Thank you for these useful experiences. Has anyone listened to SIT3?
FirstWatt SIT-3 or Pass Labs XA25 for Avalon Indras?
Hi, I have a dilemma, SIT-3 or XA25 for my Avalon Indras that are 87db and 4ohms?
I use to listen at night at low volume, mainly chamber music and opera, but also orchestra. I like the warmth and three-dimensionality and the reverb of music auditoriums.
The preamp is a Dissanayake custom tube and the speakers are the Avalon Indra, both wonderful.
Of the SIT-3 I read that it drives 4ohm well, that it has a warmer sound and has more soundstage than the XA25, all of which leads me towards this model.
Of the XA25 it struck me that it goes down to 2ohm and is very detailed.
Power is not the key point, if I listen to music during the day the knob never goes beyond half of the current power amp which is a 50W Bartolomeo Aloia Micropal.
The aim is to have magic and involvement at low volume.
Thanks in advance for suggestions!
Alberto
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- 23 posts total
Between the two hands down the XA25, not even close. I have heard a few SIT amps and they sound best with higher efficiency easy to drive speakers but they were too fast paced and uneven sounding as a system. The SIT3 only has 11db gain which is extremely low and may sound anemic with typical gain preamps. Even the XA25 sounds best with higher gain preamps- e.g. 20db or so. The SIT3 only delivers 8 watts at 8 ohms before it starts to clip, unless you have a small room, listen close to the speakers and like moderate volume listening cross that one off of your list. I have owned the XA25 and with my speakers which have a similar impedance and sensitivity to yours the sound was excellent, one of the best sounding amps I have heard or owned. It has almost twice the gain as the SIT3 and starts clipping at 90 watts per channel despite it's 25 watt rating. |
In addition to suggestions above, if you still have interest in Pass design, look up reviews of the SIT 4, particularly a video of Steve Guttenberg (SG), a stereo unit, due for release in mono block --twice the power. SG suggests "notably more powerful sound than specs suggest". Of course there is only one way to find out. Enjoy the search. |
Exactly. And yet the OP keeps asking about the lower powered SIT-3, regardless. The more operative question would be has anyone heard SIT-3 paired with your 87db 4ohm Avalon speakers. I’d venture to guess most likely not as it would not be a recommended match and pairing. Proper amp-speaker matching makes a real difference. |
- 23 posts total