experience with Pass Labs amps?

O

Old Bob

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good morning! I still consider myself a beginner. I LOVE my Triode tube amp, will upgrade speakers when I can.

I read just a LITTLE bit about Nelson Pass. he seems really quite bright! I am really curious about his power amps.

do any of you have direct experience with pass labs or first watt power amps? comments on class A, etc?
say you get a 25 watt first watt amp, how efficient would your speakers need to be?

my room is 13 by 13 feet, 10 foot ceiling. do not need super super loud classical music!

do you feel their pretty high prices are justified?

would like any advice!

I KNOW I am an amateur. THANKS!
bob
:hey:
 
Old Bob, Old Dave here.........my dealings with Nelson Pass go back to his Threshold days of the eighties. Yes, I am a fan of his products, along with quite a few others.

Given you smallish room and acoustically unfriendly dimensions (square is never good) I'd think a lower powered Class A/B (generates less heat) would be ideal.

Oh, as for the high prices......

1) nobody in their right mind pays retail

2) IMO I don't consider them to be high for what you get in return .......
 
Bought a Pass INT-60 earlier this year and have really enjoyed it. Can only recommend Pass Labs.

It comes with very positive reviews as well, widely considered one of the very best integrated amps currently. If 60 wpc suffices for your purposes.


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Never heard of them. :)

Pass is terrific stuff Bob. The INT-60 would be a great way to go with your room.
 
I have a Pass pre and two Pass amps, and have been very happy with them. They are four years old now, and I have had zero problems with them. I did have to install solar since the amps doubled my electric bill the first month (July) that I had them. That is because I needed to run the AC whenever they are on. While the sound is the result of everything (gear, cables, power, room, etc.) I have been very happy with the end result. The only drawback is the amps will blow up your speakers if you have each one on a separate AC line. :)
 
I think Bud is being funny, don't take it seriously. I remember a spirited listening session of his that resulted in applying too much volume in an ARI. Consequently, one speaker needed repair. :)
 
slowgeezr said:
Nonsense! I've used Pass Monoblocs, plugged into separate AC lines for years, NO problems. I suggest you have your AC lines checked, if that happened to you.
Click to expand...

LOL. When I had my source and amps plugged into the Triton power conditioner on a single 20 amp line, the circuit breaker would trip when I played the music LOUD. I added a second 20 amp AC line, along with a Shunyata Cyclop power conditioner, for both amps, and the circuit breaker on the second 20 amp line would trip when I played the music LOUD. I added a third 20 amp line, along with another Cyclop power conditioner, so that each amp had its own 20 amp circuit. Then when I played the music LOUD the circuit breakers do not trip. Rather the mid and tweeter in the speakers break.

So, the amps do blow up speakers when on separate circuits. :)
 
BlueFox said:
LOL. When I had my source and amps plugged into the Triton power conditioner on a single 20 amp line, the circuit breaker would trip when I played the music LOUD. I added a second 20 amp AC line, along with a Shunyata Cyclop power conditioner, for both amps, and the circuit breaker on the second 20 amp line would trip when I played the music LOUD. I added a third 20 amp line, along with another Cyclop power conditioner, so that each amp had its own 20 amp circuit. Then when I played the music LOUD the circuit breakers do not trip. Rather the mid and tweeter in the speakers break.

So, the amps do blow up speakers when on separate circuits. :)
Click to expand...

regardless Bud, you're making no sense if you think separate 20 amp circuits are at fault, keep drinking your 'kool aid' !

besides, most of us do not plug source and amplification onto the same circuit........

my apologies 'Old Bob' for getting your thread off track.
 
Mikado463 said:
regardless Bud, you're making no sense if you think separate 20 amp circuits are at fault, keep drinking your 'kool aid' !

besides, most of us do not plug source and amplification onto the same circuit........

my apologies 'Old Bob' for getting your thread off track.
Click to expand...
I think you missed his point, although as Joe points out having read Bud's old posts about his experiences at the time makes it clearer to some of us. But to put it simply, give a high power amp enough current and it can blow speaker elements. That's not bad, in Bud's opinion :P
 
Bud is cool in my books. I don't think my ears would have survived that night he blew up the S5's, but it sure would have been something to remember.


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Wow, Bud, I thought I rocked.... those amps are monsters, I can't imagine the SPL. How large is your room?

I have a dedicated 20 amp line for my amp, I had doubts an amp would draw that much. No more, thanks to Bud :)
 
I own a First Watt F6 amplifier. It is the amp I use when I am not in the mood for tubes. Very sweet sounding amplifier. Power is a matter of need. You have a small room and if you are not looking to knock the walls down it will get plenty loud enough. My KEF are anything but efficient speakers and it produces enough power for me.

I will probably be moving the ARC amp soon so the FW and Quicksilver will be my main stays.

I am also considering moving the First Watt... EJ is coming out with a new revolutionary amplifier (maybe at RMAF)... a new technology that he has been perfecting for a very long time... I probably will have to have one.. so the FW will be the odd man out :(...
 
Randy

Is the "new" amp a progression of the one he showed at CES last year that never appeared on the market?
 
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