Emotiva XPA DR-3 - Differential Reference™ Three-Channel Power Amplifier

XPA-DR3 Differential Reference™ Three-Channel Power Amplifier

The XPA-DR3 is a high-powered three-channel audiophile power amplifier that combines the exceptional accuracy and finesse of a true balanced differential design with the power you need to deliver musical crescendos and movie special effects with stunning realism and impact. Whatever your listening preferences, the XPA-DR3 will give you the combination of detail and power than only a fully differential amplifier can provide.

The XPA-DR3 features three Differential Reference™ Amplifier Modules, and is the ideal choice to power the critical front three channels of an absolutely awesome surround sound music or home theater system. The XPA-DR3 delivers 450 watts RMS into 8 Ohms, and 600 watts RMS into 4 Ohms, all three channels driven, with less than 0.1% THD.

The Power Supply : The Foundation Of A Great Amplifier

In amplifier design, everything starts with the power supply. The XPA-DR3 features a custom-configured version of Emotiva's high-current switch mode power supply (SMPS) - a lightweight, powerful, intelligent design capable of delivering over 3 kW of continuous power with absolute reliability and extremely high efficiency. Cutting edge SMPS offers the dynamic attributes of a classic transformer-based design with none of the drawbacks. Like the best transformer-based power supplies, Emotiva's SMPS delivers plenty of continuous power to enable the amplifier modules to live up to their full performance potential, and plenty of dynamic power to ensure that musical peaks will never be compressed or limited. However, compared to transformer-based designs, Emotiva's SMPS is lighter and more efficient; it’s also fully regulated, which ensures optimum performance under a wider range of load conditions.  

The Latest In A Long Line Of Great Amplifiers

The Differential Reference Amplifier Modules Emotiva use in the XPA-DR amplifiers use the same basic circuit topology as Emotiva's legendary XPR series amplifiers. A unique differential input stage, with a cross-linked current source, drives a balanced voltage amplification stage, and this advanced input circuitry delivers an incredibly accurate and pure audio signal to the complementary, fully discrete output stage. A pair of these modules work together in perfect synergy to power a single channel of one of Emotiva's new fully balanced, fully differential, XPA-DR amplifiers. Together they deliver a holistic, natural, and powerful listening experience.  Low-level musical details and dialogue emerge from a deep black background; musical crescendos are delivered with both stunning impact and precision. The wide bandwidth, low distortion performance of the XPA-DR3 reveals every nuance of your high-resolution music sources, and it has plenty of power to drive even difficult loudspeakers with absolute authority and control. 

Class A/B Sound Quality Meets Optimized Class H Efficiency

The Differential Reference™ Modules in the XPA-DR3 each use utilize a matched pair of amplifier modules, each of which features Emotiva's fully analog Class A/B output stage, and Emotiva's highly regarded Soft-Switch™ Class H power supply topology, which increases their efficiency significantly without compromising the audio performance you’d expect from an Emotiva amplifier. The output stage in each operates on a lower supply voltage at low power levels to minimize quiescent power consumption and standby power losses, instantly switching to a higher voltage rail when needed to ensure the signal passes cleanly and without clipping. This process happens on a continuous basis in real time, allowing greater overall efficiency, cooler operation, longer component life, reduced power consumption, and increased reliability.

The Benefits Of A Fully Differential Balanced Power Amplifier

Most experts agree that, if you want the absolute best sound quality and technical performance, you should use dedicated separate components. Because Emotiva's power amplifiers are designed for a single purpose, they can concentrate on ensuring that they perform that one task very well, and avoid the compromises inherent in products that are expected to perform a variety of different functions.

The Differential Reference Modules in the XPA-DR3 are each made up of a perfectly symmetrical balanced pair of high-performance amplifier modules. Each individual amplifier module already has vanishingly low distortion but, by connecting them as a balanced differential pair, a significant portion of the tiny amount of remaining nonlinearity is cancelled out. As a result, Emotiva is able to achieve even lower levels of distortion in the XPA-DR2, resulting in remarkably transparent sound, with unprecedented smoothness and clarity.

When you put it all together, the XPA-DR3 is simply the finest three-channel amplifier Emotiva can devise, and we’re sure you’ll be as impressed with its performance as we are.

Latest and Greatest - A new approach to amplifier design.

When they set out to make the new X Series line, they analyzed everything in every amplifier they ever made, from front to back, inside, and out. In doing so, Emotiva discovered several areas where their years of experience, and advances in audio technology, indicated that they could make significant improvements in their amplifier designs. After carefully weighing all the pros and cons, they kept the best features of their original designs, added a new set of optimizations and improvements, and the result became the foundation of their new line of audiophile amplifiers. The new XPA-DR amplifiers are the fully differential members of Emotiva's new XPA amplifier family, and carry their philosophy of continuous product improvement to its ultimate conclusion.

Modular Construction

Each XPA-DR Differential Reference™ Power Amplifier is comprised of a heavy-duty chassis, which houses their massively overdesigned, fully regulated, 3 kW switch mode power supply, and up to three Differential Reference™ Amplifier Modules. The front panel display and protection system are designed to work with the maximum number of channels, and so need not be updated when the XPA-DR is expanded; on the rear panel, slots not occupied by amplifier modules will be covered with protective cover panels.

Differential Reference™ Performance And Sound Quality

• High-powered, fully-differential, low distortion amplifier design delivers massive dynamics with smooth precision, offering superbly detailed sound and incredibly natural imaging.

Sound Quality First

• Designed first and foremost to sound superb in all types of audio systems with all types of music.
• Low noise, low distortion, wideband amplifier design with traditional Class A/B output stage ensures smooth, detailed sound, without a trace of strain or harshness.
• Totally stable with real world speakers in real systems; not just on a test bench.

Modern Efficient Circuit Design

• Optimized Soft-Switch Class H™ power supply topology delivers improved efficiency without compromising audio performance.
• Switched Mode Power Supply (SMPS) offers all of the performance of a traditional linear power supply, with improved efficiency and reliability, and reduced overall weight.

Quality Construction

• Top quality parts and construction throughout for years of reliable trouble-free  service.
• Heavy steel 4RU chassis with milled aluminum faceplate offers strength and rugged good looks.
• Solid machined gold-plated RCA input connectors provide a reliable connection with a wide variety of audio interconnects.
• Fully modular construction allows you to purchase as many channels as you need today, and then add more channels later when and if you need them.
• Designed, assembled, and tested in the U.S.A. at Emotiva's plant in
  Franklin, Tennessee

Flexible Signal Connections and Power Options

• Gold plated five-way speaker binding posts with clear shields allow you to use a wide range of speaker cables with bare wires, lugs, or banana plugs.
• Choice of balanced or unbalanced input for each channel, independently controlled by reliable metal toggle switches.
• Remote trigger input and output allow the XPA-DR3 to control and be controlled by other trigger-enabled equipment.
• World compliant AC line voltage operation enables the XPA-DR3 to operate on any line voltage between 100 VAC and 250 VAC 50/60Hz.
• Standard IEC power inlet fits all standard IEC power cables and most custom audiophile power cables.

Protection

• Audiophile-grade fault protection is entirely transparent under normal listening conditions, yet protects the amp and your other equipment from virtually all common faults.
• The XPA-DR3 is protected from AC line faults by a rugged resettable rear panel push-button circuit breaker.
• Full five-year warranty ensures that you’ll be able to enjoy your XPA-DR3 amplifier for years to come.

Audio Specifications (Three Differential Reference Amplifier Modules):

Power Output (all three channels driven):
450 watts RMS, per channel, into 8 Ohms, at <0.1% THD.
600 watts RMS, per channel, into 4 Ohms, at <0.1% THD.

Power Bandwidth (at rated power; 4 Ohm - 8 Ohm load): 20 Hz to 20 kHz (+ / – 0.1 dB).

Broad Band Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 50 kHz +0/-2 dB.

THD + noise: < 0.015%; at 100 watts RMS; 1 kHz; 8 Ohms.

Signal to Noise Ratio (8 Ohm load):
> 120 dB; ref FTC rated power; unbalanced input (A-weighted).
> 96 dB; ref 1 watt; unbalanced input (A-weighted).

Minimum Recommended Load Impedance (per channel): 4 Ohms
(which equals one 4 Ohm load or two paralleled 8 Ohm loads).

Damping Factor (8 Ohm load): > 500.

Input Sensitivity (for rated power; 8 Ohm load): 2.0 V.

Gain: 29 dB.

• Maximum Power Consumption: 2,300 watts.
  Note: The values shown refer to the amount of power the amplifier would 
  consume while playing test tones continuously, on all channels, at full power, into a load bank. Therefore they are not at all characteristic of what you would expect when playing music or the sound track from a movie. Normal audio signals are dynamic, so the amount of power they require from second to second varies widely, and the average is far lower than this. With normal content, even playing very loudly, one of our amplifiers will consume far less power than indicated in the chart, so these values should not be considered to be a circuit requirement for normal operation.

Input Impedance:
33 kOhms (balanced).
23.5 kOhms (unbalanced).

 

Input And Output Connections

Input Connections:
Unbalanced (RCA); balanced (XLR); one each, per channel, user selectable.

Speaker Output Connections: Audiophile grade, gold plated, 5-way binding posts.

Trigger:
Trigger Input: 5 – 12 V (AC or DC); <10 mA input current required.
Trigger Output: 12 VDC; can drive any load up to 120 mA.

 

Power Requirements

Between 100 VAC and 250 VAC @ 50 / 60 Hz (automatically detected).

Front Panel Controls and Indicators

Standby: push button (halo ring changes color to indicate Standby or On).

Status LEDs: one per channel; blue.
Status LEDs change to red to indicate a fault condition.

 

Rear Panel Controls

AC Power switch: rocker switch (switches AC main power).

Status LEDs switch: disables front panel Status LEDs and dims Standby button halo.

Input selector switches (one per channel): 
metal toggle switches; select between balanced and unbalanced inputs.

Circuit Breaker: press button to reset circuit breaker.

 

Protection

The XPA-DR3 is protected against excessive operating temperature, shorted speaker connections, ground faults, and other common fault conditions.

 

Mechanical

Dimensions:
17” wide x 8” high x 19” deep (unboxed; including feet).
17” wide x 7” high x 19” deep (unboxed; without feet).
24-1/2” wide x 12” high x 24-3/4” deep (boxed).

Weight:
49.5 lbs (unboxed).
54.5 lbs (boxed).