2. amps-preamps
  3. 193940-128327

Looking to upgrade from Emotiva XPA-1 monoblocks

I am currently running 4 XPA-L1s bi-amped into a pair of Legacy Whisper HDs along with a Legacy Wavelet DAC. My main sources are an Emotiva ERC 3 CD transport and a Rega RP 6 turntable through a Moon preamp.

The Wavelet and the Moon pre are recent upgrades and have made a pretty big difference coming from a Yamaha RX-A 1050 receiver!

For the most part the system sounds pretty good. But lately I am starting to feel like the sound is a little edgy (if that makes sense).

I feel like I have exhausted the tools I have at hand, the Wavelet room correction/contouring, room treatments, cable upgrades etc. So, I am thinking new amps would be the likely upgrade to get that little extra out of my system.

Do I stay with a 4 monoblock setup? Could I move up to better stereo amps? Stay with bi-amping? Yada, yada, yada!

Budget wise I would like to stay under $6000.

I have been doing a lot of research, but thought I would throw it out here to get some input as well.

BTW...I will be attending AXPONA next weekend so any recommendations to explore are welcome also.

Sorry for the long post! 

tkn42
jeffbij
125 posts
 

@tkn42 -  The LSA Warp 1's look interesting.  I would suggest that you also try and audition a couple of class A or A/B amps that are higher up in the pecking order than the XPA's as well.  Also, keep in mind that class D amps can sound a little dry or "edgy" (from Stereophile's Warp 1 review description). 

(And before all the class D lovers jump on my case, there is nothing wrong with class D.  I'm enjoying a PS Audio class D amp on my bedroom system. smiley)

Keep us appraised on how the LSA Warp 1's work out.  Maybe do a Member Review posting?

- Jeff

audio_guy_uofw
56 posts
 

Have you tried playing with speaker orientation/toe in? Stereophile review of these speakers suggested that the high frequency response is quite sensitive to toe in...perhaps that can tame the edginess. 

tkn42 OP
4 posts
 
@audio_guy_uofw - Yes, they are very directional. 
@jeffbij - I am curious how they will sound with the whispers. I have heard them with his Dynaudio Evoke 50s and they sounded really good.

I let you know how they sound!

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