Pass....Accuphase....or......


Hi Audiogoners!

I need a new power amp to my Verity Audio Parsifal Ovation (18 watts minimum recommended input power / 8 ohm).

Have a Mark Levinson No.532 that keeps broking down and it's getting too expensive to fix in Europe. 

Music: Classical/symphonic and jazz.

Room: 13 x 26

Preamp: Auralic DAC/Pre (but this can change....)

Ideas so far:

Pass Labs XA-25 (hype or really good and powerful enough?)

Accuphase A-48 (too polite?)

If you have a minute....I need ideas in that price range...+/- $$. Thanks!

 

southofdallas

Thank you all! I think I get the picture.

And in case you are curious about how much Marc Levinson ....or Harman Luxury Audio wants to fix a working but overheating right channel on my No.532, the price is 50.000 USD + the cost to send the amp to another country and back. Real luxury ;)

 

 

@OP - The build quality of the Michis is not in the same league as the Pass.

@yoyoyaya not in the same league eh? Thought the Michis were a Ken Ishiwata project before he passed away.

So, care to explain how nelson pass is on a "different league" n all?

For whatever it’s worth, I own a electronics company. But, I am always learning, willing to be educated....Feel free to take your time, let’s go board by board and explore this dark art of analog circuits design together.. as you demystify it for me..

@Deep33. You are clearly a savant when it comes to electronics. But maybe you are unfamiliar with the old saying "sacasm will get you nowhere". Best regards, Y

@yoyoyaya I can understand conventional electronics designed in the regular world of engineering, i.e. the non audio electronics because the "sonic attributes" of circuits is never taught in engineering at any level (masters, phd whatever), never presented in any coursework or even remotely considered in the non-audio world.

But, it is a very real thing.

It is a unique form of empirical information that is acquired by audio companies and held close (in-house secrets). Some sound master guy has to sit and listen forever to every li'l change and painstakingly derive such information. 

I claim full ignorance to all of it...

So, If you know something, enlighten me, i'm all ears. How is Nelson Pass playing on a different league than Rotel or Yamaha or all these other guys?

If a design space has say 20 possible permutations, a company with more resources may be able to explore more of them..A smaller company may be able to explore a few of them, etc.

What are these "leagues" based on?

@Deep33. You are clearly a savant when it comes to electronics. But maybe you are unfamiliar with the old saying "sacasm will get you nowhere". Best regards, Y

@Deep33 - what I actually commented on was build quality. I've seen a number of failures of Michi products versus superb reliability of Pass. The fit and finish of the Pass's is better than the Michis. That matters to some, less so to others. As regards design, I have frequently found that products which have a consistent design approach which is refined over many years end up sounding better than those whose designs chop and change frequently. That's just my observation. Again, others may differ.