Help with a new 2 channel amp

[ematthews]

Can anyone here help recommend a really good quality 2 channel amp. I have had multiple issues with my Emotiva XPA-2 amp and think I need to get away from the brand...This is a maybe. It's been hard to find something to replace it. Budget is $1000.
Parasound and Outlaw are what I have found.. Have no idea if their quality is any better.
I have quality on the mind with a china budget

[Mag_Neato]

Parasound has several 2 channel amps at or below your budget. Outlaw does not offer a 2 channel amp so you would have to get a multi channel model or 2 of their mono block amps. Either brand should be reliable.

[ematthews]

I was looking at the Outlaw Mono amps. Nad is another consideration...Would like to find a warm sounding amp if I could over the very neutral Emo amp.

[shinny]

Odyssey Stratos 175 watts, very authoritative, can be had used under $1,000. Built like a tank--smooth and powerful.

[FirstReflect]

Just one man's opinion, my favourite brands for amps are ATI and Anthem. In the case of Anthem, my particular favourite models in their lineup are towards the higher end, so that leaves ATI as the run away favourite in your case, IMO.

Just so you know, ATI is the OEM for a great many amplifier brands. B&K, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Theta, Earthquake, Cinepro, and quite a few others that they don't state publicly due to their licensing agreements. Oh yeah, and Outlaw

ATI also sells their own B-Stock amplifiers directly via ClassicAudioParts.com . You are dealing directly with ATI in the case of ClassicAudioParts (if you call them or you call ATI, the same people answer the phone ). And while the items there are sold as B-Stock due to extremely minor cosmetic flaws, they still come with ATI's 7 year warranty!

So that is where I would point you in a heartbeat. If you don't see the exact ATI model you'd want to buy for the price you'd like currently listed at ClassicAudioParts, call 'em up on the phone. They're great to talk to, and they'll help you out with getting the amp you want.

That said, if you're more comfortable with brand new, Outlaw's great, too

[curtis]

+1 on ATI...I'm using 1505 that is around 10 years old...robust.

[curtis]

As far as I know the specs on the XSP-1 and the Parasound should be fine with the XDA-2 Gen 2 @ 29db gain.. Correct me if I am wrong. If so then I need to find an different preamp to buy.

Yeah...I would hope they would work well together.

I'm always skeptical of manufacturers' specs/claims if I can't get first hand experience...so I let others test first.

[RPM]

I went from a parasound 2100 to the Emotiva XSP-1 Pre-amp ...the precision and repeatability
of the Emo volume control is fantastic, running with a Gen2 XPA-2 (which replaced a parasound 2125)
for the money is a fantastic combo.

[ematthews]

Thanks for the info on that. I was looking at the P5 over the 2100..

[merrymaid520]

Thanks for the info on that. I was looking at the P5 over the 2100..

I just got the P5 which replaced a 2100. No major differences besides the nicer volume control etc. I didn't directly compare them. Both sound leaps and bounds better than my yamaha receiver.