So...what constitutes "insane amplification?"

[etc6849]

The new XPA Gen 3 amps that are not out yet might compare to an XPR-5 for most folks.  I think there are some decent switching power supply designs and I trust Emotiva's engineers to do a decent job, so I'm not going to say it's not possible some day.  For sure the XPA Gen 3 will beat the XPA Gen 2 stuff.

 

No way can they provide the raw power of the XPR-1's.  I have no doubts the XPR-1's will do 1750 watts continuous into 4 ohms if I ever feel the need to upgrade my house wiring with dedicated circuits.  I have my XMC-1 max volume set to 0dB and my two XPR-1's share a 15 amp circuit now, so I don't get near the continuous power rating.  Don't need any mishaps with the volume control! 

 

Here's a burst test showing the power of these: 

 

 

 

^ The Emotiva gear that I have has done wonders for my configuration, honestly - and based on what I've read in the Emo lounge that tends to be the flavor of most feedback there is that they are generally powerhouses. What I am learning more and more though is that their older modular amplifiers may provide even more intense power than even the XPR line.

Edited January 21, 2016 by etc6849

[Travis In Austin]

1973-74, 28,000 watts of McIntosh power using 350W tube amps, MC-3500, and 300W SS amps, the 2300, the Wall of Sound

Was this it?

Dat be one of the 3. Bear, he wanted lowest distortion in his amps,and speakers with lowest IM distortion.

[garyrc]

I read some pretty incredible stuff about the wall of sound. Further put me in the mindset that I was born in the wrong generation.

 

Once several name bands set up a wall of sound (not the wall, but a wall) in the Haight-Ashbury, facing down Haight Street.  The speakers filled the end of the street, and were stacked several high.  I saw some people kneeling down starring at the ground, near the band.  I plugged my ears and went over to investigate.  They were starring at the dirt jumping off the sidewalk in rhythm.

[Islander]

Thanks guys...

...so, what might require that kind of amplification though besides really inefficient speakers? Is someone really going to notice speakers pushing 600, 700, 1 kW? I'd think your hearing would give out before then.

(You know, besides the 901's.)

 

You're right about hearing giving out before some high power systems max out in volume.  On a few rare occasions (I live in a condo and want to be a good neighbor) I've turned the volume up to painfully loud levels, and the sound was still nice and clear.  There was also lots of volume still available, but not needed.  I could always put in earplugs and put on earmuffs to see just how loud the system can actually go, but that would be kind of antisocial.

 

The front speakers are 510 JubScala IIs, bi-amped and powered by a pair of Yamaha MX-D1 dual-mono amps with 500 wpc.  Their sensitivity rating is around 105 dB/W/m.  The signal comes out of the Dx38 processor through XLR cables to the power amps, then out of the amps directly to the drivers, since the Klipsch crossovers are disconnected (the Dx38 is doing their jobs).  The cables are 8 AWG to the woofers and 10 AWG to the tweeters, so the amps can get a good solid grip on the drivers.

 

The tweeters would likely not last long if the full 500 watts was sent to each one for more than a split second or so, but they've stood up just fine for the last eight years.  The benefit of the high power is in the vast amount of headroom that makes the dynamics of the recorded music come much closer to the dynamics of live music than would be possible with less powerful amps or less sensitive speakers.

 

Typical listening levels are 90-95 dB average, with higher peaks, of course, but I haven't measured them.

 

I bought those amps for their clarity and detail.  The high power is a bonus.

[pdawidowski]

HI 

 

I have just got the p39f  and am looking into getting an emotiva amp i was looking at the xpa 5 but unfortunately they went out of stock so i thought maybe the xpa2 would be suitable as well . I do listen lots to stereo music but also watch movies a lot so additional channels would be helpful. Would the xpa 2 be powerful enough to drive the p39f giving them enough headroom? 

[etc6849]

Congrats!

 

Why not order an XPR-2 (1000 watts into 4 ohms matching the P39f's 1000W RMS rating perfectly).  I think there is also a used one on ebay, but I would call Emotiva as they were just on sale 20% off last week.  I bet they would honor the 20% off if you sweet talked them some.

 

There's a 30 day return policy, but return shipping would be expensive.

 

The XPR-2 says you need a 20 amp outlet, but they run fine off 15 amp outlets using this cord:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMPVAK6

 

Emotiva, can tell you more, but this is really just to comply with the CE rating on the amp.  The Emotiva head has a post somewhere that talks about this.  If you ever need the extra power, I would run a 220V circuit.  

 

HI 

 

I have just got the p39f  and am looking into getting an emotiva amp i was looking at the xpa 5 but unfortunately they went out of stock so i thought maybe the xpa2 would be suitable as well . I do listen lots to stereo music but also watch movies a lot so additional channels would be helpful. Would the xpa 2 be powerful enough to drive the p39f giving them enough headroom? 

Edited January 21, 2016 by etc6849

[etc6849]

Never mind, I think you are in the UK (noticed one of your other posts)?  Emotiva will not ship the XPR amps over seas

 

I would wait for the Gen 3 of the XPA line.  I've read the current XPA line will have a hiss, but the new amps will have a lower noise floor more similar to the XPR-2 I recommended.

 

HI 

 

I have just got the p39f  and am looking into getting an emotiva amp i was looking at the xpa 5 but unfortunately they went out of stock so i thought maybe the xpa2 would be suitable as well . I do listen lots to stereo music but also watch movies a lot so additional channels would be helpful. Would the xpa 2 be powerful enough to drive the p39f giving them enough headroom? 

[Karsoncookie]

I've experienced , if I understand correctly, LaScala woofer over excursion as a sharp loud slapping at high levels.

 

Fed by the Adcom monoblocs of about early 80's vintage.

 

Sounded like an old school full size jackhammer's  single stroke.

 

Very sharp and loud like a big hammer striking steel.

 

So, that would be a big amp turned up too high.  yes?       Lars

[Ceptorman]

HI 

 

I have just got the p39f  and am looking into getting an emotiva amp i was looking at the xpa 5 but unfortunately they went out of stock so i thought maybe the xpa2 would be suitable as well . I do listen lots to stereo music but also watch movies a lot so additional channels would be helpful. Would the xpa 2 be powerful enough to drive the p39f giving them enough headroom? 

I have a XPA-2 Gen 2 powering a pair of P38s. I have more power than I'll ever need, this amp really brought the speakers to life. I'm using an older Yamaha 7.2 channel AVR as a pre-amp, I have a EMO USP-1 pre that I have not connected yet. The Emotiva amps seem to bring the bass to life on the Palladiums, the mid and upper horn was always there. The XPA-2 can be used as a 1000 watt mono block. If you have one available to you, they're hard to beat for the money.

[JJkizak]

With those power levels you can not only hear the music but create the 3D holographic quantum matter projection in your room.

JJK

[etc6849]

Electrically, we really need these types of power when speakers like the P-39f have impedance that gets very nasty (at certain frequencies phase is very negative and impedance magnitude is very low).

 

I simply don't trust that even a real 50 watt amp will supply a real 50 watts for a load that drops down to 2 ohms and a negative 45 degree phase angle.  I flat out would not trust name plates, I believe they assume a purely resistive load and a constant speaker impedance.  Why use such an amp for large speakers having 3 woofers when decent amps are so cheap?

 

Whatever happened to over engineering something and having extra margin?  I'd much rather have a really beefy power supply to handle cases when songs are very dynamic and speaker impedance swings dramatically.  Such an amp is also good for almost any speaker out there, so I'll never have to upgrade my amps (saves me money in the long run).  It's not going to hurt anything, especially when one sets a max volume limit in the processor's menu.

 

Disclaimer: I am an EE but I didn't specialize in audio, rather power systems.

 

With those power levels you can not only hear the music but create the 3D holographic quantum matter projection in your room.

JJK

[etc6849]

I stand corrected!  I think an XPA-2 Gen 2 would work fine then and sounds versatile (buy one now, then a second if you aren't happy and bridge the left and right).  I think early on there were complaints about hiss from Emotiva amps, but it sounds like the Gen 2 amps are decent and can be had for half the cost of the money.

 

I can say from looking at the measurements and owning them that the XPR-1 and XPR-2 are very very good amps but are discontinued now (just looked)!  They are truly as quiet as my ATI AT2007 was and that is a very well designed pure differential amp.  

 

I used to be very skeptical about Emotiva (due to no name capacitors and initial units not even using 105*C electrolytic capacitors), but I think they are really a decent value and that I can't buy any amp better than what I have now (without taking a second mortgage out on my home).  It takes a lot of engineering talent to design the stuff I bought at the price I paid.  I don't think a hobbyist could build an XPR-1 for the price I paid (although I bought two of them for $900/each + gas + time).

 

 

HI 

 

I have just got the p39f  and am looking into getting an emotiva amp i was looking at the xpa 5 but unfortunately they went out of stock so i thought maybe the xpa2 would be suitable as well . I do listen lots to stereo music but also watch movies a lot so additional channels would be helpful. Would the xpa 2 be powerful enough to drive the p39f giving them enough headroom? 

I have a XPA-2 Gen 2 powering a pair of P38s. I have more power than I'll ever need, this amp really brought the speakers to life. I'm using an older Yamaha 7.2 channel AVR as a pre-amp, I have a EMO USP-1 pre that I have not connected yet. The Emotiva amps seem to bring the bass to life on the Palladiums, the mid and upper horn was always there. The XPA-2 can be used as a 1000 watt mono block. If you have one available to you, they're hard to beat for the money.

 

[Ceptorman]

 

I stand corrected!  I think an XPA-2 Gen 2 would work fine then and sounds versatile (buy one now, then a second if you aren't happy and bridge the left and right).  I think early on there were complaints about hiss from Emotiva amps, but it sounds like the Gen 2 amps are decent and can be had for half the cost of the money.

 

I can say from looking at the measurements and owning them that the XPR-1 and XPR-2 are very very good amps but are discontinued now (just looked)!  They are truly as quiet as my ATI AT2007 was and that is a very well designed pure differential amp.  

 

I used to be very skeptical about Emotiva (due to no name capacitors and initial units not even using 105*C electrolytic capacitors), but I think they are really a decent value and that I can't buy any amp better than what I have now (without taking a second mortgage out on my home).  It takes a lot of engineering talent to design the stuff I bought at the price I paid.  I don't think a hobbyist could build an XPR-1 for the price I paid (although I bought two of them for $900/each + gas + time).

 

 

HI 

 

I have just got the p39f  and am looking into getting an emotiva amp i was looking at the xpa 5 but unfortunately they went out of stock so i thought maybe the xpa2 would be suitable as well . I do listen lots to stereo music but also watch movies a lot so additional channels would be helpful. Would the xpa 2 be powerful enough to drive the p39f giving them enough headroom? 

I have a XPA-2 Gen 2 powering a pair of P38s. I have more power than I'll ever need, this amp really brought the speakers to life. I'm using an older Yamaha 7.2 channel AVR as a pre-amp, I have a EMO USP-1 pre that I have not connected yet. The Emotiva amps seem to bring the bass to life on the Palladiums, the mid and upper horn was always there. The XPA-2 can be used as a 1000 watt mono block. If you have one available to you, they're hard to beat for the money.

 

 

I'll bet your twin XPR-1s really make those P39s sing

[Quiet_Hollow]

Whatever happened to over engineering something and having extra margin?

No problems there, so long as it's not at the expense of the noise floor.

[etc6849]

Yeah, I honestly wasn't expecting to hear any difference.  I just bought them because the ebay guy accepted my best offer price (which was a cheap a$$ offer since I had to drive 200 miles to pick them up).  He was really happy that I came to help him package the monsters.  Not fun moving them!

 

I'll bet your twin XPR-1s really make those P39s sing

[The History Kid]

You touched on something else there that I've noticed a bit more too. The amps are heavy! My UPA-2 weighs about the same as my RX-V2500 did.

[Quiet_Hollow]

 

I have an old Crown DC 300 which was considered a rock of a professional amp during the same time. Vertically indestructible by rock groups no matter how they were handled or hooked up that I do not even consider worth fixing. Most professionals would not even consider carrying this heavy amp around when the same results can be achieved with present made amps.

I've got two of the Series II in very good condition. Every time I plug them in, I'm left wondering why I ever consider going new. I paid next to peanuts for them. When plugged into a class A preamp or a good late-model DAC, other than the sheer bulk of their transformers, I cannot find any reason to dispense with them based on the resulting sound.

 

...in light of this, I decided to pull one of the said beasts from the rack and make a short video for my archives:

 

 

  - QH