Crown XLS 2502 vs Emotiva

[rajivaryan1984]

Dear FM's

Can you please suggest if going ahead with Crown XLS 2502 will be a better option than Emotiva XPA 3.Here are the details :--
Speakers 5.0 - Elac Debut Series
SVS PB 1000
2 Pair Inceiling Elac for Atmos
AVR will be Marantz SR 7013
Sources - CD 6006, CXN V2, PS4, Fire stick, Xbox One X, Apple TV, Nvidia TV Shield, Tata Sky, Project Debut Carbon Turntable, NA 8005, Samsung 4K Player

Since the setup will be primarily used for 70 percent music and 30 percent movies. The idea to add a power amp was only 2 reasons - Give power to the Front R and Front L speakers via the amp and improve the quality of music. The Surround R and L, center channel, sub woofer and remaining 2 pairs of Atmos speakers will be played by

 

[efernand1]

Dear FM's

Can you please suggest if going ahead with Crown XLS 2502 will be a better option than Emotiva XPA 3.Here are the details :--
Speakers 5.0 - Elac Debut Series
SVS PB 1000
2 Pair Inceiling Elac for Atmos
AVR will be Marantz SR 7013
Sources - CD 6006, CXN V2, PS4, Fire stick, Xbox One X, Apple TV, Nvidia TV Shield, Tata Sky, Project Debut Carbon Turntable, NA 8005, Samsung 4K Player

Since the setup will be primarily used for 70 percent music and 30 percent movies. The idea to add a power amp was only 2 reasons - Give power to the Front R and Front L speakers via the amp and improve the quality of music. The Surround R and L, center channel, sub woofer and remaining 2 pairs of Atmos speakers will be played by

Hi

I would suggest to compare both amp specs...pricing etc and take a call.. both are equally good....Crown has been around long enough in the professional sound space.....Had seen a Emotiva paired to a SR Serieve AVR for Front speakers and it was effortless....Good SQ

Audition if possible ...see Youtube videos n reviews.......

 

[MaSh]

Dear FM's

Can you please suggest if going ahead with Crown XLS 2502 will be a better option than Emotiva XPA 3.Here are the details :--
Speakers 5.0 - Elac Debut Series
AVR will be Marantz SR 7013


Since the setup will be primarily used for 70 percent music and 30 percent movies. The idea to add a power amp was only 2 reasons - Give power to the Front R and Front L speakers via the amp and improve the quality of music.

Do you find the receiver struggling to handle all the speakers.

MaSh

 

[shankara.kris]

In my opinion marantz 7013 powerful receiver can drive these speakers very well. I presume based on your music preference over movie, you would listen mostly in stereo ,in which case you may not need an external amplifier.

 

[Sandesh]

Ive been thinking of power amplifiers my self. I've seen some reviews where some people complained about a "hiss" from Crown especially for people have sensitive speakers. Does any one have any idea about it?

 

[jai1611]

Ive been thinking of power amplifiers my self. I've seen some reviews where some people complained about a "hiss" from Crown especially for people have sensitive speakers. Does any one have any idea about it?

It has a high noise floor as per reviews. Would show up as hiss with higher sensitivity speakers.

 

[Sandesh]

It has a high noise floor as per reviews. Would show up as hiss with higher sensitivity speakers.

Say if the speaker was 89 Db would it create this hiss?

 

[prateekatasniya]

In my opinion marantz 7013 powerful receiver can drive these speakers very well. I presume based on your music preference over movie, you would listen mostly in stereo ,in which case you may not need an external amplifier.

Marantz isn't capable enough to drive those speakers full range.
After crossover at 80hz one can manage.
But yeah.. improvement is sure with addition of a power amp.

 

[prateekatasniya]

Say if the speaker was 89 Db would it create this hiss?

I have tried elac debut bookshelves with crown XLS 1502 in my room for a couple of hours.
There was no audible hiss at meter from the speaker.

 

[rpmahale]

I was in the process of getting Emotiva A-300 for Marantz NR1608 (to power front channels) and auditioned the same with Monitor Audio Bronze 5 speakers. Earlier I had auditioned MA Bronze 5 with Pioneer VSX 9xx series avr and I found MA B5 was insightful with anamic low end extension. Over all sound signature was lean. But when I auditioned them with Emotiva A-300 , they sounded musical and lively with added low end extension. Later on I postponed the purchase as my old Denon AVR perform the PA duty. I was skeptical about how much improvement I may get over Denon for Rs. 50k. But PA helps and I will definitely add PA in future.

 

[shankara.kris]

Marantz isn't capable enough to drive those speakers full range.
After crossover at 80hz one can manage.
But yeah.. improvement is sure with addition of a power amp.

Honestly a step up to add power amplifier won't add that much value considering the speakers capabilities which cannot handle beyond 150 wpc (max). Crown is a too bit powerful to drive and may damage the speakers if overdriven by mistake.

 

[prateekatasniya]

Honestly a step up to add power amplifier won't add that much value considering the speakers capabilities which cannot handle beyond 150 wpc (max). Crown is a too bit powerful to drive and may damage the speakers if overdriven by mistake.

Its a pretty good speaker..
Good amplification will surely make difference.
I have tried the Elac bookshelves myself.
So I can vouch for it.

 

[rajivaryan1984]

Ok Friends may be I am taking a wrong approach but here's my query --

Let's say SR7013 has a capability of driving 5.1.4 ELAC Debut Speakers and my HT setup is perfect. But if I want to improve my music listening then do I need a Power Amp like Emotiva Bass X or XPA Gen 3 ?

Or do I need to add an IA to the AVR which will improve the quality of the music ? As I have PM8006 which I am planning to sell away once the setup is ready to replace it with a Power AMP.

 

[superczar]

Ok Friends may be I am taking a wrong approach but here's my query --

Let's say SR7013 has a capability of driving 5.1.4 ELAC Debut Speakers and my HT setup is perfect. But if I want to improve my music listening then do I need a Power Amp like Emotiva Bass X or XPA Gen 3 ?

Or do I need to add an IA to the AVR which will improve the quality of the music ? As I have PM8006 which I am planning to sell away once the setup is ready to replace it with a Power AMP.

Depends on what volume level you play at.
Bear in mind that your AVR in stereo mode has a lot more power reserve for each channel than when driving 5 or 7 channels

For What it’s worth, i use a SR6010 with a Marantz PM17 SA to drive the L and R channels
To be honest, I really can’t hear any discernible difference between LR driven by the AVR directly vs via IA

Playback levels are usually around 70db measured

 

[kapvin]

Hi,

I think I can answer your question for you as I have both the XPA gen2 and the XLS2502. there is no contest. the XPA is far less congested, especially on more complex arrangements, is quieter and gives cleaner bass. I was trying out the xls2502 for a bit and switched back to the XPA: the midrange was cleaner, the treble more articulate. initially it seemed as is there was less bass (yes the emotiva is a bit leaner) but the bass in present in full when called for. I can only say that the XLS2502 is dull in comparison. must point out that this was not an ABX coimparison. but a sequential listen.

between the 2 if you can afford the XPA, please go for it.

 

[prateekatasniya]

Hi,

I think I can answer your question for you as I have both the XPA gen2 and the XLS2502. there is no contest. the XPA is far less congested, especially on more complex arrangements, is quieter and gives cleaner bass. I was trying out the xls2502 for a bit and switched back to the XPA: the midrange was cleaner, the treble more articulate. initially it seemed as is there was less bass (yes the emotiva is a bit leaner) but the bass in present in full when called for. I can only say that the XLS2502 is dull in comparison. must point out that this was not an ABX coimparison. but a sequential listen.

between the 2 if you can afford the XPA, please go for it.

Both are from totally different price points..
Not a fair comparison.

 

[kapvin]

Both are from totally different price points..
Not a fair comparison.

?

OP asked a question. it was comparative. i gave an answer. it wasn't a qualified question about VFM. if someone asks who's better looking, asrani or hrithik, that question can be answered, without going into how unfair it is to compare a comedian with a "hero"

anyway, the xls2502, is better than a lot of other midprice amps out there, just not, imho, better than the XPA gen2.

OTOH, compared the emotiva a series, its probably a lot better.

 

[prateekatasniya]

?

OP asked a question. it was comparative. i gave an answer. it wasn't a qualified question about VFM. if someone asks who's better looking, asrani or hrithik, that question can be answered, without going into how unfair it is to compare a comedian with a "hero"

anyway, the xls2502, is better than a lot of other midprice amps out there, just not, imho, better than the XPA gen2.

OTOH, compared the emotiva a series, its probably a lot better.

I totally agree with what you had to tell about it..
My message was for the Op.

 

[Sandesh]

Quick question, if your speaker is a 4 ohms impedance and the Recommended Amplifier Power [W] is 25 - 200. What should the power amp output be considering your original avr is 6 (110 watts)-8(65 watts) ohms ?

 

[kapvin]

I totally agree with what you had to tell about it..
My message was for the Op.

Yup on their own, i like them so much that i have 2, the original xls1500 and new xls2502. they'll be doing bass duty, when I finally get my build done.