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December 11, 2012 - 6:33pm
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From Bi-amping to monoblocks
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The Emotiva XPA-100 monoblocks are 250 Watts into 8 Ohms, 400 watts into 4 Ohms. You can try them with your equipment in your room and if you don't like them send them back within 30 days for a purchase price refund. $760/pair delivered.
Are the two amps your using now not almost the 200 watts your seeking? If your looking to add more power only it doesn't sound like you'll be getting much of an improvement . A slight increase in power may not be sufficient . Remember , doubling the watts only works out to 3db , all things being equal.
Yes, with the two amps, they add up to 200w/ch. However, with bi-amping you leave a lot on the table and never realize that full power. For example, when you get a bass drum thump, 100 of your watts is only amplifying your tweeters so that amp doesn't contribute. Keeps the tweeters very detailed, but lacks some punch that I am looking for.
In addition to monos, I would go with a dual mono design or even a stereo amp. It just needs to be capable. I don't have Pass Labs or Krell money, though!
If not, I'd look into Emotiva. At least you can try it and send it back if you don't want it.
If you do have Parasound money, they are very capable amplifiers. The JC1 and A21 are well regarded. But you could get a pair of Emotiva XPA-1s for less money than the A21 and I doubt you'ld choose the sound of the A21 over them, and the JC1 is approaching Pass Labs and Krell money. The Emotiva XPA-2 should also get consideration.
http://emotivalounge.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=xpa2&action=display&thread=27556&page=1
I suppose the parasound A21 is within reach. I am watching (and reading) the Emotiva amps closely!
The XPR-1 monoblocks are 1900 watts into 4 Ohms and the XPR-2 two channel amp is 1000 watts per channel. $1280 and $1450, respectively.
I saw. That XPR-2 is very tempting!
BTW, how do you pronounce Emotiva?
Just make sure you have a dedicated 20 amp circuit for the XPR-2.
You shouldn't be leaving much on the table , hi and mid frequency drivers can be a more difficult load angle than low freq drivers .
When I was Bi-amping with two identical 200 watt Levinson amps , if I pushed them to far it was the upper frequency amp that went into thermal protection , and yes I did try swapping the amps.
Maybe it's a function of the speaker design? They are a 2.5 way crossover (below described as 3.5). They have two tweeters. My upper amp is only for the tweeters! The lower powers the mid and lows.
"Three-and-a-half–way, floorstanding, ported, bass-reflex loudspeaker. Drive-units: 2" (55mm) ribbon tweeter, 1" (25mm) silk-dome tweeter, two 6.5" wood-fiber/pulp-cone woofers. Crossover frequencies: 700Hz, 3kHz, 13.5kHz."
I have the older model, but the way the crossover works is the same. No dedicated midrange driver: both 6.5" drivers receive the full bass signal. The article descibes it best:
http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/308dali/index.html