Mark Levinson 333.5 vs Emotiva XPR-1 Monoblocks

Levchappy,

Might I ask why you and your wife are considering the change?

Not trying to step on any toes, but Levinson equipment is usually compared to the likes of Krell and Pass, whereas Emotiva equipment is usually compared to the likes of NAD and Rotel. Two completely different classes.

Emotiva equipment is typically reviewed or considered, in light of its cost, as being a good bang for the buck. On the other hand, Levinson equipment is usually review as being good equipment with its cost just being what it is.

My point is that each is good at its price point, but they are in different leagues.

I've never heard the XPR amps, but I have listened to systems built around Levinson equipment and it is good, without qualification.

Simply looking at the specs of each amp kind of tells me that the Levinson is also the better built amp, in spite of the fact that it is rated at less power.

If memory serves, the Levinson is rated at 300 wpc at 8 ohms, 600 wpc at 4 ohms and 1200 wpc at 2 ohms. The Levinson is actually rate down to 2 ohms.

The Emotiva, on the other hand, is rated at 1000 wpc at 8 ohms, 1750 wpc at 4 ohms and according to Emotiva, 4 ohms is the minimum load.

I just looked up the specs on your speakers. They have a nominal impedance of 4 ohms and looking at their impedance curves indicates that they spend a lot of time approaching 2 ohms. I really don't know how this is going to work with a massive amp that is only rated to 4 ohms. Maybe it can deal and maybe it can't.

Really, it seems to me that the Levinson is a good match for your speakers.

Personally, if you just have the upgrade bug, considering the equipment that you mentioned, I'd be looking at upgrading either the pre amp or the DAC.

I have an XDA-1. It is a nice DAC....for the money, but it isn't the last word in anything. The same can be said of the pre amp.

Levchappy,

It sounds like you have some time, thought and money invested in your system. Just a personal opinion, but I feel that replacing a Levinson with Emotiva units would be a step backwards.

If I had to sell the Levinson, just to try the Emotivas, I wouldn't do it.

What are you looking for? More power?

Levchappy,

All other comparisons aside, I feel that you still need to look into the compatibility of the Emotivas with your speakers. As mentioned above, my understanding of your speakers' impedance curve is that it presents a nominal 4 ohm load to the amplifier, but spends a lot of time in the 2 ohm range. The Emotiva mono blocks, monsters that they are, are only rated to 4 ohms as a minimum.

I do not know enough to answer the question of whether the Emotivas can handle your speakers, simply by virtue of their monstrous 8 and 4 ohm ratings or if they will constantly shut down or self destruct.

Like I said, I don't know enough to answer the question. I only know barely enough to believe that there is an issue that should be addressed.

Well, it looks like this thread is off on a tangent. I thought we were considering, or discussing, the Emotiva XPR as a possible alternative to the Levinson unit that the OP has.

Bol1972, are you saying that the OP should trade is ML amp for a pair of the Emotivas?

Well, it looks that the Emotivas are, at least, a viable alternative. Still, I would take what they say with a grain of salt, as I would the word of any manufacturer's representative.

If you have the wild hair to try them out, let us know how it goes. I just wouldn't sell the Levinson until after I heard the Emotivas. That way, all you're risking is the price of shipping on 200+lbs of amplifier.

Levchappy, I suppose the question now would be how hard would it be to replace the 333.5, if it turns out that you don't like the Emotivas? If the answer is,not hard at all,then perhaps you could take the chance and risk only the return shipping on the Emotivas.

If the answer is that it would be difficult and/or very costly, I'd take a step back,let some time pass and see if the urge to try something new wanes.

I am only making the comments that I am making because, although I am a bang for the buck kind of guy, I was also very impulsive in my not so distant youth. I have screwed myself more than once looking for something different, when what I had was already good.

Levchappy,

I know what you mean. It really sucks when experimenting with an upgrade means getting rid of an existing piece of equipment.

On another note, and not to get off on another rant about this vs. that, but I took a look at the specs on the Sherbourn amp that you are interested in.

Assuming that the manufacturer's published specs are on the optimistic side, the specs do not instill much confidence with regard to the amp's abilities. Most notable to me are the power ratings at 8 and 4 ohms. The 4 ohm rating is less than 50% more than it is at 8 ohms and they clearly state that the minimum recommended load impedance is 4 ohms.

Again, I don't know how this amp is going to handle your speakers with the 4 ohm nominal impedance, with it dropping down near 2 ohms a lot of the time.

Honestly, and again, just based on the published specs, I think I'd consider keeping the Levinson and getting into an Emotiva 5 channel amp. That way you can keep the Levinson for two channel and back that up with the other 5 channel amp for home theatre.

I'm only saying this as a personal thing, because I've never been wild about Acurus amps. They aren't for everyone.