Because i suspect that, like me, youve never experienced or even read about a pass labs amp that didnt sound good. Beside the bulk and metal of the big pass labs amp, the thors looked positively wimpy. Pass labs is a high end audio company based in foresthill, california, usa founded by nelson pass, a wellknown figure in the high end audio community. Sources elp laser turntable, pass labs aleph ono amplifiers pass labs xp20, x350. Find the user manual you need for your audio device and more at manualsonline. It is rated at 350 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and roughly doubles that into 4 ohms. The pass labs x1 joins the top echleon of worldclass preampliers and to my ears, the best solid state piece in providing vacuumtube warmth on top of its sterling solid state qualities. The following quote has been incorrectly attributed to nelson pass, founder of pass laboratories. But, unless its just a bad design which has issues at very low or very high power, or has a tonal quality. Nelson pass da sempre produce elettroniche di grande qualita. Designwise, the two amps probably couldnt be more different. Audioshark forum is a leading forum site for high end audio discussion, stereo system discussion, home theater system discussion, best. The main comparison i wanted to make was that between the pass labs x250.
Pass labs xa25 25w stereo class a amplifier power amplifiers. Because we care more about how holistic design affects the musical experience and relatively less about how parts affect specifications, you can expect superb and accurate representation of the recording performance and. Having much admired the pass labs int60 integrated amplifier, which. Having much admired the pass labs int60 integrated amplifier, which combined onebox practicality with a refined class a performance that made it well worth audio excellence. Because we care more about how holistic design affects the musical experience. At first it had an overwhelming upper bass and slightly shrill sound, but this entirely disappeared after the breakin. But, unless its just a bad design which has issues at very low or very high power, or has a tonal quality that you dont like, what you connect to it will be orders of magnitude more important to the sound. Jun 11, 2012 andrew robinson integrated the pass labs x250. Holographic images were thrown amidst a deep and wide soundstage giving a distinct 3dimensional soundfield. If you go on the pass labs website, you will see that the model x260. This amplifier indeed receives an emphatic recommendation from me.
Yes, it leans slightly and i do mean just slightly right of neutral but it is all good in my book. Jan 29, 2015 at cas 2014, pass had its own tiny room, with xa60. More on the new pass labs dot8 series parttime audiophile. Review by tom lyle, superior audio magazine is the leading authority in highend audiophile. Impressed by pass labs int60 integrated amplifier, kevin fiske decides to check out the xp12 and xa30. The bias is generally set at a level suited to the heat dissipation capacity.
He is selling it because he wants to move up the the x350. Audioshark forum is a leading forum site for high end audio discussion, stereo system discussion, home theater system discussion, best home stereo system discussion, home theater installation discussion etc. First of all, the amp has massive power reserves and can drive just about any speaker with ease. Emm labs da2 v2 upgrade whats best audio and video forum. Cables straightwire crescendo and serenade interconnects, straightwire serenade double run speaker cables.
One such all time favorite center piece was the pass labs x350. Like all bias decisions, the amount of singleended bias and pushpull bias is a balance between performance and effi ciency. I have done many tests with different cables with pass amps. Audio asylum search of amppreamp asylum enter your search criteria. Pass labs appears to have nailed their intent to create an affordable line. This is the newest model and probably the best high powered stereo amplifier that can be had for any price. The passs bass is very precise and quite satisfying.
The results of which are impressive and lead to robinson making some. I emailed pass labs for a local distributor and a guy named kent got back to me and put me in touch with the local pass labs guy named louis. Pass laboratories 395 new airport road, ste g auburn, ca 95602 530 878 5350. Pass labs audioshark the best high end audio discussion forum. Pass labs also installed many more mosfets than usual on most point. Every amp design will have a characteristic sound as compared to some other design. As it turns out he was going to be in my neighborhood tomorrow doing a setup and wanted to bring an x150. Even in a hotel room, pass easily stomped my humble home parasound setup.
You will hear bass impact and transient speed as well as nuance in the upper registers like never before. The unit has been checked out by pass labs and they know the guy as i called pass about the unit. Almost every system with a pass labs amp sounded great, or at least interesting. Pass labs amplifiers, wayne colburn, look inside the amps, meet jam somasundram, founded by nelson p duration. You will hear bass impact and transient speed as well as nuance in the upper. Hot on its heels is the new xp30, which has the analog gain. Only 2000 lps were pressed, and this was number 1244. It was clearly designed to power the most brawny speakers out there. The looks are among the best i have seen in a solid state amp. View and download pass laboratories x1 owners manual online. The x350 benefited greatly from a long breakin period. I also think pass labs customer service is the best. Pass labs also installed sturdy output stage transistors, with a combined capacity well over 10 kw, and massive heat sink assemblies capable of 2 kw all day long.
Even though the amplifier is rated as 250 watts per channel, it runs in class a mode. Pass labs appears to have nailed their intent to create an affordable line of power amplifiers that perform close to their statement xs series. May 02, 2014 every amp design will have a characteristic sound as compared to some other design. Thats not to say that some wouldnt consider the x350. Its equipped with two large handles for easier transportation of this anvilsized amplifier. Please note response times will be slower than normal. Pass labs also improved the amplifiers front ends, which house the input and voltage gain stages. Feb 19, 2018 pass labs amplifiers, wayne colburn, look inside the amps, meet jam somasundram, founded by nelson p duration. Jan 14, 2014 before i learned a thing about pass labs new. I dont go all the way back to his threshold years, but i have owned the pass labs aleph 0, aleph 2, and now the x350. The results of which are impressive and lead to robinson making some hefty claims.
At cas 2014, pass had its own tiny room, with xa60. Pass labspass labs audio is een waar uitnodiging voor uw oorbij pass labs. Pass labs calls its principal noisereduction technology supersymmetry. For me, those were the days that solid state preamplifiers never seemed to satisfy and tube preamplifiers brought the magic and strengths of both tubes and solidstate when combined with the x350. I have a tremendous respect for nelson pass and his solidstate designs specifically his amplifiers. I have searched for some opinions as to the sound quality comparison between the older pass labs x350. The underlying technology unique to pass labs amplifiers is beyond my understanding. Until april 10th, 2020, pass labs is closed due to county and state wide coronavirus shutdown orders. I left lowlevel classical music playing about 10 hours a day for 3 weeks.