Emotiva XPA-2 Pics

[Ajani]

Back in my UPA-2 thread I promised some pics, so here goes the first really bad ones:

[Ajani]

Pic showing the speakers as well:

[frenchmon]

Boy that thing looks huge....here you go...nothing against the Nics, but the Emo wants these.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1276109226


frenchmon

[Feanor]

Back in my UPA-2 thread I promised some pics, so here goes the first really bad ones:
Holy snappin' whatsits! Sort of hilarious seeing the "tiny" Benchmark and SqueezeBox atop the Emotiva.

[harley .guy07]

yeah that benchmark dac looks like a cell phone compared to that huge amp. but I bet you aren't hurting for power or dynamic capabilities.

[atomicAdam]

wow - that is pretty funny looking - lil head with a huge body!


does the sound improve at all if the squeeze box is moved further away from the amp?

[blackraven]

Looks like Davey and Goliath! Enjoy Ajani!

[Ajani]

Some more pics showing the scale of the Benchmark VS the Emotiva & my listening room:

[Ajani]

Boy that thing looks huge....here you go...nothing against the Nics, but the Emo wants these.

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrmoni&1276109226


frenchmon

:thumbsup:

Agreed!

[Ajani]

wow - that is pretty funny looking - lil head with a huge body!


does the sound improve at all if the squeeze box is moved further away from the amp?

I haven't noticed any change in the sound by relocating the Squeezebox....

[Ajani]

yeah that benchmark dac looks like a cell phone compared to that huge amp. but I bet you aren't hurting for power or dynamic capabilities.

Yep, it might look silly but it is a very nice combination....

The Emotiva has a line of little blue leds that light up to indicate the power usage... I rarely get them to move... With the most bass heavy material I have, at an uncomfortably loud volume level, I managed to light up 3 of the 12 leds intermittently... So I really can't imagine needing more power...

[blackraven]

The amp looks lonely sitting there, it looks like it needs some friends to keep it company. Maybe an Oppo BD-83se and a nice TT.

[GMichael]

The amp looks lonely sitting there, it looks like it needs some friends to keep it company. Maybe an Oppo BD-83se and a nice TT.
I'll second this. :ihih:

[bfalls]

Are those industrial-grade suction cups under the table you used to lift the amp?:biggrin5:

[Ajani]

The amp looks lonely sitting there, it looks like it needs some friends to keep it company. Maybe an Oppo BD-83se and a nice TT.

lol... If I add any additional gear to that setup it would be the upcoming Emotiva XSP-1 Preamp and possibly the XDA-1 DAC.... Then I could use the Benchmark in the eventual bedroom 2nd system....

A full Emotiva stack would look pretty sweet and sound great too...

[Ajani]

Are those industrial-grade suction cups under the table you used to lift the amp?:biggrin5:

:nono: Though that's actually a good idea... :p

It's a bit of workout equipment - Perfect Pushup - standard informercial excercise product - though I must admit that it actually is useful and makes pushups more challenging (assuming anyone really needs pushups to be more difficult)....

[jrhymeammo]

Wow, I thought that was a Wadia CDP. Thanks for the pics and congrats.

JRA

[Ajani]

I forgot to add a comment re the cosmetics of the amp:

For those persons who think the silver trim on the edges is too much, you can either replace them with black trim ($20), paint them yourself or take them off completely (leaving just the black face with the power button)...

You can also turn off the blue leds at the top....

[Luvin Da Blues]

Might look good with rack handles in place of those silver trim thingies.

[harley .guy07]

It looks like you need some new speaker cables. those look awful small gauge and for an amp of that power and ability I think some better cables would serve you better.

[Ajani]

It looks like you need some new speaker cables. those look awful small gauge and for an amp of that power and ability I think some better cables would serve you better.

Definitely... It's just the old cheapo cable I had with the Technics speakers... I plan to upgrade speakers and cables....

[Ajani]

Might look good with rack handles in place of those silver trim thingies.

Rack Handles would be useful, especially considering this beast weighs 75lbs....

[rob_a]

Definitely... It's just the old cheapo cable I had with the Technics speakers... I plan to upgrade speakers and cables....

Emo's speaker cables are vary nice, my buddy is using the X cable and they do a good job. Blue jean makes a nice set of cables too.

When are you getting a new set of speaker to really show the depth of your amp??? we have to know :crazy:

[Ajani]

Emo's speaker cables are vary nice, my buddy is using the X cable and they do a good job. Blue jean makes a nice set of cables too.

When are you getting a new set of speaker to really show the depth of your amp??? we have to know :crazy:

Really depends on how long my patience holds up... I'm saving for the Revel Performa F32s now... If my patience runs out then I'll just get the Concerta F12s instead....

[Ajani]

I made a few changes to the room:

[Ajani]

Close up of HiFi:

[Ajani]

Close up of electronics:

[frenchmon]

Close up of electronics:

You should raise the amp off the ground with some support....some of those rubber things or wood or ceramic blocks...about 4 of them to put up under your amp.

[Ajani]

You should raise the amp off the ground with some support....some of those rubber things or wood or ceramic blocks...about 4 of them to put up under your amp.

I'm planning to get some kind of amp stand...

[frenchmon]

I'm planning to get some kind of amp stand...

oh....I betcha you are excited....its always fun to start like you are and building and tweaking...researching cable and interconnects, and more tweaking, finding the right placement...swapping things in and out and getting the sound you want....I wish I could be there with you to just see and hear as you research and build your system...

Make sure your system has lots of passion and emotion...dont know if you like Cassandra Wilson, but she does a U2 song "Love is Blind" on her CD "New Moon Daughter" and played through my Canton speakers there is so much emotion coming from those speakers....I know your Revels have tons of emotion....but what about the Emo??? Whats it like?....It sure is purty.



frenchmon

[E-Stat]

I'm planning to get some kind of amp stand...
That is a good suggestion, but first, you should isolate the power amp from the digital source. With that intimate proximity, both are likely picking up and amplifying EMI/RFI noise components from the other.

rw

[Glen B]

I made a few changes to the room:

Why did you remove the rug ? You need one on that reflective tile floor.

[Ajani]

That is a good suggestion, but first, you should isolate the power amp from the digital source. With that intimate proximity, both are likely picking up and amplifying EMI/RFI noise components from the other.

rw

For now my plan is to use longer IC's and place the DAC/Squeezebox on the coffee table when I listen to music... So they'd only sit on the amp when they're not in use...

[Ajani]

Why did you remove the rug ? You need one on that reflective tile floor.

I never had a rug in the room... I've not been in a rush to add any room treatments, until after I purchase new speakers...

[Ajani]

oh....I betcha you are excited....its always fun to start like you are and building and tweaking...researching cable and interconnects, and more tweaking, finding the right placement...swapping things in and out and getting the sound you want....I wish I could be there with you to just see and hear as you research and build your system...

Make sure your system has lots of passion and emotion...dont know if you like Cassandra Wilson, but she does a U2 song "Love is Blind" on her CD "New Moon Daughter" and played through my Canton speakers there is so much emotion coming from those speakers....I know your Revels have tons of emotion....but what about the Emo??? Whats it like?....It sure is purty.



frenchmon

It's loads of fun so far... The Revels aren't there yet... I'm still using the trusty old Technics for the time being... But I am exceedingly impressed with the Emotiva/Benchmark combo so far, as it makes the Technics sound good (which is something I thought would be impossible).... So it will be really something to hear what the combo can do with Revel....

[frenchmon]

Ajani...did you see this rig?

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vbudg&1272241564

frenchmon

[Ajani]

Ajani...did you see this rig?

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vbudg&1272241564

frenchmon

Not on A'gon... But I previously got advice from the owner of that setup on the Emotiva forums... So I'd seen some of those pics before... The new pics are the ones with the wood trim on his Emotiva gear....