Thank you for the review, I got the 7 channel for testing in my system right now, I must say im pretty impressed. I also have the emotiva Basx 2 channel and Basx 5 channel. Iv been doing some listen test over and over between emotiva and the monolith and its pretty close but for my liking I preferred the Monolith, it is more punchy and open sounded as the Emotive is more flat and less exciting... I will end up keeping the Monoprice 7 channel as I did not encounter any lack of performance or power, It is also dead silent. At this price point it is more then excellent.
I can’t decide between the Emotiva A2 or Monolith 2100X. Good to hear the monolith sounds good. I was just concerned if the Emotiva A2 actually had more power but it seams they have similar internals. I feel I need more powe for my Klipsch R-820F speakers. Will the Monolith 2100X be enough or should I go for the A2? I’m leaning towards monolith for the price of $294
@@joeyrdz1I have the RP-8000Fs and I've used 50 watt, 120 watt and 220 watt per channel amps to drive them and the 220 watt actually leveled out its response. The 120 wpc amp was far too thin and I considered gettin rid of them. But how that extra clean power from the 220wpc made them not shout at me but rather be almost warm... so I'd say if you are gunna do a 2 channel amp for the front stage don't short yourself.
"With the current economy"? If you don't mind, can I ask where are you in the country? We've had the best 12 months in the history of my company, the stock market is at record highs and unemployment is at record lows. Feels like boom times to me so I had to ask.
@@Audioholics Understood! I have two of them... I'll purchase one more to complete my theater after the home is built...Thanks again! I'm satisfied! And you're right! There prices changed...I picked up each one on sale...
Will the Monolith 90watts x 5 be enough power for a 5.1 system with speakers rated at 4 ohms? Or do I need a more powerful amp. Drives me crazy I have a pretty pricey Marantz and I still need an amp cause all the speakers I want to upgrade to are 4 ohms and I know you don’t change the ohm settings. Thank you.
@@Audioholics We’re these Emotiva products from the current models? I’ve been torn between the Monolith M2100X & Emotiva BasX A2 to power my Klipsch R-820F. I feel my current Emotiva TA integrated amp isn’t enough. Should I go Monolith or Emotiva A2?
Regradless of the recent $100 price increase from Monoprice, it seems like the Monolith M2100X would be a great pairing with a Wiim Ultra streamer/preamp. Would be a killer setup for $700 with HDMI ARC and compatibility with loads of streaming platforms.
A shootout with listening impressions between the Monoprice two channel amp and some late 90s early 00's Adcom, Rotel, or NAD power amps of equivalent power would be interesting just to see how far we've come (or haven't).
I have an Onkyo Rz50 what would be better to use a 5 channel or a 3 channel amp? I want to run the 7.1.4. Also i dont know how much is the power per channel on the onkyo but im assuming the 90 watts would be sending more power then the actual receiver.
Thanks, Gene! I took your recommendation and purchased the M2100. My Denon 3808CI's right channel doesn't like to stay on consistently these days. Hopefully this is the bridge to get me to a new stereo pre-amp - perhaps Wiim Ultra or Marantz Cinema 70 to keep it affordable for the office where it resides. The unit is cool to the touch - not so much with the Denon even as a pre-amp since the receiver doesn't have a true pre-amp mode like the newer units. Thanks for the years of audio education and recommendations!
Thanks for making this video Gene. Makes me want to order a Schiit Vidar and have it drop shipped to you for testing. Super glad Monoprice has done the Monolith line. It helps to keep other manufactures honest and provides audiophiles with options when they need good components without breaking the bank.
I wish you could get large meters on some dudget friendly amps. Nearly everyone loves them. They would sell out of them fast. Its possible to make a good looking amp, and still be inexpensive, relatively of course. (1 to 1.5k)
Agreed Nice big D'Arsonval movement ... or maybe even LEDs, like 70's Soundcraftsman! It'd likely add $100 or more ... which is fine, except that's 1/3 of the price!
I know the video is about Monoprice, but do you have any plans on doing Emotiva? Just curious to see how they stack up against similarly priced amps. I own 4 Emotiva amps. The DR3, XPA3-GEN3, BASX A400, and BASX A300. So far Ive has no complaints on none of them. Thanks in advanced
Monoprice M5100X>> would this work well as a base speaker power source on a Denon 3800 using Monoprice THX365 x4 and a THX365C? I figure it would be better than the Denon powering all 9 channels alone. I'll leave the 4 ATMOS (running 5.2.4) on the Denon.
$329 Crown XLi800 Stereo Class A/B 200wpc. into 8 ohms................ MUCH larger copper doughnut and much more filter capacitance. Working galvanically isolated balanced XLR inputs, channel gain control & other protection circuits. Built tough for the road. Acid jazz, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
Thanks for the video Gene. Also great to see a little love for those outside of the Americas with stock images indicating these latest amps are compatible with 220-230V.
Gene we are wondering about the class D amps they got too. I would like to throw in that especially for multi ch that it's very hard differentiate the performance differences between high end and low end amps. By low end I would assume something even worse than these. Certainly more so when it's not the bed layer speakers, but im sure even that is questionable to the fact it probably wont matter for those as well. They seem like very excellent amps for multi channel use and also stereo. Would be nice if you can get those class D's for review.
I have the Emotiva BasX A3 (three channel). It comes with a 3 year warranty, similar to Monoprice. A big difference between the Monoprice and Emotiva is power output with Monoprice at 90 WPC and the Emotiva at 140 WPC (8 Ohm). Companies like Monoprice and Emotiva get a lot criticism, but for those of us that are "price sensitive" they offer so much improvement to the system we wouldn't have otherwise at a great value for what they are.
Emotiva rated 4ohm wattage only at 1khz, not 20 to 20khz instead. Are there differences rating at only 1khz vs 20-20Khz? Yes, how big? Only detailed measurements can tell.
@@Audioholics So are you saying the Emotiva may only bench at around 90wpc like these monoliths? I ask because I'm torn between the m3100x and the A3, and I can justify the extra $200 for the A3 for the extra power, but if it's just rated differently and they are indeed similar power, than the Monolith is the clear winner
@jasonmendonca6061 No. I think the Emotiva is a newer generation of the same amp design so it probably is slightly more powerful than the Monoprice ver.
How do you hook up your source? I can’t find a user manual online. It has a single RCA port above each set of speaker terminals. That makes no sense. RCA usually has two plugs on each end. What I mean is, could I, for example, connect the Aux out on a WiiM Mini to this amp to stream music?
Really Awesome specs !! This would solve my aim for separate amps and Gaming theater system.. Would match my Encore system of speakers too. .. IF I could get enough of a discount to compensate for the shipping to Canada .. that would be REALLY great =) I''' have to keep my eye / ears open. Thanks for the specs sir! .. I hope to see you when I get down there to Florida during the Expo Show !! =) ( Ask Don about it )
I picked up the 7 channel amp for $464 before seeing this. Going to run 4 atmos and bi-amp fronts with my Arcam AVR20. Hope it sounds ok... haven't finished theater room yet to set it up.
HI, my comments here are not related to the current video. They are related on an older video you made about the Audioquest DBS 72 volts on the speaker cables. I was a little taking by it, and as an owner of the AQ K2 8 feet with the DBS system, was intrigue by your findings then. So as an audiophile I decide to lesson to a very good album from Karen Souza, which has a very clear voice. I removed the DBS completely after lessening to the same album with the DBS connected and not using any equipment then my ears this is what I found out my self. With BDS connected: I found the sound to be smoother all around, a little less aggressive on the treble and mediums and more aggressive on the bass. With out the BDS, i find the treble and medium to be more pronounce and the bass a little less aggressive. This said I am not sure if the actual sound is better or not to do the smoothness with the DBS connected,. SO my question is> Is AQ trying to full us, forcing the sound to be more smooth due to the cable restricting the actual treble and mediums and somehow increasing the bass? doe this makes any sense at all. Equioment use in my studio and not my audio room at home. speakers Arendal 1723 THX towers, Emotiva XMC 2, Emotiva DR2 reference amplifier, Turntable EAT Fortis with # 5 cartridge. All cables are audioquest, Speaker cables AQ K2 8 Feet. Phono stage Black ice Fusion 9 MKIII with FOZ XTR, Glass FX Tube DAC.
I have the polks xt-70 for fronts and xt-35 for center I was thinking of getting the emotiva xpa-6gen-3 6 channel amp is this unit to strong for my speakers ??
I just got a Rockville RPA9 2 channel amp, 400 watt RMS a channel, retail $180, i paid S!35 used. the rca on them has a horrible 60hz hum, but the xlr's are clean(ish) introducing a little hum in the system, but for the price, and the use case, it's doing me good. I have a pair of cambridge T500 towers, and both sub amps blew, it's an inherent issue, not worth fixing, they were 300 watts, so I am using this to drive the subs in the tower externally. I'm sure this monoprice is better, but at less then half the price, good enough for me. I'd be curious how badly it tests though.
Bought this around 10 days ago and waiting on my AV receiver to come In today. I checked the price on Amazon and it's now approximately $140 less than what I paid for it. Go figure
I just bought the 2 channel to replace 2 Fosi Hd - A1s that I was running to my BW 606s.. I am thoroughly impressed with what I've been hearing so far after a few listening sessions.. I will say the combo of this amp, my Schiit pre, and the bw's.. it's quite revealing with recorda lol it's laid bare my turntables' cheapness as far as how noisey the motor/power supply is.. but for CDs? Streaming? Near perfect for the money 👌
Good value. Still rather have an ultra-efficient Class D with similar specs. The auto manufacturers offer all kinds of config of channels and power in class D for good prices-. Tempted to get one and run it on a Li power tool battery vs something like these with respectable S/N stats but the usual inefficiency and heat.
LOL I love how Gene throws there SINAD out there for the ASR Amir junkies. Where r the processors for these low cost multichannel amplifiers? Not talking about receivers with pre-outs. Where are the processors????? With discrete subwoofer channels.
He speaks to that in the video; they are not fully balanced. It's really just an additional input for those who already have XLR cables and need to connect, but don't offer any benefits beyond that.
wish someone would get on the dsp game instead of always home theater channels. so 4, 6, and 8 channels for stereo 2-4way speakers. i cant even find a single 4channel chipamp using LM3886 or similar. i know lots of people using minidsp setup, and almost noone setting up home theater, possibly because im in europe with smaller houses.
It's my understanding that these amps and Emotiva are both made by ATI. I just bought the five channel, going to use it for the bed layer with a two channel Parasound for left-right
@Audioholics Just what I heard...from several places. Just remember, they are being built to the spec that they were given.Anyway, you know they were contracted out.
@justinbeamon6624 I just ordered a Tonewinner preamp, it's basically a Basix mc1 except with balanced outs. But that doesn't mean that Emotiva is Tonewinner. Just that they order from the same vendors.
This is not a criticism, it’s merely a passing comment. When studying class A-B amplifier specifications, I rarely see the amount of class A bias mentioned.
True and I think it's become less of a concern since AB crossover distortion is so low these days that even just a few watts of class A is sufficient in most cases to be transparent. Just bc an amp has a high bias into Class A doesn't mean it will maintain it's good behavior when driven to rated power. I've seen this be an issue with some expensive esoteric amps touting high Class A bias.
If I had 1500 to spend, I wouldn't put 800 into a DAC though. I own a thx subwoofer by Monoprice which is absolutely stellar for the 550 I paid for it. Great company.
I currently have a denon 6700 powering my 6 atmos (svs elevations), and a tonewinner amp for my 7 bedlayer. Curious if adding this 7 channel will be any benefit. From denons 70% rule the wattage seems to be about the same
Of course the amp provides clean continuous power that’s a plus for dynamic movie scenes or dynamic music. I have the same Denon & it didn’t matter that I even bi-amped, dynamic content would fizzle
16:46 This budget seems heavy towards electronics rather than speakers, is this typical in the AV community? I come from more of an audiophile experience.
Can you elaborate on what you didn't like about the 7 channel version please? And do you know if monoprice has made any updates to fix it? It is currently on sale and looks like a stellar deal
Also thanks for letting me know about the contest, it's funny cus I just got a google news article push about a contest you were running for I think an SVS 2000 pro, i got excited until I saw it was from like 2022...lol, so this si a nice alternative, nicer actually.
What I really like here is the 4-ohm capability, as I think this sets it apart from regular AVR. That being said, if someone just needs a couple channels of amplification for 8 ohm speakes, I think an older AVR on the used market is going to be the better strategy in terms of value.
@FOH3663 Probably not superb for very power-hungry speakers like large subwoofers, but in cases where a speaker drops impedance a bit too low for medium tier AVR, this could keep everything happy. I think it is more common for AVR amps to handle 4-ohm speakers by current limiting and, therefore, offering up less wattage. I (and Gene) include comparisons to AVR levels of performance, and I think that is a fair comparison. This amp should find its place as a companion to AVR systems that need just a bit more headroom in their power supply. This should also save the consumer from buying a behemoth 300 wpc amp where it isn't needed, and that wouldn't actually offer them a better sonic experience anyway.
@@MrChompenstein Agreed, many good points. "Not superb for subs"? Yep Unless it's a sub supplementing a modest desktop rig, I'd say not recommended for subs period! What I meant by not sure how it stacks up, I was referring to it's capability in attempting to be load invariant ... towards doubling down, etc. I find this offering very attractive, the performance/cost ratio is strong. Except my IB, I'm all active, I'm not in the market ... but I can certainly see the market for such a piece ... as long as the sonics are fine (Gene didn't listen). You're right, it saves someone from buying a big monster amp, ... (which they probably would benefit from, but perhaps not fully appreciate).
These tested well. Amazing price really! They even look good! Looking forward to the bench test on the Yamaha RN2000a. Hopefully we see it soon. Thanks!
Hey Gene, is there's any sensibility to adding a 2100X to say an AVR like the Yamaha RX-V6A with 100 watts 2ch driven at .06 THD to power a 2 channel system? The speakers I would be using have an 87dB sensitivity. The up front power numbers are definitely close. But obviously there's always more to everything.
@@Audioholics So you're saying if 3 channels are being used on a 100 watt x 7 AVR (Onkyo) it would not improve anything going to the m3100x, 100 watts is 100 watts either way ❓ 8 ohm speakers, rtr1530
@c0uchsl0uch it would take some load off the AVR, especially if the speakers are all running fullrange. But if it's a $1k+ AVR, I'd just stick with the internal AVR amps.
Great, I literally just bought the 7 channel this week. 😂 Installed it yesterday. Granted I’m only running 4 Klipsch Pro 6800 ceiling speakers @ 4 ohms for atmos and not using 3 of the channels. So far it’s working great.
I'm literally in the same boat. Just got the 7 channel yesterday. I was only going to use it to drive 6 KEF Ci160QR in-ceiling speakers for Atmos. Have opened it but haven't hooked it up yet.🤞 it's just fine for that use case!
Hi Gene! I recently picked up the Monolith M3100X. I have it connected to a Marantz SR-5015. It is driving a pair of KEF Q350s and a Q250C. I am really enjoying it. Love the build quality. During movies I get great dynamics and crisp clear dialogue. For music it really opens up the sound stage. Detail and clarity are 👍👍! Have a great one!
Question for you, I see your receiver has 100 watts with 2 ch driven at .08 THD which is pretty close to the rating of the 3100X's. If you have made any 2 channel comparisons running on your AVR vs using the pre outs to your M3100?
By the way the XPA amps are all Class H power supplies with an SMPS vs. a linear power supply unlike previous amps. Also sourced most likely from ToneWinner.
