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Post by tchaik on Mar 7, 2019 10:03:25 GMT -5
Has anyone compared the XPR-2 directly to the DR-2 with the exact same equipment in front and behind the two amps?
I am very interested in the answer to this question before I decide to give up my beautiful blue lights on my XPR-2 for an amp that is half the weight.
yes, I am aware the DR-2 is Fully Differential and the XPR-2 is not, and the DR-2 uses the SMPS verses the
XPR-2 mega transformer/mega caps and the blades are similar in class a/b operation. and, the power specs are close to one another..
DR-2 = 550/880 watts verses XPR-2 = 600/1000 watts.
hey Keith, how about you. what say ye oh humble servant?
tchaik.........
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Post by davidl81 on Mar 7, 2019 10:25:02 GMT -5
Has anyone compared the XPR-2 directly to the DR-2 with the exact same equipment in front and behind the two amps? I am very interested in the answer to this question before I decide to give up my beautiful blue lights on my XPR-2 for an amp that is half the weight. yes, I am aware the DR-2 is Fully Differential and the XPR-2 is not, and the DR-2 uses the SMPS verses the XPR-2 mega transformer/mega caps and the blades are similar in class a/b operation. and, the power specs are close to one another.. DR-2 = 550/880 watts verses XPR-2 = 600/1000 watts. hey Keith, how about you. what say ye oh humble servant? tchaik......... FWIW When I swapped out my XPA-2 (Gen 2) for the DR-2 (Pushing a pair of Mirage OMD-28 Towers) I did not notice any real gains/differences in the amps. I don't know if that really helps your question, but at least it is a point of reference. I did see someone with the XPR-2 listed for sale here that I actually would buy to try out and compare to my DR-2, but the seller is not looking to ship it. What is your reason to look to make a change? If it is just for SQ "upgrades" I don't think you will see one really. If there is a reason you need the slightly smaller/lighter DR-2 that would make sense to me. |
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Post by tchaik on Mar 7, 2019 12:09:38 GMT -5
Has anyone compared the XPR-2 directly to the DR-2 with the exact same equipment in front and behind the two amps? I am very interested in the answer to this question before I decide to give up my beautiful blue lights on my XPR-2 for an amp that is half the weight. yes, I am aware the DR-2 is Fully Differential and the XPR-2 is not, and the DR-2 uses the SMPS verses the XPR-2 mega transformer/mega caps and the blades are similar in class a/b operation. and, the power specs are close to one another.. DR-2 = 550/880 watts verses XPR-2 = 600/1000 watts. hey Keith, how about you. what say ye oh humble servant? tchaik......... FWIW When I swapped out my XPA-2 (Gen 2) for the DR-2 (Pushing a pair of Mirage OMD-28 Towers) I did not notice any real gains/differences in the amps. I don't know if that really helps your question, but at least it is a point of reference. I did see someone with the XPR-2 listed for sale here that I actually would buy to try out and compare to my DR-2, but the seller is not looking to ship it. What is your reason to look to make a change? If it is just for SQ "upgrades" I don't think you will see one really. If there is a reason you need the slightly smaller/lighter DR-2 that would make sense to me. Had the XPA-2 gen 1, and the XPR-2 was a significant improvement in dynamics but same overall sonic signature. I assume the power difference was the reason. I am considering a possible change since lifting 104 lbs is no longer an option for me and I am starting to suffer the upgrade fever that most audiophiles tend to catch every couple/few years. also, the dual differential aspect and SMPS intrigue me. |
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Post by garbulky on Mar 7, 2019 13:23:32 GMT -5
I think of the XPR-2 as a hybrid between an XPA-2 gen 1/2 and the tonal signature of the UPA-2. A nice sound slightly on the warm sound which rounds out the edges slightly.
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Post by tchaik on Mar 7, 2019 14:31:38 GMT -5
still looking for someone who has compared the XPR-2 directly to the DR-2.
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Post by creimes on Mar 7, 2019 14:45:11 GMT -5
I'm not sure but I think jcz06 may have had both, I know he just sold some DR1 amps and I think he had some XPR's but not positive. Chad |
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Post by jcz06 on Mar 7, 2019 14:58:14 GMT -5
I'm not sure but I think jcz06 may have had both, I know he just sold some DR1 amps and I think he had some XPR's but not positive. Chad I had a DR-3 then went to DR-1s, but before had XPR-1s..... I would say going from the XPRs to the DRs, you don't notice any significant differences. I think the DRs are a little more controlled but again nothing that makes a huge difference, the weight difference is nice but the XPRs are icons......can't go wrong either way I don't think. The XPRs do have more overall power as you load them down....... |
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Post by amped on Mar 9, 2019 15:35:24 GMT -5
The XPR-2 is a far superior amp to anything in the DR line...The DR line is not an elevation in performance or build quality as a matter of fact it's EMOs answer to exploding costs and shrinking margins of the XP(insert any model here) line. Emo once made many VERY good sounding and well built amps that were suited for both 2 channel and HT, now they make very good home theater amps NOT 2 channel amps.
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Post by tchaik on Mar 9, 2019 16:23:32 GMT -5
The XPR-2 is a far superior amp to anything in the DR line...The DR line is not an elevation in performance or build quality as a matter of fact it's EMOs answer to exploding costs and shrinking margins of the XP(insert any model here) line. Emo once made many VERY good sounding and well built amps that were suited for both 2 channel and HT, now they make very good home theater amps NOT 2 channel amps. amped, have you actually compared the XPR 2 to the DR-2 directly back to back? if so, I would love to hear your thoughts. I have owned the XPA-2 and still own the XPR_2. I want to hear from someone who has compared the XPR-2 and DR-2 with the same associated equipment back to back in the same time frame. anything less is overly subjective. As a professional musician and a college music professor I am well aware how fluid musical memory can be. Musical memory/sound quality memory is exceedingly flawed no matter how well trained the ears are. tchaik............ |
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Post by rbk123 on Mar 9, 2019 22:33:18 GMT -5
have you actually compared the XPR 2 to the DR-2 directly back to back? if so, I would love to hear your thoughts. I have owned the XPA-2 and still own the XPR_2. I want to hear from someone who has compared the XPR-2 and DR-2 with the same associated equipment back to back in the same time frame. anything less is overly subjective. As a professional musician and a college music professor I am well aware how fluid musical memory can be. Musical memory/sound quality memory is exceedingly flawed no matter how well trained the ears are. You’re going to have to take it up with Gar as all his comparisons are memory based. |
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Post by garbulky on Mar 9, 2019 23:08:56 GMT -5
have you actually compared the XPR 2 to the DR-2 directly back to back? if so, I would love to hear your thoughts. I have owned the XPA-2 and still own the XPR_2. I want to hear from someone who has compared the XPR-2 and DR-2 with the same associated equipment back to back in the same time frame. anything less is overly subjective. As a professional musician and a college music professor I am well aware how fluid musical memory can be. Musical memory/sound quality memory is exceedingly flawed no matter how well trained the ears are. You’re going to have to take it up with Gar as all his comparisons are memory based. Not all of them! But this one was  I've never heard the DR-2 |
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Post by jcz06 on Mar 10, 2019 22:09:28 GMT -5
The XPR-2 is a far superior amp to anything in the DR line...The DR line is not an elevation in performance or build quality as a matter of fact it's EMOs answer to exploding costs and shrinking margins of the XP(insert any model here) line. Emo once made many VERY good sounding and well built amps that were suited for both 2 channel and HT, now they make very good home theater amps NOT 2 channel amps. Having owned both XPR-1s and DR1s, I think you need to revisit your opinion.....my Legacy Focus SEs sounded superb with with both the XPR-1s and DR1s....the DRs have a little bit of an edge on clarity..... |
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Post by amped on Mar 12, 2019 9:16:50 GMT -5
I have owned all the EMO big boys, and enjoyed most, all the way back to Sherborne to include XPR-2, XPA-2/2, XPA-1, Sherborne 350 and on and on. Truth be told I have NOT done a side by side of the DR and any other EMO Amps, I have long said good bye to my last EMO Amp. That being said my neighbor and good friend of mine is an EMO devote (BTW I brought him to EMO) and he has all the latest gear including the DR-2 so I have listened to it and he has a very good system in front and behind the DR and what I can tell is it [DR] has great Macro Dynamics and punch but transparency and Micro Dynamics the things that give you that "live in the room" feeling are/were much more apparent with the XPR then the DR. The best way for me to describe it to HT guys is the XPR is the Dolby Cinema and the DR is the regular theater. The blacks are just deeper and less distracting. Just look inside the boxes...and tell me that the "new" Emo is even capable of the same or better "sound" using a slide in "one size fits all" chassis and off the shelf components. Solid engineering cannot overcome substandard parts nor build quality. Don't misread what I am saying...I am still a big EMO fan for HT and recommend them wholeheartedly for that purpose however anyone comparing them to Classe, Krell, Mac, Bryston, Moon, Boulder or most any other 2 channel species specific Amp is kidding themselves. A Porsche 911 and a KIA Forte will both get you to the grocery store but is the journey the same? I think not.
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Post by simpleman68 on Mar 12, 2019 9:22:01 GMT -5
I have both sitting here and will do a back to back if I can get the time. Wife is out of town for a week and I have the 3 kids. Would be an easy comparo if I get a free couple hours to play.
I've never done back to back between the XPR-2 and the DR-3 but pretty close. The DR seemed a bit more forward in the mids but was a very fast amp. The XPR-2 is a powerful workhorse that had deep punchy bass but not as much overall control/damping IIRC.
I'll keep you posted. Scott
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Post by creimes on Mar 12, 2019 9:28:19 GMT -5
anyone comparing them to Classe, Krell, Mac, Bryston, Moon, Boulder or most any other 2 channel species specific Amp is kidding themselves. A Porsche 911 and a KIA Forte will both get you to the grocery store but is the journey the same? I think not. Are you saying this merely of cost of purchase, I've always wondered other than of course the price tag what makes those more expensive amps supposedly better ?? just a question as I am not rich enough to ever try any of those brands, can a company only build a really really great product at a certain price point ? Cheers, Chad |
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Post by garbulky on Mar 12, 2019 9:53:11 GMT -5
I have compared my XPA-1 gen 2 to the Macintosh monoblocks. I preferred mine.
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KeithL
Administrator 
Posts: 10,265
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Post by KeithL on Mar 12, 2019 10:09:26 GMT -5
I'm not going to get involved in a discussion here comparing how different amps sound... However, I would challenge any claim that even suggests that "you can tell what an amp will sound like by just looking inside the box". I absolutely agree that: "solid engineering cannot overcome substandard parts nor build quality". HOWEVER, I would also suggest that: "really awesome quality parts and great build quality cannot overcome the limits of the engineering behind them". It may be a really nice piece of jewelry... and it may last forever... but the most accurate mechanical watch ever made isn't as accurate at telling time as a decent $50 quartz digital watch.
I have owned all the EMO big boys, and enjoyed most, all the way back to Sherborne to include XPR-2, XPA-2/2, XPA-1, Sherborne 350 and on and on. Truth be told I have NOT done a side by side of the DR and any other EMO Amps, I have long said good bye to my last EMO Amp. That being said my neighbor and good friend of mine is an EMO devote (BTW I brought him to EMO) and he has all the latest gear including the DR-2 so I have listened to it and he has a very good system in front and behind the DR and what I can tell is it [DR] has great Macro Dynamics and punch but transparency and Micro Dynamics the things that give you that "live in the room" feeling are/were much more apparent with the XPR then the DR. The best way for me to describe it to HT guys is the XPR is the Dolby Cinema and the DR is the regular theater. The blacks are just deeper and less distracting. Just look inside the boxes...and tell me that the "new" Emo is even capable of the same or better "sound" using a slide in "one size fits all" chassis and off the shelf components. Solid engineering cannot overcome substandard parts nor build quality. Don't misread what I am saying...I am still a big EMO fan for HT and recommend them wholeheartedly for that purpose however anyone comparing them to Classe, Krell, Mac, Bryston, Moon, Boulder or most any other 2 channel species specific Amp is kidding themselves. A Porsche 911 and a KIA Forte will both get you to the grocery store but is the journey the same? I think not. |
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Post by pedrocols on Mar 12, 2019 10:39:27 GMT -5
Just get a tube amp😂🤣
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Post by tropicallutefisk on Mar 12, 2019 10:48:51 GMT -5
anyone comparing them to Classe, Krell, Mac, Bryston, Moon, Boulder or most any other 2 channel species specific Amp is kidding themselves. A Porsche 911 and a KIA Forte will both get you to the grocery store but is the journey the same? I think not. I'm not trying to knock the McIntosh brand with what I am about to say, but I do not believe I am kidding myself when I say my Emotiva DR-1s far out perform my McIntosh. Now I am not comparing apples to apples since my Mac was only 150 WPC. I was running my Maggie 3.7is with a MC152 prior to my purchase of two DR-1s. Yes, Maggies are hungry and love to be fed, so one might argue I was just under feeding my panels. There is probably some truth to that because when powering my Maggie 1.6s the MC152 seemed more adequate for the job. Though it still failed to really bring out everything those panels were capable of and my room is on the smaller size. When I switched my 3.7is to the DR-1s it was like I was hearing my speakers for the first time. The imaging was incredible and the bass was much more prominent and tighter. For about $2400, I got a much better sound than I was getting from a $4500 McIntosh. One could argue its a matter of matching the proper gear and that's fair. However, McIntosh likes to promote the idea that their amps always punch well above the stated specs and my meters often hit above 200 watts. That amp should have been more than enough power for my Maggies and I have heard them driven quite nicely with 125 watts. So, for about half the price I got better sound and better performance from a less expensive brand and I am not kidding myself or others with that statement. Again, my intent was not say McIntosh is not a good brand, but I did want to emphasize dollars spent does not always equal value received. |
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Post by amped on Mar 12, 2019 11:05:22 GMT -5
As we all know and have discussed here at nauseum and used disarming acronyms like "IMHO", "IMO", "YMMV" "TOFTT" et al., the reality is what sound do you the listener prefer? What sounds good to you may not appeal to someone else. We all have a Golden Ear when trying to support our hypothesis and a Tin Ear when it comes to the anthesis and that is the beauty of individuality and preference. There was a time not 10 years ago that if someone told me the sound from a $6,500 CD player was significantly better then the sound from most $400 CD players I would have laughed and said they were justifying the expenditure of the former. Then one day as luck would have it I was able to get my hands on a $6,500 CD player and any comparison of the two was forever a moot point yes Virginia there is a Santa Clause! Keith I have always respected (and will always) respect your opinions and I do agree that looking inside the box does not make an amp nor was I insinuating that my statement was a universal one BUT I will say you have to agree that in the case (no pun intended) of EMO "older X Series" Amps VS newer series EMO amps that there is a direct correlation between the build quality, use of parts and internal architecture that does have an effect on the end result. It is widely known why EMO discontinued all those old heavy, overbuilt amps and I think I can safely say it was not to improve the sound quality of these products it was a 100% fiscal move.
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I've never heard the DR-2
