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Great as always review- HR.
The Pass Labs & First Watt integrated amps are on my short list to demo. Several choices in each brand- which one shall I start auditioning?
Analog Sources: Linn LP12 Valhalla turntable, SME M2-9 tonearm, Dynavector DV20X2L cartridge; Roksan Radius 7 turntable & tonearm & Corus Silver cartridge; Rega Research Planar 3 turntable & RB330 tonearm & Elys 2 cartridge.
Digital Sources: Integra DPPS-7.2 DVD-Audio player, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DAC.
Preamplification: Dynavector P75 Mk.3, Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III RIAA, Parasound Halo JC 3+ phono preamplifiers; Bob's Devices CineMag 1131, Dynavector SUP-200, Lounge Audio Copla step-up transformers.
Power Amplifiers: First Watt J2, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium.
Integrated Amplifier: Line Magnetic LM-518 IA.
Loudspeakers: DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93, Falcon Acoustics LS3/5a, KEF LS50, Magnepan .7, Zu Audio Soul Supreme.
Cables: Digital: Kimber Kable D60 Data Flex Studio (coaxial). Interconnect: AudioQuest Red River (balanced) & Cinnamon, Auditorium 23, Kimber Kable Silver Streak, Wireworld Eclipse 7 & Silver Eclipse 7. Speaker: AudioQuest GO-4, Auditorium 23. AC: AudioQuest NRG-2.
Accessories: AudioQuest Niagara 1000 Low-Z power conditioner, PS Audio Perfect Wave Power base; Dr. Feickert Analogue Protractor NG & Adjust+ software; Acoustical Systems SmarTractor cartridge-alignment protractor; Musical Surroundings Fozgometer azimuth-adjustment meter; Moongel stylus cleaner.Herb Reichert
Great as always review- HR.
The Pass Labs & First Watt integrated amps are on my short list to demo. Several choices in each brand- which one shall I start auditioning?
bet they could sell this amp 30-40% cheaper if they didn't used an over-the-top chassis
There's a whiff of a self-serving argument in the 6th paragraph of this article. I am sure that this integrated is a fine piece of equipment. But to dismiss "measurements" is one many postures of the audio community that needs to be challenged.
"Measurements" don't matter; only some ethereal out-of-body experience does. Well, then why not join the ranks of most audio publications and stop going through the sweat of "measurements" altogether?
Based on my research only Stereophile, Soundstage! (Canada), and audio.com.pl (Poland) bother to do comprehensive measurements on a regular basis. Credibility is gained in my book by the efforts made to subject equipment to the objectivity of measurements. Soundstage! proudly enters disclaimers of how their methodology complies with those of the Canadian Bureau of Standards.
And, yes, measurements do matter, particularly for those of us on a budget. Measurements show where there is superior workmanship done on a budget.
I recall reading in a leading car magazine about 18 years ago that my sporty, econobox Japanese sedan had "measurements" that were quite similar to a German import costing over 2 times as much. But perhaps I missed the sublimities of the leather seating and all of the prestige. Forget that the car was not much faster, not much more powerful, and had about the same dBs (bad ones for automotive pursuits) of sound inside the driver's cabin.
I have also found that my favorite brand of timepieces (available for a reasonable price today at a mall near you) has a 5 year warranty. To my surprise, much of the finery of Geneva and Le Chaux de Fonds, costing 10 times as much, or more, often comes with a much shorter warranty.
Instead of asking why "measurements don't matter," I'd ask another question. Why does a product costing $9,000 not have better measurements, in some areas, than a $999.00 Class C integrated amp listed on the current line-up of "Recommended Components" in this publication?
I for one am delighted that I have the "better measurements," and a good audio experience to boot, off of an integrated amp (the predecessor of your Class C item) which I purchased as dealer demo for 8.7% of the price of the item under discussion in this article. I hope this fine piece of gear in this article is 11 times better than what I found on a Saturday afternoon.
Oh, and my car: it lasted 17 years; probably it out-lasted its luxury rival, and spent less time in the shop. My watch is still going strong after 15 years.
This publication, and the audio hobby in general, can't afford to dismiss the value-for-the-money trade-offs that exist in this pursuit, most your readers do it every day; we look at the "measurements," too.
Read the paragraph again:
And what about measurements? Can John Atkinson's graphs of impressive sinewaves and squarewaves corroborate relative value? Maybe . . . but, as my friend Steve Guttenberg always says, "Measurements are useless at predicting user preferences."
jason
"Measurements are useless at predicting user preferences."
??? I find measurements quite useful at predicting MY preferences--and I'm a user, aren't I? I have learned, through correlating measurements with listening, to avoid like the plague any speaker that shows signs of upper-midrange or presence-region forwardness, or that has certain other anomalies that I hate. Likewise there are certain features I look for in amp measurements.
which measurements you are referring to that are inferior to the $999 model? From what I see, the measurements of this amp are quite excellent overall. Certainly nothing to disqualify it from sounding absolutely superb. All engineers engage in trade-offs. You can run tons of loop feedback in an amplifier and get lower distortion specs, but often at the expense of sound quality . That's not the way Pass designs their amps.
I recently displaced an Ayre AX5Twenty in my main system with the PASS INT-250. If one can afford the step up from the INT-60, I strongly recommend it. The added bonus is not only are the sonics superior, but so is the interaction with the manufacturer. Kent English at PASS couldn't be more invested in ensuring a new customer's delight with a PASS product. Apparently, Charlie H has schooled the Ayre staff to make it clear that customers were clearly misguided to call Boulder and that their concerns would be best directed to their respective dealer.
My understanding is they are different. Both are "point 8" but the 60 runs a higher bias and is class A up until 30 watts. The 250 leaves class A at 16 watts.
i just purchased the new Rega Brio integrated amp. for $1000 it will give any SS amp i have heard a run for it's money. ethereal highs and profoundly musical. a heavy hitter at only 50 very powerful watts. seperate power supply for the pre-amp which simulate Class A sound. one does not have to spend crazy money for high end sound.