Ordered a UPA 7

[dm1010]

Woo Hoo! Just got off the phone with Chris. Ordered a UPA 7 and I'm very excited!

[doug917]

Congrats on your purchase!...What are you pairing it up with?

[soulrider4ever]

You are going to fall in love with the UPA-7.

[dm1010]

I have a full NHT complement with the ST4s, the SC2, 2 sc1s, 2 SB1s, 2 NHT 8" subs, an NHT 10" sub, and a 12" NHT sub. Also, I have the Yamaha 663 that is currently powering them, and a Samsung 1500 Blu-ray player. Oh yeah, and a Sony 40" 1080p.

On a side note, I have a 2 channel system that is made up of a YBA cd2 player, a Meitner pre and pro, and JM Lab Focal Electra speakers with Cardas wire.

There ya go!

[dm1010]

So here is a simple question I may be blasted for: I currently have the amp set to 'small' speakers so as not not to tax the Yamaha, but with the UPA 7 I will set them to large correct? The speakers are all capable of some bass response, so I'm not concerned with the smaller models not being able to handle the signal.

[indyscammer]

Jul 14, 2009 18:18:06 GMT -5 dm1010 said:

So here is a simple question I may be blasted for: I currently have the amp set to 'small' speakers so as not not to tax the Yamaha, but with the UPA 7 I will set them to large correct? The speakers are all capable of some bass response, so I'm not concerned with the smaller models not being able to handle the signal.

I recommend you listen to it both ways. Even though my speakers pump bass in spades I get better SQ set to small. I pump 100Hz and below to the sub which clears way for my 2-ways to handle the mid-range better. That's what works for my set up. You never really know until you try.

[dm1010]

Perhaps you're right. I have the four subs running in parallel anyway which is really kick ass - pressurizes the house!

Very excited about the UPA 7 showing up!

[soulrider4ever]

I have my Crossover set to 85, I went through from 50-150 until I found what sounds the best. Setting the speakers to large just takes the signal that would be redirected to the subs to the mains(hence less bass from the sub), and well - the sub should do a better job at bass, so small is probably the better way to go for movies.

[dm1010]

Even though this amp is a workhorse, no one would recommend running the speakers at the 'large' setting?

[jmilton]

Jul 15, 2009 8:54:24 GMT -5 dm1010 said:

Even though this amp is a workhorse, no one would recommend running the speakers at the 'large' setting?

If you have a sub, let it take the load off your amp. Your speakers will get more power and sound better by taking the load off of them...yes, even if they are full range:

www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/the-marriage-between-the-subwoofer-and-tower-speakers



"In addition to setting the correct crossover frequency, determining whether your speakers are LARGE or SMALL is likely the most critical aspect to getting the best sound reproduction in your system. The majority of home theater novices I’ve met have their speakers set to all LARGE (if this is you please read on.) This great “mystery” is actually quite easy to understand if you know what’s happening behind the scenes. When you set a loudspeaker to LARGE, you are in effect telling the bass management to bypass that speaker and send it the full range of that channel’s information. Let’s slow down and think about this for a minute because I’ve actually met people that argue with me that their bookshelf speakers sound better set to LARGE.

If a bookshelf loudspeaker has an effective frequency response of 50Hz – 20kHz +/-3dB that means that information below 50Hz isn’t well produced by the speaker. In fact, it only serves to provide distortion and compression in the form of signal sent to the driver that it simply cannot reproduce. It’s like giving toffee to a person with no teeth! Let’s picture this in a practical example of an underwater explosion on screen. In this scene there is a large (read: loud) amount of 25-40Hz content and all of it gets sent to the bookshelf speaker. What happens? The speaker struggles with the information and plays back what it can, all the while being somewhat negatively affected by fact that it is also receiving content it simply cannot handle. Where is that 25-40Hz content being heard? Nowhere. It doesn’t get sent to the subwoofer, and it cannot be reproduced by the speaker.

Now, what happens when we set that same speaker to SMALL? Well, assuming we set the crossover frequency to, say, 80Hz, that bookshelf is absolutely loving life since it is now using all of its supplied amplifier power to deliver a relatively easy workload of frequency information. Reduced signal 80Hz is being sent to the speaker making it less stressed and resulting in less overall distortion."- Clint DeBoer/Audioholics

[dm1010]

Cool, thanks a lot!

[dm1010]

So what sort of sound improvements do you all think I'll hear?

[jedinite24]

Not to bias you but what here is what one happy UPA-7 user thought.

emotivalounge.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=upa7lpa1&action=display&thread=5484

Mine were along the same lines. I watched the Dark Knight after calibrating my system with the UPA-7 and I heard all sorts of good things that I didn't hear before.

Enjoy JD

[dm1010]

Another rather simpleton based question: would you recommend using the microphone on the 663 to recalibrate all the speakers' distance, sound level etc. because of introducing the new amp? I should think so, but I'd like to hear opinions.

Also, what would be the burn in time for the UPA 7?

I still can't believe this amp weighs over 70 lbs.

I have been aroung high end audio most of my life, for instance my YBA cd player was $8000 dollars so I'm still amazed at the Emotiva pricing. I mean one set of my Cardas Interconnects (Neutral Reference) cost more than the UPA 7. Emotiva seems like a God-send because I'm tired of paying ridiculous prices for audio/video equipment.

I'm going to purchase the Preamp once it's available as well I think to replace the 663 - Any thoughts?

[jmilton]

It is usually good practice to re cal after introducing a new component into the system...

No need to burn in the amp. It will take you where you wanna go right outta the box! Boy, are you going to have a great week-end!

[DYohn]

Jul 16, 2009 11:43:16 GMT -5 dm1010 said:

Another rather simpleton based question: would you recommend using the microphone on the 663 to recalibrate all the speakers' distance, sound level etc. because of introducing the new amp? I should think so, but I'd like to hear opinions.

Also, what would be the burn in time for the UPA 7?

1) Yes.
2) Five Minutes.

[dm1010]

Thanks fellas, and it looks like I'll get the amp Monday according to the FedEx tracking.

[dm1010]

I was looking at the XPA 5 and the XPA 2 for the same set up, but the extra power is not needed, and after speaking with the Emotiva guys for a while, they conviced me to go with the UPA. Aside from a beffier transformer and the binding posts, they said there's not much difference (in build quality and more importantly SQ).

[dm1010]

I just ordered 7 channel Blue Jeans cable yesterday to complement the new amp. I've Been reading so many good things about them on forums and the price is fantastic.

[dm1010]

Oh My God this thing is MASSIVE!!!

Obviously I just got it. Wow, 2 days shipping from TN to Canada! Amazing.

I can't believe how big and heavy it is!