On Thursday, May 20th, Seattle’s
Resolution Audio Video (5459 Leary Avenue NW) will host an evening with renowned
amplifier designer and
DIY advocate, the long-haired and white-bearded Nelson Pass. This event should be really cool and interesting; Nelson Pass doesn’t make many big public appearances.
Founder and chief engineer of the successful Pass Labs, Pass’s influence on the world of hi-fi spans three decades and has resulted in several audio circuitry patents. His innovative designs are centered around the ideals of simplicity, low distortion, and low noise, resulting in a wonderful sort of graceful, fluid musicality. The amps often look pretty damn cool, too. (That's a picture of the little Aleph 3, up top.)
To get a better idea of Nelson Pass and his design philosophy, read
this interview, conducted by Tom Norton in our November 1991 issue. If you’re interested in more, Art Dudley bookended the year of 2005 with columns on Pass’s idiosyncratic(er) alter ego,
First Watt. Find Art’s January and December 2005 columns
here and
here. For more on Pass’s many patents, check
this out.
To learn more about some Pass products, read Steven Stone’s review of the
Pass Aleph 1.2 monoblock, Muse Kastanovich’s review of the
Aleph 3 power amp, Michael Fremer’s review of the
Aleph Ono phono preamp, Jonathan Scull’s review of the
X1000 monoblock, Mikey’s review of the
XA160 monoblock, Brian Damkroger’s review of the
XA30.5 power amp, and Erick Lichte's
Follow-Up of same.
When you’re done with all that, you might want to visit Resolution Audio Video. I hear it’s a cool place. Doors for the May 20th event with Nelson Pass open at 7pm. Admission is free.
