2. amps-preamps
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Sophia II's and Pass Labs etc

HI!

I will buy a new amp set up for my Wilson Audio Sophia II's after the summer. I currently use a Burmester 051 integrated amp and a Burmester 061 cd player + a TW Acustic Raven w/Graham Phantom II arm will be ordered soon

I like the Burmester 011 preamp and Burmester 911 mk3 amp very much, although I have not tested the amp set on my speakers. The price for the set in Norway is NOK 276,000,-

The other options I am looking at are:

- Pass Labs XP20 and XA 100,5 / XA 160.5 mono amps, approx. NOK 210,000 / NOK 255,000

- Audio Research REF 3 preamp and REF 110 amp, approx. NOK 220,000,-

- Simaudio Moon P8 and Simaudio Moon W8, approx. NOK 245,000,-.

- Spectral DMC-30SS and Spectral DMA 360, approx. NOK 230,000,-.

And then you have Conrad Johnson, Mark Levinson, Luxman, Accuphase, MBL, etc etc.

Do you have any preferences of the amps mentioned. Do you know if Pass Labs XA 100.5 will be strong enough for the Sophia 2's?

I listen foremost to pop/rock/hip hop/electro/jazz/metal/etc, since I am a talent buyer within the festival circuit in Norway.

Thanks for your help.

Cheeers, ToffenG, Norway
toffeng

Showing 5 responses by spatine

spatine
84 posts
 
Hce4, could you elaborate as to why Pass Lab prefers the XA30.5 or XA100.5, while discourages you from getting the XA 60.5? Thank you.
spatine
84 posts
 
By any chance has anybody compared the XA100.5 to others in the XA.5 family, specifically for cases that don't have possible power shortage? There is just no way that Pass Labs intentionally designs their mid-level amplifier to be better than the upper 160.5 & 200.5. In fact before the XA.5 line exists, Pass Labs told me all XA's are made the same way, except for power difference. I can see the 100.5 be better than the 60.5 because there can be more to power than the ability to play it loud. But the other way around is a bit hard to believe.
spatine
84 posts
 
Does anybody know if most models within the XA.5 line have their own design tweak different from the others? I really thought they all have the same design.

I too also heard that at low volume, the XA30.5 sounds superior than the more powerful models.
spatine
84 posts
 
Beside current bias can anyone think of other differences between models of the XA.5 line? A theory is that given the XA.5 design, current bias level has its peak performance at certain marker. People at Pass Labs don't get into it because the reason why is not well understood. Just thinking out loud here.
spatine
84 posts
 
I called Pass Labs describing the Audigon discussion. His answer about "sweet spot" is just what Peterayer said. It's a personal taste on value based on price and whatever else the person think is important. It has nothing to do with design. Although bias and power supply size are changed as you go up the power rating, the design is the same. Basically you want bigger amp as you have more demanding speakers. Gee, for a moment I thought I bought the less desirable model of the XA.5 line.
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