Pass Then vs. Pass Now

@swede58

in my 17x20 room, maggies 4+ ft into the room, 10-11 ft listening triangle, all three amps drove the 3.7i’s just fine, never felt strained

but i don’t listen at headbanging levels, mid 80 db transients

know that the xa25 and xa30.5 have been tested to deliver 130 wpc and 190 wpc into 4 ohms respectively without clipping... the maggies are a purely resistive 4 ohm load, as such they draw current, but phase angles are completely benign, no stress on the amp in that respect unlike cone/box speakers with reactive phase angles and severe box resonances amps must often contend with

@jjss49 

Thanks, I’m hesitating between a Pass XP22/X260.8 or X350.8 combo or the Gryphon Diablo 300.

So many years ago, I bought a Threshold power amp, and it was an 'S' series, maybe 400 model? The point that I will make here is that even back then, I was surprised to see how ancient it looked with old brown carbon resistors, thin circuit boards, and more. To me it really looked used. I mention this because in some newer equipment, I see thick circuit boards metal film resistors and the electrolytic capacitors have come a ways since the cave days. No doubt there is equipment built in the past that was great then and now, but I didn't find that to be the case in the Threshold amp that I had.

 I wish that I could speak to the more recent products designed by Mr. Pass, but the only power amp of his design that I owned and loved was a Forte' model 3 which quite the opposite inside from the Threshold. Then again it quite a few years newer so there is that. 

 The Pass products that I have seen recently have good quality in places (I am now referring to some of his kits) but not so much when it comes to the chassis. Not bad at all, but certainly not built like a Krell either. His consumer products I have not seen to get even an idea of the build quality.

 I am not saying that any one of these products sound good or bad, but I am just as interested in the build quality as the sound. I know, a rare combination.

@4krowme you had me at the Pass kit to Krell comparison. 
 

 I am not saying that any one of these products sound good or bad, but I am just as interested in the build quality as the sound. I know, a rare combination.

You clearly have internet because you posted here…so Google is your friend…or whatever search engine you prefer. 

Wow. You are right... about the chassis. I will just keep googling until someone shows the guts inside. I've seen some pretty sorrowful crap inside a beautiful chassis, but I am betting that Nelson does way better than that.