I had the xpa 2 gen 1 with B & W 684s that worked pretty well, but when I upgraded to the 804 d3s it became apparent that the xpa 2 was not up to the task. It was very bright and did get distorted at higher volumes. It just did not sound good at any volume and I was disappointed. The 804s have such high resolution that it exposed the xpa 2s weakness. Then I asked myself " why am I pairing a $750 amp with $9000 speakers?" So I upgraded.
Rotel RB1582 mk2 vs Emotiva XPA2 gen3
I looking for a stereo amp to power my B&W 804D3. I'm deciding between Rotel RB1582 mk2 and Emotiva XPA2 gen3 as they are priced similar. I mainly listen orchestra music and movie soundtrack. I have listened Rotel once and think it is pretty good. But I have never got a chance to listen Emotiva. I'd like to hear from anyone who has listened both. How does the Emotiva compare with Rotel in terms of sound quality?