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Review: Pass Labs Aleph 3 Amplifier

Category: Amplifiers

Old design, apparently still sends tremors in the shape of dissmisal or wholhearted approval, througout the audio community. Regardless of all the fuss, the Aleph is thing of the past, along with Aleph 30. Scratched of the board. Finished. Done! Even Nelson has distanced himself from this design, by going probably more modern path?!
So why all of the fuss? Is this "box" soo good to become a classic, or it is "lifeless", "collored" etc... that some had named this amp?
Just replaced my old SFC-1 (also reviewed) with Pass Aleph 3. And now, when all the excitment is over with, i feel i can draw some conclusions about this amp.
I have several CD's that have been my favorites for last couple of years that i am familiar with. And would for sure know if something is missing, or if i would to hear MORE? In fact that's the same reason we usualy upgrade.
I chose 'bare bones' Cary Slp-50 tube amp, with two 12au7's running in pure class a operation (that's what technical data said). Old (1994) defunct DPA three piece DAC/Dpa T1 transport totaling over $15K when new. I figure, if it was great then, it must be good now?
Speakers are DIY watt/puppy clones (Focal/Seas/Peerless and all the good x-over parts)
Wire Discovery 123 speaker cable, Pbj for Dac/pre and unknown Monster pre/amp (i am not big into wires)

Sound? My tube amp had deeper soundstage, and solid imaging. Softer treble, and looser bass. What gave overall darker presentation. Even 'emotional' sound that was definitely sign of higher colloration than the Pass. Much higher! I just had to play piano (Satie Piano Works vol.1 Naxos) to hear those high notes, where sound is like striking chips of ice againsteach other. Alwas have complained about Sony's John Williams The Guitarst, and the sound quality. Aleph brought these performance much closer to me, even at the low volume levels. Bossa Nova brasil on Verve in past, alwas brought bass troubles int my system. Even though that Alep 3 is not supposed to DO bass, still brought some improvement. Especialy, with electric bass! Robert Lucas Luke and Locmotives(Audioquest), was feast and the beast! On this one i had to turn-up the volume somewhat. Not because of lack of dynamics,but for pure joy!
Large orchestra and Pass did wonderful job together! Berloz Symphony Fantastique, with all the bells and whistles was outstanding wit its panoramic soundstage!Bruckner symp. No 4 (Naxos), and quite slow beginning wasn't just empty space. I could "peek" into the concert hall and hear many things they were just void, in the past. When all the action started in Rossini's Barbiere di Sivilia (ACUM), all came together but still preserved steady placement of the individual instruments. Meaning, that there was a lot of going on i wasn't aware of!
YoYo Ma's Bach's suites, Cello did sounded "woody" with tho dose of high energy, that sounded like flatulance on my tube amp. Very impressive with the Quarteto Italiano's Beethoven Late Quartets vol.2. This analog recording outclasses all the modern recorded attempts.
The amp delivers detail, detail lots of it! But it doesn't do just that. It comunicates the artist intentions. It isn't "cold", nor "warm". It is just. Music. With purity that Aleph delivers, i do not believe i'll be looking for more! It runs hot, but not as hot as my old tube amp with four Kt90's.

Other recordings: Calamus Splendor of Andalus Ma rec
Arvo Part Tabula Rasa naxos
Wagner Taunhauser opera
Mozart collection 10 cd's

Associated gear
Cary slp-50, Dpa Dac/T1 transport

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spiro
115 posts
 
Well, I've played with more gear now, and I'd not call it cold or warm. It's neutral and analitic I think. It's certainly not mushy, nor shrill.
fast, detailed, and capable of distinguishing any change in the system. I want to try a Nirvana cable on it.
Of course with the plans out on the Pass website, it's :) open for mods and I have a few more to do to mine before I'm done, but then I won't be able to comment on it as stock gear.
sean
6,231 posts
 
El: My experience with the various Nelson Pass designed amps that i've tinkered with have led me to believe that they are highly load dependent. That is, they are somewhat of a chameleon in terms of sonic characteristics. Most of what one will hear will depend on the impedances that they are presented with. While this makes for a VERY "hit or miss" type of experience with them in terms of system compatibility, my experience is that they tend to work best with lower impedance loads AND prefer to be left on 24/7 for increased thermal stability.

With the above in mind, Pass amps can be quite finicky when it comes to speaker cabling. If you can couple them to a speaker cable with a low nominal impedance ( high capacitance / low inductance ) and low strand count ( solid core or lower count stranded ) and a speaker that has a lower nominal impedance, you'll probably be quite happy with them. If you're using speaker cables with a lot of stranding and / or higher impedance speakers, you might end up with hard, bright and sterile sound. Like anything else in audio, it is all a balancing act and a matter of personal choices. Sean
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89vett's avatar
89vett
32 posts
 
I sold a Audio Research D52b to get the pass labs aleph 3,
and to say I was not expecting to hear a difference is
a masterpiece of understatement. Boy was I WRONG! There
is more detail with the pass, and the subtle nuances
are much better. I am running a Audio Research Sp5 and
a pair of Klipsch LaScala speakers and the 30wpc is more
than enough. This is the finest amp I have ever heard or
used. Very open, detailed, airy, not shrill or harsh.Good
bass. I will say that it is so good, that bad recordings
cannot even be listened too! But boy the good recordings
sound terrific. No comparison with the Audio Research D52b,
Linn Lk100, B&K St2140, or adcom 545,535. Highly recommeded
if you have efficent loudspeakers!
spiro
115 posts
 
Hi,
i had a O3, and went to the O5. Changing the input wire and the input resistors (to maybe a gold/silver and the vishay's) makes a difference to the detail and speed. Changing into a few blackgate caps makes it sweeter, smoother and more "at ease sounding".
i likes the King Cobra, TopGun and Xindack power cables. But it depends on the flavor you lik as well.
ferrari
617 posts
 
Well apparently Nelson is not just ready yet to put the Aleph technology out to pasture. On his www.firstwatt.com web site a newer version labled the Aleph J is ready for delivery and is limited to 100 copies personally built by him.

Would love to hear any reviews or thoughts on this newest version Aleph. Just don't know if it has enough muscle for my Alon Model 1 speakers. Any thoughts there? 87dB speakers.

For the price rather hard to ignore and from the mind of Nelson Pass should speak volumes about the newest Aleph.
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