Emotiva MPS-1 Seven Channel Amplifier Review
Emotiva MPS-1 Amplifier
Summary
- Product Name: MPS-1 Seven Channel Amplifier
- Manufacturer: Emotiva
- Performance Rating:
- Value Rating:
- Review Date: May 22, 2005 20:00
- MSRP: $ 2000
- Specifications
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- Audiophile quality, modular power amplifier.
- True card cage design can accommodate up to seven 200 watt (@8 ohms) mono block power modules - power modules glide in and out on Nylon rails
- 200 watt power modules feature independent 350VA, low noise toroid power transformers w/ high speed rectifiers and 48,000uF of storage per channel for a 336,000uF total, across seven independent channels
- High efficiency Class H power amplifier design, minimizes power losses and allows cool operation
- Complementary, discrete power amplifier design incorporating high current, high speed, Toshiba power devices
- Truly transparent, integrated soft clip circuitry
- Balanced XLR and RCA inputs
- Channel status indicators for standby, operate, and fault
- THD less than .015%, 20Hz-20kHz with 80kHz measurement bandwidth
- DC offset, less than 1mv, servo controlled.
- Completely Stable into 2 ohm loads
- 200 watts/8 ohms - 300 watts/4 ohms - 400 watts/2 ohms *minimum* - seven channels driven, mains limited
- Frequency response 20Hz-20kHz +/- 0.1 dB, or 10Hz-100Khz +/- 3dB
- Signal to Noise Ratio - 100dB, un-weighted
- Crosstalk between ANY channels -greater than 120dB
- Input impedance - 20k ohms.
- Fully protected from all fault conditions with ultra quiet, module mounted, fan assisted cooling for severe duty cycle applications
- Soft start circuitry. Silent turn on/off - No audible transients
- Signal sensing auto turn on or remote trigger. Soft touch power switch
- All aluminum capacitors are premium quality, low ESR, 105°C rated for high reliability and performance.
- Doubled sided, plate through, glass epoxy, FR4 PCB's used throughout with 2 ounce poured copper on all power sections and ground planes
- Modules are designed for field replacement with the removal of four screws
- 5RU chassis with floating multi-element, milled aluminum faceplate. Indirect cobalt blue illumination of all controls and main panel
- Black lacquered, piano finished wood side panels are included, as are milled aluminum rack ears for professional installations
- Massive, multi element milled aluminum faceplate with "floating" wing detail - indirect, cobalt blue panel illumination with panel dimmer
- Power consumption during standby - 3 watts or 60 watts at idle
- IEC power inlet, 120/230 VAC user configurable on modules
- 5 year warranty
- Weight - 115 lbs.
- Dims: (HxWxD) 7 11/16" x 18 7/16" x 18 13/16"
Pros
- Excellent Performance & Fidelity
- Very efficient
- Attractive styling
Cons
- Big and Heavy
- Didn't quite hit power spec
Introduction
Before seven-channel power amps hit the market, consumers were forced to use 2 to 3 conventional multi-channel amps to provide the power. Thankfully, a few astute manufacturers recognized the potential space limitations consumers would soon be facing and developed seven-channel amplifiers for this very application. Until now, most of these designs were either bulky (measuring over 2 feet deep), expensive, and/or suffered design trade-offs by using a single relatively modest power supply meant for 2 or 5 channels amps to serve all seven channels. When I heard about the new Emotiva MPS-1 7-channel amp, I thought to myself, "Oh great, another underachiever 5CH amp forced to be 7CH". Of course, my misconceptions quickly vanished once I read the specifications for the MPS-1. Then my jaw nearly dropped off when I learned of the meager $2k asking price - especially considering the build quality, internal components and potential the product appeared to have. Could this be the ultimate affordable 7CH amplifier? Read on to find out…