Pass XA200.8 Review - Fun measurements

I read the measurements and they are quite respectable and aren’t pejorative in substance or assessment.

I disagree. That’s quite a bit of distortion in the 21st century.

I’m not trying to grind an ax here so much as talk about whether it is exactly that distortion which people are paying money for, and it seems it is.

That’s fine, it adds to our understanding of what people like to listen to. 


Best,

E

hddg :

I very much care about measurements. That is part of how I enjoy this hobby is learning what measurements mean to perceived sound quality. That doesn’t mean I buy based on . specs. The point of this thread is very much to help illuminate this aspect of our hobby. Whether distortion is a selling point.

I also wonder how much of this is learned or trendy. I’ve lived with Parasound and Class D amps that have much lower distortion figures than Pass. I also loved old CJ tube amps. I simply do not like the Pass sound at all. The point is not that you should agree with me, but rather, I wonder if this is in fact a learned or acquired taste? Does our ear / brain mechanism change according to what we spend time listening to?

And how much of this is driven by reviewers and price? I’ve seen plenty of evidence of this in speaker land. 

Kind of related to this, I really would have liked to have seen what Carver did when he attempted to match the CJ Premiere amps. Did he add more harmonics? 

Best,

Erik

@shadorne - Agreed. 

@shadorne

I see where you are going. There are a number of tube pre’s I’d like to have in my system, but due to budget, and space I’m living a hyper modern lifestyle. A Myteck Brooklyn DAC to ICEpower amps via pure silver interconnects.

However, I heard a lot of Pass amps at the show in Oakland. I really did not like them at all. Mind you, you don’t have to. :) but they had a particular sonic signature prevalent in most rooms.

No one on this thread has to agree with my personal listening tastes at all. I’m mostly just asking whether you think this distortion profile is the Pass signature, and if this says something about those who like it.

My all time favorite amps, the CJ Premiere 12s, I am sure measure horribly too, but sound nothing like the Pass. Can we learn anything with this?

Best,

Erik