# There's that guy again! B&K vs. Emotiva???



## rpearson (Jul 9, 2013)

As many of you know I have been back and fourth on my home theater revamp. Forgive the indecisiveness but I don't upgrade often and there for want to be sure of my selections. 

I have decided to keep my B&K 7150 as the pusher for my center and four rears and am now shopping for the amp that will push my FRT. R&L. The reputation of the B&K's being worm and open are true and that's what I like most about the one I have. 

Though I was not that impressed with a 125wpc that I had some time back when paired with the 200wpr 7150 that I have now. It seemed very week in compairison; much more so than I would have ever expected from a 75wpc diff in there rating.

So here I am considering a B&K Reference 4420 @ 225wpc. or a XPA-2 @ 300wpc. Question is would the Emotiva be as worm and full as the 7150? I know the Reference 4420 would be a good match but would I be giving up on a chance to really improve on my stereo performance and sound stage?


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

My only experience with Emotiva so far has been a UMC-1 paired with a Parasound HCA-1205a. The combo sounded excellent for movies and music. A few years back I was using a B&K Ref 4420 with a McIntosh C-15 preamp. To date, that has been my favorite combo to power my Studio 100's. Regretfully, I no longer have the McIntosh or B&K :doh:


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

p.s. what speakers are you using for mains? Have you taken a look at this thread for estimating required amplifier capability? http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...if-my-receiver-has-enough-power-not-clip.html


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## DeltaDube (Jul 10, 2013)

rpearson said:


> As many of you know I have been back and fourth on my home theater revamp. Forgive the indecisiveness but I don't upgrade often and there for want to be sure of my selections.
> 
> I have decided to keep my B&K 7150 as the pusher for my center and four rears and am now shopping for the amp that will push my FRT. R&L. The reputation of the B&K's being worm and open are true and that's what I like most about the one I have.
> 
> ...


 the xpa 2 will knock the socks off of the bk

but if you can afford more go for 2 xpa 1 mono blocks emo is giving them away so cheaply 
now.. a revamp is coming soon.. 

cheers..


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## DeltaDube (Jul 10, 2013)

Peter Loeser said:


> My only experience with Emotiva so far has been a UMC-1 paired with a Parasound HCA-1205a. The combo sounded excellent for movies and music. A few years back I was using a B&K Ref 4420 with a McIntosh C-15 preamp. To date, that has been my favorite combo to power my Studio 100's. Regretfully, I no longer have the McIntosh or B&K :doh:


 check out emo's xsp 1 anolog pre amp took my studio 100s v5 to another sweet level...

also the new differential dc 1 dac is awesome... 

cheers


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## rpearson (Jul 9, 2013)

DeltaDube said:


> the xpa 2 will knock the socks off of the bk
> 
> but if you can afford more go for 2 xpa 1 mono blocks emo is giving them away so cheaply
> now.. a revamp is coming soon..
> ...


Who has the Mono Blocks for sale??


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## rpearson (Jul 9, 2013)

Peter Loeser said:


> p.s. what speakers are you using for mains? Have you taken a look at this thread for estimating required amplifier capability? http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...if-my-receiver-has-enough-power-not-clip.html


I am running the B&W 805's for FRT. L&R and the matching B&W Center; Sub is a B&W AWS-2000. As rears as of today (Just left at door)arty:arty:arty:arty: I will once mounted be running SVS SBS-02's for my RR, LR, CRR, CLR. I just couldn't not buy these at the blow out pricing that SVS is offering and the advice some good people here had given. I have bigger plains but like most as the piggy bank can manage. So for now I am adding the SBS's; most likely the Emotiva UMC-200 Pre-Pro and what ever two channel amp that I end up with.
Thanks


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

rpearson said:


> I am running the B&W 805's for FRT. L&R and the matching B&W Center...


The B&K will be more than capable of powering your B&Ws to reference levels (see here: http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...if-my-receiver-has-enough-power-not-clip.html)




DeltaDube said:


> the xpa 2 will knock the socks off of the bk
> 
> but if you can afford more go for 2 xpa 1 mono blocks emo is giving them away so cheaply
> now.. a revamp is coming soon..
> ...


DeltaDube - have you actually heard any of the B&K amps? What is the basis of your comparison - specs alone?

rpearson - The XPA-2 and XPA-1 go far beyond the needs of the B&W 805. But if you want to go overkill, or if you are just curious to try them, there is certainly no harm in that. The only thing you will gain is the ability to drive them farther beyond their power handling capability (and beyond the pain threshold of your ears).


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## Peter Loeser (Aug 11, 2012)

DeltaDube said:


> check out emo's xsp 1 anolog pre amp took my studio 100s v5 to another sweet level...
> 
> also the new differential dc 1 dac is awesome...
> 
> cheers


If I go back to analog 2-channel it will be McIntosh, Parasound, or B&K. I'm not bashing Emotiva, they make excellent gear at a good price, and it's nice to look at.


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## DeltaDube (Jul 10, 2013)

Peter Loeser said:


> The B&K will be more than capable of powering your B&Ws to reference levels (see here: http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...if-my-receiver-has-enough-power-not-clip.html)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


its all about having the power for the dynamics... 

bw 805 on some xpr 1 mono blocks if you got the coin would be best!!!!!! 

you dont understand dynamics and music and spikes of power needed on demand..

hearing is believing..

hey you can drive a bicycle from a to b or you can drive an sl 500

cheers


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## DeltaDube (Jul 10, 2013)

Peter Loeser said:


> If I go back to analog 2-channel it will be McIntosh, Parasound, or B&K. I'm not bashing Emotiva, they make excellent gear at a good price, and it's nice to look at.


excuses me but when did you leave analog???? because i have never heard a digital 1011100111

make a sound yet its all converted to analog my friend..

sure if you like to spend lots of money to impressive your friends buy the names but they wont beat
the xsp 1 which is emotiva's deal of a lifetime at 769.00usd

all sound is analog 

cheers..


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## rpearson (Jul 9, 2013)

Peter Loeser said:


> The B&K will be more than capable of powering your B&Ws to reference levels (see here: http://www.hometheatershack.com/for...if-my-receiver-has-enough-power-not-clip.html)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well just in case your wondering if Iv'e been listing; I just took the bid on a like new XPA-2. Could not find any mono blocks that were for sale save the new ones on Emotiva's site. Hopefully the guy I bought it from will understand the joy of a new toy and have it headed my way tomorrow. Unlikely I know but I can dream can't I. LOL :jump::woohoo::fireworks2::fireworks1::fireworks3:utstanding:arty: Sorry about the over load of face things but I like these guys. LOL

I should say that I am not much of one to go to ear bleed levels but I certainly like to feel my theater on a good action of sifi. Oh and don't think that you have me off your back with this. Now comes the ten thousand configuration questions etc...LOL


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## DeltaDube (Jul 10, 2013)

rpearson said:


> Well just in case your wondering if Iv'e been listing; I just took the bid on a like new XPA-2. Could not find any mono blocks that were for sale save the new ones on Emotiva's site. Hopefully the guy I bought it from will understand the joy of a new toy and have it headed my way tomorrow. Unlikely I know but I can dream can't I. LOL :jump::woohoo::fireworks2::fireworks1::fireworks3:utstanding:arty: Sorry about the over load of face things but I like these guys. LOL
> 
> I should say that I am not much of one to go to ear bleed levels but I certainly like to feel my theater on a good action of sifi. Oh and don't think that you have me off your back with this. Now come the ten thousand configuration questions etc...LOL


are you saying you bought a used xpa 2.. make sure you get the warranty transferred over for the full
5yrs...

congrats


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## rpearson (Jul 9, 2013)

DeltaDube said:


> are you saying you bought a used xpa 2.. make sure you get the warranty transferred over for the full
> 5yrs...
> 
> congrats


Yes I did but I think I may have paid a little much but I haven't seen a lot of the Emotiva stuff that's not fetching good pricing at resale. The guy I bought it from I think must be an enthusiast as he gave me the choice from two custom power cords and non of the stranded accessories have been opened. He states that the amp was bought in Jan. of 2012 and that it has always been fan cooled. This leads me to another question. Does he mean he added a fan or that a fan comes with it and it has all ways been ran? What would one need to know about the process of warranty transfer? 
:sn:


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## DeltaDube (Jul 10, 2013)

rpearson said:


> Yes I did but I think I may have paid a little much but I haven't seen a lot of the Emotiva stuff that's not fetching good pricing at resale. The guy I bought it from I think must be an enthusiast as he gave me the choice from two custom power cords and non of the stranded accessories have been opened. He states that the amp was bought in Jan. of 2012 and that it has always been fan cooled. This leads me two another question. Does he mean he added a fan or that a fan comes with it and it has all ways been ran? What would one need to know about the process of warranty transfer?
> :sn:


call emo for warranty info..

fan would be on his rack.. not in the xpa 2... 

the xpa 2 does not get hot maybe if you push 100 db warm it up... after a while..

when i push my xpa 1s they get warm.. nice on a cold winter night... 

i have 2 inches of space left , right and top sides around my amps no fans requiered.. 

cheers


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## rpearson (Jul 9, 2013)

DeltaDube said:


> call emo for warranty info..
> 
> fan would be on his rack.. not in the xpa 2...
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info.


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