Emotiva to power SL3s

[mcraghead]

I'm interested in a new receiver or pre/pro + amp to power my MLs. I have an old Denon receiver currently, but noticed on a few songs it clips. I think I need a bit more power. Plus, my receiver doesn't have HDMI outputs, DVI outputs, or even component outputs. It's s-video or RCA video outputs only. That's becoming a limiting factor with newer components. Oh, well. Hopefully I will pick out something soon.

I'm thinking Emotiva for amps and a pre/pro. Anyone have experience driving SL3s with the XPA-2 or any of the Emotiva amps? Thanks.

Michael K. Craghead

 

[projectormovielover]

I have an emo amp with my ml source se

Its good for HT and not so good for music

I think if your buying a new emo you could do alot better for the money . Try a b&k or maybe look into a krell 400 integrated as its 200 watt per channel so into 4ohm loads like the sl3 you would get 400 wpc .The good thing about the krell 400 is that when you hook it up to a receiver it acts as a power amp so you get krell music and great support for the mains in an HT rig

With emotiva I find martin logan panels loose the lovely airy high because the amps so cold and hard on the highs

 

[donberry]

I just bought a real nice pair of SL3's a few weeks ago. I was driving them with a restored Bose 1801 amp (500+watts into 4 ohms) on the woofers and a Pioneer Spec 2 on the panels. Better yet but obviously much more expensive, grab a XPA-2 for the woofers - I would guess the UPA would do just fine tho unless you are trying to break windows

Yesterday I got a Mingda MC34AB amp for the panels, using the Spec 2 for the woofers........wow - it really is impressive. While the other system sounded really good, with the Mingda it is just so darn life like, detail and clarity like I have never heard before (admittedly I have not heard a lot of real high end systems so I am sure I am still in the budget category).
so my suggestion would be, depending on how much you want to spend, to get an Emotiva UPA-2 ($349) for the woofers and something else for the panels.
I obviously strongly prefer tubes now and the Chinese make some awesome gear at pretty much any price point you want.

You could get something like the Mingda MC34AB (is what I have now so I am biased) because it is a power amp and an integrated amp. (around $1400 shipped)

I thought my Conrad Johnson tube preamp was much better then the Mingda, so later on, you could upgrade to a different preamp if you liked. But the Mingda would work until you did. I can pretty much guarantee the Mingda will sound better then what you are using now (tho obviously we all listen for different things and you may not even like what I like)

Total cost for both would be around $1600 - I know it is expensive, but what a difference you would hear. You could do it in stages to make it cheaper. maybe get the Mingda and just use it until you got the Emotiva - I tried it alone and it was more then powerful enough to drive the SL3.

Cheaper yet you could try a Yaqin MC10L or MC20L - I have heard nothing but good things about those. They run under $500, so you could get one of those, but it is an integrated amp only. I believe later on you could just use the AUX jack with the volume turned all of the way up to use it as a power amp. You would need a preamp later.

Just my opinion and ymmv and my ears could be tin - the SL3 is capable of putting out some serious music and does show the down line flaws in the system; so build the system in stages. May take you a little longer to get there, but my ears have never been happier.

I will also say that I am a 2 channel music guy, so I have no interest in HDMI outputs etc, which could make a big difference in what you use yours for.
I do know that while I always thought I had pretty good systems, I never thought I would own a system that sounded as good as I have now......I am loving it

 

[projectormovielover]

I own a yaqin mc10l and its the best ever for $500

 

[mact3333]

I just bought a real nice pair of SL3's a few weeks ago. I was driving them with a restored Bose 1801 amp (500+watts into 4 ohms) on the woofers and a Pioneer Spec 2 on the panels. Better yet but obviously much more expensive, grab a XPA-2 for the woofers - I would guess the UPA would do just fine tho unless you are trying to break windows

Yesterday I got a Mingda MC34AB amp for the panels, using the Spec 2 for the woofers........wow - it really is impressive. While the other system sounded really good, with the Mingda it is just so darn life like, detail and clarity like I have never heard before (admittedly I have not heard a lot of real high end systems so I am sure I am still in the budget category).
so my suggestion would be, depending on how much you want to spend, to get an Emotiva UPA-2 ($349) for the woofers and something else for the panels.
I obviously strongly prefer tubes now and the Chinese make some awesome gear at pretty much any price point you want.

You could get something like the Mingda MC34AB (is what I have now so I am biased) because it is a power amp and an integrated amp. (around $1400 shipped)

I thought my Conrad Johnson tube preamp was much better then the Mingda, so later on, you could upgrade to a different preamp if you liked. But the Mingda would work until you did. I can pretty much guarantee the Mingda will sound better then what you are using now (tho obviously we all listen for different things and you may not even like what I like)

Total cost for both would be around $1600 - I know it is expensive, but what a difference you would hear. You could do it in stages to make it cheaper. maybe get the Mingda and just use it until you got the Emotiva - I tried it alone and it was more then powerful enough to drive the SL3.

Cheaper yet you could try a Yaqin MC10L or MC20L - I have heard nothing but good things about those. They run under $500, so you could get one of those, but it is an integrated amp only. I believe later on you could just use the AUX jack with the volume turned all of the way up to use it as a power amp. You would need a preamp later.

Just my opinion and ymmv and my ears could be tin - the SL3 is capable of putting out some serious music and does show the down line flaws in the system; so build the system in stages. May take you a little longer to get there, but my ears have never been happier.

I will also say that I am a 2 channel music guy, so I have no interest in HDMI outputs etc, which could make a big difference in what you use yours for.
I do know that while I always thought I had pretty good systems, I never thought I would own a system that sounded as good as I have now......I am loving it

I have personal experience with the Yaqin 20ML...I wanted to use that 50wpc int tube amp until I found what I wanted...couldnt even come close to properly driving my CLS I's...very muffled, no detail....midrange smoothness was ok...my stint with Yaqin lasted 1 week....gotta go with high power/current amp with ML's imho.

 

[donberry]

the mingda I have is 75 watts in ultralinear, 45 watts in triode -using it as an integrated amp, it drove the the SL3 with no problem. It is a beast of an amp tho, coming at at 80 pounds so it does have some really hefty iron in it.
Using it as a power amp just on the panels- I cranked them up as loud as I would ever listen to them in triode mode and it never hiccuped.
Sound - I seriously doubt I am upgrading amps/preamp for a very, very long time. Obviously ymmv and I only went by other's opinions on the Yaqin, thinking if my 45 in triode mode can drive the panels, the 50 of the yaqin should be fine.

Now I do have a 400+watt amp on the woofers