Can pass labs ax160 macth b&w 802d ?

Dennistran, here's the answers to your two questions:

1) Pass Labs XA 160 monoblocks do not double down as impedence decreases, so they would drive your 802's, but a better match would be the new XA 160.5's that do double down in lower impedences and offer more current. I own Pass Labs XA-100's and love their performance in my system. If you want more information on the sonics of the XA amps go to my review here on the GON.

2) Based on my personnal taste I find the Pass Labs XA amps much more "musical" with much more liquidity then the ML amps. I just recently listened to the ML amps again, and still find the XA series amps to offer much more to my ear's what music sounds like.

I used to own the 802d and the XA160. I dont disagree with teajay's assessment of the XA's power limitations and sound. I personally think you want to look into amps that are more dynamic and transparent. To me the 802d has a great midrange but it is a bit slow. Its as if it was designed specifically for jazz and female vocal jazz. Mating the XA to it may create too much of a good thing. If you are open to other suggestions, I would look at Ayre amps. My local dealer runs the Ayre with 802d.

Thanks for yours reponses .

I just read a review on the pass amps and it was a good one. The only thing I worry about is power to drive the 802D. The warmth and all in matching with 802's is a matter of taste and whats your taste. I would geuss that this amp has plenty of reserve power, it wieghs 200lb's, but that being said it only puts out 160 watts per ch. I don't think that is enough for the B&W 802D. I think you need a minimum of 300 watts per channel in mono amps to give this speaker what it wants and keep it from sounding "slow"... The dynamics, laid back, or whatever is all a matter of taste, but with the 802D the fact is, bring on the power and it will sing.
beerdraft

If you're talking XA160 prices and want a Pass Labs amp, the X600.5 monoblocks would mate much better with 802D than the XA160 would. Just my opinion.

Easy the XA 160 will run the 802Ds but it might not be what you expect. I had a custmer who purchased a set of B&W 802Ds and a Denon DRA 697 Stereo Receiver and listened to B&W 802Ds with a $700.00 Denon receiver for a year before he could buy better equipment. I would go over and listen in disbelief that it sounded as good as it did. The 802Ds sounded much better when my customer purchased a Krell 400XI integrated amp than it did with the $700.00 Denon. I have heard 802Ds with many different amps and a good strong amp with lots of currents, or a high wattage or even a well done tube amp with a 100Watts per speaker will run 802Ds. The problem is more of a sound compatibility issue. I hooked up my Pass Labs X350.5 to another friend's set 802Ds and it was not a good combination. It did not have the synergy there to make great equipment sound like it should. Buy the speakers you like then find out what combos work best with your speakers. The three best systems I have heard with 802Ds used different power. First place is with a set of Classe CAM 400 Mono Blocks. Second Place an old old set of Krell KMA 160 class A Mono Blocks and third place was with a set of Cary V12 Mono Blocks. I also heard 802Ds that sounded great at another B&W dealer who used a set of Ayers but the room was not good however I could tell that it was a good tonal match and that a good synergy existed between the amp and speakers. 802Ds are not all that hard to drive. My speakers are hard to drive. I have a pair Apogee Duetta Signatures which are 3 ohms nominal and drop to a half ohm at any given time based on a particular or series of frequencies it is producing at any given time. The Pass X350.5 is the perfect amp for my Apogees. It just works. I do not think that the XA 160 would work all that well with the B&W 802Ds because the 802Ds with the wrong amp can sound very thick in the midrange and the XA 160 also has a tendency to be a little thick in the midrange and that is exactly what went on with my X350.5 and my friend's 802Ds the midrange was way to heavy and thick. Pass Labs amps work best with speakers that are fast in the midrange Ie Apogees, Wilsons, Avalons, and Revels Salons 1 & 2s. You can go the other direction and run Magnepans with Krell and it sound dry and flat. It sounds lifeless. I have heard that the new Pass Lab XA .5 series is much better and not as thick in the midrange. Buy your speakers first than try as many amps as you can, until find the "Amp".