![5 channel power amplifier 5 channel power amplifier](https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/pict/353151920196_/JBL-Synthesis-S5165-5-Channel-Power-Amplifier.jpg)
Given that this weighed twice as much as my whole receiver, I was starting to wonder just how underpowered the amplifier section in my receiver might be. The UPA-5 has a large 600VA transformer in addition to 90,000♟ of secondary capacitance so it will always have the power to drive all 5 channels at the rates 125 watts (into 8 ohm, 185 WPC at 4 ohm). Overall, the Emotiva feels incredibly well built, very sturdy, and is a very heavy piece of equipment. Perhaps they could be spaced a bit further apart if you were running a pair of shotgun biwire cables with spades, but I was able to make even that setup work.
#5 channel power amplifier series
The binding posts are nice and sturdy, though not as fancy as you might see on their X series amplifiers, but I had no issues tightening them onto spade lugs, or using banana plugs. As this case can also be used for a 7 channel amp, there is plenty of space between the binding posts to allow for even the most inflexible speaker wire. The rear panel has the main power switch, five RCA inputs, 5 sets of binding posts that will accept bare wire, banana plugs, or spades, and a set of 12V triggers. The front of the UPA-5 has a single power button, and two rows of LED’s to indicate power to the 5 channels. That also means that the UPA-5 will run cooler than some other amplifiers as it’s case is designed to hold even more powerful amps, though you should still provide it plenty of ventilation. All of Emotiva’s amplifiers come in the same size case, which helps them to keep their prices lower, as it’s much simpler to manufacturer a single case for the whole product line. It’s also much heavier than your receiver most likely is, weighing 58 pounds out of the box, and continuing FedEx’s love-hate relationship with me.
#5 channel power amplifier upgrade
In fact, it’s so large that it wouldn’t fit in my current AV rack and finally led me to upgrade to a different one that would be able to easily hold it and all of my other gear.
![5 channel power amplifier 5 channel power amplifier](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Hf25a3e8dbe724c9fa6963765cc6f2cddM/NEW-2500W-bluetooth-5-Channel-Power-Amplifier-HiFi-Stereo-Speaker-Amp-Support-FM-Radio-2-Mic.jpg)
When I saw that Emotiva had announced a new 5 channel amp in their Ultra line, the UPA-5, I quickly asked if they could send one over so I could hook that up to my Onkyo and see what benefit an external amp might provide me. If your receiver has a 9 channel pre-amp output, you can add an amp for as many channels as you want, and since the internal amp is working less, it can power the remaining channels better than it could before. Thankfully, many receivers have pre-out jacks that let you add an external amplifier to your receiver. Imagine what adding 4 more channels would do to it’s maximum power output? My own Onkyo TX-SR706B is rated for 100 watts per channel, and in testing people have found that while it can do 122 watts per channel with 2 channels drives, when you drive 5 channels at once, the power output drops down to 75 watts. For the majority of mass market receivers, they just don’t have the power reserves when more than 1 or 2 channels need lots of power. Typical Class AB amplifiers that are found in receivers need large transformers to have power reserves to be able to drive speakers during dynamic passages in music or movies, and those alone can weigh more than a whole receiver does.
![5 channel power amplifier 5 channel power amplifier](https://d12mivgeuoigbq.cloudfront.net/magento-media/catalog/product/f/2/f209521f-20b4-4607-908c-063215847758.jpg)
Receivers are now designed to drive almost twice as many channels of audio as before with their internal amps, but the amplifiers have typically stayed the same in weight, or even gone down, which leads me to believe that those amplifier sections are underpowered. However, one thing on receivers has barely changed when I look back over the spec sheets: weight. Receivers have added all sorts of new functions with better on screen menus, room correction, Ethernet ports for streaming media and firmware upgrades, and we have also moved from 5.1 channel audio, to 6.1, then 7.1, and now all the way to 9.1 or greater when using Dolby ProLogic IIz or Audyssey DSX. We’ve gone from S-Video to Component to HDMI for video, replaced 6 RCA cables for 5.1 audio with a single digital cable, to having it integrated in the HDMI signal along with video. Over the past decade, lots has changed on receivers that we buy for home.