Emotiva gear?" My answer is pretty simple; They have great specs, great reviews....and their equipment just, plain, looks "impressive" (another real, psychological aspect in consumer buying). I'm now, an Emotiva guy :-). Shallow, I know . But yes, I am also impressed with their commitment and intention to offer excellence. I still in the HT sales biz and to your point, at the magnolia design center we took a pair of monoblock McIntosh amps, an oppo, and powered a $80 pair of best buy brand insignia speakers and holy crap those puppies sang. Never thought that could come from speakers like that. Interesting you said that. I hooked up a cambridge soundworks megaworks tiny satellite system (3.5 inch single driver)  This little thing - no sub to a UPA-2 and XDA-1 and it was STUNNING how clear that sound was. it never sounded like that when it was being driven by the amp integrated into the sub. |
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Post by boscobear on Nov 30, 2014 3:07:52 GMT -5
I own the XPR-5 and XMC-1. Using them to power B&W 803 D Speakers. Before changing to Emotiva equipment, I had been using Aragon 4004 amps, and a Adcom pre-amp. My first Emotiva purchase, a few years back, was the ERC-1 replacing a Denon player. I was amazed at the sonic difference in CD players, so I was at ease with changing the power amp, for a multi-channel system to enter into the HT world. I never thought I would be sonically improving my sound reproduction to this level. My primary belief was that I was moving simply into the multi-channel domain. Was I ever amazed?
Sonically, I wasted many years listening to the Aragon, and Adcom equipment. I had no idea that my B&W 803Ds could sound as great as they do today. The XMC-1 is such a terrific piece of equipment. There are so many variables, ways to tweak the sound of the musical reproduction. The difference between the Adcom, and the XMC-1 is remarkable, not on the same level. The day I plugged in the XPR-5 for the first time, and played a CD, I had to laugh, there wasn't the usual comparison listening period. No collection of verbs to describe any minute sonic changes. The difference was vast. Musical instruments were present in my room. Tone reproduction was real, timbre of voice, distinct, intense.
I guess the most specific descriptions came from friends that are not audiophile type. What they directly noticed, without being conscious of, was the considerably improved difference in the music to noise levels.
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kdm
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Post by kdm on Nov 30, 2014 8:42:08 GMT -5
Agreed. At least, as related to the question asked, and what it concerns. I "professionally" sold A/V equipment back in the 80's, and I can tell you (anyone), that a skilled person can make any one piece of an audio system sound good....via the variables that are at a sales persons hands. Examples: 1. Give me the cheapest....$49 CD player, and I can make someone think it's the best....by pairing it with fantastic reference material on a CD, and a "decent" pair of speakers, with ample power. 2. Give me a great reference CD, and I can make a low-level pair of speakers sound pretty darn decent. 3. Give me a great-spec pre-amp & amp...."$hitty" quality production CD...couple it with mediocre speakers......and you'll think the amp is crap, but it's not! I could list about a dozen more combinations, but you get my point. The truth is (and many here won't want to face this), is that, beside the aforementioned examples, the human ear becomes another important variable. That is, all things perfect, the above examples stand firm. When we age, like me (56), our ability to distinguish the true differences in audio excellence/material really changes. This is a fact, not an opinion. So you may ask, "Why are you buying Emotiva gear?" My answer is pretty simple; They have great specs, great reviews....and their equipment just, plain, looks "impressive" (another real, psychological aspect in consumer buying). I'm now, an Emotiva guy :-). Shallow, I know . But yes, I am also impressed with their commitment and intention to offer excellence. I still in the HT sales biz and to your point, at the magnolia design center we took a pair of monoblock McIntosh amps, an oppo, and powered a $80 pair of best buy brand insignia speakers and holy crap those puppies sang. Never thought that could come from speakers like that. Yup, it's truly amazing how different set-ups can make a "weak link" sound magnificent. But then, speakers are one of the most misunderstood and commercially manipulated "aspects" in the audio world. They are probably, the most "easily" sold...based on aesthetic design and/or name brand, but would be exposed as "nothing extraordinary" in any double blind test. When you see this, sexy towering beast that has "real cherry wood", titanium domed tweeters, "kevlar" woofers, etc., etc., they HAVE to sound great, right? The truth is, that a decent driver(s), encased in an ordinary particleboard enclosure (Yeah, I know, "high density MDF" sounds more serious, lol), spray-painted purple....with the right enclosed CF and porting (or not), can perform just as well. But I guarantee you, that the purple painted speakers will "sound like $hit", all components equal....to any potential buyer. |
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. Thanks Bootman...
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. But yes, I am also impressed with their commitment and intention to offer excellence.
