# Emotiva UPA 5



## kennypc (Sep 4, 2009)

Hello, I'm going to purchase a pair of swan D 2 1se standmount speakers. My question is will the Emotiva UPA 5 have trouble driving them? I read somewhere that they are power hungry. Thanks in advanceonder:


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I don't know the specs on the swans but i think i would give the XPA series a look over the UPA and at that rate i would probly look for somthing different all around, just based on perssonal experiance.:T


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## kennypc (Sep 4, 2009)

I currently own a UPA5 and I recently ordered the Swans that,s why I'm posting this question. The specs on the Swans are freq. resp. 45-20khz sensitivity 85db amp power 10-150 8ohm. the UPA5 125X5 8ohm 185x5 4 ohm


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Sorry for misreading your post, i guess all you can do is try. You allready have the amp and the speakers are on the way so..........:dontknow:


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## kennypc (Sep 4, 2009)

any more opinons from you wise guys?


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

WOW!, Just trying to offer suggestions, good luck with the setup.:T Take care, Bambino.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

Also, just noticed that those speakers are rather inefficiant so yes the amp may have trouble driving them.:T I am also not familiar with swan products other the info given, Hope they sound great though.:T


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## kennypc (Sep 4, 2009)

Thank you very much Bambino


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## kennypc (Sep 4, 2009)

Thank you very much Bambino


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## Lucky7! (Jan 7, 2008)

kennypc said:


> Hello, I'm going to purchase a pair of swan D 2 1se standmount speakers. My question is will the Emotiva UPA 5 have trouble driving them? I read somewhere that they are power hungry. Thanks in advanceonder:


The Emotiva amps aren't slouches from all the reports I've read, so I don't see why they would not power them to full output. "Have any trouble driving them" has the tone of someone's subjective opinion and not necessarily the performance of the amp.

The speakers are small and inefficient though, so expecting a lot of SPL and bass from them would be a bit much.


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## jackfish (Dec 27, 2006)

Those speakers are likely to produce 80dB/1w at a 12 foot listening position in the typical room. That means you will get about 100 dB at full power of the UPA-5 for that pair of speakers. Additional SPL will come from the center channel speaker, surround speakers and subwoofer. For the THX standard, movies are mixed in studios to an output level of 85dB SPL with 20dB of headroom. So if you are listening at THX reference levels, you will be exceeding the power rating of the amplifier. However, the power rating is for continuous output and the 20 dB of headroom standard is likely only encountered during intermittent peaks of output. So, it is entirely possible that one would get acceptable performance with those speakers and the UPA-5. Should one go to the XPA-5? Consider that the additional power of the XPA-5 over the UPA-5 is likely only to yield an additional 2 dB of output from each channel.


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

A9X said:


> The Emotiva amps aren't slouches from all the reports I've read, so I don't see why they would not power them to full output. "Have any trouble driving them" has the tone of someone's subjective opinion and not necessarily the performance of the amp.
> 
> The speakers are small and inefficient though, so expecting a lot of SPL and bass from them would be a bit much.


That is what i was getting at just wasn't informative as you make it sound. Not that i meant the amp wouldn't drive them but rather that it just wouldn't push the speakers too there full potential IMO.:T


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## Lucky7! (Jan 7, 2008)

^^What do you mean by "full potential"?


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## bambino (Feb 21, 2010)

I guess in short..... I don't think the amp will do the speakers justice, i think being that they are rather inefficiant more power would be best.
I don't think there will be any issue with driving them off this amp other then they could and probly would play louder and cleaner off a higher power amp. Thats all i'm trying to say.:dontknow:

P.S. I know this reply may sound contradictive in sorts.


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## mjcmt (Aug 30, 2010)

Lot of it depends on room size, liveliness, and intended volume. I have 87db/ 4 ohm speakers and have had nice sound and volume w/ 40 watt tube AE amps, 75 watt British Cambridge Audio amps, 100 watt Classe amps and 60-80watt mid-fi Japanese amps.

The polite detailed British amp had very nice presentation and involving sound, but not the best in authority and drive. The lower powered tube amp has an impressive robust sound, good drive and huge soundstage. The 100 w @ 8ohm/ 200w @ 4 ohm Classe amp had amazing drive, authority, and soundstage. The cheap Japanese amps play fine w/ good volume, but very mid-fi sounding. The AE tube amp and robust Classe are the true winners, each with there own strengths. Room size is 18' x 22' x 9' H living/ dining space that yet opens into a Kitchen. 

I'm not familiar w/ the Emotiva sound, but it seems like you are OK.


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