Can my XPR-5 be used with paradigm studio 100's?

[dreamzz]

HI, 

My current speakers are studio100, cc690, adp590, adp390 ( got two sets - living room and HT). Currently using a yamaha MX-A5000 amp paired with Marantz SR-7010 preout, studio 100\'s are biamped to mxa5000

1. I recently bought an emotiva XPR-5 which is 400W per channel at 8ohm when all channels driven. I am just wondering would be speakers support that much power if i feed them with the xpr-5, especially the surrounds adp590 and adp390 can they handle 400W.
What about biamping the fronts and centre? can they handle 400W+400W if i remove the jumper and feed each plug separately with 400W, thats 400W to the high frequency drivers and 400W to the low frequency drivers total 800W to one speaker.

Dont want to damage my speakers by inputing too much power, so please get back to me

Thanks

[gmeyer]

I am running a pair of studio 20s as surrounds using the XPR-5.

I cant imagine you would need to bi-amp with the XPR-5.

[hemster]

How loud do you listen?

Unless you're into crazy, ear-bleeding loud, there should be no problem. In fact the XPR will make your Paradigms sing very nicely.

Personally I wouldn't bother biamping, especially the center. You won't be lacking anything with that amp IMHO. Of course you can try without biamping for a while to see if you really want to, then try with.

[simpleman68]

With my old pair of Studio 100 V5s, my XPR 2 was plenty of power. I don't think I'd have seen any benefit from bi-amping.

What I did have trouble with was muddy mid-bass which I attribute largely to wood floors. I put isolating feet on them and the difference
was substantial. It really cleaned up bass guitar riffs, drums etc and made them much more pleasant to listen to.
Scott

[novisnick]

First, no speaker will die because of too much clean power,,,,,,,unless you just want to blow up the speakers and make your ears bleed! Possibly killing yourself with too much brain damage!!!

Higher amounts of power will benefit the full range of your speakers, from sweet accurate highs to bass that articulates the lower end.

I've pondered the idea of running my 4 ADP 590's with a XPR-5 but I believe the benefits would be minimal for them,,,,, but the R-5 sure would look SWEET in my rack, alongside the pair of XPR-1's.

For the CC-690, bi-amping may help with music in 5 channel SACD , but only YOUR ears in YOUR room can tell you that.

Good luck with your adventure, please keep us ( me ) in the loop as to your thoughts!  

Edit; I forgot to mention that Im running my Studio 100's  V5 with a pair of XPR-1's ,,,,,,,And I'm Loving what they do!

[dreamzz]

Thanks guys for all the quick reply, i asked the same question to paradigm multiple times but got no answer, then i asked it to my local importer, they also doesnt want to comment, as the xpr-5 is not one of the amp they are selling, anyway after a few go back and forth they said it will damage the speaker, the speakers are 92db sensitive so i only need about clean 40W to drive them, this makes me worry, I havent conencted the XPR yet as my power socket is only 10A, i need to call my electrician to do a 20A circuitry, but i was checking here before i spend more money on to it.

It was nice to hear honest opinion from people they have used the same model speakers and amp together. I am not looking to biamp with XPR-5 as i know 400W is more than enough . But with the yamaha mxa5000 bi-amping the fronts made a difference.

Are there any extra benefit of just bi amping the centre speaker CC690? can it make the voice better for HT?

How about the running the ADP390 from the XPR-5, 390's are from monitor range not from studio range, i tried both adp590 nd adp390 but the difference is only minimal not worth the extra $1000 for adp590's. I got my last pair of adp390 for $200

can i run these speakers safely from the XPR-5 , studio 100(fronts), CC690(centre), ADP390(surrounds) and run the back surrounds and atmos speakers form the receiver itself(marantz sr7010)

I was in the assumption that i cannot drive studio100's with xpr5 hence planning to get a nad M27. I guess its time to call my electrician for the proper wiring so i can fireup and enjoy this beauty, my last power amp might be I really love that LED dancing display.

[dreamzz]

Feb 25, 2016 21:05:16 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Edit; I forgot to mention that Im running my Studio 100's  V5 with a pair of XPR-1's ,,,,,,,And I'm Loving what they do!

So thats 600W to each speakers right? great to know. what sort of volume level you need to use on your processor?

[novisnick]

Let me tell you one more time, just in case I wasnt very clear! 

My Paradigm Studio 100's V5 had only benefited from the extra power supplied by the XPR-1's that are fed by a 15 a circuit each.
No harm have come to them, even on occasions that I rock out at very high db's. Ask boomzilla and garbulky about me rocking out,,,,,he,,,,he,,,,,,he,,,,,, 

They do not have to have a dedicated 20 amp circuit, though, if you running a line anyway, run the 20 amp.  

[novisnick]

Feb 25, 2016 21:22:27 GMT -5 dreamzz said:

Feb 25, 2016 21:05:16 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Edit; I forgot to mention that Im running my Studio 100's  V5 with a pair of XPR-1's ,,,,,,,And I'm Loving what they do!

So thats 600W to each speakers right? great to know. what sort of volume level you need to use on your processor?

Almost correct, thats 1000w to each speaker possibly. 
The XPR-1 provides 1000 wpc at 8 ohms and 1750 wpc at 4 ohms!!! That my friend is a BUNCH of juice if you ever cranked it up!!
And yes, I believe that would SMOKE any almost speaker!!!

On my XMC-1 in my 7.5 HT configuration the volume dial will be set to 26 - 24 
"                       " in my 2.0 two channel system the volume dial will be at 32 - 18 depending on the music and mood.  

This may help,

                                                                      Attachment Deleted   

                                                                                   Tap to enlarge 

[rbk123]

What you don't realize is you won't use anywhere close to the XPR power limits with your speakers; it'll just be too loud. The other amp will play them very loud at 40 watts, if they are efficient. The XPR will be just as loud at 40W so you'll just never tap into all the power reserve of the XPR. However the XPR signal will be much cleaner at 40W than the other amp because it's not even close to breaking a sweat.

Too little power is the real risk with speakers, not too much. Everyone gets it backwards. The problem with too little power is once the amp starts clipping, it sends a square wave into your crossover which is very bad. Very very bad.

[LCSeminole]

I'm pretty sure you won't be needing to bi-amp with the amount of headroom the XPR series power amplifiers have. As for being too much power for your Paradigms this shouldn't be a problem as long as you have complete control over the volume knob!

[novisnick]

Feb 25, 2016 21:43:42 GMT -5 rbk123 said:

What you don't realize is you won't use anywhere close to the XPR power limits with your speakers; it'll just be too loud. The other amp will play them very loud at 40 watts, if they are efficient. The XPR will be just as loud at 40W so you'll just never tap into all the power reserve of the XPR. However the XPR signal will be much cleaner at 40W than the other amp because it's not even close to breaking a sweat.

Too little power is the real risk with speakers, not too much. Everyone gets it backwards. The problem with too little power is once the amp starts clipping, it sends a square wave into your crossover which is very bad. Very very bad.

OH, but I Do Get It!

Correct! Headroom is everything!!!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,imho 

[rbk123]

You (Nick) get it; was referring to the OP.

[simpleman68]

Feb 25, 2016 21:48:38 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Feb 25, 2016 21:43:42 GMT -5 rbk123 said:

What you don't realize is you won't use anywhere close to the XPR power limits with your speakers; it'll just be too loud. The other amp will play them very loud at 40 watts, if they are efficient. The XPR will be just as loud at 40W so you'll just never tap into all the power reserve of the XPR. However the XPR signal will be much cleaner at 40W than the other amp because it's not even close to breaking a sweat.

Too little power is the real risk with speakers, not too much. Everyone gets it backwards. The problem with too little power is once the amp starts clipping, it sends a square wave into your crossover which is very bad. Very very bad.

OH, but I Do Get It!

Correct! Headroom is everything!!!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,imho 

Nick, found you a good theme song.
Another old school classic.
Scott

[sebastianr]

I'm running a 7.3 setup in my HT and powering my Studio 100s (and everything else) with a seven channel 350W Sherbourn amplifier. Everything sounds great and there has never been an issue. You should be fine.

[bootman]

We need to remember that speakers are not like simple resistors so the common P=VI doesn't really apply.
(well it does but only at a given frequency not usually across the entire audio range)

So while a speaker may use very little power at say 1W @ 1KHz it may need (at the same time with music) 100W @ 20KHz.
It all depends on the crossover/speaker impedance response at the given frequency.

And this is not even taking into account loss over distance.

For anyone interested in some of the calculations involved behind speaker design (and then realize what a good amp needs to deliver cleanly)
here is an interesting site.

www.mh-audio.nl/spk_calc.asp

[audiosyndrome]

Yes.

[vcautokid]

With the huge current and voltage reserves of the XPR-5, you have plenty with power to spare. It can drive just about any speaker with ease. Planars, Electrostatic speakers, and much much more. You'll get the control and the life like dynamics your speakers can produce. You are in great shape.

[garbulky]

Yu don't have to worry about overpowering. I have seen 60 watt speakers run on 500 watt amps. Now you have to keep in mind not to go insane on the volume. But that is not really an issue. Underpowering is much worse in my opinion. Your amp is not going to magically deliver way too much current. You are going to be cranking it way too much to do so. Usually you will know that you are sending too much as the speaker won't sound good. it will be hitting its limits etc.

Now the cool news. The XPR-5 can use its unused power to deliver MORE power to the channels that want them. What this means is most of the power is used by the front two or three speakers. The surrounds use only a couple of watts of power. So a lot of that unused power goes to the other channels that demand them. The 400 watt rating is ALL CHANNELS driven at full power. In real life all channels are not driven at full power so there is a lot more than 400 watts available to the front channels. Hence I doubt bi amping will help much.

[dreamzz]

Finally wired a 15A socket and powered up the xpr-5, what can i say, freaking awesome amp, sounds so fuller and clear. i cant believe that i wasted 2 months without connecting it. Absolutely loving it. Thanks for all your support and kinds words.