XPA-5, It's Mine!

[metal83]

I've been talking with Emotiva via emails and the phone over the past week about the hum/vibration in my XPA-3 (nothing to do with speakers). They are willing to let me return it for another one when they are back in stock, or let me exhange it for something else now. There're going to pay the shipping as well considering it's not being sent back simply because it's not liked, but because something might be wrong with it.

I mentioned my interest in the XPA-5 to them, they said that they would send me one if i decide that's what i want to do, of course i'd have to pay the difference which is expected, but they will still cover shipping. Also, they will test it out for me before they send it to make sure everything is working correctly. But the amazing thing is, they said that they will send it out and not charge me the difference until after i receive the amp, hook it up, and decide i'm happy with it. The woman i spoke with told me to just try it out for a little while and make sure i'm happy, and then call her back in the beginning of March sometime and let her know if i want to keep it or not. Wow, simply wow! That is just top notch customer service right there, i've never been treated so well by any other company, ever! I'm just truly amazed!

So they shipped the XPA-5 out today and i'm pretty excited for this thing to arrive. I think this all might work out for the best, considering i wanted the XPA-5 to begin with but it wasn't in stock.

Now i wait, ughh, the hardest part...lol :D

[LessisNevermore]

I wonder if it was a bad transformer....oh well, you are getting the amp you wanted. Next month I will have had mine for a year, and aside from some issues with a bad set of cables, it's been flawless.

Glad to hear they are taking good care of you.

[cfrizz]

Outstanding, Congrats!

[thuffman03]

Sounds like good customer service.

[Retro152]

That is top notch CS. cant wait for your review.:D

[comfortablycurt]

Sounds like some great CS on their end. Congrats man!:)

[pearsall001]

Great CS on their part. I take it you're one happy camper!!! Enjoy.

[metal83]

Yep, i'm certainly happy with the way my situation was handled. And the fact that i'm actually ending up with what i really wanted to begin with definitely makes me a happy camper!!!

It's not quite so common to find good customer service now a days, so i'll tip my hat to Emotiva for that.

[comfortablycurt]

Now you just need to call up Polk Direct and tell them about the "hum" you're getting from your A7's...maybe they'll come up with a pair of A9's to exchange them for.:p

[metal83]

Now you just need to call up Polk Direct and tell them about the "hum" you're getting from your A7's...maybe they'll come up with a pair of A9's to exchange them for.:p

Hahahaha, it's actually a hiss not a hum, remember? lol
Hmmmmm....(Seriously thinking about what you just said)... Hmmmm......lol :p:D

I highly doubt that polk would do that, but it would certainly be incredible if i could actually get that to happen.
My blood pressure would sky rocket due to excitement....lol :eek::D

[comfortablycurt]

Hahahaha, it's actually a hiss not a hum, remember? lol
Hmmmmm....(Seriously thinking about what you just said)... Hmmmm......lol :p:D

I highly doubt that polk would do that, but it would certainly be incredible if i could actually get that to happen.
My blood pressure would sky rocket due to excitement....lol :eek::D

lol!

Yeah...I doubt that it'd work quite like that. Especially since we're talking about it on Polks own message board.:eek::p

[metal83]

lol!

Yeah...I doubt that it'd work quite like that. Especially since we're talking about it on Polks own message board.:eek::p

Haha...Well it's not like we are talking about doing anything "wrong". My speakers do have a hiss, and if they would be willing to let me exchange them for the A9's and pay the difference, i'd be all over it!

Of course i know that won't happen, but a guy can dream can't he?....!!!!! :p:D

[comfortablycurt]

I completely forgot that you actually were hearing a hiss from your speakers...lol...I was just kidding.:p

[metal83]

I completely forgot that you actually were hearing a hiss from your speakers...lol...I was just kidding.:p

Damnit Curt!
I have been doing a good job of not thinking of the A9's lately, thanks a lot!....lol :p

[comfortablycurt]

Damnit Curt!
I have been doing a good job of not thinking of the A9's lately, thanks a lot!....lol :p

I can make you some life size cardboard cutouts of a pair of A9's. You can put them in front of the A7's to create the illusion that you have A9's. I can give you a real good price on them too.;)...lol

[metal83]

I can make you some life size cardboard cutouts of a pair of A9's. You can put them in front of the A7's to create the illusion that you have A9's. I can give you a real good price on them too.;)...lol

LOL!!!....I'll think about it. :p

[comfortablycurt]

LOL!!!....I'll think about it. :p

Sure...just let me know, I'm making them for several other people too. They'll be of the highest quality, you'll think they're the real thing...lol

[metal83]

Sure...just let me know, I'm making them for several other people too. They'll be of the highest quality, you'll think they're the real thing...lol

LOL :p:p:p








I'll get myself a pair A9's one day....one day!...:D

[comfortablycurt]

I'll get myself a pair A9's one day....one day!...:D

So will I...it's just a matter of time. I'll be getting some RTi8's soon though at least. Not quite the A9's...but they'll hold me over.

[metal83]

Now i'm just trying to decide if i'm actually going to run all 5 speaker through the XPA-5, or if i'll continue running the surrounds off of my Pio Elite 92 and run the front three speakers with a little more power. Either way i suppose it's nice to have the option, i guess i'll just try both ways.

[comfortablycurt]

Try it both ways, but you'd probably be best off running all 5 speakers off the amp. It would give you a more even sounding soundstage.

The difference between 200 and 250 watts on the front is going to be negligible at best. Try it both ways though by all means. I'm sure you'll manage to find the time.

I can't wait to get some external amplification into my HT setup...but it's probably going to be at least a year-year and a half. Putting all the focus into the 2-ch. rig first.

[metal83]

You know how it's said that you need to double the output to hear a difference? Well, my Pioneer Elite 92 is 130wpc and my XPA-3 was of course 200wpc, so i didn't double the output, but i heard a difference.

Now if i run just the 3 channels off of the XPA-5 making that 250wpc, that well, still doesn't double the output, but comes close. Maybe it actually does double the output since AVR's are usually rated higher than they actually are right? Anyways, if my AVR is lower than 130 wpc and the 250 wpc actually does double the output, shouldn't i hear some difference at least (in theory)?

Just thinking here.
It's not really a huge deal either way i suppose.

[comfortablycurt]

That probably partly has to do with what you said about AVR's having fairly overstated power ratings. I'm sure those extra 50 watts would make a noticeable difference over the 200 you're getting now, but it would probably be a much more noticeable difference running the extra channels for the surrounds.

Like you said though, try it both ways and see which works best. My guess would be that the bigger difference would be through powering the surrounds as well as the fronts/center.

Make sure to report back with your results either way though.:)

[metal83]

I'll most definitely be trying boths ways, and i'll be sure to report back with results once i do. :)

[devani]

I am interested in the results.....I currently run all 5 with XPA5....but I have LSI and will await your findings.

[Monster Jam]

I am interested in the results.....I currently run all 5 with XPA5....but I have LSI and will await your findings.

+1 Interested as well.

[LessisNevermore]

You know how it's said that you need to double the output to hear a difference? Well, my Pioneer Elite 92 is 130wpc and my XPA-3 was of course 200wpc, so i didn't double the output, but i heard a difference.

Now if i run just the 3 channels off of the XPA-5 making that 250wpc, that well, still doesn't double the output, but comes close. Maybe it actually does double the output since AVR's are usually rated higher than they actually are right? Anyways, if my AVR is lower than 130 wpc and the 250 wpc actually does double the output, shouldn't i hear some difference at least (in theory)?

Just thinking here.
It's not really a huge deal either way i suppose.

Check the output levels of your pre-out lines. They are usually low by default, that will make a large difference.

[metal83]

Well my XPA-5 has arrived.
FedEx showed up at 7:40am, good thing my fiancee woke me up before she left for work! I'd usually be annoyed with her for doing so, but i can let it slide this time..lol

Wow this freakin this is heavy, an 87lb box. The FedEx guy didn't look to excited lugging it over to me, i made sure to comfort him by telling him that he'll be picking up the XPA-3 he delivered a couple of weeks ago..lol

Ok, well time to try and unpack and setup this beast without throwing out my back, wish me luck! :eek::p:D

[heiney9]

You know how it's said that you need to double the output to hear a difference? Well, my Pioneer Elite 92 is 130wpc and my XPA-3 was of course 200wpc, so i didn't double the output, but i heard a difference.

Now if i run just the 3 channels off of the XPA-5 making that 250wpc, that well, still doesn't double the output, but comes close. Maybe it actually does double the output since AVR's are usually rated higher than they actually are right? Anyways, if my AVR is lower than 130 wpc and the 250 wpc actually does double the output, shouldn't i hear some difference at least (in theory)?

Just thinking here.
It's not really a huge deal either way i suppose.

Who says you need to double the output to hear a difference? I went from 125wpc to 30wpc and my new amp is better in every way.

Doubling the watts does NOT double the output. You need 4 times the power to double the output. Doubling the watts (rating) only raises the output by 3dB.

Decibel-Doubling the POWER of an amplifier results in a 3 dB increase, which is a "noticeable" volume increase. Doubling the VOLUME of a sound is a 6 dB increase (you may occasionally see 10 dB listed as the "double-volume" figure, 6 dB is the more mathematically correct number). By doing the math, you can see that truly doubling your volume actually requires 4 times the amplifier power! Keep these figures in mind the next time you are comparing the specs of two pieces of equipment...

Enjoy your new amp.

[leroyjr1]

Let us know how it works out. 87 pounds that's huge.

[metal83]

Who says you need to double the output to hear a difference? I went from 125wpc to 30wpc and my new amp is better in every way.

I didn't say it, that's just what i've read in various places/forums. I never really saw an explanation though. Keep in mind this is my first (well technically second) amp. Limited experience with this, but i'm trying to learn as much as i can, as quickly as i can.


Doubling the watts does NOT double the output. You need 4 times the power to double the output. Doubling the watts (rating) only raises the output by 3dB.

Decibel-Doubling the POWER of an amplifier results in a 3 dB increase, which is a "noticeable" volume increase. Doubling the VOLUME of a sound is a 6 dB increase (you may occasionally see 10 dB listed as the "double-volume" figure, 6 dB is the more mathematically correct number). By doing the math, you can see that truly doubling your volume actually requires 4 times the amplifier power! Keep these figures in mind the next time you are comparing the specs of two pieces of equipment...

Enjoy your new amp.

Thanks for the info, it's appreciated. :cool:



Let us know how it works out. 87 pounds that's huge.

Yeah, things a damn beast, not fun to unpack. Ok well yeah it's still fun to unpack... lol

[Ricardo]

Is this a "EMO is GOOD" thread?

Juts checking....I need to plan my next move.

[metal83]

LOL.....Yes, if you could kindly leave negative comments and talk about pies out of this thread, and save them for the Emotiva Story thread, it would be greatly appreciated. :p:)

[Poee7R]

Congrats Metal.

I always love unpacking new goodies. :D


Dave

[heiney9]

Is this a "EMO is GOOD" thread?

Juts checking....I need to plan my next move.

I've been told I can't comment because I've never heard an Emo........so plan your next move, but apparently you'll need a fork-lift or a dolly to move it around.............what with all the sand added :D

[Ricardo]

He he; just playing the fool as usual; congrats on your amp!!!!

[LessisNevermore]

I've been told I can't comment because I've never heard an Emo........so plan your next move, but apparently you'll need a fork-lift or a dolly to move it around.............what with all the sand added :D

After Sat. you can tear it to shreds.....I'll even let you carry it inside if you like.:D

[bartimus]

So, how do you like the amp....no updates?

[metal83]

So, how do you like the amp....no updates?

The XPA-5 is no longer mine! :p

Post #75 in the thread below basically sums it up.
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=79235










End of thread. :)

[hearingimpared]

End of thread. :)

We'll be the judge of that!:p:D

[metal83]

We'll be the judge of that!:p:D

lol....I guess that's actually true.

If only an OP had the power to end a thread himself but clicking a button, what a great feature that would be. :p;)