Anyone Hear the New .8 Amps Yet

It's well worth the trip!! David is an awesome dealer....and if you ask nicely, he may let you have a glass of his really old port.


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The Sandman said:
Upper midrange glare - can you give me a couple of particular tracks where you hear it? Not that I disagree - I heard something that might could be described as upper midrange glare (if you mean a slightly unpleasant sound in female vocals for example) but I'm not sure it's coming from the amplifiers but rather the Pass preamps. I fixed it in my system when I upgraded the stock fuse to a HiFi tuning ultimate fuse and used RCA caps (non-shorting for Pass) and XLR caps (also non-shorting) in all of the unused inputs and outputs. I did all of this at the same time so I can't say what made the big difference, though I suspect if was the fuse.
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My non-shorting RCA and male and female XLR caps arrived yesterday and it makes a HUGE improvement to the sound. Great ROI!

The slight tininess and glare are gone. I always contributed the glare to a TAD attribute and I was WRONG. The sound is more solid, linear and smoother. I have a low level hum on one of my mono amps. It has both XLR and RCA inputs. I use XLR and the RCA cap eliminated the hum.

I've been using HiFi tuning ultimate fuse for years so I understand the benefits.

Thanks for the tip Sandman.
 
knghifi said:
My non-shorting RCA and male and female XLR caps arrived yesterday and it makes a HUGE improvement to the sound. Great ROI!

The slight tininess and glare are gone. I always contributed the glare to a TAD attribute and I was WRONG. The sound is more solid, linear and smoother. I have a low level hum on one of my mono amps. It has both XLR and RCA inputs. I use XLR and the RCA cap eliminated the hum.

I've been using HiFi tuning ultimate fuse for years so I understand the benefits.

Thanks for the tip Sandman.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear they worked well for you! :)
 
knghifi said:
My non-shorting RCA and male and female XLR caps arrived yesterday and it makes a HUGE improvement to the sound. Great ROI!

The slight tininess and glare are gone. I always contributed the glare to a TAD attribute and I was WRONG. The sound is more solid, linear and smoother. I have a low level hum on one of my mono amps. It has both XLR and RCA inputs. I use XLR and the RCA cap eliminated the hum.

I've been using HiFi tuning ultimate fuse for years so I understand the benefits.

Thanks for the tip Sandman.
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Do the kinds of RCA caps make any difference? What kind did you get? Is this just to block them or does the alloy of metal matter like in the case of RCA adaptors?
 
LL21 said:
Do the kinds of RCA caps make any difference? What kind did you get? Is this just to block them or does the alloy of metal matter like in the case of RCA adaptors?
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Brand probably doesn't matter as long as they're solid metal. I know Audioquest makes them as well, for a bit less $$. The purpose of the caps is to protect the jacks from dirt/dust but also to block stray RF/EMI so construction does matter. That said I can't say which brand is best. :) There are also plastic ones and metal coated plastic ones - I'd skip those.
 
The Sandman said:
Brand probably doesn't matter as long as they're solid metal. I know Audioquest makes them as well, for a bit less $$. The purpose of the caps is to protect the jacks from dirt/dust but also to block stray RF/EMI so construction does matter. That said I can't say which brand is best. There are also plastic ones and metal coated plastic ones - I'd skip those.
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I bought Cardas non-shorting RCA and XLRs caps. I'm giving extra RCA caps to my brother and he ordered some Audioquest caps so comparison will be interesting.

Here's a demonstration video with George Cardas using the caps

http : // audiosensibility.com/blog/2013/07/15/rfi-reduction-using-cardas-caps/

Overall SQ improved and now I can understand lyrics in non-audiophile grade compressed tracks.

I think PCX has the best prices on Cardas caps plus additional 20% discount. I screwed up buying from another vendor and probably paid $100 extra.

With the amount of $$ we spend on our systems, it's amazing how $300 can improve the sound.
 
knghifi said:
I bought Cardas non-shorting RCA and XLRs caps. I'm giving extra RCA caps to my brother and he ordered some Audioquest caps so comparison will be interesting.

Here's a demonstration video with George Cardas using the caps

http : // audiosensibility.com/blog/2013/07/15/rfi-reduction-using-cardas-caps/

Overall SQ improved and now I can understand lyrics in non-audiophile grade compressed tracks.

I think PCX has the best prices on Cardas caps plus additional 20% discount. I screwed up buying from another vendor and probably paid $100 extra.

With the amount of $$ we spend on our systems, it's amazing how $300 can improve the sound.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Gents!
 
I also installed the Cardas RCA caps a couple days ago. It did cut down on the noise a bit. I didn't do the XLR caps because those were $60 a pair!
 
madfloyd said:
I also installed the Cardas RCA caps a couple days ago. It did cut down on the noise a bit. I didn't do the XLR caps because those were $60 a pair!
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Madfloyd, AQ XLR caps are $29 a pair. This is peanuts relative to total investment in your system.

Now all my digital and analog input/output connectors are covered, I can't believe the improvements. For connectors that don't have caps, I covered them with layers of thin copper foil. Best ROI!
 
knghifi said:
Madfloyd, AQ XLR caps are $29 a pair. This is peanuts relative to total investment in your system.

Now all my digital and analog input/output connectors are covered, I can't believe the improvements. For connectors that don't have caps, I covered them with layers of thin copper foil. Best ROI!
Click to expand...

The AQ caps don't say that they are non-shorting. Have you tried them?
 
Agreed there are serious limitations on the 20 , run it against the xp-30 and you got a whole new ball game .. There is a world of difference .. When I got the XP-30 we a/b with the ann audio reaserch and the pass "clobberd" the lever twice the price AR I've never seen a unanimous result on an A/B but it was not even a comparison . That XP-30 is so,etching special and would be a bargain at 25k let alone 13
 
at madflyod I wiil purchase the Xa100.8 for my Sasha2. I had the Xa100.5 but after other ampli tested the Pass in class A is the best ampli available.
I have listen the Accsutic Arts monos (but with my Xp20 as preampli) and is a good product but the Passlabs sound very different.....

I can have the D'agostino stereo for the same price from the Pass xa100.8.....I think the Pass is better.....any experience?

Do you have listen your Xa160.8 with a A.research REF5se as preampli?

The AQ caps (or other similar products ) I dont have never tried but in more magazine see this mode to "close the noises"

I have see some "rca product" to stop all the input.....give a sound improvemnet? I dont know....317690-telos_pure_copper_rca_protective_caps_set_of_10_.jpg


really to try?
 
I heard the D'gostino stereo amp and Pass XA 160.5 and XA160.8 in a system with Wilson Alexias. I preferred the XA160.8. Better control of low end, cleaner, more transparent sound.
 
Hi PeterA,

thank you for reply.

I think too that the Pass have a better sound. I dont have listen the Dagostino stereo but is a lot of money only for the Name.

I had the xa100.5, now the Accustic Arts is in my room but the control, details from the Pass is a lot better.


I think the invest my money with tthe Xa100.8. with the Sasha2 the 100.8 are really enough.

You have the Xa160.8 with Wilson?
What for speaker cable do you have?

as interconnets I use a Wireworld silver Eclipse 7: for me is a good cable. price / performance ae very good.
 
Hello db33,

I heard those amps in a friend's system and definitely preferred the XA160.8. So did he so he bought it.

I own the Pass XA160.5, XP25, XP20, Magico Mini II speakers and all Transparent REF XL cables. The Wilson sound is very different from what I have.
 
AVjim said:
Agreed there are serious limitations on the 20 , run it against the xp-30 and you got a whole new ball game .. There is a world of difference .. When I got the XP-30 we a/b with the ann audio reaserch and the pass "clobberd" the lever twice the price AR I've never seen a unanimous result on an A/B but it was not even a comparison . That XP-30 is so,etching special and would be a bargain at 25k let alone 13
Click to expand...

AVjim, in your opinion, what are the serious limitations on the XP20? And how do you think the XP30 is better? Thanks.
 
On Friday i will have for 2 days Pass Labs XP-30 i hoop it will be my Nirvana Sound with my XA 60.8 compared with my old Aleph P Pre.
I`ll report what i thing about it after that.
 
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