Looks like you forgot one of the best amp investments you can find, the Emotiva XPA-5 at 799 and the UPA-7 at 599. Funny they weren’t mentioned.

Hi Psmo, there were a lot of brands I could have mentioned for this this that I think are really good products.

To be honest Emotiva never came to mind. It’s not a brand that I really know other than the company seems to sell direct to consumer.

The products mentioned here are all from companies with long histories in audio and companies I trust make quality products.

I’ve had people recommend Emotiva to me, but I’ve never heard one of the company’s products.

Well Bob, seeings how you work in the industry you should make a more concerted effort to branch out a little.  Emotiva has become the Monster Killer of the highest order.  I sold over $10,000 worth of high priced components to go to just Emotiva gear for under $3000 and my system has never sounded or looked better.  You may very well want to take a long hard look and these guys.  They’re the real deal.

Hi Penny31, that’s interesting that you sold a lot of gear to get the Emotiva system.

I do think however the question should be why isn’t Emotiva participating in industry trade events.

I have been told the company’s products are good, but I don’t recall seeing them exhibit at a show like CES, CEDIA or EHX.

Maybe you should stay away from the esoteric side of the events and branch out a little. http://emotiva.com/news.shtm
while at their web site maybe you could read some of the reviews, you know, to brush up. Just a thought.

Hi Psmo, I wouldn’t say there’s anything esoteric about the brands in this story.

All of these brands have long histories of producing quality products, they cover a range of price points and they are all widely distributed within the electronics market.

I would say that Emotiva needs to do more outreach to consumers and dealers.

I am very leery of buying anything whether it’s an amp, a guitar or anything else site unseen.

How did you compare your Emotiva amp to others?

A trip to a dealer allows you to compare NAD to Bryston, Rotel to Classe, etc.

I make the same comparisons at trade events or visiting dealers.

Like I said too I am aware of the brand and it does come recommended as a value proposition, but keep in mind that these brands are no more Esoteric than Emotiva.

I have had an “entry level” Emotiva system for over two years.  For under $900, I replaced systems by Onkyo & Yamaha with an Emotiva 6x125 watts & a matching pre/pro that has been fantastic to hear.  While I appreciate the quality & reputation of the manufacturers on this list, to me, they are not esoteric so much as boutique (Where’s McKintosh???).  Emotiva & Outlaw are two up and coming companies that do not play the multi-tier distribution network mark-up game.  Both are prime players for enthusiasts looking for Mustang 5.0 or Camaro 6.0 performance without paying Mercedes AMG pricing.

For a DIY’er, Emotiva still focuses on customer service. If you send them an email, you will get a personal response from their customer service manager within 24 hours.  Their forum is also available to tap into their owner base.  (Sales questions are much faster.)  I didn’t want to ship my unit back for a (complementary) firmware upgrade, so they sent me the cable I needed and walked me through the process

Does anyone know how much it costs to participate at Cedia???

AT AUDIOHOLICS.COM:
“The [Emotiva] XPA-2 is not only the most powerful that has come across my test bench, but it represents the best value in consumer two-channel amplification that I’ve ever seen.”

Awards at Hometheaterhifi.com for Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity for 2008.

Hi PMX13 like I said the products chosen in this were done so randomly.

I can appreciate the value of Emotiva and as a direct to consumer company it is essential for them to be responsive to consumer inquiries so that doesn’t surprise me.

I cannot say with any convection however that it stacks up to these companies that have years of experience in the design and engineering of a product.

I also would never discount the value of a dealer network. A good dealer can be overlooked with the ability to educate, demonstrate and service a client after the sale.

Quoting:  bob archer on 05/16 at 09:46 AM

I have been told the company’s products are good, but I don’t recall seeing them exhibit at a show like CES, CEDIA or EHX.
End Quote

It may be for the same reason that I choose not to represent my company at trade shows:

They are expensive

You see 30 like vendors of sameness product all telling the same basic thing: We are the best

Emotiva/Outlaw have for better or worse staked their claim on the power of the internet and the communities it builds. If you as a consumer aren’t smart enough to get out there and research your options, you may need to buy from something you only knew about via a trade show.

Hi Mark, I don’t know who your company is either, but shouldn’t you ask yourself why Emotiva doesn’t exhibit at these shows.

Why don’t you tell me what company you represent.

Is the company afraid of a comparison to other products?

Like I said I am sure Emotiva is a fine product and it may be a value, but in your chase for a good deal don’t dismiss these companies because you find them too expensive.

Remember sometimes you get what you pay for and I can say that when it comes to product design sacrifices do have made to cut costs beyond direct to consumer via the Web.

Hi Bob,

My company is a software dev company. Totally unrelated to the consumer electronics field. That is why it is of no importance to mention here.

On the “Is the company afraid of a comparison to other products? “. Absolutely not. We, like Emotiva, do one step better. We let you try product in your production environment free of risk.

Last time I checked I couldn’t get a Bryston, Krell, NAD, Parasound, B&K;, Rotel, Levison, Sunfire, ATI, Adcom, or Cary in my house for a no obligation 30 day trial. Are these companies afraid to let you try their product before you buy?

I didn’t say anything about price, I didn’t say anything about quality. I do know that there are many happy owners of all the brands mentioned. Caveat emptor.

Hi Mark, there are many dealers that will let you try a product out at home as long as you are willing to give them your credit card number in case anything happens to that product.

Years ago when Bryston came out with the SP-1 pre/pro I tried it out at home before buying it.

The dealer was Ensemble A/V in Southern N.H. and I did this because it was a major investment for me.

I ended up buying it after saving up the cash necessary to make the purchase and I made the leap to Bryston after determining that it’s not worth it in the long run to go through product after product.

Since I’ve bought that product several years ago I’ve had firmware an hardware updates and I still find it to be one of best sounding products on the market.

Anyway Mark as a point of fairness I did contact Emotiva and I asked them to send me a press kit so I can cover them on electronichouse.com.

BTW, I don’t own any Emotiva product. I am just aligned more with their business practice than the entrenched players.

It’s great if you have a dealer that allowed you that flexibility of demoing a unit. Unfortunately not all dealers are the same. I am sure that is why higher end brands have to be careful of whom they let rep their product.

With purchase direct outfits they get to control the consumer experience more consistently. Now they can control it good or they can control it bad. That is another conversation how ever. I am more an advocate of this particular business model and practice vs the product its self.

Hi Mark I understand the idea in that there’s something more organic, more personal about that type of business model, but a good qualified dealer is hard to replace.

Like most other businesses however there are better dealers and some not so good.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Agreed 100%. An awesome local dealer is great to have. Unfortunately dedicated AV shops with properly setup showrooms and trained staff is a dying breed.

In Akron OH 15 years ago you had the choice of 5-7 shops in the area. Now I only know of one place in Canton.

Don’t give up on your local dealers yet.

Many dealers are reinvesting the best they can into their showrooms because it’s an area in which they can prove themselves over the big retailers that are fighting it out with price points.

It may take some time and research to find a good dealer, but once you find one it’s like finding a good mechanic. You’ll never take your car to someone else and you’ll never want to buy A/V gear from someone else.

As organic as a purchase and sale can be from a Web site and consumer, it also lacks the human element.

Visiting a dealer and trying out different products is part of the fun of buying an amp, projector or whatever and the Web will never replace that experience.