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The Denon has 120 watts per channel. The Emotive XPA-3 has 200 watts per channel. I looked on Emotive web site and did not see the XPS-3.
Its XPA-3 and its easy to find on the site.....
Its not that simple....The Denon has listed spec of 120W/ch into 8 ohms but what is the true measurement for 5 or 7 channels driven, what is the true power given to the LCR and at what ohms? What is the true distortion measurement when driving speakers hard? Impedance is all over the map so AVRs sometimes fail to produce much powers as the impedance dips. AVRs seem to not meet their power specs either.
The emotiva amps tend to be UNDER rated from everything I have read and experienced in house but I have not had mine tested.
No AVR is built to have a great internal AMP so External amps are going handle the power better its just a scientific and manufacturing fact.
Here is the SPL vs dB chart
1W = 3dB gain
2W = 6dB gain
4W = 9dB gain
8W = 12dB gain
16W = 15dB gain
32W = 18dB gain
64W = 21dB gain
128W = 24dB gain
256W = 27dB gain
+24 to +26dB is about all we will get out of either the Denon alone or the Denon/XPA, the question though really is the dynamic PEAKS that each will handle and what is the distortion levels at that +24-26dB level? (keeping in mind that speakers have impedance curves that will drop to less then 4 ohm sometimes)
btw, I own a Denon 2809 and I did own a XPA-5 (sold it recently because I kept my Sunfire amp). The XPA series is the best $$$/performance out there period. Nothing will match them!