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RE: Anyone? What's your impression of Emotiva's XPA-1L "class A" monoblocks?

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In Reply to: RE: Anyone? What's your impression of Emotiva's XPA-1L "class A" monoblocks? posted by Feanor on September 28, 2013 at 05:02:34

What is the point exactly? You want to get class A to see if the forum pundits are correct or not right? Here's the thing - if you take this class A amp and it fails to live up to the forum pundit hype you KNOW what they are going to says it's because 1) Emotiva isn't really high end and thus 2) does no represent what class A SS amplification or class A in general is capable of producing.

If you want to judge the technologies you need to take home say three of the world's best class A/B amps, B amps, and Pure Class A amps regardless of price. Then you can judge the technology. Do the same at $1k and determine if what won the silly price shootout works at the cheaper end of the spectrum.

Just because something is Class A doesn't automatically make it better - Naim I believe is class B and they do pretty good. I have heard push pull A/B and hybrid amps sound better than SET. Just not at higher price levels. So I am somewhat inclined to believe that SET costs more to get right.

Sure there may be some "generalities" - take the old "less switches are better" routine - sure if all else is equal but if Amp A has a bunch of switches and amp B has none doesn;t mean B is going to sound better. It might but the rule to me only applies if you have amp A with switches versus amp A without switches. The former likely sounds better. But A with switches could kill amp B from some other worse designer.

Follow Ups:

You are *completely right* but ... - Feanor 05:21:50 10/01/13 (4)
I do want to experiment with different sound. You might have noticed recent Forte vs. Class D Audio foray.
But don't be silly! There is no way I "take home say three of the world's best class A/B amps, B amps, and Pure Class A amps regardless of price". If you have some suggestions for affordable gear I can try, I'll listen, (but no tubes at this point in time).
BTW the Forte 5 will be going soon. It just doesn't sound right in general -- hard to put my finger on why. The Class D Audio SDS' shortcoming is clear but it's limited to the top high frequencies. Otherwise the CDA is a better amp so it stays for a while.
In that regard people tell me I ought to hate the CDA amp, well I know its problem but I also know its strengths (including value for money). I'll listen to people's ideas but I don't give a damn about their judgement of my preferences.

I love the music of ... ... Gustav Mahler

Edits: 10/01/13 10/01/13 10/01/13
- Maybe you need new speakers - Ozzie 15:12:39 10/01/13 (3)
  Versus swapping amps in and out of your system, perhaps what you seek can be had by a loudspeaker change. No matter what you do to them, Maggies will not be MLs. Ever. As far as the Forte is concerned, it has this coppery tone overlaying the sound. The modded Forte 4 I had sounded nice until I latched onto it. Then I could not get past it. Good luck in your pursuit.
  - The Forte 5 just doesn't sound right to me - Feanor 19:25:43 10/01/13 (2)
    "Coppery"? Maybe, but like I said it just doesn't sound right to me although I can't articulate exactly why.
    I'll be sticking with the Maggies for a while for financial reasons if no other.
    
    I love the music of ... ... Gustav Mahler
    
    Edits: 10/01/13
    - RE: The Forte 5 just doesn't sound right to me - Ozzie 18:40:18 10/02/13 (1)
      Same here as far as describing the sound we both latched on to. Once you hear it, there is no getting past it. It's the amp and not your speakers because once my 4 was gone, so was that sound. Have you done the crossover and fuse bypass mods to your Maggies? Both changes brought me excellent results on my little Maggies, for less than 50 bucks and some time spent.
      - No, haven't done those Maggie mods (nt) - Feanor 05:43:13 10/03/13 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: The Forte 5 just doesn't sound right to me posted by Ozzie on October 02, 2013 at 18:40:18
        
        nt
        
        I love the music of ... ... Gustav Mahler

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