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In Reply to: Look at Pass Labs posted by delaney@rea-alp.com on March 7, 2007 at 06:17:58:
In my past experiences with Pass amps (last time was about 5 years ago on some Audiostatic speakers at a home dealer demo) they seem to be nice and polite sounding and not that much on dynamics. I've never really heard them sound tonally neutral top to bottom. Overall, not a very exciting sound. There are a few people on these forums (fora??) that are pretty big on the Pass electronics. I've never heard them on Maggies. Is the character I heard showing up different on the Magnepans?
Follow Ups:
I think the Pass X250 is the perfect amplifier for my MG3.6 speakers for all the reasons described in this thread. It's also a bargain these daze since many are available used for about $2500 (Audiogon.com).I have never been able to clip mine, and I often run it to the limit, pegging the meter. My prior B&K (Ref 2220) would clip all the time and pop the tweeter fuse. Not so with the Pass.
These amps are truly special and double their output as the load impedance halves. Not many amps can do this.
I think the next step up would be a pair of Pass X600 monoblocks. Supposedly these have the same sonic signature as the X250.
Put quality components up stream and let the music flow.
-S
Which Pass are you referring too? I guessing your thinking of the Aleph.The Pass X-series plays in the “Literal Translation camp” or absolute truth space; shooting for minimum-to-no deviations from the source. It’s resolving qualities is exceptional, and doesn’t really have a personality of its’ own…like a chameleon takes on whatever in front of it.
The Aleph was more in the “Interpreted Translation camp”; providing some-to-a lot of (emphasis or de-emphasis, colorations, etc) from the source. This one was kinda pretty sounding and had those tube like qualities in the highs and mids. I recall it getting dinged for having such a distinct character, one could easily detect its’ prescense in a foreign system.
Believe what your ears say - not hearsay.
The Pass X250.5 is neutral sounding...but not so much as the X250. It has a very powerful dynamic swing to it...coupled with a tube preamp (ARC LS-17) it makes for a killer combo with the 3.6R's...
I love the Pass on Maggies. I just bought the entry level pass (x-150) and the entry level maggies (MMgs)and they really sound nice together.They do sound very neutral in my system, and I don't think they are lacking dynamics...but that might be because the Maggies aren't the last word in dynamics.
With the Pass and a much better source, the Maggies are now the weak link.
I am thinking of getting another one at some point for bi-amping duties.
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