Emotiva BasX Budget Line of Amplifiers & Preamps Preview

Emotiva Audio Corporation announced the release of a whole new line of multizone amplifiers and stereo preamp/tuners.By the look of them, they’re going to create quite a stir for the budget minded audiophile looking to get into the hi-fi scene.  Dubbed their BasX line of audio components (pronounced basics), Emotiva released a plethora of new units to fit many different pricing points and setup options.

“A central part of Emotiva’s mission is been making it easy to explore and enjoy high-end audio technology that is affordable and a no-brainer to use. We consider BasX a real breakthrough in terms of delivering audiophile power and performance at price points that allow a far larger segment of the market to enjoy high-end audio.”

Dan Laufman, President and Founder of Emotiva.

The new lineup includes four power amplifiers to choose from.  Let’s check these out first:

BasX A-150, A-300, A-500, and A-700 Multi-Channel Amplifiers

The BasX A-150, A-300, A-500, and A-700 range in price from $300 for the 2 channel A-150 to $600 for the 7 channel A-700. These power amps each feature Class A/B output stages on each channel, front panel status indicators, speaker terminals, and trigger input and output.

• BasX A-150: two channels; 75 watts RMS/channel into 8 ohms
• BasX A-300: two channels; 150 watts RMS/channel into 8 ohms
• BasX A-500: five channels; 100 watts RMS/channel into 8 ohms
•  BasX A-700: seven channels; 100 watts RMS/channel into 8 ohms

The BasX A-500 or A-700 looks like a great upgrade to power your speakers if your current AV receiver isn't getting the job done.  Or, if you just want to supplement an ATMOS AV receiver by adding two or four channels of amplification for your height channels, then the A-150 or A-500 would fit the bill.  Of course the A-300 looks very compelling to use to power your stereo front left/right speakers to help take some of the load off your AV receiver.  At only $300, it's a no brainer upgrade, especially if your running your main speakers fullrange and want them to produce the low frequencies which often robs power from midline receivers trying to supply power to ALL of the channels off a rather smallish central power supply.

The BasX A-100 Integrated Amplifier

A small, powerful, integrated amplifier, the A-100 would be ideal for pairing with a small stereo system or as an auxiliary amplifier for a larger system. It includes automatic turn-on and a high-powered headphone output. It's essentially an integrated stereo amplifier (based on the Mini X), with a front panel volume control, Class A/B output stage, fault protection, heavy duty speaker terminals, trigger input and output.   It has the ability to switch on automatically when an input signal is detected, and also features a headphone output. The BasX A-100 is rated for two channels; 50 watts RMS/channel into 8 ohms. Due to its smallish size and ample feature set, we feel this would make for a compelling solution to power a desktop computer audio system.

The PT-100 Preamp/Tuner

The PT-100 ($299) features a FM tuner, and both digital and analog inputs to connect to all audio sources. The PT-100 includes a phono preamp that supports moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, a USB input that supports digital audio up to 24/96k without having to install any computer drivers, and an optional Bluetooth module input.

The menu system is supposed to be easier to use than other preamp/tuners, but we’ll have to run it around the block a few times to see if it’s true.  The front panel VFD display is bright and easy to read, and all unit controls can be accessed from either the front panel or the remote control. The IA-100 ($399) tuner/amplifier includes all of the features of the PT-100, but adds a 50-watt RMS/channel stereo amplifier.   These products offer very cool features that appear to be without peer at these price points.

BasX Multi-Zone Amplifier & Integrated Amps/Tuners

 

A-800

This multi-zone amplifier features a Class A/B output stages on each channel, fault protection, informative front panel status indicators, trigger input and output, individual inputs for each channel and an input bus for multi-zone and multi-room sound distribution. The BasX A-800 boasts eight channels; 50 watts RMS/channel into 8 ohms. This model can be used to run up to eight individual speakers, in one to four zones, and includes a selectable input bus to simplify setting up a multi-zone whole-home audio system.

PT-100

The BasX PT-100 is an intelligent stereo preamp/tuner with both analog and digital inputs and an FM tuner. It features an FM tuner, blue VFD display, phono preamp which supports both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, two line level analog inputs (CD and AUX), four digital audio inputs (coax, optical, USB, and Bluetooth; USB input supports up to 24/96k – no drivers required), and a summed output for connecting an external subwoofer.

IA-100

The BasX IA-100 ($399) is a stereo tuner/amplifier with both analog and digital inputs, an FM tuner, and its own internal 50 watt RMS/channel amplifier. It also includes an FM tuner, blue VFD display, phono preamp which supports both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, two line level analog inputs (CD and AUX), four digital audio inputs (coax, optical, USB, and Bluetooth; USB input supports up to 24/96k – no drivers required), summed output for connecting an external subwoofer, and stereo 50 watts RMS/channel Class A/B amplifier.

MC-700 7.1 CH AV Preamp/Processor

Last but not least, we have the MC-700 7.1-channel AV pre/pro with HDMI 2.0 and Emo-Q room correction. It sports dual-core 32-bit DSP engines and handles all HD audio except the latest immersive surround formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.  The MC-700 has 5 HDMI 2.0 inputs that ALL support HDCP 2.2.  Probably one of the coolest features on this pre/pro that isn't even found on most spendy AV receivers and processors is the programmable parametric EQ available on all channels, as well as a pure analog bypass mode. This allows you to better tune your system response, especially at bass frequencies where EQ is most effective.  The MC-700 also includes 7.1 analog audio inputs and USB audio support.

Budget Doesn't Mean a Compromised Home Theater

Although the new BasX line of products are relatively inexpensive, it doesn't mean you can't assemble quite an impressive home theater system that can rival more expensive solutions.  The MC-700 coupled with a BasX A-700 gets you a full 7.1 separates solution for about the same price as a midpriced AV receiver.  Sure this combo may not have all of the bells and whistles of an AV receiver, but you do get the very important PEQ function (especially on the subwoofer channel) and flexibility to upgrade in the future as technology evolves.  Amplifiers rarely go obsolete, but what do you do with the processing section of an AV receiver once it does? 

We like the compact integrated amplifier solutions like the A-100 and IA-100 both of which can serve as the heart of a two-channel system in a small room or den, or perhaps as a desktop solution for a killer computer/gaming system. 

About Emotiva Audio Corporation 

Emotiva Audio Corporation (www.emotiva.com) is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of high performance audio and video products. Outstanding performance and impeccable customer service has helped build a strong, dedicated following among the most demanding music and movie lovers.

The company invests extensive resources into engineering, development, and quality, the sum of which is reflected in every amplifier, pre-amplifier, processor/controller, audio source, and loudspeaker system bearing the company’s name, assuring end-users an entertainment experience on a par with systems costing significantly more.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.