Beechnut Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 If you use your HT 5 channel amp to just listen to music in stereo, do the other 3 channels not turn on because there is no source material being sent to them? Let's use emotiva XPA-5 for example. I'm thinking this is what a 12v trigger is for. Turning the channel on and off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 The trigger is for the whole thing, not indiviual channels. I suppose my center and surround channels hiss a bit when I listen to stereo content but I never notice it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluBitRates Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I was going to ask the same thing. I recently gave my parents a upa-5 for future use but they only have 2 speakers right now. There is no reason to not use this as a 2 channel amp right? Would i be better off using 4 of the channels and bi-amping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang guy Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I was going to ask the same thing. I recently gave my parents a upa-5 for future use but they only have 2 speakers right now. There is no reason to not use this as a 2 channel amp right? Would i be better off using 4 of the channels and bi-amping? Can you bridge two channels to one, thereby using 4 of the channels for stereo use? Check the manual... Just wondering... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vnzbd Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I have done some reading on the Emo forums and the geniric answer is the XPA-5 is not designed to be a 2 ch amp. The general opinion is that it is stated because of its 2 channel power out numbers. I forget the exact numbers but it pushes close to 300wpc in 2 ch operation and more than that at 4 ohm. There is a operational issue that the shared power supply has no problem with that but each of the 5 line cards are not speced for that power output and they could fry. Sounds reasonable. There can also be a sales issue that those specs are rather close to the XPA-2. Why not buy a amp that can run both woth similar numbers. That would cut their 2 ch sales. I do have the XPA-5 and have used it in 2 ch, ht, 4 ch - "fools bi-amping" while attenuating the highs. No issues, but I also don't rattle the neighbors walls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluBitRates Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Yeah i don't believe you can bridge any emotiva amps. This may make a good topic over at the emotiva lounge, someone link me if you start it or i may eventually get around to starting one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Would i be better off using 4 of the channels and bi-amping? I've never seen a situation where bi-amping didn't significantly increase listening satisfaction, i.e., using a real active crossover and bypassing passive crossovers. Besides time-aligning tweeters with midranges (assuming that they're not currently time aligned or you're not running two-way speakers), this is probably the next biggest-bang-for-the-buck change on my list. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluBitRates Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Okay so that would mean i would have to acquire active crossovers right? I was considering splitting the signal from the receiver (hk3490) running it to the amp and then removing the jumpers on the speakers and running those two sets of speaker wires to the seperate terminals. I thought this still utilized the internal crossovers. I believe this speaker is a 2.5 or maybe even a 3 way. It is a jamo 707i Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Okay so that would mean i would have to acquire active crossovers right?If your AVP/AVR has bi-amp outputs (i.e., sends bass freqs to woofers and high freqs to tweeter/midrange), then you don't need anything but another speaker wire for each side, first disconnecting the woofers from their passive crossovers and connecting each of them directly to their respective active crossover lf amplifier output channel. You would set the speaker crossover frequency in your AVP/AVR. This is active bi-amping.If your AVP/AVR doesn't have bi-amp output, then does your AVP/AVR have pre-amp outputs for each channel? If yes, then if you acquire an active crossover (some active crossovers go for as little as ~$200, some are analog, some digital...), then you would connect the pre-outs to the active crossover, and the outputs of the active crossover back to each channel of your main AVP-AVR amplifer outputs e.g., "6-channel outputs", etc. You still disconnect the speaker's woofers from their active crossovers, and connect each of them directly to the lf amplifier channel. This is active bi-amping. If you don't have AVP/AVR preamp outputs, then you're looking at replacing the AVP/AVR with one that does have those outputs, maybe even an AVP that already has bi-amp power outputs to save on cost of a separate active crossover. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 If your AVP/AVR doesn't have bi-amp output, then does your AVP/AVR have pre-amp outputs for each channel? If yes, then if you acquire an active crossover (some active crossovers go for as little as ~$200, some are analog, some digital...), then you would connect the pre-outs to the active crossover, and the outputs of the active crossover back to each channel of your main AVP-AVR amplifer outputs e.g., "6-channel outputs", etc. You still disconnect the speaker's woofers from their active crossovers, and connect each of them directly to the lf amplifier channel. This is active bi-amping. Sounds like the old tape loops whereby you could add processing to a signal between the pre-amp and amp of a receiver. I have never seen a modern receiver do this for 6-channel input/output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluBitRates Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 looks like i will stick with using 2 of the 5 channels for now. Parents arent really ready to shell out for a full klipsch system right now. Would rather get a stronger 2 channel amp than going the active crossover route too. Thanks for the replies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Yeah i don't believe you can bridge any emotiva amps. This may make a good topic over at the emotiva lounge, someone link me if you start it or i may eventually get around to starting one. The XPA-2 is designed that it can be bridged, it has the wiring directions for bridging and a bridge switch on the back of the amp. I think the XPA-2 is the only (at least current model) Emotiva amp which can be bridged. As for using any Emotiva multi-channel amp for 2 channel stereo, it is fine to do so as long as not used under extremely loud conditions which could try to use more power from the unused channels and put more power to the channels being used than they were designed for (but this would really be cranking the amp to cause any damage). But under normal conditions it will be fine to use any Emotiva multi-channel amp for 2 channel. You will get a cleaner sound and better separation using a 2-channel amp over a multi-channel amp for 2 channel stereo and even better yet using two completely separate mono block amps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage_Head Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Yeah i don't believe you can bridge any emotiva amps. This may make a good topic over at the emotiva lounge, someone link me if you start it or i may eventually get around to starting one. The XPA-2 is designed that it can be bridged, it has the wiring directions for bridging and a bridge switch on the back of the amp. I think the XPA-2 is the only (at least current model) Emotiva amp which can be bridged. As for using any Emotiva multi-channel amp for 2 channel stereo, it is fine to do so as long as not used under extremely loud conditions which could try to use more power from the unused channels and put more power to the channels being used than they were designed for (but this would really be cranking the amp to cause any damage). But under normal conditions it will be fine to use any Emotiva multi-channel amp for 2 channel. You will get a cleaner sound and better separation using a 2-channel amp over a multi-channel amp for 2 channel stereo and even better yet using two completely separate mono block amps. Rich guy do you hear a big difference in sound xpa-2 vs xpa-5? I was thinking of getting one but I’m pretty happy with just the 5. Your thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Guy Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Rich guy do you hear a big difference in sound xpa-2 vs xpa-5? I was thinking of getting one but I’m pretty happy with just the 5. Your thoughts I just bought the XPA-2 this weekend, before that I was using an XPA-3 and XPA-5. The XPA-3 was my first amp and really brought new levels to my system using it for fronts and center and letting my receiver power the surrounds, a great step up for a receiver. This was a very nice improvement to the front 3 and I was also surprised that my surrounds also were improved quite a bit with the receiver no longer needing to power the front 3. Next I bought my Onkyo PR-SC885 processor so I added the XPA-5. I used the XPA-3 for the fronts the XPA-5 for surrounds, since I had the extra channel I bi-amped the center using both the XPA-3 and XPA-5. The PR-SC885 was a great step up from the receiver and adding the XPA-5 again really brought life to my surrounds. I really did not expect much from the bi-amping but since I had the extra amp channel I figured why not. I had always used the XPA-3 for the fronts for 2 channel since the XPA-3 and XPA-5 are nearly identical I think having the fewer unused channels would be best for 2 channel stereo. I just got the XPA-2 and haven't calibrated the system yet since trading it for the XPA-3 I will this coming weekend, so I can't really make any fair judgement for HT yet. For 2 channel I think the XPA-2 was a definite improvement bringing better separation, imaging and an overall improvement in music quality, I am very happy with what the XPA-2 did for 2 channel music. All 3 are excellent amps, I think the XPA-3 and XPA-5 are great amps and have been really pleased with them both. The XPA-2 is definitely a nicer amp and it clearly shows this for 2 channel. All 3 of my amps have been dead silent with no hiss or background noise. When nothing is playing I can turn the volume up to the maximum and put my ear in the horn or woofers I can barely hear any noise they are extremely quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage_Head Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Rich guy do you hear a big difference in sound xpa-2 vs xpa-5? I was thinking of getting one but I’m pretty happy with just the 5. Your thoughts I just bought the XPA-2 this weekend, before that I was using an XPA-3 and XPA-5. The XPA-3 was my first amp and really brought new levels to my system using it for fronts and center and letting my receiver power the surrounds, a great step up for a receiver. This was a very nice improvement to the front 3 and I was also surprised that my surrounds also were improved quite a bit with the receiver no longer needing to power the front 3. Next I bought my Onkyo PR-SC885 processor so I added the XPA-5. I used the XPA-3 for the fronts the XPA-5 for surrounds, since I had the extra channel I bi-amped the center using both the XPA-3 and XPA-5. The PR-SC885 was a great step up from the receiver and adding the XPA-5 again really brought life to my surrounds. I really did not expect much from the bi-amping but since I had the extra amp channel I figured why not. I had always used the XPA-3 for the fronts for 2 channel since the XPA-3 and XPA-5 are nearly identical I think having the fewer unused channels would be best for 2 channel stereo. I just got the XPA-2 and haven't calibrated the system yet since trading it for the XPA-3 I will this coming weekend, so I can't really make any fair judgement for HT yet. For 2 channel I think the XPA-2 was a definite improvement bringing better separation, imaging and an overall improvement in music quality, I am very happy with what the XPA-2 did for 2 channel music. All 3 are excellent amps, I think the XPA-3 and XPA-5 are great amps and have been really pleased with them both. The XPA-2 is definitely a nicer amp and it clearly shows this for 2 channel. All 3 of my amps have been dead silent with no hiss or background noise. When nothing is playing I can turn the volume up to the maximum and put my ear in the horn or woofers I can barely hear any noise they are extremely quiet. Congrats on the new amp! After you get some time in with it I would l would love to hear your thoughts (pm me or a small review if you don’t mind). I’m about 95% blu rays most is movies and some is live music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechnut Posted July 6, 2011 Author Share Posted July 6, 2011 Rich Guy, Thanks for chiming in with your experience. That (and others) help answer my question. Seems no one really has a problem listening to a multichannel amp in stereo. Better, and more optimum would be dedicated two channel, but that can wait for an upgrade bug to bite. Sounds like to start, ignorance will be bliss and I'll be very happy with a 5 channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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