# Definitive Tech with Emotiva?



## jlpowell84 (Jan 29, 2013)

Hey first post as I am new here. My system consists of Definitive Technology 8060 towers, 8040 center, 8040 surrounds, pro monitor 1000's as front high, Marantz SR5007 AVR, Monster 1250g power center, apple tv, a cheap panasonic blu-ray player and a Panasonic 50st50 plasma. 

I have been reading and asking in other forums and thought I would try it here. My avr is rated at 100 watts channel. I read it will get 70 a channel at 5.1 and 55-60 at 7.1 which is my setup. I have been thinking about running some power to my two towers with an emotiva amp. My towers are rated 20-300 watts. Would the 200 watts/channel the emotiva puts out be good, too much? My center is rated at 20-200 watts so I believe it takes that out of the question. But I could run front L/R and leave the center alone on the emotiva amp. I also looked at the Marantz dedicated amps. They have 140x2 but of course costs more. Thoughts?


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## hjones4841 (Jan 21, 2009)

First, welcome to Home Theater Shack.

Emotiva makes fine amps at reasonable prices. I have their amps in my system. One of their amps will definitely give you more power and will have no problem driving your speakers. Do you need the extra power? Only you can answer that and it depends on how loud you want your system to play.

Contrary to some beliefs, a more powerful amp will rarely damage speakers. Speaker damage from an amp usually occurs from "clipping" which is asking an amp to do more than it can. The output becomes something like a square wave with high harmonic content, and that is what can damage speakers.

Now if you run a powerful amp like an Emotiva wide open for long periods of time, the voice coils in your speakers can overheat and burn out. But, I doubt you would do that torture test. Normal playback won't come close to that.


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## jlpowell84 (Jan 29, 2013)

So the xpa-3 provides 200x3. My towers are rated 20-300 watts so that would be good. My center is rated 20-200 watts. So thats too much for the center? I could just run to the two towers and leave the center alone. Perhaps an upgrade someday. I could get the xpa-5 for future proof. Although I don't see myself changing my speaker setup for some time considering I just bought them and love them. If I went with the Marantz MM7055 it puts out 140 a channel and then I could run 5 channels from that and let my Marantz SR5007 AVR run cooler and just power the surrounds. Thoughts? The only thing is the Marantz is more expensive. But in the big picture a few hundred dollars isn't too much considering I'm about 5,000 invested as of now.


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Not too familiar with Def Tech and how bi-polar mains would would interact with your room but, I think that in your case you would likely benefit more from room treatments than more power. Your 8060's are pretty efficient at 92 dB 1W/1M and a built in 300 watt amp to cover the bottom end... I would think the Marantz more than capable of taking care of the rest. 

As hjones has pointed out your speakers will be fine with an Emotiva amp.


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## jlpowell84 (Jan 29, 2013)

nova said:


> Not too familiar with Def Tech and how bi-polar mains would would interact with your room but, I think that in your case you would likely benefit more from room treatments than more power. Your 8060's are pretty efficient at 92 dB 1W/1M and a built in 300 watt amp to cover the bottom end... I would think the Marantz more than capable of taking care of the rest.
> 
> As hjones has pointed out your speakers will be fine with an Emotiva amp.


So how do you fell about the xpa-3 with my 3 fronts? 8060 towers rated at 20-300 watts, center is 20-200 watts?


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## jevans64 (Dec 24, 2012)

Take a look at my system. I'm running DefTech with an Emotiva amp. My Denon does a measured 142w x 7 and I borrowed an Emotiva XPA-5, which is 200w x 5, to try vs. the Denon. It made absolutely no difference as far as volume goes. I might have had a little more stability at high volume but I'm talking about volume levels that would do hearing damage for extended periods.

When I added more speakers, I decided to add an amp since I was going to need one anyway. I went with the XPR-5, which is 400w x 5, since the main 5 speakers could handle it. Again. Really no difference at normal volume but I DID gain quite a bit of headroom which, honestly, is just to impress, rather than play at those levels constantly.

Having said all that. We are talking about a top-line receiver that delivers honest power vs. a mid-range receiver that might only be good for 70w x 7, tops. I'm guessing you would gain a little bit in volume and be able to play your system louder without distortion. Main thing is not to expect too much.

Not sure about the 8040 surrounds. The XPA-5 may be a little too much. You could always get the XPA-5 and NOT use two channels until you decide to upgrade the surrounds.


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## jlpowell84 (Jan 29, 2013)

jevans64 said:


> Take a look at my system. I'm running DefTech with an Emotiva amp. My Denon does a measured 142w x 7 and I borrowed an Emotiva XPA-5, which is 200w x 5, to try vs. the Denon. It made absolutely no difference as far as volume goes. I might have had a little more stability at high volume but I'm talking about volume levels that would do hearing damage for extended periods.
> 
> When I added more speakers, I decided to add an amp since I was going to need one anyway. I went with the XPR-5, which is 400w x 5, since the main 5 speakers could handle it. Again. Really no difference at normal volume but I DID gain quite a bit of headroom which, honestly, is just to impress, rather than play at those levels constantly.
> 
> ...


So you think the center could handle the 200 watts? It's rated at 20-200...Also the Marantz SR5007 only has the option to power the fronts and main via external amp.


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## jlpowell84 (Jan 29, 2013)

I would probably get the xpa-5 for future possibly...


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Your speakers and any of the Emotiva amps will do just fine together. Don't get too hung up on published specifications.


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## hjones4841 (Jan 21, 2009)

Remember that the center channel is "where the action is" on many programs. While lots of power at low frequencies is not needed for the center, lots of good, clean power is certainly welcome.

I am running 11 channels of Emotiva amps. Two XPA-5s and a UPA-1 mono for the center. All this driving extremely efficient Klipsch with a Denon AVR-A100 running in preamp mode. Overkill? Definitely. Ability to play whatever I want at whatever volume I choose with headroom to spare? Very nice indeed.


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## txredxj (Nov 13, 2012)

i agree with nova. i think you will get more from room treatments than more power. i have an emotiva xpa 5 and at listening levels i dont really hear any difference. sure i can crank it up if i want to listen to music in another room but i didnt get any real benefit from the bigger amp like i thought. i have since started trying to get my room quieter to lower my noise floor and moving speakers around. changed out the fans in my htpc and got a new ceiling fan and fixed some rattles i didnt even know i had (standing around different places in the room as i play some loud music/movie scenes). saving up to get into rew and researching acoustic treatments since i got more from what little i did to my room over upgrading the amp.


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## 8086 (Aug 4, 2009)

jlpowell84 said:


> So you think the center could handle the 200 watts? It's rated at 20-200...Also the Marantz SR5007 only has the option to power the fronts and main via external amp.


You could hook it up to a 250w amp, which would be better than a 200w amp. Because the 250w amp will distort less at a lower volume and provide headroom for those loud bursts from your movie or music.


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