Emotiva BasX A6 Six-Channel Power Amplifier

The Emotiva BasX A6 is a six-channel Class A/B power amplifier sitting in the middle of Emotiva's BasX multi-channel amplifier range. The BasX lineup spans from the two-channel A2 through to the seven-channel A7, with the A6 positioned between the five-channel A5 and the seven-channel A7. Above the BasX series, Emotiva's XPA range offers higher per-channel power reserves for more demanding installations. The A6 is aimed at home cinema systems requiring dedicated amplification for surround, height, or wide channels beyond the capacity of an AV receiver's internal amplification.

Amplification & Power Supply

The A6 employs Class A/B amplifier modules fed by a heavy-duty linear power supply built around an oversized toroidal transformer. With all six channels driven simultaneously, each channel delivers 90 watts into 8 ohms or 125 watts into 4 ohms. When only two channels are active, output rises to 120 watts per channel into 8 ohms or 175 watts per channel into 4 ohms, providing additional headroom in partially loaded configurations. The amplifier achieves a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 112 dB (A-weighted), total harmonic distortion plus noise of less than 0.02%, and a damping factor exceeding 500 into an 8-ohm load. Power bandwidth is rated at 20 Hz to 20 kHz (±0.02 dB), with a broader frequency response of 10 Hz to 80 kHz (+0/−1.8 dB).

Connectivity

Each of the six channels is served by an individual unbalanced RCA input, allowing connection to any processor, preamplifier, or AV receiver equipped with pre-out facilities. Input impedance is 27 kilohms, input sensitivity is 1.2 volts for rated power into 8 ohms, and voltage gain is 29 dB. The minimum recommended load impedance is 4 ohms per channel. Speaker connections use audiophile-grade five-way binding posts that accept banana plugs, spade lugs, or bare wire.

Trigger & Protection

A 12-volt trigger input (accepting 5–12V AC or DC, drawing less than 10 mA) enables automatic power-on when connected to a processor or AV receiver. A corresponding trigger output (12V DC, up to 120 mA) can cascade to additional amplifiers or components. Per-channel status LEDs provide visual indication of operational status or fault conditions. Built-in transparent fault protection covers excessive operating temperature, shorted speaker connections, and ground faults. The amplifier automatically detects and configures itself for either 115V or 230V mains supply at 50 or 60 Hz.