1mrdad
Seeker Of Truth
Posts: 1
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Post by 1mrdad on Mar 17, 2021 23:47:02 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent.
TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy.
1mrdad
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2021 0:07:00 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent. TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy. 1mrdad Seeing this is your first post, welcome! I went from an XPA Gen 3 2 channel and then expanded it to a 5 channel. Sold it and went to a DR3. Eventually went w/ Parasound's Halo A31. The difference between the XPA to DR3 using balanced XLR was subtle. Mind you your entire audio chain determines the end result. Having said that w/ your equipment I'd go w/ XPA Gen 3. Emotiva has a money back guarantee w/in a time window. Verify that ...... try it or them out. |
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Post by jasonf on Mar 18, 2021 23:22:03 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent. TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy. 1mrdad I know this might come off as counter-intuitive, but my experience has been that the source (processor, pre-amp, DAC) matters more than the amp. A decent amp (like the XPA 3) is going to competently amplify the signal that it gets. However, the weakest component I experience in the chain is the pre-amp over and over. Summary: If you're committed to the Denon, just get the XPA-3. Source: I have an XPA-DR, but my dads system runs an XPA-5 w/ Marantz processor and I've compared all the combos. The amp isn't the defining component. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2021 10:52:01 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent. TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy. 1mrdad I know this might come off as counter-intuitive, but my experience has been that the source (processor, pre-amp, DAC) matters more than the amp. A decent amp (like the XPA 3) is going to competently amplify the signal that it gets. However, the weakest component I experience in the chain is the pre-amp over and over. Summary: If you're committed to the Denon, just get the XPA-3. Source: I have an XPA-DR, but my dads system runs an XPA-5 w/ Marantz processor and I've compared all the combos. The amp isn't the defining component. I agree w/ you wholeheartedly. Just like to add that some gear such as speakers are less detailed or sensitive in some areas. As such they have a way of "masking" issues. I learned this the difficult way. Was happy with my audio chain until I purchased another set of speakers. The new speakers wouldn't stop complaining and forcing a conversation about the upstream components. If a pin or needle is a signal - and I prick at a callous spot on my hand - I tend not to respond negatively. If that same needle pricks a very sensitive area - I tend to *bleep*, moan, and complain. That's how I describe my now speakers. |
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stiehl11
Emo VIPs 
Give me available light!
Posts: 7,261
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Post by stiehl11 on Mar 19, 2021 11:52:50 GMT -5
Going to any well-made separate or outboard amp will give you a modicum of improvement both in sound quality and sound pressure over most AVRs. In a room your size, you're not going to need a lot of power to get loud so the extra power of the XPA-DR will likely never be a factor. Will there be a slight sonic difference between the Gen 3 and the DR? Maybe? The only way to tell if your ear and your system (including your room; which plays a big role in how your system sounds) is resolving enough to tell the difference is to buy both and try them out. Then return the one that doesn't sound as good.
However, may I offer this upgrade path? For less money than a DR-3 you could go with a XPA-9 (3-3S) which would give you the same as a regular XPA-3 for your front stage and power your remaining height and rear speakers. This way, when you replace the Denon in the future, you don't have to re-buy your amp section. This allows money that you would normally replacing the perfectly good amp section in your Denon (now taken over by a separate amp) and putting that toward a better processor of your choice whenever that time comes.
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Post by leonski on Mar 19, 2021 13:52:04 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent. TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy. 1mrdad I know this might come off as counter-intuitive, but my experience has been that the source (processor, pre-amp, DAC) matters more than the amp. A decent amp (like the XPA 3) is going to competently amplify the signal that it gets. However, the weakest component I experience in the chain is the pre-amp over and over. Summary: If you're committed to the Denon, just get the XPA-3. Source: I have an XPA-DR, but my dads system runs an XPA-5 w/ Marantz processor and I've compared all the combos. The amp isn't the defining component. 'Source First' is one of the main schoolss of system design....... |
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Post by ms4brew on Apr 5, 2021 13:39:29 GMT -5
I had the XPA3 for three weeks and sent it back for the DR3. Using Definitive Technology BP8B speakers and now Goldenear Triton One.R's. The DR3 is more dynamic and offers gobs of headroom. The DR3 has been rock solid with absolutely no issues.No regrets!
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Lsc
Emo VIPs
Posts: 3,344
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Post by Lsc on Apr 5, 2021 13:57:42 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent. TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy. 1mrdad I would say your system is fine and to do nothing. Unless you think incremental improvements will make you happy. Usually it leads to more unhappiness and the need to upgrade something else then something else etc etc. |
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Post by leonski on Apr 5, 2021 15:19:52 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent. TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy. 1mrdad I would say your system is fine and to do nothing. Unless you think incremental improvements will make you happy. Usually it leads to more unhappiness and the need to upgrade something else then something else etc etc. Drastic Improvement using balanced? What a red Herring. Unless system is NATIVE Balanced...and by this I mean a single ended system with additional circuitry to allow a balanced connection, I doubt you will notice much, unless you are in a VERY interference prone situation. I'll look at your system. SYSTEM being the main concept here, as opposed to a collection of parts.... MOST of what you are hearing is the ROOM. Investigate room mods. Like sound absorption panels. Or DIFFUSION. Many DIY options, too, for those of us (like ME), on a budget. In this? A little creativity goes a long way. |
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Post by danne485 on Dec 2, 2022 8:05:19 GMT -5
Everyone has a unique set-up/system, so here is my question. You can see my system in my sig. I am budget bound and will never get a pre-pro because of the upgrade expense, nor will I ever have a budget for "better" speakers. That said I know I can gain an audio quality upgrade by adding an external 3 channel amp for L,C,R. I want to use an Emotiva amp for a number of reasons, one of them being that I figure they were used when designing the Airmotiv speakers. At first, I was going to to buy the XPA 3 Gen; dramatic increase in clean power for a reasonable price. (The T1's are very power hungry 4 ohm speakers) However, after doing more research on the sonic advantages of a balanced differential amplifier , I was going to buy the DR3. According to Emotiva rep, there is a dramatic improvent in sound quality over a the XPA Gen 3. My Denon receiver does not have balanced ouputs. Some people claim there is no sonic improvemnt unless you have balanced outputs. So, my question is there a noticable improvenent in audio quality with the DR3 vs XPA 3 Gen 3 when using RCA output jacks on my receiver? I suppose I should mention that I am looking for music quality improvenent. TIA. Sorry for the long winded soliloquy. 1mrdad What did you end up with? |
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