My experience with the First Watt F7


I think that many of us have a mental list of components and speakers we would like to try if circumstances and finances allow, and I'm no different. My finances are more limited than many members, but within my means I have been able to try quite a few different things over the years.

About six weeks ago I saw an ad for an F7 in great condition and having efficient speakers, it had been on my wish list to try not only because it was made for speakers just like mine, but also because I had never read a negative review of it or any of the other First Watt amps.

I want to say here that I have a lot of respect for Nelson Pass as a innovative designer and a businessman, and I once had a very positive experience with Pass Labs on a service issue. The reason that I am writing this brief review is because one member who knew that I had bought it had requested my impressions, and I am also curious to know the impressions and experiences of others here who may have owned this amp.

When I first received it, I gave ir a couple of hours to warm up. I sat down to listen, and initial impressions were good, but not great. There was good clarity in the mids and treble region, and stage width was very good but not better than what I was accustomed to. I noticed two negatives on the second day. The first was that the perceived size of instrumental images, for instance Stan Getz's sax, were 15-20% smaller. That wasn't a deal breaker, just an observation. I also noted that the timbre/tone of the sax, as well as other wind instruments and strings was not as natural sounding as I am used to.

Three days in, I was listening from the next room while working, and by now I knew that there was something else about the presentation that was more serious that was bothering me. I stopped what I was doing and put on a couple of specific songs to test a hunch, and that is when I identified the problem. The amp had no "flow", and even though individual instruments were well separated and clear sounding, nothing hung together like a real group playing together. Each instrument sounded like a separate event that didn't relate to the others. I had never had this experience before, but once I identified it, I couldn't "unhear" it. I also noticed at that time that electric guitars sounded different and less authentic than they had on other tube and solid state amps I have owned.

Finally, and this was surprising, the bass was noticeably opaque and lacking detail. I sat there in front of it listening one day, and I thought that if I was young again, and new to audio, this would probably be an amp that would impress me. 

I sold it within two weeks, confident that it was not the amp for me, but grateful that I had the opportunity to try one for myself.

I would like to hear the experiences of others familiar with the F7. 

 

  

128x128roxy54

thanks @smatsui & @mesch

Definitely will consider.

As I understand it, apparently what he would do on this particular pre-amp is wire the output of the headphone output to one of the 2 pre-amp out jack pairs on the back of the unit.

This would yield a buffered 47Ohm output.

It would be coming directly off two T.I. LME49600 current buffers which are in turn coming directly off the output of the tube lineage.

Another option is just to find an appropriate pre-amp for the F7.

@mesch , how do you like your Carbon 7SE mk2 with the XA25? What pre are you using there?

I bought my pair directly from Fritz this past summer and think the speakers are pretty outstanding and it’s only very rarely when I’m playing pretty complex maximalist music, do I feel that things are getting a little out of control.  By and large they present as much larger and in-charge than their size would imply.  Also the stereo image and depth is spectacular.  I sometimes wish that the phantom image were a little taller.  Not sure if that's related to the speakers or the amp.  Currently they are on 24" stands.  They are great bandmates with the Alstine gear.

@helomech I agree with your thoughts on the Carbon 7s. I listen to mostly Jazz and light rock (no heavy metal) with them so can't say much regarding their performance on much more complex music. 

I drive my XA25 with a Aric Audio Special 6SN7 tube preamp.  If looking for a tube preamp I can recommend him. Most have output impedance of 300ohms at the highest across frequency range. Hive Aric a call he can confirm this on each of his preamp offerings.

I have an F7 paired with an LTA MZ tube preamp and Ojas speakers. I have found the high end to be thin. Female vocals breaking apart on high notes and trumpet notes feeling almost shrill at times.

@jdillla interesting…. Do you attribute those issues to the F7 or the Ojas speakers?

I know Ojas offers a compression driver add-on to the coax kit.

Have you tried that pre/power amp combo with different speakers?

Are you satisfied with the F7 otherwise?

I had a F8 in the stable to try with my Cornwall IV's and it sounded amazing for a SS amp. As a mateer of fact, best SS I had heard in my system. But I digress...I sold it "wish I would have kept?!?"...because it just didn't have "that sound" I get from my DH WE300B SET. I do miss the different presentation though. As a matter of fact, I'd buy another F8 but may try a couple of the other flavors in the First watt lineup or an XA25?!?