Pass XA 160 review:life span is 6 years?

Wait a minute! Assuming you are correct, if it lasts 7 years @ 50,000 hours, that would mean about 20 hours a day of listening, straight, non-stop! I hope my amp lasts that long too!

I think you need to assume that 50,000 @ 2 hours per day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year is a bit more realistic. That would be 68 years. (I only wish I got to listen to my stereo that often. I am lucky if I get in 5 hours a week.)

Your post made me remember a passage out of Pass Labs labs owner manual that I read a little while back, (when I was researching the Aleph 1.2 monoblocks). I too was concerned about the equipment life span, due to the extensive hear of these amps, and obviously Pass Labs had anticipated that, so they wrote this passage in their owners manual:

"In fifteen yeats, the electrolytic power supply capacitors will get old. Depending on usage, you will begin to have semiconductor and other failure between 10 and 50 years after date of manufacture. Later, the sun will cool to a white dwarf, and after that the universe will experience Heat Death".

I always liked that particular paragraph. Kind of puts things in perspective.

If I could afford the XA amp, I certainly would consider them, (and will if I ever see a pair show up used on Audiogon!)

PS I currently use a Levinson No. 23 amp, and I have never owned a piece of Pass Labs equipment, (So, I have no ask to grind either way), but based on their reputation for both quality of sound and quality of manufacturing, I would not hesitate to try one out.

Again, good luck in your search.