Emotiva DR1 Monoblock Amplifier bit.ly/3LBNzY8 Huge Emotiva Speaker Sale bit.ly/3M5rX6A Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com Support the Channel by Shopping on Amazon amzn.to/3W8vsgK Cheap Audio Man Store Front shop.howl.me/cam Join the best hifi community out there! patreon.com/cheapaudioman TRY ROON roonlabs.com/r/RTmYWdCP9kitqouBa5pcIw Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH amzn.to/3GkNaop CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5
I have PS Audio M1200 monoblocks. Have had them for a couple years. I LOVE them. They make ME happy. Always get great reviews. I’m glad you enjoyed the Emotiva. Thanks for the video.
I have had a Crown XLS 2502 for quite some time now and absolutely love it. Big amps are my passion. Not for the ear damaging power. For the headroom and fullness. Good video. Glad you are at least looking into what big amps can do!
I have the 1502 and love it...the noise floor has been mentioned by some reviewers and is noticeable with really sensitive speakers (>100db sensitivity)...but it's pretty easy to tune out with EQ or L-pad
I ran one for awhile, they are great amps in my opinion.. especially if your sensitivity is under 88db. To my ears a very linear presentation with a softness in the high treble..which I like. I recently sold mine as someone offered me more for it than what I paid for it used. A lot of amp for little money.
@@NosEL34 My issue is that my receiver doesn't have pre-outs and for some reason Pre-amp/processors cost more than integrated amps. My speakers can handle 500 watts, but they're getting like 70 from my AVR. I can't even find a decent modern pre-amp that doesn't cost a fortune that's not like a Chinese one
Dad cranks the tunes in doing his job and it serves to wake the teenager upstairs that's oversleeping. That's poetry! It seems like a valid method for evaluating how good one's hifi system may be. The sleeping teenager test, LoL. Good on you Randy! What takes more watts? Waking the dead or a teenager in the morning?
Use a commercial kitchen prep table for your equipment. Add as many shelves as you need. Trim the legs with a hack saw. Add over engineered casters for cleaning behind. No chance of overloading it.
I certainly am loving my Emotiva XPA HC1 monoblocks. At 300 W into 8 ohms / 600 W into 4 ohms, they are plenty powerful enough to drive my B&W 702s. Those speakers can get damn thirsty when driven hard.
So happy you got to perform this type of demo. True power is awesome. I recently ran my NAD 208 to my recently purchased Wharfedale 225’s. At 250x2 it really commanded that bass. Talk about headroom. I’m happy to be a patreon and look forward to all of this wonderful work you are doing. Have a great day.
I asked that question back in the mid 70s, about why so much power in a room when the amount would make you deaf. The answer I got the headroom answer. This guy explained it in terms cars with power when you're not racing it, you have more power to draw from you get a fuller sound. 100w of clean power for me would be good with a good set of speakers.
I got them for a steal $2000.00 for both last Christmas. They had a 20% discount on the total price. They are connected to a Martin Logan 60 xti with rca/xlr cables. They sound incredible.
I have the DR2 550 RMS into 8 ohms/ 800 RMS into 4 ohms pushing B&W N803s sounds great! Headroom is king! Very clean sounding amp for sure, it just gets outta the way and thumps.
Or…… get a pair of CerwinVega! SL15. Or XLS215. To review with this amp. Come on man, someone has to do a Vega review and you and this amp are the best guy for it. 👍🏻😃🔈
I have an older D class amp designed by John Ulrich 54lbs! 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm and I use it to drive my Magnepan 7's It will also do 65 amps for 500 milliseconds The inner detail and dynamics are amazing never mind the sound stage When it comes to Maggie's give them lots of watts/current If my amp goes up in a puff of smoke, I've been checking out this D class amp: VTV amplifier Stereo Purifi Audio 1ET7040SA High Power Dual Mono (Two Power Supplies) Amplifier
Good to see a t shirt from a local band. Also you're schooling the daughter well for college, wake up calls to loud music. I am a bit of a power junkie but I tend to like hard to drive speakers... Maggies, electrostats etc. I think comes in even more play when used for home theater.
Randy, this may be the time for you to find a good used pair of Dahlquist DQ10 speakers. with the usual 1002pc amp, they are ~OK in the bass but lack foundation. once i put a Hafler 500 250wpc amp on them, the low end came alive and could shake the foundation of the house. my current speakers are spendor S3/5s (not LS3/5As) which have 84db sensitivity. for power is the handy dandy ADCOM 555II with 200wpc, high current. just the thing for my other speakers as well...Maggie MMGs. so yeah man, i am with you on the massive power amps. running an audio research sp3a1 preamp with tube goodness, i am pleased as punch with my sound. ...hifitommy
Dunno about the LRS +, but they were as good as I've heard with the magnepan 1.7i at any price. They could take the 1.7 to the limit where others run out of gas.
Great video,I recently imported to the UK an Emotiva XPA 2 Gen 3 to drive my CSS 1-TDX speakers that I built following a previous recommendation, and I agree these are really bringing more out of my speakers. I wonder if the XPA DR 2 will provide much in the way of improvements over the XPA 2. hmm.
Would be interesting to compare these with a pair of Crown XLS amps monoblocked. I had one of the lower power ones Crown XLS1002 in stereo mode which was "only" 250 watts per channel, and it really blew me away how much better it sounded than my Rotel integrated. But you could get a pair of the 2502s and monoblock them and you'd have gobs of power like 1500 watts per channel at about the price of 1 of the DR1s. They also consume much less power and can be more easily hidden in a cabinet as they are only like 11" deep.
I feel you. Upgraded to a Emotiva XPA 2 Gen 3 a few months ago. The power it produces is way overkill for my speakers.... (Polk Legend 200's). On the other hand, if I ever decide to upgrade speakers in the future, I'm 100% positive the Emotiva will easily drive them.
I like the way you think. I have been building my system through the years using the eliminate the weak link strategy . It works well because you are only chasing one part of the system at a time , so you can tell what the heck Is going on, and now, in my old age have wound up with a nice realistic stereo playback.
I run a pair of PS Audio tube/class D hybrid monoblocks (1200 watts). I collect large vintage speakers and they have run anything I throw at them. Currently playing Vandersteen Model 2C speakers and also have Dahlquist DQ10, Quad ESL, Theil CS3 and Ohm Walsh 4.5 speakers. Once you go with big power amps you will never go back.
Hi @cheapaudioman, I've been a regular viewer of your channel for quite some time now, and I've really come to appreciate your insightful and detailed reviews. I've always found your content engaging, informative, and unbiased, which makes your channel a go-to resource for me when it comes to audio gear. Recently, I've been intrigued by the SABAJ A30a Power Amplifier, especially since it represents the full digital amplifier category. The idea of maintaining a completely digital signal chain is captivating, and I think it could provide some interesting comparison points with traditional analog systems. Given your expertise and understanding of both digital and analog audio systems, I believe your perspective on this would be enlightening. I'm particularly interested in your analysis of the sound quality, dynamics, and the overall performance of this amplifier. Additionally, any comparison with other amps you've reviewed would be incredibly helpful. Please consider doing a review or a comparison piece on the SABAJ A30a Power Amplifier. I'm sure many of your other followers would also find it beneficial. Keep up the great work, and thank you for considering my request!
I run an Anthem MCA 225 g2 at 225 per channel at 4 ohms and I’m running Klipsch Fortes. Clean Power is an underrated feature People should consider more often.
I am using Anthem MCA 525 G2 with speakers that have low sensivity, 85dB. There is no need for 400Watts in 4 Ohm, but speakers now come alive at lower volumes, because of that extra power! Because I don’t have space for 2 amps, I bought the 5-channel version, not one for 3-channel and another for surround. Amplifier don’t get warm either, because it is most of the time it is just using percentages of available power.
@@bergennorway I wish I could’ve got the 325 to run a center channel for home theater only, but the situation whereas I got my 225 was unique and I didn’t have choices, but I’m absolutely not complaining. It was an open box from a Hi-Fi show; used three days and boxed up and I payed a ridicules cheap price for it.
VERY WELL PRESENTED....MY "OLD GUY " ALWAYS TAUGHT ME THAT IF YOU NONLY USE 14-20% OF THE AMP CAPACITY...IT IS IN ITS MOST STABLE OUTPUT AND OVER POWERING AT PEAK IS NOT THE TOTAL ISSUE
I use a Crown XLi2500 on my main system. 500wpc @8 ohms. Ya, it's a pro amp but it sounds great on any speaker I put on it. Never have to worry about headroom.
Consider the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier, also around the 3000 USD price. Not as much brute force on tap as this Emotiva amplifier, but superb balanced performance in a smaller footprint.
Question: What do you need a 20 amp outlet to handle both of these monsters ? I'm guessing with all gear and 2 subs added maybe 2- 20 amp outlets would be required.
Yup, two 120VAC 20A (1 each) or 240VAC, but if you don't want to make your ears bleed... 120VAC 15A male to 120VAC 20A Female adapters will get you started..... If the Cuban in laws get stupid, think I want the circuit breaker to turn the lights out before they make smoke of my speakers. .
Ha! Your senior too? Mine finished all testing last week but still has to go in. Actually packed a book and pillow in his backpack. No first or last period either.
To actually get 1000W *2, wouldn't you need to run a dedicated 20A circuit just for your amps, then power your processors, tv, etc. off a standard 15A?
Yes, if you want to make your ears bleed... 🩸 I will be testing this electrical equation soon... e=mc2 ⚡ 120vac 15a male to 120VAC 20a female adapters can get you started
Aiyima just put out the A200, and it's voiced closer to a Class A or AB amp, than the typical Class D sound. It's much warmer down low (but not "boosted"), less sharp up top, and has an overall more "mature" sound. You owe it to yourself to give it a listen. I would consider it an upgrade over most of the other (really good) cheap Chinese amps to come out lately.
My recording studio near fields are 1150rms One of my trucks has a 18,000rms stereo system with 3 350amp alternators, 2 giant lithium batteries, 4 18s, 16 mids and 8 4 inch tweeters… oh yea and 2 image dynamics horns Voltage doesn’t drop under 14v… My new mastering room now has Lipinski L707a’s and l301 amps on each one. No sub at the moment but I have a few good subs around if I want to put a pair of 12s or 15s in the mastering room. Guess I’m a power snob lol 😂
I would also look at Van Alystine Monoblocks. They are only a little more $$$ wise and Frank Van Alystine makes great stuff. I owned one of his amps in 80's.
I own these got them for $2000.00 for the pair, price was cheaper before 2023. Plus 20% off for X-mas. I am running NAD C388 and using the pre outs to run 2 tall ohm walsh 1000 these are 6 ohm speakers. Did not sound so great with just the NAD C388 which has 150 watts per channel. 2 youtubers rave about these ohm speakers I didn’t hear it. Until I bought these amps I could watch Movies and understand dialogue. I would play music and it sounded so much better. Good monoblocks for the price.
Would be nice for you to get a pair of Magnepans LRS+ to try with the Emotiva amps I think they cost just under $1,000 for a pair As you know Maggie's love watts/current
Just FYI, the college kids just got home and I get doors slamming at this stage too. Who knew. I have the SVS Ultra Towers, and would love to hear them with these amps. Thanks.
Randy, you are actually contradicting what you said yesterday (in "5 Overrated Audiophile Features You Probably Don't Need", the part about balanced on amplifiers)
Wish you would have had my Tekton Double Impacts there to test with those amps😂... That would have added an additional level of insanity and paradigm shift for you😂
Review starts at 0:55. I had a 1200W Emotiva amp with a Rotel processor in a 5.2/Stereo config. Your hardware and mileage will vary, but I can't tell the difference with a Yammy TSR-700. I gave up the power amp for $350 and I think I tossed the Rotel in the garbage to make room.
Randy, you should ask Emotiva to send you the HC-1 monos for comparison, I bought them, and was flawed from the first strum of Chris Jones's guitar! THE BASS! I had every intention of returning them, I just wanted to see if powerful monos make a difference... they never left my system and I had to sell my new Denafrips Thallo 120W amp. It wasn't just the bass, everything improved, clearly audible difference, it was like I just upgraded my speakers
LOL, about waking your daughter. I have the Alexia play Bang! By AJR on the EVERYWHERE group on school mornings which includes the Emotiva system. Rise and Shine 🧟🧟 Sunshine 🌞
So, how would you spend your money in speakers + amp: 1- spend more on the speaker 2- spend about the same money on speaker and amp 3- spend more on amp? What would be more important for the sound?
I'm curious about the amount of current these deliver. For us Maggie owners, that is more important than watts. Odyssey publishes that spec for their amps......a company you should check out as they've always been a value leader and handmade in Indianapolis.
Great vid man!gotta say i have emo and schiit in my system but when i saw DR1 i first thought of the band DRI! and funny to me that bands best album is called Crossover. coincidence?
Here we go, back in 1983 I bought for Carver m500t power amps they still exist today in my realm and I use them all the time with new preamplifiers new speakers and you know what they have driven everything that I feed through the Carvers whatever happened to magnetic field amplifiers anyway they're freaking awesome, that everybody thinks that more power is better weld be honest with you driving more than 200 Watts through speakers and a constant basis is nothing more than a waste of energy, very few people want to listen to music above 100 decibels if you do your ears will bleed you'll gain headaches so on and so forth no matter how wonderful it sounds as long as it's clean and has some depth to it I'm happy and so should everyone else, to some extent, only because something is new and different doesn't need it any better than the best of what you bought 40 years ago at least when it comes to power amplifiers I could talk about this all day
I have the Unifi Reference speakers that I'm driving with an Emotiva A2 (after 2 other upgrades) in a near field setup. I was not happy with the bass until I added a Rel T/5x sub.
Not to take anything away from the value the DR1 represents or how capable it is. However, there are differences in the fit and finish to note. The XPA-DR1 come in at 35.5 lbs. per unit. The Mac MC1.25 is at 158 per unit. The build quality and product support on a McIntosh is outstanding. Another difference is on power 1200 watts into a 8-ohm load versus 650. Macs do not double down so it's the same at 4-ohms, but that 1200 watts is stable down to 2-ohms. IMHO not quite apples to apples. Does the big Mac amp sound better? That is a matter of taste. They certainly are obscenely more expensive. Trouble with legacy brands like McIntosh is they cling to the past and new products do not deviate much from their expected house sound. Many love it, many find them boring.
Randy, tey getting a couple of the Crown xls1002..set them up monoblock /bridged =1000Watts+ to each speaker and compare! That would make a killer video! Your honest take..but break in the amps properly first.
@@patrickgeorge141 dang it, I think my speakers do get into the low ohms occasionally . I wasted a whole lot of key strokes commenting on the subject before I read down this far.
I have a Tonewinner AD7300PA+ connected to my Pioneer VSX LX505 And am quite happy even though it's an amp that most online reviewers seem to totally ignore.
Im no expert. But in my opinion I think ohms in an amplifier are more important than the wattage. It's pretty common to see 8 and 4 ohm amps. But rarely do you see amps that go down to 2 ohms. I believe they are more common in higher end amps. The reason I believe ohms are more important is due to my discovery of constant power amplifiers. Meaning the wattage stays the same regardless of ohms within that ohm range. You could drive basically every speaker out there as long as it is within the ohm range. Think about this, so much is going on when a loudspeaker is performing. It's good to have an amplifier with a solid well balanced (constant) wattage foundation within the ohm range. I believe this will equal more control of the loudspeaker. No need of higher watts. Hope this makes sense.
it does make perfect sense, but it is cheaper to follow the market and buy big power to get the control than a rarefied amp that does things right but costs much more.
I have driven Magnepan 1.7i, Infinity RS-II, and others with as little as 25 watts. They sounded fine at normal levles. Having said that, I now run SS mono-blocks rated at 850 watts into 2 ohms. The bass is tight and headroom is plenty...
Interesting! Do you think DR1 and Tyr would be closer on a more efficient speaker? (I suspect so.) I have Tekton Moabs that are like 98 or 99db. When I tried my friend's Tyrs in my system, I found them to be remarkably transparent, clean and controled. I was expecting something warmer maybe, but they felt pretty accurate to me, in a good way. But huge grain of salt, I'm only comparing them to my Parasound Hint 6 or Vidar. I also tried the Benchmark AHB2 and LA4. That stack seemed to feel pretty similar to my experience with the Tyrs. MAYBE they had a blacker background and more micro detail and accuracy, but I also think that Tyr was maybe slightly more visceral? I couldn't really compare their nuances from memory. But that might be another good amp for you to try out in the price range. As an added bonus, the AHB2 is about the size of a large lunch box and uses very little power.
Since you asked, it would be interesting to see some stuff on D-Sonic. In particular their M3a-1500M at $2550 a pair. Website claims 1500 watts at 8 ohms and 2200 at 4. Of course with that much power you may have to get a pair of Electro Stat speakers or JTR. Now the real question is that RMC-1 processor software as much of a nightmare I read frequently?
My head hurts just thinking about 1000 watts! More is always better, so I'm told. This feeds my FOMO addiction. However that focuses on my moth filled wallet. I will have to vicariously enjoy this equipment through your excitement and experience. Thank you for sharing this with us all.
Headroom is great but theres a difference between Emotiva headroom and *insert high end expensive amp* headroom. In terms of sonics and probably in terms if difficult loads as well.
It would be interesting to see a comparison of a pair of Emotiva DR1 Montoblocks to a pair of the Topping LA90 Discretes (bridged mono) with respect to sound quality. Perhaps good subject matter for another video.
Power is good. there comes a time when you want to go beyond the sonic imaging, the sound stage and the isolation and definition of the instruments. Most people have no idea what that any of that is anyway. What most people are looking for is an immersive experience with the music. Hence the popularity of loud Rock n Roll concerts. At least in the 80's. You could go to an AC/DC concert and feel the music in every part of your body. There's going to come a time when you want to play your music at 150 to 200 watts rms without your amplifier being in danger of blowing up or catching on fire. If you have a 200 watt amp and you're pumping out solid 150 to 175 watts that amp is running hard and hot. If you have a 650 watt amp and you're running it at that power level you're barely working it. It was common for me to run at least 120 watts per channel for 24x7 on the weekends day and night. Sometimes I'd crank it up to 240 watts during the day. I was running 4 15 inch speakers per channel with two woofers wired in series so each woofer only had to move 1/2 the distance to provide the same level of bass while being under less stress. that would be 2, 6 Ohm speakers in series to get 12 Ohms then I'd take another set wired the same and put them in parallel so I'd be back to 6 Ohm. Anyway It worked out great. People would be amazed that from 6 feet my speakers would blow the flame out of a lighter. The point im trying to make Is, power needs to be clean and the music needs to be free of distortion, at least to your ears. 20 watts being played from a 100 watt amp is not going to sound the same as 20 watts coming from a 500 to 1000 watt amp. I know it doesn't sound logical. 20 watts should be 20 watts, but it's not. I discovered this after listening to a pioneer sx1981 peaking to 20 watts and them going home and listening to my 35 watt rms realistic receiver. That pioneer did something to me after hearing it. I saved every dime all summer to get one. It occupied my thoughts everyday until I had one. Music just wasn't enjoyable until I had that monster receiver on my dresser. I'm sure a lot of people can identify.
What is a good preamp to go along with the DR ones And what's your preference on a speaker that would sound the best would it do well with B&W or Martin Logan Thanks for Your time looking forward from hearing from you
I have the OG Unifi UB5. 85db . They are on an Emotiva A2, but still are begging for more. I was gonna save for the Tyr but now it might be a better decision for the Emotiva. Still gotta save…
Here's another thought an audio sample that Randy Randy Randy I should listen to it a very loud level with some decent subwoofers what it is is the opening orchestral salvo created by Bernard herrmann for the film mysterious Island. . once you do that let me know what you think Randy I would very much appreciate it I've known of this orchestral stuff for a very long time barenaked Harriman is da bomb.. creating orchestral since the early 40s.. and then very sadly he passed away at a very young age in 1961.. but his musical creations live on in all the Alfred Hitchcock films as well as all the Ray harryhausen in pieces of like the early Twilight zone series Bernard herrmann was an absolute musical genius.. I will very much look forward to hearing your opinion of the baseline levels for the soundtrack of mysterious island by Bernard herrmann
I am absolutely stunned that you can get a very decent Monoblock amp for $1500.00 Audiophile amps such as: Parasound JC 1+ Monoblock (450 rms 8ohm, 850 rms 4 ohm) or Michi M8 Monoblock (1080 rms 8 ohm,1800 rms 4 ohm) at a staggering 130 lbs. Price..$8000 each
My speakers are 3 way towers, 89 db efficient 4 ohms. Noticed Considerable sound upgrade from old Onkyo AVR @100 watts rms to new Amp pushing 300 watts rms (4ohms) x 2 channels. Towers are rated 20-200 rms & 400 watt peak power handling. I use an Emotiva RMC 1l processor with XLR cabling. Are these Emotiva mono blocks too much?
Impact on electric bill should be minimal. The reality is most of the time amplifiers are using a few watts, nobody drives an amplifiers full power all the time.
I have the Emotiva XPA-DR3, 650+ watts paired to my ELAC Carinas. Love the power! I also have the RMC -1L and couldn't be less happy. So f'ing buggy. Has to be restarted a least twice a day minimum! So disappointed with the piece because I'm a huge Emotiva fan. There's a new firmware update I'm hoping will fix it.
I'd be curious how a couple NAD C298's in mono mode would compare to these. Not as powerful but it sounds like the purifi class D stuff is spectacular and extremely clean.
The biggest benefit of mega power---stubborn speakers like magnepan, ribbon hybrids and assorted low efficiency bricks like ATC. FWIW: I had the often vaunted Vidar amps. They are NOT good for 4 ohms. Emotiva eat them for lunch. I returned my Vidar, it was just too timid. And FWIW: Emotiva is as good as mac, using smarter and newer tech. The only difference is the mac is warmer voiced and the Emo is more neutral. I prefer neutral.
Emotiva DR1 Monoblock Amplifier bit.ly/3LBNzY8
Huge Emotiva Speaker Sale bit.ly/3M5rX6A
Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com
Support the Channel by Shopping on Amazon amzn.to/3W8vsgK
Cheap Audio Man Store Front shop.howl.me/cam
Join the best hifi community out there! patreon.com/cheapaudioman
TRY ROON roonlabs.com/r/RTmYWdCP9kitqouBa5pcIw
Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF
Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt
Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH
amzn.to/3GkNaop
CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K
apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P
massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5
Two Words regarding speaker pairing ... Electro Voice
I have PS Audio M1200 monoblocks. Have had them for a couple years. I LOVE them. They make ME happy. Always get great reviews.
I’m glad you enjoyed the Emotiva. Thanks for the video.
I have had a Crown XLS 2502 for quite some time now and absolutely love it. Big amps are my passion. Not for the ear damaging power. For the headroom and fullness. Good video. Glad you are at least looking into what big amps can do!
I've heard good things and they're a fraction of the cost of these monoblocks
I have the 1502 and love it...the noise floor has been mentioned by some reviewers and is noticeable with really sensitive speakers (>100db sensitivity)...but it's pretty easy to tune out with EQ or L-pad
@@chemicallust77 my speakers aren't that sensitive :)
I ran one for awhile, they are great amps in my opinion.. especially if your sensitivity is under 88db. To my ears a very linear presentation with a softness in the high treble..which I like. I recently sold mine as someone offered me more for it than what I paid for it used. A lot of amp for little money.
@@NosEL34 My issue is that my receiver doesn't have pre-outs and for some reason Pre-amp/processors cost more than integrated amps. My speakers can handle 500 watts, but they're getting like 70 from my AVR. I can't even find a decent modern pre-amp that doesn't cost a fortune that's not like a Chinese one
Dad cranks the tunes in doing his job and it serves to wake the teenager upstairs that's oversleeping. That's poetry! It seems like a valid method for evaluating how good one's hifi system may be. The sleeping teenager test, LoL. Good on you Randy! What takes more watts? Waking the dead or a teenager in the morning?
Use a commercial kitchen prep table for your equipment. Add as many shelves as you need. Trim the legs with a hack saw. Add over engineered casters for cleaning behind. No chance of overloading it.
I certainly am loving my Emotiva XPA HC1 monoblocks. At 300 W into 8 ohms / 600 W into 4 ohms, they are plenty powerful enough to drive my B&W 702s. Those speakers can get damn thirsty when driven hard.
So happy you got to perform this type of demo. True power is awesome. I recently ran my NAD 208 to my recently purchased Wharfedale 225’s. At 250x2 it really commanded that bass. Talk about headroom. I’m happy to be a patreon and look forward to all of this wonderful work you are doing. Have a great day.
Yep, it always seems to work better when the speakers and components are in the same general price range.
I asked that question back in the mid 70s, about why so much power in a room when the amount would make you deaf. The answer I got the headroom answer. This guy explained it in terms cars with power when you're not racing it, you have more power to draw from you get a fuller sound. 100w of clean power for me would be good with a good set of speakers.
I got them for a steal $2000.00 for both last Christmas. They had a 20% discount on the total price. They are connected to a Martin Logan 60 xti with rca/xlr cables. They sound incredible.
Had a monster amp once. It made all the lights in the house go dim when switched on. A kilowatt per channel sounds very nice indeed.
I have the DR2 550 RMS into 8 ohms/ 800 RMS into 4 ohms pushing B&W N803s sounds great! Headroom is king! Very clean sounding amp for sure, it just gets outta the way and thumps.
Or…… get a pair of CerwinVega! SL15. Or XLS215. To review with this amp. Come on man, someone has to do a Vega review and you and this amp are the best guy for it. 👍🏻😃🔈
That's a LOTTA' POWAH! 🙂
I have considered buying a second AkitikA GT-104 and trying them in parallel monoblock mode.
I have an older D class amp designed by John Ulrich 54lbs! 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm and I use it to drive my Magnepan 7's It will also do 65 amps for 500 milliseconds The inner detail and dynamics are amazing never mind the sound stage When it comes to Maggie's give them lots of watts/current If my amp goes up in a puff of smoke, I've been checking out this D class amp:
VTV amplifier Stereo Purifi Audio 1ET7040SA High Power Dual Mono (Two Power Supplies) Amplifier
Randy with a pair of Klipsch LaScala, now that would be a sight.
"And then you can smile" - thank you Randy, I need the chuckle today, that made me laugh.
Good to see a t shirt from a local band. Also you're schooling the daughter well for college, wake up calls to loud music.
I am a bit of a power junkie but I tend to like hard to drive speakers... Maggies, electrostats etc. I think comes in even more play when used for home theater.
Randy, this may be the time for you to find a good used pair of Dahlquist DQ10 speakers. with the usual 1002pc amp, they are ~OK in the bass but lack foundation. once i put a Hafler 500 250wpc amp on them, the low end came alive and could shake the foundation of the house.
my current speakers are spendor S3/5s (not LS3/5As) which have 84db sensitivity. for power is the handy dandy ADCOM 555II with 200wpc, high current. just the thing for my other speakers as well...Maggie MMGs. so yeah man, i am with you on the massive power amps. running an audio research sp3a1 preamp with tube goodness, i am pleased as punch with my sound.
...hifitommy
Curious to hear what these would sound paired with the Magnepan LRS+ - thousand dollar ribbon speakers that like loads of power.
Dunno about the LRS +, but they were as good as I've heard with the magnepan 1.7i at any price. They could take the 1.7 to the limit where others run out of gas.
I like the Parasound warmer sound more. Cannot argue with the value here though!
If I may summarize this episode using the JAWS reference one more time...
"You're gonna need a bigger boat" 🦈
Great video,I recently imported to the UK an Emotiva XPA 2 Gen 3 to drive my CSS 1-TDX speakers that I built following a previous recommendation, and I agree these are really bringing more out of my speakers. I wonder if the XPA DR 2 will provide much in the way of improvements over the XPA 2. hmm.
Would be interesting to compare these with a pair of Crown XLS amps monoblocked. I had one of the lower power ones Crown XLS1002 in stereo mode which was "only" 250 watts per channel, and it really blew me away how much better it sounded than my Rotel integrated. But you could get a pair of the 2502s and monoblock them and you'd have gobs of power like 1500 watts per channel at about the price of 1 of the DR1s. They also consume much less power and can be more easily hidden in a cabinet as they are only like 11" deep.
The 2502s in bridged mode put out 2400 watts - at least, in the spec I just looked up. Damn!
I'd do 4ohm speakers with two Crown 2502s. That way you can bridge each one and have 2400w per channel.
Received today. Emotiva XDA-3 DAC and Dr-1's. Fuller female vocals. Very clear and low noise.
I feel you. Upgraded to a Emotiva XPA 2 Gen 3 a few months ago. The power it produces is way overkill for my speakers.... (Polk Legend 200's). On the other hand, if I ever decide to upgrade speakers in the future, I'm 100% positive the Emotiva will easily drive them.
I like the way you think. I have been building my system through the years using the eliminate the weak link strategy . It works well because you are only chasing one part of the system at a time , so you can tell what the heck Is going on, and now, in my old age have wound up with a nice realistic stereo playback.
That Jaws analogy though. Classic. 👍
I run a pair of PS Audio tube/class D hybrid monoblocks (1200 watts). I collect large vintage speakers and they have run anything I throw at them. Currently playing Vandersteen Model 2C speakers and also have Dahlquist DQ10, Quad ESL, Theil CS3 and Ohm Walsh 4.5 speakers. Once you go with big power amps you will never go back.
Hi @cheapaudioman,
I've been a regular viewer of your channel for quite some time now, and I've really come to appreciate your insightful and detailed reviews. I've always found your content engaging, informative, and unbiased, which makes your channel a go-to resource for me when it comes to audio gear.
Recently, I've been intrigued by the SABAJ A30a Power Amplifier, especially since it represents the full digital amplifier category. The idea of maintaining a completely digital signal chain is captivating, and I think it could provide some interesting comparison points with traditional analog systems.
Given your expertise and understanding of both digital and analog audio systems, I believe your perspective on this would be enlightening. I'm particularly interested in your analysis of the sound quality, dynamics, and the overall performance of this amplifier. Additionally, any comparison with other amps you've reviewed would be incredibly helpful.
Please consider doing a review or a comparison piece on the SABAJ A30a Power Amplifier. I'm sure many of your other followers would also find it beneficial.
Keep up the great work, and thank you for considering my request!
I run an Anthem MCA 225 g2 at 225 per channel at 4 ohms and I’m running Klipsch Fortes. Clean Power is an underrated feature People should consider more often.
I am using Anthem MCA 525 G2 with speakers that have low sensivity, 85dB. There is no need for 400Watts in 4 Ohm, but speakers now come alive at lower volumes, because of that extra power! Because I don’t have space for 2 amps, I bought the 5-channel version, not one for 3-channel and another for surround. Amplifier don’t get warm either, because it is most of the time it is just using percentages of available power.
@@bergennorway I wish I could’ve got the 325 to run a center channel for home theater only, but the situation whereas I got my 225 was unique and I didn’t have choices, but I’m absolutely not complaining. It was an open box from a Hi-Fi show; used three days and boxed up and I payed a ridicules cheap price for it.
VERY WELL PRESENTED....MY "OLD GUY " ALWAYS TAUGHT ME THAT IF YOU NONLY USE 14-20% OF THE AMP CAPACITY...IT IS IN ITS MOST STABLE OUTPUT AND OVER POWERING AT PEAK IS NOT THE TOTAL ISSUE
You want those monstrous Infinity Kappas for this amp. You're going to dim all your neighbor's x-mas lights if you turn this thing on in december!
Yessssssssssssss !!!!!!!!!! 😄😄😄😄😄😄 Those are Just truly AMAZING ...
I use a Crown XLi2500 on my main system. 500wpc @8 ohms. Ya, it's a pro amp but it sounds great on any speaker I put on it. Never have to worry about headroom.
Consider the Benchmark AHB2 amplifier, also around the 3000 USD price. Not as much brute force on tap as this Emotiva amplifier, but superb balanced performance in a smaller footprint.
I would skip the Benchmark and go with a Son of Ampzilla II
Question: What do you need a 20 amp outlet to handle both of these monsters ? I'm guessing with all gear and 2 subs added maybe 2- 20 amp outlets would be required.
Yup,
two 120VAC 20A (1 each)
or 240VAC, but if you don't want to make your ears bleed...
120VAC 15A male to 120VAC 20A Female adapters will get you started.....
If the Cuban in laws get stupid, think I want the circuit breaker to turn the lights out before they make smoke of my speakers. .
Bel Canto makes some high power mono blocks that are nice.
Yes. If you're an audiophile purist, don't settle for the same old Schiit. Only Doc Brown's Jiggawatt monoblock will do.
Ha! Your senior too? Mine finished all testing last week but still has to go in. Actually packed a book and pillow in his backpack. No first or last period either.
To actually get 1000W *2, wouldn't you need to run a dedicated 20A circuit just for your amps, then power your processors, tv, etc. off a standard 15A?
Yes, if you want to make your ears bleed... 🩸
I will be testing this electrical equation soon... e=mc2 ⚡
120vac 15a male to 120VAC 20a female adapters can get you started
Aiyima just put out the A200, and it's voiced closer to a Class A or AB amp, than the typical Class D sound. It's much warmer down low (but not "boosted"), less sharp up top, and has an overall more "mature" sound. You owe it to yourself to give it a listen. I would consider it an upgrade over most of the other (really good) cheap Chinese amps to come out lately.
My recording studio near fields are 1150rms
One of my trucks has a 18,000rms stereo system with 3 350amp alternators, 2 giant lithium batteries, 4 18s, 16 mids and 8 4 inch tweeters… oh yea and 2 image dynamics horns
Voltage doesn’t drop under 14v…
My new mastering room now has Lipinski L707a’s and l301 amps on each one. No sub at the moment but I have a few good subs around if I want to put a pair of 12s or 15s in the mastering room.
Guess I’m a power snob lol 😂
I would also look at Van Alystine Monoblocks. They are only a little more $$$ wise and Frank Van Alystine makes great stuff. I owned one of his amps in 80's.
I have the dr 2 driving klipsch rt 7 ii and it’s totally overkill . More power reveals more detail usually . Low and high volume . I love it
I’ve got a set of vintage JBL L-112s that I’d love to power with those BEAUTIFUL monoblocks
Great Review Randy!!! You can't run a Corvette on Yugo wheels and tires...😅
Yugo 👍😂🤣
I prefer a straightforward reviewer who gives "just the facts, ma'am" rather than someone who turns his review into a performance.
I own these got them for $2000.00 for the pair, price was cheaper before 2023. Plus 20% off for X-mas. I am running NAD C388 and using the pre outs to run 2 tall ohm walsh 1000 these are 6 ohm speakers. Did not sound so great with just the NAD C388 which has 150 watts per channel. 2 youtubers rave about these ohm speakers I didn’t hear it. Until I bought these amps I could watch Movies and understand dialogue. I would play music and it sounded so much better. Good monoblocks for the price.
Would be nice for you to get a pair of Magnepans LRS+ to try with the Emotiva amps I think they cost just under $1,000 for a pair As you know Maggie's love watts/current
Just FYI, the college kids just got home and I get doors slamming at this stage too. Who knew. I have the SVS Ultra Towers, and would love to hear them with these amps. Thanks.
Randy, you are actually contradicting what you said yesterday (in "5 Overrated Audiophile Features You Probably Don't Need", the part about balanced on amplifiers)
Wish you would have had my Tekton Double Impacts there to test with those amps😂... That would have added an additional level of insanity and paradigm shift for you😂
Review starts at 0:55. I had a 1200W Emotiva amp with a Rotel processor in a 5.2/Stereo config. Your hardware and mileage will vary, but I can't tell the difference with a Yammy TSR-700. I gave up the power amp for $350 and I think I tossed the Rotel in the garbage to make room.
Thanks for the backups on the time stamps jonjays3762. One thing I love about my audience is how much they are always wanting to help.
Randy, you should ask Emotiva to send you the HC-1 monos for comparison, I bought them, and was flawed from the first strum of Chris Jones's guitar! THE BASS! I had every intention of returning them, I just wanted to see if powerful monos make a difference... they never left my system and I had to sell my new Denafrips Thallo 120W amp. It wasn't just the bass, everything improved, clearly audible difference, it was like I just upgraded my speakers
LOL, about waking your daughter. I have the Alexia play Bang! By AJR on the EVERYWHERE group on school mornings which includes the Emotiva system. Rise and Shine 🧟🧟 Sunshine 🌞
So, how would you spend your money in speakers + amp:
1- spend more on the speaker
2- spend about the same money on speaker and amp
3- spend more on amp?
What would be more important for the sound?
I'm curious about the amount of current these deliver. For us Maggie owners, that is more important than watts. Odyssey publishes that spec for their amps......a company you should check out as they've always been a value leader and handmade in Indianapolis.
Great vid man!gotta say i have emo and schiit in my system but when i saw DR1 i first thought of the band DRI! and funny to me that bands best album is called Crossover. coincidence?
Here we go, back in 1983 I bought for Carver m500t power amps they still exist today in my realm and I use them all the time with new preamplifiers new speakers and you know what they have driven everything that I feed through the Carvers whatever happened to magnetic field amplifiers anyway they're freaking awesome, that everybody thinks that more power is better weld be honest with you driving more than 200 Watts through speakers and a constant basis is nothing more than a waste of energy, very few people want to listen to music above 100 decibels if you do your ears will bleed you'll gain headaches so on and so forth no matter how wonderful it sounds as long as it's clean and has some depth to it I'm happy and so should everyone else, to some extent, only because something is new and different doesn't need it any better than the best of what you bought 40 years ago at least when it comes to power amplifiers I could talk about this all day
@ cheapaudioman, good review. I’m running a pair of XPA-1 Gen 2 monos powering Martin Logan Aerius i.
I have the Unifi Reference speakers that I'm driving with an Emotiva A2 (after 2 other upgrades) in a near field setup. I was not happy with the bass until I added a Rel T/5x sub.
1000 watts of amplifier power is better than Viagra.
Yep don't have to wait 30 min for results.
Won't get the wife approval on that one.
Cheaper too!
Over kill what you gonna with that much power heat your house up
😂😅😂
Not to take anything away from the value the DR1 represents or how capable it is. However, there are differences in the fit and finish to note. The XPA-DR1 come in at 35.5 lbs. per unit. The Mac MC1.25 is at 158 per unit. The build quality and product support on a McIntosh is outstanding. Another difference is on power 1200 watts into a 8-ohm load versus 650. Macs do not double down so it's the same at 4-ohms, but that 1200 watts is stable down to 2-ohms. IMHO not quite apples to apples. Does the big Mac amp sound better? That is a matter of taste. They certainly are obscenely more expensive. Trouble with legacy brands like McIntosh is they cling to the past and new products do not deviate much from their expected house sound. Many love it, many find them boring.
Your console is about to give! Put one of those action figures from your shelf on the console will snap it!
Randy, tey getting a couple of the Crown xls1002..set them up monoblock /bridged =1000Watts+ to each speaker and compare!
That would make a killer video! Your honest take..but break in the amps properly first.
Hmmm, I'm thinking class D would not be a fair fight...
It would be like a girl fight! 🍿
Very loud! 🔊
But no longer beautiful 🌿
I was quite intrigued by your analogy of the V12 engine. As a self-described cheapskate, I think Fosi Audio V3 will be my endgame solution 😂
I use because I need the power of the Emotiva HC1 Monoblock's for my ATC SCM19s.
I think the Arendal towers are a good match for these. Other nice matches are Magnepans or any similar designs
Sadly with all that power and it still can't handle loads under 4 ohms... Many high-end speakers dip into the realm of 2 ohms.
Over the phone they actually do not recommend these for 2 ohm speakers sadly.
The DR2 I own has no issues driving my B&W Nautilus 803s which will dip into the 3 ohm territory
@@patrickgeorge141 dang it, I think my speakers do get into the low ohms occasionally . I wasted a whole lot of key strokes commenting on the subject before I read down this far.
I have a Tonewinner AD7300PA+ connected to my Pioneer VSX LX505 And am quite happy even though it's an amp that most online reviewers seem to totally ignore.
Im no expert. But in my opinion I think ohms in an amplifier are more important than the wattage. It's pretty common to see 8 and 4 ohm amps. But rarely do you see amps that go down to 2 ohms. I believe they are more common in higher end amps. The reason I believe ohms are more important is due to my discovery of constant power amplifiers. Meaning the wattage stays the same regardless of ohms within that ohm range. You could drive basically every speaker out there as long as it is within the ohm range. Think about this, so much is going on when a loudspeaker is performing. It's good to have an amplifier with a solid well balanced (constant) wattage foundation within the ohm range. I believe this will equal more control of the loudspeaker. No need of higher watts. Hope this makes sense.
Connect the Emotiva to the sub pre out of your home theater receiver, connect some passive subs and have some fun with that kind of power 😂
it does make perfect sense, but it is cheaper to follow the market and buy big power to get the control than a rarefied amp that does things right but costs much more.
Can run these the emotivas t3 plus onnthese amps.and tell us about the pairing?
I've been looking at the Burson timekeepers 3x grand tourer mono power amp pairs for $4000, interesting alternate product to look at now.
I have driven Magnepan 1.7i, Infinity RS-II, and others with as little as 25 watts. They sounded fine at normal levles.
Having said that, I now run SS mono-blocks rated at 850 watts into 2 ohms. The bass is tight and headroom is plenty...
Interesting! Do you think DR1 and Tyr would be closer on a more efficient speaker? (I suspect so.) I have Tekton Moabs that are like 98 or 99db. When I tried my friend's Tyrs in my system, I found them to be remarkably transparent, clean and controled. I was expecting something warmer maybe, but they felt pretty accurate to me, in a good way. But huge grain of salt, I'm only comparing them to my Parasound Hint 6 or Vidar.
I also tried the Benchmark AHB2 and LA4. That stack seemed to feel pretty similar to my experience with the Tyrs. MAYBE they had a blacker background and more micro detail and accuracy, but I also think that Tyr was maybe slightly more visceral? I couldn't really compare their nuances from memory. But that might be another good amp for you to try out in the price range. As an added bonus, the AHB2 is about the size of a large lunch box and uses very little power.
Nice to see another Moab owner! I absolutely love mine, I hope you do as well!
Since you asked, it would be interesting to see some stuff on D-Sonic. In particular their M3a-1500M at $2550 a pair. Website claims 1500 watts at 8 ohms and 2200 at 4. Of course with that much power you may have to get a pair of Electro Stat speakers or JTR. Now the real question is that RMC-1 processor software as much of a nightmare I read frequently?
My head hurts just thinking about 1000 watts! More is always better, so I'm told. This feeds my FOMO addiction. However that focuses on my moth filled wallet. I will have to vicariously enjoy this equipment through your excitement and experience. Thank you for sharing this with us all.
Headroom is great but theres a difference between Emotiva headroom and *insert high end expensive amp* headroom. In terms of sonics and probably in terms if difficult loads as well.
Would be nice to hear with the CSS Typhons... Thatd be a good pairing
Good stuff Randy, and emotiva too!!!
It would be interesting to see a comparison of a pair of Emotiva DR1 Montoblocks to a pair of the Topping LA90 Discretes (bridged mono) with respect to sound quality. Perhaps good subject matter for another video.
Does the volume knob go to 11?
I have no room to talk. NHT 2.5 with Anthem MCA 50 & Yamaha CXA-5000. I used to run four NAD 214's.
Power is good. there comes a time when you want to go beyond the sonic imaging, the sound stage and the isolation and definition of the instruments. Most people have no idea what that any of that is anyway. What most people are looking for is an immersive experience with the music. Hence the popularity of loud Rock n Roll concerts. At least in the 80's. You could go to an AC/DC concert and feel the music in every part of your body.
There's going to come a time when you want to play your music at 150 to 200 watts rms without your amplifier being in danger of blowing up or catching on fire. If you have a 200 watt amp and you're pumping out solid 150 to 175 watts that amp is running hard and hot. If you have a 650 watt amp and you're running it at that power level you're barely working it. It was common for me to run at least 120 watts per channel for 24x7 on the weekends day and night. Sometimes I'd crank it up to 240 watts during the day.
I was running 4 15 inch speakers per channel with two woofers wired in series so each woofer only had to move 1/2 the distance to provide the same level of bass while being under less stress. that would be 2, 6 Ohm speakers in series to get 12 Ohms then I'd take another set wired the same and put them in parallel so I'd be back to 6 Ohm. Anyway It worked out great. People would be amazed that from 6 feet my speakers would blow the flame out of a lighter. The point im trying to make Is, power needs to be clean and the music needs to be free of distortion, at least to your ears.
20 watts being played from a 100 watt amp is not going to sound the same as 20 watts coming from a 500 to 1000 watt amp. I know it doesn't sound logical. 20 watts should be 20 watts, but it's not. I discovered this after listening to a pioneer sx1981 peaking to 20 watts and them going home and listening to my 35 watt rms realistic receiver.
That pioneer did something to me after hearing it. I saved every dime all summer to get one. It occupied my thoughts everyday until I had one. Music just wasn't enjoyable until I had that monster receiver on my dresser. I'm sure a lot of people can identify.
How bout a pair of Legacy Focus SE speakers with the Emotiva DR1 Monoblocs
What is a good preamp to go along with the DR ones And what's your preference on a speaker that would sound the best would it do well with B&W or Martin Logan Thanks for Your time looking forward from hearing from you
I have the OG Unifi UB5. 85db . They are on an Emotiva A2, but still are begging for more. I was gonna save for the Tyr but now it might be a better decision for the Emotiva. Still gotta save…
Sounds like a perfect match for the.......
.
Acoustic Studio Monitor 3311 :)
Here's another thought an audio sample that Randy Randy Randy I should listen to it a very loud level with some decent subwoofers what it is is the opening orchestral salvo created by Bernard herrmann for the film mysterious Island. . once you do that let me know what you think Randy I would very much appreciate it I've known of this orchestral stuff for a very long time barenaked Harriman is da bomb.. creating orchestral since the early 40s.. and then very sadly he passed away at a very young age in 1961.. but his musical creations live on in all the Alfred Hitchcock films as well as all the Ray harryhausen in pieces of like the early Twilight zone series Bernard herrmann was an absolute musical genius.. I will very much look forward to hearing your opinion of the baseline levels for the soundtrack of mysterious island by Bernard herrmann
Randy. Have you tried the tonewinner amps?, be interesting to hear your honest opinion.
2 Crown amps bridged can be had for less with same power
Hey, mr. Cheap! Have you ever heard about the Tempotec March 3? I'm thinking of buying it, it looks... interesting
Great review
I am absolutely stunned that you can get a very decent Monoblock amp for $1500.00
Audiophile amps such as:
Parasound JC 1+ Monoblock (450 rms 8ohm, 850 rms 4 ohm) or Michi M8 Monoblock (1080 rms 8 ohm,1800 rms 4 ohm) at a staggering 130 lbs.
Price..$8000 each
My speakers are 3 way towers, 89 db efficient 4 ohms. Noticed Considerable sound upgrade from old Onkyo AVR @100 watts rms to new Amp pushing 300 watts rms (4ohms) x 2 channels. Towers are rated 20-200 rms & 400 watt peak power handling. I use an Emotiva RMC 1l processor with XLR cabling. Are these Emotiva mono blocks too much?
Question: Any idea how much more your electric bill is than it would be if you'd never gotten into reviewing all this stereo gear?
Impact on electric bill should be minimal. The reality is most of the time amplifiers are using a few watts, nobody drives an amplifiers full power all the time.
I have the Emotiva XPA-DR3, 650+ watts paired to my ELAC Carinas. Love the power!
I also have the RMC -1L and couldn't be less happy. So f'ing buggy. Has to be restarted a least twice a day minimum! So disappointed with the piece because I'm a huge Emotiva fan. There's a new firmware update I'm hoping will fix it.
I'd be curious how a couple NAD C298's in mono mode would compare to these. Not as powerful but it sounds like the purifi class D stuff is spectacular and extremely clean.
I use time by pink Floyd to wake someone up.
Yeah..that will do it 😂
Epic
The biggest benefit of mega power---stubborn speakers like magnepan, ribbon hybrids and assorted low efficiency bricks like ATC.
FWIW: I had the often vaunted Vidar amps. They are NOT good for 4 ohms. Emotiva eat them for lunch. I returned my Vidar, it was just too timid. And FWIW: Emotiva is as good as mac, using smarter and newer tech. The only difference is the mac is warmer voiced and the Emo is more neutral. I prefer neutral.
Look into the Goldenear Triton One.R tower speakers ($5000.00) I have those paired with the DR1's....WOW! Also wife friendly...