[Malbec Man]

I have searched far and wide for someone who has posted about combining Emotiva amps with VS speakers, but no luck so far.  Has anyone heard these amps with VS speakers?  I am specifically looking at their XPA-1 (500w at 8ohm monoblock) for just at 1k each.  There are great reviews online about how they sound fairly warm (they are class A/B) and sound as good as, if not better than, most Krell, Mark Levinson, and Jeff Rowland amps.  The price is hard to beat IF they sound as good as the reviewers think.  They are also fully balanced, which is nice.  Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[es347]

I have read nothing but praise for these bad boys.  The only Emotiva piece I own is the USP-1 preamp and it is way better than it has any right to be.  Don't they offer a return policy?  Either way I say go for it.

[roscoeiii]

Try them out using their 30 day return window and report back to us on them. They do look like bad boys.

But it is all in the implementation and speaker synergy. What are you using now? What changes are you looking to accomplish with an amp change?

[Malbec Man]

es347, thanks for the reply!  I am also looking at getting their current pre/pro.  I have heard your statement from many others who own that unit.

roscoeiii, My current system is for sale here : http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=116534.0 as well as on AGon.  Feel free to purchase (sorry for the shameless plug!)
I'm currently running my beloved VR-2s with a Denon AVR 3310ci, which also runs all the other equipment (VR S/1 sub, LCR-15 center, and TS-210 surrounds).  This is probably overkill for my brownstone condo (a whopping 700 sqft total).  I'm moving to the burbs of Atlanta in July to a house that already has a nice 7.1 home theater with new Definitive Technology speakers run through a very nice Yamaha RVX 3800 receiver.  That would be OK, but now that I have a listening space which is over half the size of my entire current living space, I wanted to upgrade within the VS family.  I'm eyeing a pair of 7SEs (used) and want to play audiophile class stereo for music listening.  I'm afraid the 7s would suck the life out of the Yamaha, and I really want to give them all the power they could ever want.  I have heard having fully balanced signal creates the "blackness" when there is no music playing as opposed to a humm (albeit very quiet) from unbalanced signal.  I was thinking of getting a nice home theater pre/pro with ballanced outs going directly to the Emotiva amps via XLR then to the 7s.  The remaining channels would then go  to a multi-channel amp.  I figured this way I could have the best of both worlds (more or less).  Albert really, really likes the CIA monos, but they are not balanced and may introduce some background "haze", not that you could perceive it, but you may notice the sound was "cleaner" or "blacker" if it was not there.  I have been known to completely overlook the obvious, but that is my current thought process.

[rollo]

Try them out using their 30 day return window and report back to us on them. They do look like bad boys.

But it is all in the implementation and speaker synergy. What are you using now? What changes are you looking to accomplish with an amp change?

   The only way to tell is to try. Opinions are a good start however every system, room and subjective likings are different. Price is reasonable give them a go.


charles

[jackman]

Those CI amps are pretty sweet.  I'd look at them and compare to emotiva.  I heard them at Axlona and don't think you will hear any haze.  Balanced might be good if you have super long ICs but I don't think they will give you any real advantages with regard to their sound. 

I'd also include the NCore DIY modules to the mix but for the money, those CI amps are really something.  I could easily live with a pair and be very happy.  Albert chose them to demonstrate his flagship speakers.  That's got to tell you something.

[Malbec Man]

I think the near unanimous vote here is to settle on my pre/pro and theater amp, THEN test the CIAudio 500w monos and the Emotiva 500w monos side by side within minutes of each other.  Wow. . . I thought only hi-end magazine reviewers did that, but it seems so obvious    Just have to tell the wife they are COMPLETELY different items (they need each other, one is a power supply, etc).  If she knew I was swapping between sets of monoblocks before our house was furnished she'd likely make me sleep next to them!
Albert really likes the CIAs so I'm definitely going to try them.   I have heard neither, nor have I yet developed a warm/muddy vs cold/sterile opinion.  Since the Emotiva's run in A/B mode and the CIAs in D, this should be interesting.

I wont have the setup until ~end of August and the dust has settled from the move and new job, but I will definitely report back.  If anyone here is around ATL, I'd be happy have an extra pair of ears (more seasoned than mine) to eval the setup.

Robert

[roscoeiii]

Yeah, I wouldn't limit yourself to balanced only, unless you are having noise related problems due to interconnects. Many single-ended amps are "haze"-free I guarantee you. And if you do decide to go balanced, you would want to go dual-differential balanced, as opposed to a (much cheaper) design that converts to and from balanced connectors through a transformer or op-amp. But that also raises the expense considerably.

Listen for yourself to what sounds best with the speakers once you have them. There are many great options for the VR-7 in the $1000-$3000 range.

I am loving my Rogue Stereo 90 with my VR-4s. And hopefully jackman will swing down sometime soon and we can compare my Stereo 90 to his ncores.

[roscoeiii]

And choose that pre/pro very carefully. That could be a real bottleneck as far as sound quality goes. There is a reason that some folks choose to get a preamp with HT bypass instrad of using a pre/pro for 2 channel. Good luck explaining that one to the wife. A truly balanced pre/pro is not going to be that easy to find I'd think. And it wouldn't be cheap. But I haven't used am HT pre/pro in a while or shopped for one recently, so no suggestions there.

[Early B.]

I have several Emotiva amps. Consider building two separate systems for HT and 2-channel, which share the front speakers. The Emotiva amps are fantastic for HT. For a reference 2-channel system, look elsewhere. However, if you plan to only have one combined system where some comprises need to be made, then the Emo amps can't be beat for their price, quality, and customer service. 

[Charles Calkins]

I tried an Emotiva stereo amp with my VS speakers. I thought it  made things sound a little on the harsh side.

[roscoeiii]

I tried an Emotiva stereo amp with my VS speakers. I thought it  made things sound a little on the harsh side.

Which amp was that?

These new amps are beasts, spec wise. But of course that may or may not affect whether they are harsh or not with VS sp
eakers.

[Charles Calkins]

Which amp was that?

These new amps are beasts, spec wise. But of course that may or may not affect whether they are harsh or not with VS sp
eakers.

 XPA-2

[Rouslanbel]

I think the near unanimous vote here is to settle on my Prue/pro and theater amp, THEN test the CI Audio 500w monos and the Emotiva 500w monos side by side within minutes of each other.  Wow. . . I thought only hi-end magazine reviewers did that, but it seems so obvious    Just have to tell the wife they are COMPLETELY different items (they need each other, one is a power supply, etc).  If she knew I was swapping between sets of monoblocks before our house was furnished she'd likely make me sleep next to them!
Albert really likes the CIAs so I'm definitely going to try them.   I have heard neither, nor have I yet developed a warm/muddy vs cold/sterile opinion.  Since the Emotiva's run in A/B mode and the CIAs in D, this should be interesting.

I wont have the setup until ~end of August and the dust has settled from the move and new job, but I will definitely report back.  If anyone here is around ATL, I'd be happy have an extra pair of ears (more seasoned than mine) to eval the setup.

Robert

You may try Emotiva XPA-1L monoblocks - just released - they stay in class A for the first 35 watts.
XPA-1 only stays in class A for the first 10 watts.

I am currently running my VR-4 with XPA-2 and considering XPA-1L for an upgrade

As for the source - Oppo BDP-105 works well driving emotiva amps directly - replaced in my system Audiolab M-DAC, onkyo 805 receiver and Emotiva USPS-1 preamp (with HT bypass)

Oppo-Emotiva combination really simplified my system (used now for both music and movies)

[fplanner2000]

Just finished installing 4 new Stillpoints Ultra 5 isolators between each mid and bass module of my 7 Mk2's.  Remarkable change for the better - imaging, separation, dynamic range of both mids and highs, as well as a tightening up of the bass.  Albert turned me on to this a few weeks ago - the Ultra 5's are expensive, but in my case, saved me from the much more daunting task of speaker shopping in the $80K+ price range and trading my speakers.  These Stillpoints are quite literally transformative, at least in my system.

I also don't have anything between my bass modules and the floor yet - I've been assured that point of some sort will be equally transformative.  Can't wait...

[Malbec Man]

As for the source - Oppo BDP-105 works well driving emotiva amps directly - replaced in my system Audiolab M-DAC, onkyo 805 receiver and Emotiva USPS-1 preamp (with HT bypass)

How exactly do you have this set up? Oppo to preamp to speakers?  How then do you watch a movie with the same front speakers?  Forgive the ignorance.

Just finished installing 4 new Stillpoints Ultra 5 isolators between each mid and bass module of my 7 Mk2's.  Remarkable change for the better - imaging, separation, dynamic range of both mids and highs, as well as a tightening up of the bass.  Albert turned me on to this a few weeks ago - the Ultra 5's are expensive, but in my case, saved me from the much more daunting task of speaker shopping in the $80K+ price range and trading my speakers.  These Stillpoints are quite literally transformative, at least in my system.

Wow.  Those are really expensive isolators.  As you have very nearly the speakers I hope to acquire, what are you driving them with?  Have you heard any components to avoid or think were made for VS speakers?

Thanks,
Robert

[fplanner2000]

Being driven with VAC Statement 450 monos.  Any VAC amps work with VS speakers - great synergy.

Although the Stillpoints were ridiculously expensive, they are much more than a component level upgrade, at least in my situation.  I doubt there are a pair of 7's anywhere that sound as good as mine do right now, but I could be wrong...

[Malbec Man]

Being driven with VAC Statement 450 monos.  Any VAC amps work with VS speakers - great synergy.

Although the Stillpoints were ridiculously expensive, they are much more than a component level upgrade, at least in my situation.  I doubt there are a pair of 7's anywhere that sound as good as mine do right now, but I could be wrong...

Maybe I'll get there someday   I'm going to try the CIA 500w monos and the Emotiva 500w monos first.  (I'm going to spend all the $$$$$ on the speakers first, not that $5,000 for a pair of amps is cheap)  I may dip into the XPA-1L as well.  Rouslanbel, let me know if you do get the XPA-1Ls and how they sound, I'm just worried there is not enough "Umph" to really handle the 7s.  I have been told 200W is nice, but when you up the ante to 500W, it's a near religious experience.

Robert

[roscoeiii]

Maybe I'll get there someday   I'm going to try the CIA 500w monos and the Emotiva 500w monos first.  (I'm going to spend all the $$$$$ on the speakers first, not that $5,000 for a pair of amps is cheap)  I may dip into the XPA-1L as well.  Rouslanbel, let me know if you do get the XPA-1Ls and how they sound, I'm just worried there is not enough "Umph" to really handle the 7s.  I have been told 200W is nice, but when you up the ante to 500W, it's a near religious experience.

Robert

Umm, the VR-7s appear to be 94 dB sensitivity. I am not sure why you think that a speaker with this sort of sensitivity needs so much power. Who told you that you need this much power? Did this person run VR-7s or speakers that sensitive?

I run the 91 dB VR-4 Gen II speakers with a 90 watt Rogue Stereo 90, and have been considering a lower power amp (better quality watts for my $$, would be the logic).

More power is not always better. And as long as an amp isn't running out of steam overall, the more Class A operation, the better.

[fplanner2000]

THE 7's LOVE POWER.  GOOD, CLEAN POWER.  They are not 94 db sensitive - only the top module, maybe, is that high.  The bass cabinet is in the high 80's.  You can't begin to compare the 7's to any of the 4's or 5's for "driveability".

I drove these speakers with 1 300.1 VAC amp, then 2 as monos.  Nowhere near as responsive as now, driving them with a pair of VAC Statement 450's.  You need not only power, but current to control the bass drivers well.