XPA DR3.

[Senthil]

I need help picking the amp for my Airmotive T2 and C2 speakers.

Can anyone suggest whether to buy XPA5 or XPA DR3, please?

Thanks for your time.

[davidl81]

Are you running surround speakers as well thus the XPA-5, or were you thinking of Bi-amping the fronts? If you are going to just run the three speakers I would get the DR-3 all day before the XPA-5. Actually with those speakers the XPA-3 would be more than adaquate (I do t think you would ever tell a difference between the XPA-3 and the DR-3 with the T2 speakers). I say this as some one who went from a Gen 2 XPA-2 to a DR-2 and really the difference is very small.

The one advantage the XPA-5 would give you would be the ability to run surround speakers off of for a future 5.1 setup.

[leonski]

T2 is listed as 91 db sensitive. In a smaller room, 100 to 150 (the new PA-1 x number of speakers) while in a larger room, 200+ might be workable.

Sort of depends on user expectations and room size.

I sort of like the idea of the PA-1 monos. Small size? Fairly cool running? Decent power output?

And being 'modular', it would be easy to add a 2 or 3 channel amp in the future, and the additional speakers, with the PA-1s now running rear channels.

If you have surround sound ambitiions, I'd think thru an upgrade path which made the least amount of stuff 'obsolete'.

[Senthil]

Yes, it is a 5.1 setup. I also bought E2 as well. I already use XPA5 along with Parasound A51 in my home theater for a 11.1 setup with Polk LSIM speakers. I am now planning to setup my living room TV with the new Airmotiv speakers. Based on the amplifier specs, XPA5 should be fine but I was wondering whether it is beneficial to buy XPA DR3 to get the better out of the Airmotiv T2 speakers.

If the difference is really small then I would rather go with XPA5 itself.

[Senthil]

Thanks for your suggestion, Leonski. PA-1 wouldn't suit me. But it is good to know, I might use it for my computer desk.

[leonski]

I'm not going to beat it to death, but if you were to measure how much power you used, especially on the back channels, you'd see that the PA-1 would be MORE than enough.
Even 3 or 4 watts per speaker for those channels would be pretty loud and with 140 on tap? over 15db headroom. Quite sufficient.

[davidl81]

Jul 26, 2018 16:16:51 GMT -5 Senthil said:

Yes, it is a 5.1 setup. I also bought E2 as well. I already use XPA5 along with Parasound A51 in my home theater for a 11.1 setup with Polk LSIM speakers. I am now planning to setup my living room TV with the new Airmotiv speakers. Based on the amplifier specs, XPA5 should be fine but I was wondering whether it is beneficial to buy XPA DR3 to get the better out of the Airmotiv T2 speakers.

If the difference is really small then I would rather go with XPA5 itself.

I would think the XPA-5 would be good. The T2 speakers are so sensitive I don’t think you would ever need the extra power you would get from the DR-3, and you still save a good bit of money.

[Senthil]

Thank you both for your suggestions. I will go with XPA5. One other question though, what sort of setup would need an amp like XPA DR.

[davidl81]

Jul 26, 2018 22:58:10 GMT -5 Senthil said:

Thank you both for your suggestions. I will go with XPA5. One other question though, what sort of setup would need an amp like XPA DR.

I run my DR-2 for my L/R Mirage OMD-28’s (86 dB) so they need some more power. But honestly I would be hard pressed to tell any difference between my DR-2 and the Gen 2 XPA-2 that I replaced.

[Senthil]

Thanks. This really helped me to decide.

[CRASHFIRE]

I had a XPA-5 Gen 3 running my Martin Logan 60XT towers and 50XT center along with rear surround speakers. And I ran my Martin Logon Atmos speakers from the AVR. I just didn't quite care for the sound from the XPA-5 so, I sent it back and got the DR3 to run my towers (94db) and center (94db) and love it. I myself feel like the DR3 sounds fuller, deeper, and has more separation that the XPA-5 did. And just FYI, I run the rest off my Marantz AVR. Just my 2-cents worth.

[Senthil]

Thanks for your insight, Crashfire.