Post by Nemesis.ie on Feb 26, 2010 4:39:49 GMT -5
Hi all,
The main reason for purchase/original plan was just for 1 extra channel (centre) so I could move the single BS from the Yamaha.
Then I saw the intro price and thought - what the hell, if I decide I don't need all 3 I will have 2 nice amps for another room or future expansion etc. So bought 3.
I have to say I was sceptical that the UPA-1s would be a noticeable improvement over my XPA-5.
I even went so far as to make before/after recordings with my new Yeti mic with indentical configs except for the UPA-1s up front.
If anyone wants these (6 tracks about 2MB each) PM me your private EM and I will send them to you. I will mask which amp is which and you can guess. ;D
The bottom line is yes, there is a very noticeable difference. The SQ difference is quite subtle, but the sound stage was FAR more defined and deeper (front to back). When listening to movie dialogue for example I noticed that every speaker (i.e. actor speaking) appeared "on the screen" but when there was a "voice over" moment, the narrator's voice seemed to be coming from a metre in front of the screen, sort of hanging in the air.
I also noticed sounds positioned more vertically, certain instruments and effects appeared either near the top of the screen or near the floor (and remember this is a 115" screen).
This difference can be heard in just 2-channel as well.
Another thing I was not expecting - in 2 channel with the sub off (for testing) the bass seems more full/extending lower or at least that kind of feeling from the 6.3s.
These things rock - they also run VERY cool, after 4 hrs of movie use, the back left area (power board?) was barely warm and the casing over the amp board still felt cold. By contrast the XPA-5 was a good bit warmer, but it had 3 channels inside (and was still cooler than when it ran 5).
Unfotunately I will not had much time to play as I am going away for the weekend.
I now have the XPA-5 powering the rear 3 channels (moved the final speaker after the initial testing mentioned above) so I finally have no internal amps in the Yamaha (presence channels are gone now, sob, sob). and curiously it is now a lot cooler - maybe it has some clever circuit that turns off the internal amps when no speaker at all is connected? This makes waiting for the XMC-1/other and skipping the UMC-1 more viable.
Finally moving the BS to the XPA-5 has meant that the trims are also much close together now which gives a slightly better range on the volume knob as a bonus.
One SLIGHT negative - I had planned to put my speakers on top of the amps (based on how solid the top of the XPA-5 is) however the SECC sheet that forms the top of the UPA-1 is much thinner and does not seem to have the same bracing bar as the 5, so it would be too wobbly, this is understandable given the size/goal of the units, so this is not a criticism of the UPA-1 nor its design, more of an observation - but I squeezed them in and it seems OK - 2 are sitting on top of my sub which is not ideal, but that will change when I get my new sub or room.
The main reason for purchase/original plan was just for 1 extra channel (centre) so I could move the single BS from the Yamaha.
Then I saw the intro price and thought - what the hell, if I decide I don't need all 3 I will have 2 nice amps for another room or future expansion etc. So bought 3.
I have to say I was sceptical that the UPA-1s would be a noticeable improvement over my XPA-5.
I even went so far as to make before/after recordings with my new Yeti mic with indentical configs except for the UPA-1s up front.
If anyone wants these (6 tracks about 2MB each) PM me your private EM and I will send them to you. I will mask which amp is which and you can guess. ;D
The bottom line is yes, there is a very noticeable difference. The SQ difference is quite subtle, but the sound stage was FAR more defined and deeper (front to back). When listening to movie dialogue for example I noticed that every speaker (i.e. actor speaking) appeared "on the screen" but when there was a "voice over" moment, the narrator's voice seemed to be coming from a metre in front of the screen, sort of hanging in the air.
I also noticed sounds positioned more vertically, certain instruments and effects appeared either near the top of the screen or near the floor (and remember this is a 115" screen).
This difference can be heard in just 2-channel as well.
Another thing I was not expecting - in 2 channel with the sub off (for testing) the bass seems more full/extending lower or at least that kind of feeling from the 6.3s.
These things rock - they also run VERY cool, after 4 hrs of movie use, the back left area (power board?) was barely warm and the casing over the amp board still felt cold. By contrast the XPA-5 was a good bit warmer, but it had 3 channels inside (and was still cooler than when it ran 5).
Unfotunately I will not had much time to play as I am going away for the weekend.
I now have the XPA-5 powering the rear 3 channels (moved the final speaker after the initial testing mentioned above) so I finally have no internal amps in the Yamaha (presence channels are gone now, sob, sob). and curiously it is now a lot cooler - maybe it has some clever circuit that turns off the internal amps when no speaker at all is connected? This makes waiting for the XMC-1/other and skipping the UMC-1 more viable.
Finally moving the BS to the XPA-5 has meant that the trims are also much close together now which gives a slightly better range on the volume knob as a bonus.
One SLIGHT negative - I had planned to put my speakers on top of the amps (based on how solid the top of the XPA-5 is) however the SECC sheet that forms the top of the UPA-1 is much thinner and does not seem to have the same bracing bar as the 5, so it would be too wobbly, this is understandable given the size/goal of the units, so this is not a criticism of the UPA-1 nor its design, more of an observation - but I squeezed them in and it seems OK - 2 are sitting on top of my sub which is not ideal, but that will change when I get my new sub or room.