Emotiva amplifiers review/experience?

Well, I see your point. However, Bryston publishes their schematics on their website for all to see. So, just maybe Emotiva "learned" from that.

Ok, thanks for the info.

I bought the Emotiva XPA 1 's...Did not like the idea of Bryston changing the model every other year. Using gthe Emotiva's did require me to put in the attenuators supplied by Magnepan.. they have a full sound after a break in period but are a trifle forward and I have been adjusting my placement.They create drama in many different types of music-(do a great job with organs) But they are not laid back ; I am very happy with my purchase. I am looking for ideas about how to move the sound stage back some...They do bring out the differences of every recording so one has to find the most efficient position.

I bought, and returned my XPA-2. I was lucky enough to have a old adcom 535 around before. I will say that the XPA-2 was louder, but even the old adcom beat it. Additionally I picked up a old MUSE model one hundred amp and it blew the XPA out of the water. Cost my 100 dollars to ship it back and I will never try one of their amps again. Find a muse or a Aragon.

We have XPA-1s driving Thiel 3.7s. Upstream, a Bryston BCD-1 feeds an Audio Research REF-5.

XPA-1 input gain is very high at 32db and the 3.7 has sensitivity at 90db and yet the speakers are dead silent when REF-5 is muted. With mute off, there is a very soft barely audible tube rush (1-inch from the drivers) normal with tube gear.

The amplifiers share a dedicated 20A socket. Other components share a Belkin 12-outlet surge protector plugged into a dedicated 15A. There are no conditioning of any sort.

XPA-1 is neutral. Change of cables and components result in corresponding change in sound. Differences in recording qualities show through planly. Bad ones sound bad while good ones are magical with the REF-5 in total control.

XPA-1's performance level competes against the big boys like the ARC 610T. Where the 610T stuns with their uncanny realism, the XPA-1s are, by my estimates, 80-85% that of the 610T. The question is whether the last 15-20% is important enough to worth the extra clams. This is a personal decision.

Before the Emotivas, I tried a pair of Bryston 7B SST2 with our set-up and while these are nice amplifiers, they do not match well and not to my taste.

The 7B SST2 (with new power) came across very polite and somewhat recessed. Details were sometimes hard to hear. Adjusting the voltage in the back was unsatisfactory. At lower gain, it became overly polite and analytical and cold. At higher gain, it got "hard" and tough on our ears.

I do not believe the 7BSST2s are at "fault". They are just not appropriate for the speakers and the linestage and my taste. The Thiel 3.7s demand a lot of raw power even at low decibel to sound their best and the 7BSST2 are not a good match.

Cheers!