General Asylum: REVIEW: Passion PAK i11 Integrated Amplifier (Tube) by davehg

Model:	PAK i11
Category:	Integrated Amplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price:	$1400 US
Description:	30 wpc Integrated Tube Amp
Manufacturer URL:	Passion
Model Picture:	View

Review by davehg ( A ) on June 15, 2002 at 23:43:36
IP Address: 64.91.102.99

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The Passion PAK i11 has been well-reviewed in UHF magazine, and I won't try to attempt a repeat of their review. If you are looking at integrated tube amps such as Jolida, Antique Sound, and even Jadis, seriously consider the Passion. I find it much better built and more powerful than its similarly-priced competition.
I was originally smitten with the idea of using a lower powered integrated to run the Totems, but was encouraged to seek a high-power solid state unit. For the money, I still prefer EL-34's and having heard the ASL AQ1003 DT, thought that unit was just the ticket. I don't blast music too loud, so I thought I'd ignore the advice. After listening to the ASL, I saw the UHF mag review on both the ASL and Passion and decided to spend the extra dough on the Passion, and ordered it without having ever heard it.
Be forewarned: only a few Canadian dealers carry the Passion. It is the same basic foundation as the ASL, but with better transformers, volume pot, and a few extras for about $300 more. You are best to contact and order direct from Rotac. With the favorable exchange rate, a new Passion will run you about $1100 US, plus shipping & customs. Rotac requires prepayment via check and is not as easy to order from as other online sources. I ended up sourcing mine from a BC dealer and ended up wishing I had gone direct through ROTAC. I have found ROTAC to be very responsive, and the manual and included materials to be first rate. (note; it comes with a tube cage but I can't imagine ever using it).
The Passion looks a lot better than the ASL and frankly is the better choice. It has much more low end than the ASL and has the proper weight that the ASL lacks, especially in choral and classical arrangements. You immediately hear the increased bass and weight to vocals and instruments. This unit is also amazingly quiet for a tube amp, with no audible hiss or hum.
Mine came with Sovteks EL 34's, which I found shrill and mediocre. I later sourced a set of Valve Art EL 34's (about $60 a quad set from the Tube Store) and found them much warmer. I have yet to roll the input driver tubes (12AU7's). The amp is well built and hefty, and uses porcelain tube sockets and high-quality RCA's and binding posts. The volume pot is indented and generally well-spaced, though the first indent is too soft and the next indent too much louder. Minor quibbles; and you can always mod the volume pot. Overall impression was that this integrated should cost a lot more, given its quality, construction, and parts. Biasing is easy using a VOM, though you can order the amp with included bias meters. Save your money and keep the classic look of this unit by not ordering bias meters and using a digital VOM to bias.
Initial response was that the amp sounded generally warm and with a nice bottom end, considering its rated power output. I've played with older ST70's and AR D-70's, and this Passion really has the weight of a much more powerful tube amp. The Totem's are not very inefficient, but sounded nice with this integrated. Only at higher volume levels did the lack of power show up, expressing itself as more congested and shrill than higher-powered units such as VTL's and VACs. With a very efficient speaker (Triangle Titus, B&W N805's), this amp would be a perfect match. With the Totem's, it is a nice compromise.
I later swapped a cheap DVD player with the Technics DVD A10, and the bass dramatically improved. This leads me to beleive the Passion is far more neutral than I thought, and it easily shows variation in interconnects and sources. I am not one of those AC power cord nuts, but did swap the cheap AC cord with a handmade unit sourced from DIY cable and noticed a tremendous improvement in bass and in depth. I am now a believer in AC cord upgrades (though build it yourself for $40).
The Passion shines with female vocals and folk/bluegrass music, like the soundtracks from Oh Brother Where Art Thou. Choral music has decent depth and space, though not as good as high power amps. I blame this on the Totem combo, since the Model 1's really need a lot more power. Still, the Passion had just the right height, if a little less depth.
I supplemented the Totem's with the REL Strata III, which makes up in the bottom end for the Passion's lower power rating. Rock and pop (Moby, Chris Issak) sounded punchy, but lacked the ultimate dymanics of a transistor amp. The Passion had just the right amount of tube warmth without sounding overly syrupy (a la CJ or Dynaco). Only in ultimate dynamics and bottom end did the Passion show its power limitations. Oh, to have a 60 wpc version with an extra set of EL34's. They do make a KT88/6550 version, but I've always liked EL-34's.
With the Passion as the backbone, I have managed to assemble a nice system (about $7000 retail) for about $3500, which sounds phenomenal. My wife, an interior designer, loves the looks of this piece and it occupies center stage on the audio rack.
Complaints? Not at this price. It has no phonostage, so you'll need a step up phono box if you run vinyl. It has a set of rubber feet that should be supplemented with your favorite set of cones/sorbathane.
In comparison, the Jolida is not as well built and has a slightly thinner sound, but does look good. The ASL (its cousin) is equally well-built. I looked at the Jadis Orchaestra (retail is a much higher $2600, used around $1600) but found the Passion a good competitor. Perhaps the only amp I'd consider trying to find used (and much more expensive) is any of the AirTight integrateds, which unlike the Passion are all hardwired with no PCB's. I have also heard the integrated kit offered at DIY Cable is a decent competitor.
If you are assembling your first tube-based hifi and have efficient speakers, take a chance on the Passion. (I say "chance" since you will have to buy it sound unheard unless you live in Canada).

Product Weakness: A bit of work to obtain in U.S.; stock tubes are not the greatest, no phono stage
Product Strengths: Well-built for price, good components, sweet sound with good low end for power rating, good looks, outstanding value

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	PAK i11
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Technics DVD A10 w/ stock DI/O
Speakers:	Totem Model 1
Cables/Interconnects:	Bolder Cable
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock/Vocal
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	JR Filter
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	A bit of work to obtain in U.S.; stock tubes are not the greatest, no phono stage
Product Strengths:	Well-built for price, good components, sweet sound with good low end for power rating, good looks, outstanding value