One answer. YES!!!! Get Pass Labs and don't look back. I have the X260.8 monoblocks I will never go back to tubes.
Happy Listening
Mark
Happy Listening
Mark
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It all comes down to system synergy and with the right front end and the right speakers, Pass Labs are extraordinary. I have heard Pass Labs sound only so-so, but it has pretty much always been due to poor speaker synergy. For my Audio Physic Avanti III, the Pass Labs XA60.5 has really turned out to be the best. |
No other company I know of takes care of their customers like Pass Labs. You can call them at any time and discuss your entire system. They will cheerfully talk to you. When it comes to repairing something NOBODY compares to Pass! Their philosophy is not to charge for repairs more then necessary. I had a Pass Labs X1 preamp for years. It finally needed work. It was of a vintage that they needed to replace several circuit boards in order to facilitate the repair. I braced myself for the bill. Including a new shipping carton they charged me $125.00!!!!! Insane but great for me and all who decide to be Pass owners. Good luck. Joe |
Pass is one of the top choices among the solid state amplifier. But if you listen to mostly Jazz, I recommend you to try tube amplifier. The Jazz voice will sound magical with tube amplifier. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/the-most-musical-sound-in-my-40-year-s-audio-history#1659706 You did not specify your speakers. If your speaker is efficient you can try small power SET amplifier. But if your speaker is not efficient you had better try out PP tube amplifier with more than 100watts. If is always important to check the synergy between amp and speaker by auditioning at your home. |
Pass will Pass but others wil to. Try as many as you can and try a Hegel if you have the chance. I have heard them only in an audio Show setting. As a tube gear owner I put this sollid state Amp on my check it out in my system list. In my network there is a buzzing about Innamorata AMPs. They are all tube lovers that have no objective to sollid state but Sollid state gear has to be "alive". What that means is to subjective and a matter of taste. Only your ears can judge. Great to have such a budget at hand...many options. Don't settle in to soon and have fun. |
I guess since you listen to your music "Loud"....I need to tell you that I recently tried an McIntosh, model MC402. After swapping everything over from the Pass X-350 and powering it up? ,The difference in power was literally "astounding". Physically the X-350 is an intimidating amplifier. It is, just plain and simply, "Huge". But the MC402 is no slouch. In fact next to the X-350, it's the largest "By physical dimensions", amplifier I have owned and about the same weight. The thing was, When I first powered on the MC402. I brought the gain up just a bit to hear the source that was playing. The gain was set so low that at most it should have been about 60db. I didn't hear anything and walked over to the media player that I had been playing with as well, and noticed it actually hadn't started. So, "And yes, I can feel many of you cringing , As you surely know what came next!!!" I "manually" hit "start". The MC402 responded immediately, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the large glass pane in my, "French Doors" just to my left bow outwards from the SPL, As I turned quickly to reach the gain control to reduce the volume I noticed "Again out of the corner of my eye", that the "cat" was in mid-air, "NOT again" I thought. and very luckily down went the gain before any damage, "real" had been done. Over the next few days I played with the amp but it was just too much. I LOVE my music loud. Just under the threshold for damage actually. "I do keep a calibrated db meter handy". But with the speaker system I have, which is VERY sensitive. And the peaks at certain times, in certain passages were just too much because of the "headroom" that amplifier had. This in my 40+ years of listening seriously, has never happened before that amplifier or since. So you "May", wish to give a listen to one of those. The fellow I sold it to in Ca. a couple of weeks ago simply couldn't stop calling me and thanking me. "First time for that as well"! He had been "Bi-Amping" with a pair of MC2205's he said. And that he had wanted to try a more contemporary and possibly more powerfull amp. "Mission Accomplished"! And I went back to my, "as I see it now", "Moderately Powered", X-350. Though according to "Nelson", It does have an "Albiet Breif", and I do forget the amount of "nano-seconds" mentioned but, An output of 1500WPC at certain times when reproducing "Detail" was in fact, available in the X-350. I will add though that as a whole I have always found the Mac's just a bit too bright for "my" ears at least. And at my "Reference" listening level. But if you want a multitude of power..... Try hunting one of those up, or a similar "Mac". And give it a shot. Many do swear by them. Just not "I". I do wonder what kind of "Home" audio speaker would be "SO" inefficient that one would actually need a pair of their MC601's? Their use in "Pro" applications "Not-withstanding". |
@cakyol I am fortunate to have a friend in the business which over the years has allowed me to switch various amp & pre's in and out of my system. I was fortunate to have a Pass designed Threshold for quite a while, then I heard a Pass X250.5 mated to a X2.5 pre amp and that has been the foundation of my system. Great specs, reliability, hand built like a tank, manufacturer backup if/when needed, and incredible sound. And isn't that what it's all about ? I don't necessarily agree with others on the alleged "furnace" effect. As you inferred, it's Class A . I'm generally pumping 60-100w per channel which on my system and in my music room is perfect. The amp gets hot to the touch when pushed, but in standby it's cool and draws about 100w. Turn it on and it can drive most anything perfectly without concern. ( I'm currently using bi-wired B&W 802D2s ) . I will add that since I added a PS Audio P10 Regenerator , the amp and pre have only improved in performance. I would and will buy nothing else and that's my opinion on the matter. Happy hunting & listening .... SHAD |
Best is a relative term in that you need to understand the synergy between the Amp and speakers and pre amp. Pass makes a great amp, but the key is finding those who have the same speakers and what they use for power. I have my own bias and budget and those also play a role in ownership. It is Not a simple answer, yet the journey should be enjoyable as you discover what is best for Your Ears. |
I have a Pass Lab's Original X-350. " I LOVE it",. And I looked around and there is one on ebay that say's it's, "Mint cond. and serviced with a warranty". Hee hee, You would still have ten grand left! What to do? what to do? New preamp to match? The new models do not list a new model X-350.8. I think it's just the X-300.8? So 50 watts less per channel. But at $83,000 MSRP? It's a bit pricey..... |
I have been at Pass labs dealer for almost 6 years we are located on Long Island - The name of our store is sound insight. I have access to just about any type of amplifier there is out there. We just won best sound at show at capital audio fest 2018 from AVshowrooms and have been given rave reviews by many other reviewer‘s who have visited our exhibit. We exclusively use Pass labs electronics on our new planar magnetic speakers from GT Audioworks ( which incidentally does not possess a crossover on the main wideband planar magnetic driver) Pass Labs was also used at our exhibit at capital audiofest. Please click the below link we are the fifth reviewed system. https://www.facebook.com/1102092986504236/posts/2047263858653806/ |
Since my brother owns one and I know them well read this review Gryphon Diablo -300 integrated Amplifier . http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/gryphon3/1.html |
Fantastic Integrated my brother just bought one a month ago Gryphon Diablo of Denmark this is a work of Art it is better sounding then the majority of seperates . I owned a Audiostore and inside parts quality and engineering design are critical. and has won many awards .thereis a distribution center in Canada and one in the U.S. this is Built, tested and retested on many parameters before for days before passing and very powerful and doubles in power from 8-2ohms.a Fantastic product which I rarely will say !! |
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probably the best ever you can buy... 'Probably best' to reframe the above. : ) I'm writing this as I listen to and enjoy my system with my Pass XA30.8 in it. Having said this, I prefer my T+A PA 3100 HV. The T+A stands strong after being tested versus a number of amps, including the Pass XP20 and XA 30.8 pairing. Recently, I used the T+A's Pre-out and I was really, really surprised by the sound quality of my system. I'll be doing the same with the amp section once I get a proper XLR cable in system. I encourage you to consider the T+A. Once the savings from a reduced interconnect and power cord count and isolation, are factored in, you will be ahead financially. It's also more feature laden and flexible than my Pass separates. Let me repeat that I really like my Pass gear. I happen to like, appreciate and enjoy the T+A to a greater degree, given my system, personal preferences, etc. |
Op Pass makes very good warm sounding gear, there are many companies that do battle with Pass and some feel that their products are even better. We had a client who was looking for an uber integrated amp and was comparing the 250 watt Pass integrated to a T+A integrated a $11k 2500R and thought the T+A gear was far superior drivin g his Wilson's. The T+A 2500R is an amazing integrated amplifier that employs high voltage rails to run transistors like tubes the amp sound very present with a slightly warm sound killer bass and dynamics and a gigantic soundstage a bit hard to find but worth checking out. A Gryphon integtrated is another killer piece that many people feel is better as well. Also a real sleeper package the new Anthem STR amp and preamp is very warm, 400 watts on tap, built in dac, and room correction the two peices are $10k, not very well known but very impressive engineering and a great deal. I would compare any of the above with any Pass product. Another sleeper is CODA. CODA is run by Doug Dale. Doug and Nelson worked together at Threshold. CODA continues a lot of Nelson's design ideas but they charge about half of what Pass does. American made with a cult following. A CODA CSIB integrated is a 400 watt integrated amp with the first 5-25 can be run in Pure Class A. Great amp for $6k Dave and Troy Audio Doctor NJ |
Can you say any piece of equipment or manufacturer is the best. As Roberjerman suggests, best is in the context of other components. Pass labs are great, I still remember my old Aleph 3 and wonder why I sold it. If you put a gun to my head and don't please, I would say D'Agostino, with Dartzeel a close second. Of those, the best value would be the Darzeel integrated amps, I'd love one. |