HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

... and an upgraded version of Pass DIY aleph-M, sold by Taiwan-based Vintage Audio Lab.

20wpc pure class A, and the chassis gets too hot to keep your hand on.

Had it a few weeks now and really enjoying it.
Fast, subtle, transparent, dynamic. And a surprisingly taut and powerful bass.

The sound seems to bear very little resemblance to the two other Pass power amps I have tried, an X-150 and an Aleph 3, neither of which impressed me much with their rather laidback sq.

... and 4th amp in the current line-up, a tiny TPA3116 class D amp.
Something like 50wpc, according to the spec.
I use it with a Chinese linear PSU and it sounds pretty damn amazing.
I could happily live with it long term as my only amp if I had to, which I find quite astonishing.



They cost about £20 delivered, which is totally crazy.
Add a £45 lpsu and imo you have a world class amp.

Nice to see your blog updated and to have you posting over here again, Jerry.

karatestu wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 12:44 pm

jandl100 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 12:27 pm Ah, sad to see that post from RD a couple up. RIP - we didn't always get on in forum-land, but I remember with fondness the afternoon at his place, just the two of us, playing tunes, discovering new music and chatting hifi. We got on just fine.

Yes the world of sound reproduction is a lesser place since Richard passed. I never met him sadly but did speak on the phone. You are not the first to say that he was very different in person to how he was in forum land.

Yes, when I first arrived at his place I said he wasn't at all like I was expecting from his forum posts. That got a big laugh and a knowing grin.

Another fan of Nelson pass amps, I've had an f5 for a couple of years now. and it stopped me building my own amps.
I'm using it with one of my passive pres, haven't heard anything that makes me want to change it. Other than the lda p6. But that's waaaaay out of my price range..
Also built my speakers based around the amp.
I just play with turntables now......
It was the same for me meeting Richard, different man in person, the real Richard.

slinger wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 2:52 pm Nice to see your blog updated and to have you posting over here again, Jerry.

Shows I am quite new to this forum.

Nice to see you here as well Jerry.

Ooooo, new DAC.

Chord 2Qute with a Teddy Pardo PSU.
... which necessitated the re-introduction of my Chinese RVC passive preamp, as I had been using the volume control on the Audiobyte DAC.



I tried the 2Qute with its standard wallwart PSU first, then onto the Teddy.
It's obviously a significant upgrade, despite some of the tosh you can read on t'internet.

A keeper, better than the excellent Audiobyte?
Time will tell, it's certainly interestingly different.

Jerry, have you got a duck fettish ?

karatestu wrote: ↑Fri Dec 20, 2019 6:20 pm Jerry, have you got a duck fettish ?

Yes.