Bell Canto VS Pass Labs

Maybe in terms of overall power, but definately not on sonics. The PASS X350.5 and X250.5 are both considered state-of-the-art solid-state stereo amplifiers, and imo sound better than any of the top-rated Class-D Amps that I have heard. My experience has been that PASS' X.5 (& XA.5) Amps are more sonically competitive with good Tube Amps, than with Class-D Amps.

Tvad he had a set of xa 60.5's used telling me the customer used those for a trade in on the ref 1000's

totally agree with Tvad. I had an x250.5 and an S300... the Pass was in a completely different league...The S300 while not the ref1000 is based on the same technology...even so even if the s300 i had was significantly better (as in ref1000) the Pass would still be the superior amp. It was a learning experience. There is no such thing as a free lunch in high end and from what I heard this class D amp was basically as good as a decent receiver. IMHO the only truly musical ss amps are based in the classic designs: class A, big power supplies, low noise topologies..lots of iron...its just one of those things.

Mlawitm,

In that case, I would run back there and make him an insanely low offer to take the pair of junk (Pass XA60.5) off his hands.

Actually, why don't you give me his contact info, and I'll take them off his hands. Currently I have the X350.5 and it is way too much overkill for my Verity Parsifal Encore.

FrankC

Gundam I'll trade you the 350.5 for them. I would use them myself but I don't think it is enough for my 802's

Take the camels.... better mileage.

26-lbs. (13-lbs x 2) vs. 150-lbs. pretty much sums it up, and believe me PASS has put that extra 124-lbs. to very good use...apples and oranges...PASS X350.5 all the way.

Mlawitm,

Very tempting! I had purchased the amp before the speakers. I was having issues with my ML 333. The capacitors had blown three times in 9 years. The service tech was candid on the phone and told me it was due mostly to a design issue with the ML 3xx series. I traded it in right after it got fixed for the Pass X350.5 A few months later, I sold my Thiel 3.6, which I had for 10 years, and bought a pair of Parsifal Encores. The order of upgrade kind of went out of sequence as I had been contemplating to change speakers for three years when all this happened.

Anyways, after I finish building the listening room, I want to get a pair of Usher BE-10s. I think I will need the X350.5 to drive those....

FrankC

I actually believe the poster that said weight is a significant factor. Most of the metal goes into transformers. Unfortunately much of the wieght is in the case work. I have heard that those pretty cases account for 50% of the cost.
If the trannies Voltage capability is going to be high to give you head room its going to be heavy. That is an observation. I don't think your only consideration should be weight alone but it matters. Like the 300 BP my car has from a 3 liter engine compared with 300 HP from a 396 cubic inches is different.
As they there is no replacement for displacement.
Pass has a very fine reputation I never hear a bad word about them. Bel Canto is also highly regarded especially the 1000. I have the same problem others have mentioned however with all class D amps, to me they have a very sterile sound lacking rich, lush, fullness.

Mechans not only are the Pass mechanical cases beautiful, but they are necessary in order to close the loop on the thermal design. It's more than gilding the lily; it IS the Lily