emotiva mono block amps any good?

When I first got into Hifi a few years ago I purchased the Emotiva XPA-1's.The speakers that I was using were VMPS Audio RM-40. I had the amps for about 9 months then I read a review where the reviewer was comparing them to the Pass Labs XA 30.5 and said the 30 watt little fellow blew them away in terms of sound quality. After reading that I purchased a used Pass Labs X250. When I got it I was stunned by the difference in sound. The Pass had more air around the instruments, more detail and a fluid mid-range. I would get listener fatigue with the Emotiva. I could listen to the Pass 24 hours a day. Emo is good bang for the buck and a good entry level product but if you have a highly resolving system then it is no contest. It can't compete with the big boys in terms of harmonics in my opinion.

I came across this thread a year after the fact. But here is my take after 10 months of owning the Emotiva XPR-1.
Motivation: I built a house last year and wanted a secondary system for a Home Theater application, a dedicated cinema room for the family. It was my way to listen to music in my primary music room in peace.
Opinion: I've been a hobbyist for almost 25 years, my primary music room has well over $70K worth of top brands in hi-fi world and audio royalty (Audio Research,Cary,VTL, Ayre, Theta digital,Parasound, VPI turntables, Wadia digital, Apogee, Quad, Canton Ref. speakers, Stax headphones, etc.)
Result: A few months after I installed the HT system, my family and friends were telling me how fantastic the home theater sounds (none are audiophiles) so i began to audition the system for music and I now completely agree with their instinctive assessment. The Emotiva big amps impressed me so much that I replaced my Anthem amp with Emotiva 3 channel amp for the surround sound!
Normally, I would not have considered such low cost gear as a serious contender for high fidelity sound, however, I'd say these amplifiers are as musically satisfying as any other top gear I have had the pleasure to own in my systems.
The good news is that the music reproduction technology has now evolve to a point that the budget gear can and do sound awesome. I was contemplating upgrading my Totem speakers however, the music reproduction is now so perfectly sublime that I don't want to risk interrupting the balance of the system. BTW, by elevating the Emotiva mono amps I'm by no means diminishing the quality of the top amplifiers but emphasizing the value proposition of Emotiva.
I admit, I've never been part of the crowd who believes there is a "ghost in the machine" that alters reality, or an audio jewelry enthusiast; but I'm someone who has been committed to supporting excellence in music reproduction.
There are drawbacks to the XPR-1, the mono amp's enclosure has an inferior and substandard quality. Every expense Has Been spared to make them as cheap as possible. I'd have been perfectly happy to drop an extra grand or two for better aesthetics. All in all I highly recommend these mono amplifiers.

Music is the answer,
Mak

My HT Gear:
Pre/pro: Krell S1200
Oppo BDP 105
Emotiva XPR-1 mono
Originally Anthem MCA30 and later replaced by Emotiva XPA-3 multi-channel!
Apple TV/laptop music server
Totem Forest and Totem surround speakers, plus Velodyne 15" subwoofer
JVC DLA-X75R
Richard Gray 1200 Power Conditioner
Dedicated 20 AMP line into the home theater
Over $2k worth of interconnect cables/wires

"Any good" covers a lot of ground. If you don't mind how and where it's manufactured for the sake of unexplainable low cost, then you'll be in a large fan club.

You'll be able to wallow in countless positive owner reviews that wax on about fabulous performance for the cost as in this thread. The microscopic few negative reviews will be by audio hobbyist who took the time to actually compare their products.

My personal experience with their big stereo amplifier began with finding glaring sonic shortcomings during comparative listening. Within weeks a channel failure lead to a look under the hood which revealed laughable build and component quality and a rapid return of the amplifier.

Wandering around the back pages of the companies Lounge forum a potential home theater customer questioned their products extremely low pricing and asked about the companies labor and manufacturing practices. A quick response by a company representative refused to answer followed by a few pages of juvenile berating by fanbois ending with an administrated lock of the thread. I don't think I've ever read a Troll hit a nerve as sharp as this hapless HT customer did with a simple question.

Any good? I will say their limited return policy worked flawlessly but that's it.

"You'll be able to wallow in countless positive owner reviews that wax on about fabulous performance for the cost as in this thread. The microscopic few negative reviews will be by audio hobbyist who took the time to actually compare their products."

" The Emotiva big amps impressed me so much that I replaced my Anthem amp with Emotiva 3 channel amp for the surround sound!"

Not that you're owed an explanation.

Mjama2,

You're offending people with your positive comments. Can you please keep it negative!!

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. +1 Zd542

It is amazing the amount of fear & paranoia around here of a product being good and inexpensive. It's almost like a superstitious cult. Relax, good inexpensive gear does not devalue your high-priced stuff..you're safe and you shouldn't feel threatened.
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