What is Differential Reference™?

[@JR-ho5qm]

Great explanation. It would be great to see a balanced Emotiva 2 channel pre amp 👍🏻🔈

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

Oh its happening :)

[@JR-ho5qm]

@@EmotivaAudioCorp 😃. I got to win that 500$ emobucks on the website now!

[@everything4thebiker]

Can’t wait to order the pre amp to go with my XPA-DR2 amp & T3+ speakers!

[@caballerosuave]

@JR, the XSP-1 Gen 2 from years past is a two-channel Differential Reference preamp.

[@scottyo64]

@caballerosuave yeppers been using it for a few years now

[@scottyo64]

Thank you for a great, easy to understand explanation. I have an ERC-3, XSP-1 Gen2 and DR1 monoblocks. So yes, differential referance system. I absolutely love this system.

[@CookingbyCampsite]

This is great Lonnie! Very informative.

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

Glad it was helpful!

[@crimlarksSteve]

Thanks for the great explanation of Differential Reference, Lonnie. I learned something new today! Steve

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

Glad it was helpful!

[@JavonDGreen]

I literally sent an email today about this and a couple of hrs later this video is here. I don’t know if this is just Devine timing or an answer to my email. However I appreciate this video all the same. Thank you for taking the time to make it.

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

We made this just for you...only kidding. Just perfect universe timing :)

[@arvidstorli2501]

In an perfect world that sounds great. But all electronic and all components have it's tolerances and deviations. That means that the signal paths wold be slightly different, the 0 and the 180 path (+/- paths). What will that do at the end of the signalchain? Mayby nothing, but I cant help but wonder. To me balanced makes most sence were it was originally used and necessary, were long signal kables were needed. Like frome a stage, to FOH and back to the amp-racks, of an consert venue.

[@mnyshrpknvs]

So I am looking at the HC1s and the DR2 to run my ATC SCM19s. Aside from the power difference because both would be enough power, which choice would be best?

[@chijiokepenny2100]

Great explanation 👌 👍 That's why I have the dr3

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

Thank you!

[@shaunyweaver1144]

Explained in a none bs way . Thankyou .

[@MarlonBrndo]

Hello Lonnie Than you for a very simple yet detailed explanation. Do you know if the following $7000 amps are fully differential or not.. 1. Parasound JC - 5 2. Michi S5 Thanks

[@rajeshrengarajan1455]

Simply Awesome Explanation. Thank you very much.

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

You are welcome!

[@glenncurry3041]

So each channel has 2 complimentary signal paths in it? One channel to handle the inverted wave of the other? 2 devices, either discrete or chip, for each active process operation, e.g. gain, EQ, ... Are analog volume controls used? 2 needed for each of the channels?

[@wolfmanjacksaid]

So XPA amps aren't fully balanced internally but XPA-DR are?

[@JimmyEis]

That’s why I’m gonna get a dr 3♥️

[@zztop7000]

HELLO 👋 Emotiva I have MC-700 it's a unbalanced if I used a balance output adopter on a XPA amplifier. Will this improve my the MC-700 unbalanced to balance output adopter? Currently I'm using a Emotiva basx5175 upgrading to XPA amplifier is my dream!😊😊

[@maxpower78-15]

Are there any plans for Emotiva to make a 2 channel preamp with at least 1 balanced input and balanced preout to pair with the differential 2 channel amp? Love to hear what that would sound like through the T3 towers

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

We are currently working on our top end differential stereo preamp to hopefully be released this year.

[@maxpower78-15]

@@EmotivaAudioCorp well thats good news. I will wait.

[@maxpower78-15]

@@EmotivaAudioCorp is this the same unit as the dac just announced in the latest podcast?

[@nelsonclub7722]

The Emotiva XDA-3

[@JR-ho5qm]

@@maxpower78-15I think so. The XDA3

[@gdhugh]

What Emotiva products are not Differential balanced? Which are?

[@thefluentone]

well done, thanks.

[@JimmyEis]

Basically it’s an amplifier

[@Anh-Áo-Nâu]

Yes, I understand. Then I have to upgrade all components in the chain with truly balance. Very costly at once

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

True, if you want a "fully" differential signal chain, everything from the sources, to preamp, to amp would need to be fully differential. Though, if you just have one DR unit in the chain, you will still get some benefits compared to a completely unbalanced non differential system.

[@chebrubin]

Is it true we need a 20 amp circuit for the DR3?

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

You do not need a 20 amp circuit to run any of our amplifiers.

[@chebrubin]

@@EmotivaAudioCorp thanks I just love the DR3. There are different critics out there, talk about class D etc. But even Amir from audio science review has to confirm the power.... the power... he can't get over the amount of power and control over my B&W front LCRs is a game changer. Thank you.

[@user-st9wh4ed5l]

By this logic all you need is a DR amplifier. doesn't matter what precedes it.

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

Not true. To be fully differential, the signal needs to start that way from a fully differential source, to fully differential preamp, to the fully differential amplifier. Yes the amp will work its magic on some unbalanced signals ahead of the amp, to get the full benefit, you need to follow a fully differential end to end signal.

[@keithazz5103]

Great breakdown, but still all Greek to me 😮

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

contact us at [e-mail] and we’re happy to answer additional questions!

[@keithazz5103]

@@EmotivaAudioCorp I'm in the middle of thinking about trading up to your XAP-3 3 from the Basx-A2

[@ryanfuller5]

Good explanation, but absolutely the WRONG guy to put on the white board.

[@EmotivaAudioCorp]

Lonnie is the head of the engineering team. He's THE guy.

[@ryanfuller5]

@@EmotivaAudioCorp LOL!! Not how I meant it... his writing and drawing was atrocious. His knowledge is spot on. Just saying, let's get him a scribe. Love you're gear and mission though!! Props!

[@1970borntorun]

It's very difficult to have faith in Emotiva, and their vision for their future. First of all, they claim to be - '"High End gear, priced for the blue collar guy!" ( I'm paraphrasing the Emotiva corporate mission here for the sake of discussion ) when they haven't for years offered a dedicated 2-channel pre-amp for pure Audiophiles. Secondly, I see TONS of used Emotiva gear on the internet which makes one suspect as to the sonic merit of their gear in the first place. Thirdly, why doesnt Emotiva send review samples to The Absolute Sound or Sterophile if they or so confident of the sonic attributes and value of the gear? Lastly, if Emotiva were doing that well as a Business, they wouldn't need to resort to all the price-slashing on their website. Emotiva reminds me of Enron. Everything "seems ok" on the surface. Just don't look too close...🤔

[@hintoninstruments2369]

This explanation is inaccurate and misleading. This guy does not know what balanced really means.

[@devitomichael]

Exactly. I absolutely LOVE my Emotiva products but after watching this, the head of Emotiva engineering dept, now I’m thinking maybe I need to actually compare some other brands. This comment section sounds like a bunch of sycophants. This was the worst “explanation” I’ve ever heard. Maybe the guy knows what he’s talking about, but he sure can’t teach it worth a crap! He literally mentions “it just disappears (the noise)” like 5 times wtf?!? It just disappears! Oh ok. I’m sorry for being such an ass, but when I found this video I was really excited to perhaps learn something new about how Emotiva actually deploys their command over this technology in their product. I literally learned ZERO and I only have a 101 level education when it comes to electronics and I still learned zero. Zero about the technology and zero about Emotiva other than perhaps maybe I shouldn’t be as gung ho about Emotiva as I am which is so disappointing I can’t even begin to say, I’m already about $4K deep and was really really looking forward to buying much more equipment! But this explanation literally started off bad and then just got worse, how on Earth is anyone coming here with a bunch of comments about how “great” of an explanation this is?! “One signal is inverted and the noise just magically disappears at the speaker coil!” Seriously? Am I on another planet? How can anyone not simply be left with 100 more questions after listening to this? Nothing said here literally answered anything! And honestly a good way to measure how well you actually understand a particular subject is to attempt to teach it, and your shortcomings will very quickly become apparent! Well that’s exactly what I see here! For someone who is literally making a video about the subject matter, it honestly doesn’t seem as though this guy has ever attempted to explain this subject before. There is also a phenomenon where someone is actually very knowledgeable but becomes so overwhelmed by all of the things that they could say that the presentation turns into a bunch of incongruous facts, details, and ideas, but this doesn’t even seem like that, it seems more like as this guy started to explain he started to realize that he didn’t really understand the subject nearly as much as he thought he did, really really odd all things considered, the guy is head of engineering and couldn’t take the time to prepare a decent video?! And of course I could be wrong but generally the taste is proof of a good cook and this presentation left a really bad taste in my mouth I’m so disappointed to even admit after how gung ho I’ve been about Emotiva! Literally my very first dive into serious audio equipment and again, I couldn’t be happier! I want to make that clear, absolutely couldn’t be happier with what I have purchased so far! I just wish this guy made a better impression so I’m not left questioning myself so much, I really wish I didn’t even watch this…