Emotiva mini X a 100 Power amp received today

murali_n · Mar 31, 2012

Hi all,

Received my Emotiva mini X a 100 power amp today. The product details are as follows:
mini-X a-100 | Stereo | Emotiva Audio | High-end audio components for audiophiles and videophiles, spanning 2-channel music systems, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 home theaters. Products include multichannel amplifiers, stereo amplifiers, and monoblock ampl

The Power amp is rated at 50wpc(@ 8 ohms), build quality is good , it has toroid transformer and a cooling fan (auto), it has one line level input and output, and one set of speaker binding posts. Presently using my Marantz PM 6003 amp as pre-amp. Initial listening impressions are that the Treble is slightly rolled off, imaging and separation of instruments are good.

Let it burn in , so that I shall give a very detailed write-up.

Planning to go for a Tube pre. Already requested our Chennai member Rajiv & Capt.Rajesh for an audition with their tube-pre. I also request other forum members from chennai with Tube/SS Pre for an audition with their gear, at their time and convenience.

Will post photos shortly.

N.Murali

Teja · Mar 31, 2012

Congrats. That really is a "mini" amp. Looking forward to a proper review once the amp has settled in.

Cheers.

johny747 · Mar 31, 2012

Congratulations!:clapping:
Heard a lot about these amps. Never got a chance see one thou.
Would love to hear your first hand review.

What were your other choice of amps before you zeroed in on the Emotiva?

rraghuram · Mar 31, 2012

Congrats! Am eagerly looking forward to your detailed review. Cheers.

captrajesh · Mar 31, 2012

murali_n said:
Already requested our Chennai member Rajiv & Capt.Rajesh for an audition with their tube-pre.

Hi Murali, congrats with your purchase. Yeah the pre-amp shootout is overdue. Been a bit with my project's completion report. We can do it sometime.

avidyarthy · Mar 31, 2012

Just had a look at the link .....
Wow ... perfect specs .... @ fantastic price.
Looks more to be an India specific manufacture!

murali_n · Mar 31, 2012

Hi capt Rajesh,

My audition of tube-pre is purely for deciding whether to go for a tube pre or not. Surely your inputs on the same will be valuable to me.

A small update, I connected the Marantz CDP directly to Line-in of the Emotiva Power amp, the impressions are that the transparency and details have increased, very good volume at 10'O Clock position. Imaging is also very much improved. Overall a very neutral sound.

N.Murali

ravi_d · Mar 31, 2012

Congrats Murali.

murali_n said:
A small update, I connected the Marantz CDP directly to Line-in of the Emotiva Power amp, the impressions are that the transparency and details have increased, very good volume at 10'O Clock position. Imaging is also very much improved. Overall a very neutral sound.

I think the PM6003 never had a pre-amp out to connect it to an external power amp. If I'm not wrong you should be using the tape-out on the PM6003 and the volume control on the new amp. By connecting like that you are not using the pre-amp functionality on the marantz amp but instead adding an unnecessary redundant stage to the chain.

murali_n said:
My audition of tube-pre is purely for deciding whether to go for a tube pre or not.

I had similar thoughts of using a tube pre in my system and tried a Little Dot MK3 tube pre-amp/ headphone amp connected to power amp input on a NAD C356BEE amp. I did not find any improvement between using the tube pre and the integrated amp's on board pre and both the pre-amps had identical sound signatures. I think the transformers in the output stage gives the tube pre-amps/amps the character which the pre-amp I tried doesn't have.
Also I think having another volume control after the pre-amp is not recommended.

spirovious · Mar 31, 2012

Congrats murali_n,hope sound will improve later.

murali_n · Mar 31, 2012

johny747 said:
Congratulations!:clapping:
Heard a lot about these amps. Never got a chance see one thou.
Would love to hear your first hand review.

What were your other choice of amps before you zeroed in on the Emotiva?

Hi Johny,

I already have Marantz PM6003 Int Amp with me. I was carried away by the Tube-pre SS Combo during the last Chennai Hi-Fi meet, hence wanted to try the same in my chain. If there is no significant improvement, I will retain my Marantz. In the chennai meet there was a dedicated DAC also in the chain, so it might have been the reason for the SQ. But let me audition first the tube-pre and then later decide on the add-ons.

N.Murali

murali_n · Mar 31, 2012

ravi_d said:
Congrats Murali.

I think the PM6003 never had a pre-amp out to connect it to an external power amp. If I'm not wrong you should be using the tape-out on the PM6003 and the volume control on the new amp. By connecting like that you are not using the pre-amp functionality on the marantz amp but instead adding an unnecessary redundant stage to the chain.

I had similar thoughts of using a tube pre in my system and tried a Little Dot MK3 tube pre-amp/ headphone amp connected to power amp input on a NAD C356BEE amp. I did not find any improvement between using the tube pre and the integrated amp's on board pre and both the pre-amps had identical sound signatures. I think the transformers in the output stage gives the tube pre-amps/amps the character which the pre-amp I tried doesn't have.
Also I think having another volume control after the pre-amp is not recommended.

Hi Ravi,

When I use the Phono input on my Marantz and take the lineout from it, does that not act like a pre?

Also did you try Tube rolling ?, which I have read reviews on the net that give a signature sound improvement.

N.Murali

ravi_d · Mar 31, 2012

murali_n said:
Hi Ravi,

When I use the Phono input on my Marantz and take the lineout from it, does that not act like a pre?

Also did you try Tube rolling ?, which I have read reviews on the net that give a signature sound improvement.

N.Murali

Sorry my mistake. You're right if using the phono input. I misunderstood it as using it's pre-amp section rather than its phono amp section.

I didn't try rolling the tubes as it didn't suit my Grado headphones and sadly had to put it for sale.

olly42 · Apr 1, 2012

Congratulations Murali

vktarun · Apr 2, 2012

Congratulations!:clapping:

Please share the landed cost in India. Also your overall experience in Importing the Amp from USA to India. Transportation ? Customs ?

Thanks in advance.

murali_n · Apr 3, 2012

Hi vktarun,

I ordered the Amp online from Emotiva website, thro Credit Card. The amp cost me Rs.11,500/- delivered (free postage within USA) to my friend at Pennsylvania, USA. He carried it to Chennai thro green channel at Chennai Airport, so no customs duty. :yahoo:

N.Murali

srinisundar · Apr 3, 2012

Congrats Murali,

I will drop in some day on your convenience with my pre-amp's ( cambridge + music fidelity ) + music hall DAC.

Regards

square_wave · Apr 3, 2012

Good tube preamps will cost a lot of money unless you DIY a kit.

Get this if you can
Optus Member Website - georgehifi

Do your current integrated amp have an option to be used as a power amp ? If so, connect the cd player directly to it an compare it with this emotiva.

murali_n · Apr 3, 2012

srinisundar said:
Congrats Murali,

I will drop in some day on your convenience with my pre-amp's ( cambridge + music fidelity ) + music hall DAC.

Regards

Hi srni,

Thanks for your wishes and your offer.

Your are most welcome for an audition, under one condition, i.e you must leave either of the amps with me until I get a new pre (either Tube or SS), which I am planning to get before May end.

Simply joking srini. I would like to audition as many preamps as possible and learn what diff it makes to the system.

N.Murali

srinisundar · Apr 3, 2012

murali_n said:
Hi srni,

Thanks for your wishes and your offer.

Your are most welcome for an audition, under one condition, i.e you must leave either of the amps with me until I get a new pre (either Tube or SS), which I am planning to get before May end.

Simply joking srini. I would like to audition as many preamps as possible and learn what diff it makes to the system.

N.Murali

No issues. Jokes apart i can leave my cambridge since it is an backup system.

rraghuram · Apr 3, 2012

Hello Murali. Can we connect a device like Ipod (stereo out) or a CDP to this amp directly? I understand it is not a stereo amp but as a power amp it should work I suppose? The price is very attractive for people on super tight budgets like me! Cheers.

Emotiva mini X a 100 Power amp received today

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