Need some recommendations on 3-ch amp

[runnin']

For that price I shipped it to the border, bought it through customs myself and paid GST/PST, no duty though it was made in China. It might have cost another 100 to get them to ship it to a Canadian address for you and do the brokerage.

[TECHNOKID]

After 2 years I've not had to use the 5 yr warranty, but if I did, I might have to spend a little of that 1000 bucks to ship it to Tennessee. It's not a big deal and amps are not complicated at all. Emotiva will even ship parts to you if that will help. Any reputable amp tech could trouble shoot and fix an Emo amp 99% of the time.

Hum, very good and valid points runnin' My only concern, will Emotiva last as long as 20 years (as previously mentioned) as in the long term (20 years or so) may make a big difference in the original 1K saving. I guess only time will tell... runnin', would you be kind enough to report in 20 years? tongue.gif

[runnin']

I fail to see how predicting which companies will be around in 20 years is helpful or realistic here. Who would have predicted that B&K would have gone bankrupt recently? I can say that Emotiva, like Outlaw Audio and more e-tailers, has a successful business model that cuts out the middle man as it were, and delivers bang for the buck that brick and mortars can't match. They are a new sector of retailing that could be around in 30 years.

If I save 1000 bucks and the amp is still running in 14 or 15 years without repair( more than I can say for my old Luxman), is my savings somehow neutralized if the company isn't around that far down the road? I do know there is no way I'm going to spend 4-5000 to get a Bryston just because they offer a long warranty.

[starchoice]

Of course another big disadvantage is that you don't get to see/hear the equipment against other brands.

[TECHNOKID]

runnin' my 20 years ''lasting'' comment was more about lifespan of the gear rather than if the company would still be around. You also have to keep in mind that China manufacturing is NOT geared for long lifespan but rather throw away technology. ùalso, note the joking portion of my response

Of course another big disadvantage is that you don't get to see/hear the equipment against other brands.

That is also a big concern in my opinion, e-tailers do offer a better bang for the buck at the present time but once it manage to kill most of the brick and mortar stores, I can predict that pricing may no longer be so hot with e-tailers as the competition would largely be against e-tailers without any requirement to beat brick and mortar pricing. Since you can not audition and physically see the gear on e-tailers and noting that you have to pay for return shipping if not satisfied, that makes the e-tailers not so appealing. As long as there is brick and mortar stores available to audition prior to buying it is somewhat a buying satisfaction security but we have to realize brick and mortar stores will not survive if we solely used them as an audition-demo tool. Personaaly I prefer the brick and motar plus e-tailor option offered by most of the large chain such as COSTCO, BB and FS just to name a few as buying from them on line will not necessary kill their stores which IMHO is a win win situation for both parties.

[starchoice]

Originally Posted by TECHNOKID

You also have to keep in mind that China manufacturing is NOT geared for long lifespan but rather throw away technology.

I think it depends more on if it's just some no name Chinese piece of junk versus Made in China or other offshore place by an established manufacturer since many of the top brands now have built there, even audiophile grade. As long as the manufacturer is controlling specs and build quantity, I don't think you can make as general a statement regarding Chinese product.

[runnin']

I don't think B&M stores are going away, precisely because many consumers prefer them as they need the expertise a salesperson can offer, and the ability to compare brands in a sound room.

As for the Chinese manufacturing throwaway products, tell that to Parasound, Adcom, Sherbourn, NAD, etc. Guess where the new line of Anthem AVRs is made. It may have been the case 15 years ago, but not now. Most manufacturers have products or components in their products made there. Like Japan did, China has learned how to make quality.

[ScaryBob]

my 20 years ''lasting'' comment was more about lifespan of the gear

I that case, go for separates, as one part of a receiver often breaks down or becomes obsolete before the other. I've had 3 receivers in the last 10 years that developed preamp problems and currently own one with a preamp that is considered obsolete. I can pretty much guarantee that the preamp section of a receiver purchased now will become obsolete in 5 to 10 years. It will probably still work but will not support new audio and video formats.

With amps and receivers, you pretty much get what you pay for but there are exceptions. A big box store receiver that costs under $500 will probably have problems within 5 years. A high end unit costing more will likely beat that by a large margin. That is due to build quality. Good quality, conservatively rated components cost money as do extensive product testing and good engineering. OTOH, watch out for companies that sell over-hyped, overpriced products to audiophiles with lots of spare cash.

[krazyk]

I currently am using an Emotiva XPA-5 with a Integra DHC.80.1 processor.
I am quite happy with the Emotiva product. It runs cool and has great value for the money. I'm running their XLR balanced interconnect cables as well.
I will say that dealing with Emotiva in Canada was quite easy.
They handled brokerage charges and they double box their products.
I personally prefer the sound of a class AB amp and Emotiva delivers for the money.

I wish I had the money to support more Canadian products like my PSB's silver stratus's; unfortunately Classe and Bryston can't compete with cheap foreign labor.

Welcome to Globalization and a world full of used heavy metals and cancer!:
Just my 2 cents worth!!!!

[lex_rx]

ScaryBob wrote:

I that case, go for separates, as one part of a receiver often breaks down or becomes obsolete before the other. I've had 3 receivers in the last 10 years that developed preamp problems and currently own one with a preamp that is considered obsolete. I can pretty much guarantee that the preamp section of a receiver purchased now will become obsolete in 5 to 10 years. It will probably still work but will not support new audio and video formats.

Exactly the reason why I myself (and I recommend to others to) use separates. There's always the case for AVRs which is why I think Anthem went to that target market - too big of a niche to ignore.

I bought the cheapest Pioneer AVR in 2002 with pre-outs, bought an Anthem MCA-50 in 2005 (replaced by four Emo amps in 2010), replaced AVR with Emo UMC-1 in 2010. Now I can buy the next Emo pre-pro XMC-1 at 40% discount (which I'm estimating will be US$600 after the discount).

As for buying Canadian and local, believe me I tried and keep trying. Every time I want to upgrade something, I visit at least three local dealers and see what they have to offer. It's the reason why I considered Bryston and Anthem and bought an Anthem amp in 2005 even though these are more expensive. Okay, I have to admit, I haven't heard of Emo at that time but I knew about Outlaw Audio (same difference).

What I like about all of these, is that I think quality music, notwithstanding MP3s, is now more accessible to average folks like me more than ever. And that's something I can be thankful for during this Thanksgiving day.

[JohnnyCanuck]

Separates with a qualification: a good AVR is a good pre-pro. The whole purpose of a three-channel amp as contemplated by the OP is to use it to power the front soundstage (L/R/C). An AVR would be necessary to power the surround channels.

The other point I'd make is, in terms of features and value, you might be hard pressed to find a true pre-amp that's a better bet than a good AVR.

[TECHNOKID]

The other point I'd make is, in terms of features and value, you might be hard pressed to find a true pre-amp that's a better bet than a good AVR.

You are dealing mainly with HT people here rather than audiophile so for that reason your comment is correct however, turn this around meaning the gear is mainly used for audio/music SQ then the AVR is not the best option. Combo gear never offer as good quality as seperate would. For music, if you are expecting audiophile quality, a seperate pre-amp is a must, an AVR is a trade off which allows you to get combo options at lower pricing and of course, you get what you pay for.

[JohnnyCanuck]

TK, I am responding to the original poster and his situation. I am not arguing that a good stereo separates will outperform the configurations we're talking about, just keeping the discussion on topic as it relates to the OP.

[TECHNOKID]

The other point I'd make is, in terms of features and value, you might be hard pressed to find a true pre-amp that's a better bet than a good AVR.

Sorry, I must have missread you, I had the impression you were proning an AVR pre-amp processor as being a better choice than a seperate pre-processor and I was simply stating it was a good option in HT but also a compromise. Thus the reason for people that can afford it to use separate such as pre- or amps (as the OP) in conjunction with their AVR.

To go back to the OP, the quality of the separate amp is also a compromise. Usually the use of a dedicated amp for the front stage (LCR) is good solution to help mimise the compromise especially if one uses is system in a multi purpose system such as audio. Thus the reason for debating the choice of Emo to accomplish the task. I understand the fact that middle man is being avoide thus providing some savings however, I might question how low the saving would be without neglecting the quality and SQ output of such amp?

[runnin']

The quality and SQ of Emotiva amps has been explored through reviews at sites like audioholics and secrets of home theater. When I got my amp, I found it to be superior in sound to my Adcom, and I've read where others have found their Emotiva amp to be superior in SQ to Rotel.

But like I said before, Emotiva is not for everyone, and some like you, technokid, obviously would never buy one for the assorted concerns you've raised above. But for 2 grand or so, I'm sure a 3 channel amp can be found in Canada.