TheStevest
New Member
I recently picked up an Emotiva RSP-1 Pre-Amp and RPA-1 Power-Amp combo to give some more drive to my polk SDA 1-Cs. (Previously powered by a restored SX-9000)
I got them home and hooked them up to my SDA-1Cs and was immediately dissapointed... It was like someone had thrown a sheet over the speakers. The bass was great, but highs and mids sounded quiet and muddled. Even with the treble control turned to max it didn't have that "sparkle" on the high-end that you expect. I thought it might be the pre-amp so I switched the RSP-1 out for my SX-9000 using the pre-out lines, but it still sounded the same.
The RPA-1 had fantastic reviews and is rated at 350wpc into a 4 ohm load. Interior construction is basically dual Monoblocks, with each channel having it's own high-current toroidal transformer. It is also a common-ground amp (required for SDA speakers)
The build quality and finish of the Emotivas is amazing, hefty units with beautiful finishing and presence. I demo'd them with a pair of 4 ohm DIY speakers and they sounded amazing, crisp, punchy, and powerful.
Has anyone else experienced this before? Do some speakers and amps just not play well together? For now I've gone back to using my SX-9000 to power the Polks and to my ears it sounds much better, even with the lower power.
Any Ideas? I know this is in general a very favored amp/preamp, but I'm not sure what it is.
tldr; Emotiva RPA-1 sounds like trash with Polk SDA 1C's, is it the speakers? amp? combo that doesn't work well?
I got them home and hooked them up to my SDA-1Cs and was immediately dissapointed... It was like someone had thrown a sheet over the speakers. The bass was great, but highs and mids sounded quiet and muddled. Even with the treble control turned to max it didn't have that "sparkle" on the high-end that you expect. I thought it might be the pre-amp so I switched the RSP-1 out for my SX-9000 using the pre-out lines, but it still sounded the same.
The RPA-1 had fantastic reviews and is rated at 350wpc into a 4 ohm load. Interior construction is basically dual Monoblocks, with each channel having it's own high-current toroidal transformer. It is also a common-ground amp (required for SDA speakers)
The build quality and finish of the Emotivas is amazing, hefty units with beautiful finishing and presence. I demo'd them with a pair of 4 ohm DIY speakers and they sounded amazing, crisp, punchy, and powerful.
Has anyone else experienced this before? Do some speakers and amps just not play well together? For now I've gone back to using my SX-9000 to power the Polks and to my ears it sounds much better, even with the lower power.
Any Ideas? I know this is in general a very favored amp/preamp, but I'm not sure what it is.
tldr; Emotiva RPA-1 sounds like trash with Polk SDA 1C's, is it the speakers? amp? combo that doesn't work well?
