Overview

BasX: The Foundation of a Superb Audio System

A great audio system starts with quality components that deliver excellent technical performance with superb sound quality. When you break it down, audio components don’t need to have a lot of fancy features, complicated controls, or unnecessary bells and whistles to perform exceptionally. If sound quality, flexibility, and performance are your goal, the new Emotiva BasX is for you.

BasX is value, simplicity, and sound quality - streamlined. Every product in the BasX line combines excellent performance, exceptional sound quality, and true value. It may not have crazy bells and whistles, or be made of rare materials, or have jewelry-like finishes, but it’s clean and rock solid. And in our opinion, it’s beautiful too.

Every BasX component is designed from the bottom up to sound and perform flawlessly. You don’t need to be an engineer to set it up, or inherit a fortune to own it. BasX brings the “high end” to everyone.

You can build music system out of our BasX components that will give you years of enjoyment, along with every bit of the sound quality you expect from a true audiophile component. Try adding one or two BasX components to round out your existing audio system. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.

BasX Features

The BasX offers all the essential features that make a great audio component. The circuitry in the BasX A-500 features a heavy duty linear power supply, great sounding high-current short signal path Class A/B amplifier modules, a trigger input and output, and industry standard unbalanced audio inputs. It also includes audiophile-quality fault protection that’s completely transparent in normal operation, yet protects the A-500 and your other equipment from common fault conditions.

BasX Performance

The BasX A-500 delivers real audiophile sound quality – and we’ve got the specs to back that up: 110 watts RMS per channel at less than 0.1% THD into 8 ohms (two channels driven); THD+N of less than 0.02%; and a signal to noise ratio of 120 dB referenced to full power.

BasX Simplicity

While the BasX A-500 offers lots of performance, you won’t need a Ph.D. to install and use it. Just plug the BasX A-500 into any standard 115 VAC or 230 VAC line; it will figure out the correct voltage to use. A removable heavy-duty power cable is included, and, if you want to experiment with power cords, the BasX A-500 also accepts any industry standard IEC power cable. The speaker outputs are heavy duty five-way insulated binding posts that work equally well with bare wire, banana plugs, or spade lugs.

BasX Quality

The BasX A-500 is built to last, with a heavy duty steel chassis, solid milled aluminum faceplate, and high-quality parts and construction… We expect you to enjoy your BasX A-500 for a long time – and we back that up with a full three-year warranty.

The BasX A-500

Features

• • Great sounding Class A/B output stage - ensures smooth detailed sound and incredibly natural imaging - without a trace of harshness or strain.
  • Wide band with low noise design - Hear everything your high definition sources have to offer.
  • Heavy duty linear power supply - with an oversized torodial power transformer and plenty of current capacity to drive even difficult speakers.
  • Top quality parts and construction - promise years of reliable service.
  • Double sided FR4 circuit boards with plated-through holes – enable us to use short, optimized signal paths and minimize the need for point-to-point wiring.  
  • Totally stable - designed for use in the real world, with real speakers.
  • Heavy steel 2RU chassis with milled aluminum face plate - provide strength and rugged good looks.
  • Heavy duty insulated five-way speaker binding posts - allow you to use a wide range of speaker cables with bare wires, lugs, or banana plugs.
  • Remote trigger input and output - allow the BasX A-500 to be turned on by trigger-enabled equipment, and to activate other trigger-enabled equipment.
  • Audiophile-grade fault protection - entirely transparent under normal conditions, yet protects the amp and your other equipment from all common fault conditions.
  • Universal AC line voltage operation - the BasX A-500 is designed to operate on either 115 VAC or 230 VAC at 50/60 Hz, and automatically detect and configure themselves to operate with your local line voltage.
  • Standard IEC power inlet - fits all standard and audiophile IEC power cables. 
  • Three year warranty - ensures that you’ll be able to enjoy your BasX power amp for years to come.

Specs

Circuit Topology

The BasX A-500 is a five channel power amplifier. The BasX A-500 combines classical audiophile amplifier architecture - based on a heavy-duty linear power supply, and a carefully designed high current, short signal path, Class A/B output stage, with advanced, microprocessor-controlled monitoring and protection circuitry, to deliver superb sound quality at a truly reasonable price.

Power Output (two channels driven)

110 watts RMS per channel; 20 Hz - 20 kHz; THD < 0.1%; into 8 Ohms190 watts RMS per channel; 1 kHz; THD < 1%; into 4 Ohms

Power Output (all channels driven)

80 watts RMS per channel; 20 Hz - 20 kHz; THD < 0.1%; into 8 Ohms

Power Bandwidth (at rated power; 8 Ohm load)

20 Hz to 20 kHz (+ / - 0.07 dB).

Broad Band Frequency Response

5 Hz to 80 kHz (+ / - 1.8 dB).

THD + noise

< 0.02% (A-weighted); at rated power; 1 kHz; 8 Ohms

Signal to Noise Ratio (8 Ohm load)

> 120 dB (A-weighted); ref rated power. > 100 dB (A-weighted); ref 1 watt. 

Minimum Recommended Load Impedance

4 Ohms; which equals one 4 Ohm load or two paralleled 8 Ohm loads. 

Damping Factor (8 Ohm load)

> 500. 

Speaker Output Connections

Audiophile grade, 5-way binding posts.

Power Supply

Linear power supply with heavy duty torodial transformer.

Input Sensitivity (for rated power; 8Ohm load)

1.2 V.

Gain

29 dB.

Input Connections

Unbalanced (RCA); one per channel.

Input Impedance

27 kOhms (unbalanced).

Trigger

Trigger Input: 5 - 12 V (AC or DC); <10 mA input current required.Trigger Output: 12 VDC; can drive any load up to 120 mA.

Power Requirements

115 VAC or 230 VAC @ 50 / 60 Hz (automatically detected).

Front Panel Controls and Indicators

Standby; push button (halo ring changes color to indicate Standby or On).Status LEDs; one per channel; blue.Status LEDs change to red to indicate a fault condition.

Rear Panel Controls

AC Power switch; rocker switch (switches AC main power).Status LEDs switch; disables front panel Status LEDs.

Protection

The BasX A-500 is protected against excessive operating temperature, shorted speaker connections, ground faults, and other common fault conditions.

Dimensions

17” wide x 4” high x 15.5” deep (does not include connectors)21-1/2” wide x 8” high x 21” deep (boxed).

Weight

26.5 lbs (net)35 lbs (boxed)