You asked for it, you got it.
Since you asked sooooooo nicely . . .
New gear! Huzzah!
Since you asked sooooooo nicely . . .
The Mystery Package Arrives!
- Thread starter Rich
- Start date
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Pcar928fan
Well-known member
VERY NICE! How BIG IS IT?! That thing is GIANT! What does it weigh?!
Sorry, it took me a little while to remember how to post pics on this site. Or maybe I'm just moving a little slow today.
Anyway, as you can see from the pics above, this motha is a beast. 150 pounds of American-made muscle. I just about killed myself getting it in the door and unpacked. Build quality and fit and finish are superb. It is a stunningly beautiful piece of workmanship.
And the more I listen, the better it sounds. I have been listening to Natalie Merchant "Retrospective," which is a great compilation for those who like her work. Vocals are just spectacular with this amp. As I said before, it doesn't quite have the liquidity in the mids that the CJ 140 has, but it has a much more palpable realism. Voices and instruments just seem more real and in the room. Soundstage is superb (similar to the CJ).
But one thing this amp really does much better is handle complex musical passages. When things get loud and there is a lot going on at once, the CJ would get a little compression and start to break down in its presentation. Not this amp. It has such control over the speakers that loud, complex passages are portrayed with complete and accurate realism without breaking a sweat. The word effortless comes to mind. Dynamics are great. Transients are pinpoint. The amp starts and stops on a dime. Highs are a little more extended than the CJ, but can be a little bright occasionally at the volumes I have been playing at.
At this point, I have only had about four hours listening to this amp, so I will have more comments as I get more time with it.
Anyway, as you can see from the pics above, this motha is a beast. 150 pounds of American-made muscle. I just about killed myself getting it in the door and unpacked. Build quality and fit and finish are superb. It is a stunningly beautiful piece of workmanship.
And the more I listen, the better it sounds. I have been listening to Natalie Merchant "Retrospective," which is a great compilation for those who like her work. Vocals are just spectacular with this amp. As I said before, it doesn't quite have the liquidity in the mids that the CJ 140 has, but it has a much more palpable realism. Voices and instruments just seem more real and in the room. Soundstage is superb (similar to the CJ).
But one thing this amp really does much better is handle complex musical passages. When things get loud and there is a lot going on at once, the CJ would get a little compression and start to break down in its presentation. Not this amp. It has such control over the speakers that loud, complex passages are portrayed with complete and accurate realism without breaking a sweat. The word effortless comes to mind. Dynamics are great. Transients are pinpoint. The amp starts and stops on a dime. Highs are a little more extended than the CJ, but can be a little bright occasionally at the volumes I have been playing at.
At this point, I have only had about four hours listening to this amp, so I will have more comments as I get more time with it.
Pcar928fan
Well-known member
Don't know much about the Pass labs gear, but they were recommended for my MBL 101 speakers. Obvisouly this is a stereo amp. Can I assume from the number that it is 350wpc into 8 ohms? Obviously it can handle difficult speakers too... so that is not an issue.
What is the benefit of the .5 Pass amps vs. the non-.5 amps? What is a "good deal" on a used amp... mono or stereo???
TomDac
former MLO owner/operator
That is a beast Rich. I assume it won't move into the CJ's spot on top of the TV for fear it would crush the poor thing. I have a hard time putting my 65lbs Mono blocks on the bottom shelf on my equipment stand I can't imagine trying to move the X-350.5 in and out of place.
Congratulations, keep us up to date on its final position and how good it sounds.
Congratulations, keep us up to date on its final position and how good it sounds.
Yep, it's a stereo amp that puts out 350 wpc into 8 ohms, 700 into 4, and is stable with reactive loads like electrostats. The .5 amps have some updating of circuitry. From the Pass Labs website: "Select refinements from the balanced single-ended Class A circuits of the XA series amplifiers have been incorporated into several new X.5 series models, significantly improving their subjective performance while keeping the high power and reliability." This amp puts out Class A power for the first 50 watts or so, then switches to AB.
As far as a good deal, that is obviously in the eye of the beholder. I'm sure I could have gotten a better deal if I had been more patient (but I don't know the meaning of that word). I have seen the X-350.5 on audiogon for around $6,000 (brand new I think it is $9,500).
Ha. Yeah, the CJ is more weight than I should be putting on top of that TV. The Pass, if I could get it up there, would absolutely crush it. Anyway, all of this is temporary until the move. Once I get everything set up in the new house, I will formally post it all in the member's systems.
Kruppy
Well-known member
Man....All you guys with your Pass Labs upgrades.....I've been lusting after Pass stuff for so long.
I've got Joeyitis so bad I'm shaking right now.
I've got Joeyitis so bad I'm shaking right now.
lugano
Well-known member
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I li(c)ked the pic. Don't feel bad to admit it
then I went to update the pix in the database... and relized that the meaty info is missing.
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Robin
Well-known member
The Marvelous Pass Labs X-350.5...
Rich,
Congratulations!
I just love you incredible Summit system as well. Will your system be going into a dedicated HT room about the same size as you current living room?
Is that the Conrad-Johnson 140 is on top of your monitor? If so, are you still using it in your system?
I had not read that the Pass Labs XA-160 could not handle low impedances? I have read it is designed to handle electrostatic speaker without any problems at all... I was wondering where you found this information? As I am seriously considering the XA-160 or even the XA-100 possibly running them as mono-blocks for my once and future bedroom music system...
The photos look awesome! Your system rocks, Rich!
Your new bundle-of-joy looks sooo beautiful all 150 pounds of Pass Labs sonic loveliness. :cheers:
Rich,
Congratulations!
I just love you incredible Summit system as well.
Will your system be going into a dedicated HT room about the same size as you current living room? Is that the Conrad-Johnson 140 is on top of your monitor? If so, are you still using it in your system?
I had not read that the Pass Labs XA-160 could not handle low impedances? I have read it is designed to handle electrostatic speaker without any problems at all...
I was wondering where you found this information? As I am seriously considering the XA-160 or even the XA-100 possibly running them as mono-blocks for my once and future bedroom music system... The photos look awesome! Your system rocks, Rich!
Your new bundle-of-joy looks sooo beautiful all 150 pounds of Pass Labs sonic loveliness. :cheers:
MotorToad
Well-known member
What an awesome looking system! I can only imagine it sounds even better.
Thanks to everyone for the kind words.
Robin, in response to your questions:
My dedicated room will be 14 ft. by 17 ft. (somewhat smaller than the 20 ft. by 22 ft. I currently enjoy) and it will be completely treated with acoustic treatments.
That is indeed the CJ 140 on top of my T.V., and I have not decided for sure, but I will probably continue to use the CJ gear with my Ascents in a second system in my game room, which will be down in the basement.
The info. I got on the XA-160 came from various sources. The folks at Pass Labs recommended the X.5 series over the XA series for use with Martin Logans. Also several dealers and various folks on different forums recommended the same. The XA series cannot produce more than its rated output into lower impedence loads. Thus, the XA-160 will produce 160 wpc at 8 ohms, 160 wpc at 4 ohms, etc. The X-350.5 will produce 350 wpc into 8 ohms, and will double that to produce 700 wpc into 4 ohms.
Someone better equipped than I with Electrical Engineering knowledge will have to explain why this matters, but apparently it does. I guess as the impedence halves, if the rated wattage doesn't double, then the effective power is actually halved as well(?). I'm not sure. Can someone help me out and explain this?
Regardless, I was told by different folks that the X.5 series would work much better with the Martin Logans than the XA series, so that is what I purchased, even though I suspect I would like the sound of the XA series a little more. I am still likely to jump up to the X-600.5 monoblocs if I ever find them on sale used, because they stay in Class A operation a lot longer than the X-350.5.
Robin, in response to your questions:
My dedicated room will be 14 ft. by 17 ft. (somewhat smaller than the 20 ft. by 22 ft. I currently enjoy) and it will be completely treated with acoustic treatments.
That is indeed the CJ 140 on top of my T.V., and I have not decided for sure, but I will probably continue to use the CJ gear with my Ascents in a second system in my game room, which will be down in the basement.
The info. I got on the XA-160 came from various sources. The folks at Pass Labs recommended the X.5 series over the XA series for use with Martin Logans. Also several dealers and various folks on different forums recommended the same. The XA series cannot produce more than its rated output into lower impedence loads. Thus, the XA-160 will produce 160 wpc at 8 ohms, 160 wpc at 4 ohms, etc. The X-350.5 will produce 350 wpc into 8 ohms, and will double that to produce 700 wpc into 4 ohms.
Someone better equipped than I with Electrical Engineering knowledge will have to explain why this matters, but apparently it does. I guess as the impedence halves, if the rated wattage doesn't double, then the effective power is actually halved as well(?). I'm not sure. Can someone help me out and explain this?
Regardless, I was told by different folks that the X.5 series would work much better with the Martin Logans than the XA series, so that is what I purchased, even though I suspect I would like the sound of the XA series a little more. I am still likely to jump up to the X-600.5 monoblocs if I ever find them on sale used, because they stay in Class A operation a lot longer than the X-350.5.
Congratulations on the beautiful amp! I just purchased your amp's itty bitty little brother, the X150. I hope that it at least gives me a bit of a glimpse into the audio nirvana you must currently be experiencing!
Joey, be thankful you didn't have to deliver a bundle-of-joy like this last week when you were doing OB rounds. You would never be able to move your equipment again.
Robin
Well-known member
Pass Labs X-350.5...
Rich,
That was an excellent explanation. :cheers:
I had been wondering if the Pass Labs XA series - doubled down for lower impedance's. It does sound like you did all the research and asked all the right questions as well. I am glad you found in the Pass Labs X-350.5 - the power amplifier you were looking for, at least for now. I does sound like a wonderful and amazing amplifier. :cheers:
I do look forward to how it sounds as you listen to it more.
And thank you again for answering all of my questions. It sounds like both of your planned systems will be fantastic.
Please let us know how it all comes together, that is when you have the time. I know how busy it can be building and moving into another home.
Good luck with everything...
Rich,
That was an excellent explanation. :cheers:
I had been wondering if the Pass Labs XA series - doubled down for lower impedance's. It does sound like you did all the research and asked all the right questions as well. I am glad you found in the Pass Labs X-350.5 - the power amplifier you were looking for, at least for now. I does sound like a wonderful and amazing amplifier. :cheers:
I do look forward to how it sounds as you listen to it more.
And thank you again for answering all of my questions. It sounds like both of your planned systems will be fantastic.
Please let us know how it all comes together, that is when you have the time. I know how busy it can be building and moving into another home.
Good luck with everything...
Joey_V
Well-known member
Tell me about it! I just looked at the Plinius 102 that I have and it's definitely not as big as the Pass x350.5!!! What a MONSTER!!
Joey_V
Well-known member
I can imagine it now.... a wet 150lb thing.... slippery as a pig in mud.....
I think I would've broken my foot and cracked the floor cuz I would've dropped it!
