Solid State Integrated Recommendations?

RDavidson · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 May 2020, 04:22 pm »

Quote from: I.Greyhound Fan on 17 May 2020, 07:22 pm

I have a Pass X250 amp and it gets hot.

Yeah. Heat depends on class A bias which varies by model. I had the XA 30.8 for about a year. It ran hot enough to heat up my listening area by a couple of degrees. It ran MUCH warmer than the 30.5 I once had. It didn't run so hot I couldn't put my hand on it. I would say the heat it contributed was similar to that of having another person or perhaps a somewhat large dog in the room with me. The .8 series runs deeper into high bias class A than the .5 series. Note the 260.8's are monoblocks, which would certainly increase room temps.

twitch54 · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 May 2020, 05:28 pm »

Quote from: RDavidson on 18 May 2020, 04:22 pm

Yeah. Heat depends on class A bias which varies by model. I had the XA 30.8 for about a year. It ran hot enough to heat up my listening area by a couple of degrees. It ran MUCH warmer than the 30.5 I once had. It didn't run so hot I couldn't put my hand on it. I would say the heat it contributed was similar to that of having another person or perhaps a somewhat large dog in the room with me. The .8 series runs deeper into high bias class A than the .5 series. Note the 260.8's are monoblocks, which would certainly increase room temps.

RD, the XA series is Class A not A/B, so that explains the increased heat issues. Interesting that it's warmer than you're 30.5 ? Of note with the .8 series (A/B) the X260.8 mono blocks have the highest amount of initial Class A bias, save the mighty '650'. My 260.8's will heat up my room (14'6"x24') by a couple of degrees.

Also of note , a Class A circuit at idle will produce more 'heat' since it is always 'on'

JTF · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 May 2020, 05:34 pm »

I have a Pass INT-30A, it gets warm to the touch, but never what I'd consider hot. I typically leave it on all day.

RDavidson · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 May 2020, 09:01 pm »

Quote from: twitch54 on 18 May 2020, 05:28 pm

RD, the XA series is Class A not A/B, so that explains the increased heat issues. Interesting that it's warmer than you're 30.5 ? Of note with the .8 series (A/B) the X260.8 mono blocks have the highest amount of initial Class A bias, save the mighty '650'. My 260.8's will heat up my room (14'6"x24') by a couple of degrees.

Also of note , a Class A circuit at idle will produce more 'heat' since it is always 'on'

Yes. Correct. And actually the XA series will go into class A/B when the going gets really tough, i.e. when the needle on the meter moves to the right. Technically all Pass Labs amps are A/B. The difference is the XA series are more deeply biased into class A than the X series. As such, Pass has drawn a line in the sand between the two product lines so customers can more easily choose between amount of class A watts they want (XA series) or if they need more brute force (X series) per their cash and preferences.

Yes, the XA30.8 runs significantly hotter than the 30.5. The .8 is more deeply biased into single ended class A, so bigger power supply, more hardware, more heat.

I have owned both the INT30A and INT-150 as well. Both are great integrateds. The INT30A is more natural sounding, but the 150 is no slouch. I thought it actually had a bigger and more exciting presentation, though I generally preferred the 30A's sound signature. I did not find the 150 to sound cold or dry, it simply isn't as warm as the 30A. Both have strengths and weaknesses. Hope this helps.

Sorry to detail the thread a bit on Pass chatter.

zmaggio · « **Reply #24 on:** 19 May 2020, 03:38 pm »

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to give me some suggestions.. a lot of really interesting options here I hadn't considered, or heard of in some cases! I'm glad I asked!

That DAC Stereo Maraschino sure seems like a winner... very tempting!!!

rollo · « **Reply #25 on:** 19 May 2020, 03:49 pm »

For background music, NAD good enough.

charles

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #26 on:** 19 May 2020, 03:57 pm »

Quote from: zmaggio on 19 May 2020, 03:38 pm

IThat DAC Stereo Maraschino sure seems like a winner... very tempting!!!

If you’re willing to spend that much, go for it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you like it so much that you put your Line Magnetic up on the chopping block. That amp is without question your best option at that price new or used by a long shot. Same applies to the Allo Volt +

opnly bafld · « **Reply #27 on:** 19 May 2020, 04:58 pm »

Quote from: rollo on 19 May 2020, 03:49 pm

For background music, NAD good enough.

+1
Lots of inexpensive options.

charmerci · « **Reply #28 on:** 19 May 2020, 05:21 pm »

zmaggio · « **Reply #29 on:** 19 May 2020, 10:25 pm »

Let me throw out two low-cost, no-frills amps by way of Serbia that I've periodically heard about: the Dayens Ampino and the Vista Spark. Anyone have experience with either of these?

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #30 on:** 19 May 2020, 11:08 pm »

I had an Ampino but I still think you’re better off with either of the other two aforementioned options.

jmolsberg · « **Reply #31 on:** 20 May 2020, 01:04 am »

For a SS option, I’d run the omegas with a Nelson pass or maybe valvet, which I read some good single ended stuff on. Cheers

Holygeezer · « **Reply #32 on:** 21 May 2020, 02:13 pm »

Hi zmaggio, I had a Dayens Ampino with a pair of Omega 1.5 Way Towers which used the RS5 drivers and it was magical. So much so that my partner's nephew who is a professional music DJ heard that system and fell in love with it and he has heard some nice systems over the years. I have not heard the other recommendations, but I can vouch for the Dayens Ampino. I love small form factor amps that are plain and simple with lower wattage. I ended up gifting that system to my partner's nephew and replaced it with a Clones Audio 25ir amp and Omega 3XRS speakers. Every time I listen to the new system my toes are tapping and my head is nodding. And I had the same response with the Ampino. Have fun choosing your new amp.
P.S. I also have a Cambridge Audio system hooked up to our television system comprised of a 651A amp and 752BD universal player and a pair of S30 speakers. I highly recommend Cambridge Audio components for mid fi as well.

AvsFan · « **Reply #33 on:** 23 May 2020, 05:32 am »

Quote from: zmaggio on 19 May 2020, 03:38 pm

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to give me some suggestions.. a lot of really interesting options here I hadn't considered, or heard of in some cases! I'm glad I asked!

That DAC Stereo Maraschino sure seems like a winner... very tempting!!!

So did you decide yet? The STM is a winner! Hands down. It’s not a “background” music type of amp. It’s a holy smokes, this is the only amp I need type of amp. So are you looking at permanently replacing your current amp or just casual background?

I just got my new Omega’s hooked up to an also brand new Alan Eaton 45 SET. And I know the two need some break in time , but man am I excited about what the future holds with that combination! But this weekend, I am going to throw in the $69 Allo Volt + just to see how it plays with the Omega’s. I have a hunch that it will sound VERY nice.

zmaggio · « **Reply #34 on:** 27 May 2020, 01:36 pm »

Hi everyone, thanks again for all the input. I haven't decided ultimately on which solid state integrated to go with - so many great recommendations here!

In the meantime, I did happen to get my hands on a cheap Rega Brio-R, a late model made just before the most recent model was released, and I threw that into the system just to have something to listen to while I mulled over my other options.

I feel like I could start another thread on this topic - and maybe it's not for the Omega forum - but I'm just a little bit surprised by what I'm hearing. I've been a tube guy exclusively for more than a decade, and as I said I haven't owned a solid state amp since I had a Creek Evolution circa 2007, and an Odyssey for awhile after that. In my mind, SS amps are unfailingly harsh, brittle, edgy, bright, collapsed soundstage, non-holographic and all that. I avoid them for all those reasons. BUT this little Rega unit, as inexpensive and modest as it is, is somewhat surprising me. While it is not as holographic as the Line Magnetic, and a bit harder sounding, it is holding its own.

It's perplexing, in a way, and makes me wonder if the Line Magnetic amps don't truly embody the sonic characteristics of SET design (and don't get me wrong, I've loved my LM). Or is it just that some tube amplifiers nowadays are increasingly designed to emulate the desirable characteristics of solid state amps? And vice versa?

Anyway, makes me wonder what a truly high-class solid state amp can achieve....

seikosha · « **Reply #35 on:** 28 May 2020, 02:00 pm »

Hi zmaggio,

Glad you are liking the Brio. As I previously mentioned, it really is the best SS I've tried on my Omegas. And yes, it does have a bit of that elusive tube dimensionality that you alluded to and certainly more than any SS gear I've listened to on my Omegas. I've never heard any Line Magnetic gear in person and I never make comments and recommendations on gear and combos that I haven't heard so I can't attest to how close the Rega is to the LM stuff. I can say that my experience in audio after having been in the hobby for a long long time is that yes, in general, today's tube amps do sound a little more "Solid State" than they did in the past.

You might want to try some of the Class A stuff out there, I think you might like it. Many of Nelson Watt's First Watt amps are designed for single driver speakers. While I have the Allo Volt+D and some TPA Class D amps, they just don't seem to get the most out of the Omegas. Class D has a lot of negative feedback in it and as a result high damping factors which is actually a good thing for many speakers, but my experience is that the Omegas like an amp that has low damping factor. It allows the bass to breathe a bit more for lack of a better term. There have been some discussions about this on the forum in the past and Nelson Pass has also written some papers about Voltage vs. Current amplifiers and how they interact with single drivers.

Good luck with your journey.

Bigtom · « **Reply #36 on:** 6 Jun 2020, 06:51 pm »

I just got a Yamaha A-s1200 and it makes my SAM's sing wonderfully my Finale audio F7189 is boxed up and I may let it go that is how good this Yamaha sounds.

zmaggio · « **Reply #37 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 08:24 pm »

Reupping my thread on solid state options to ask about anyone's experience with the Belles Aria... I've heard only good things about this amp but am just concerned that 75wpc may be too much for my tiny listening room and 94db SAMs.... I know people generally scoff at "too much power" but honestly, I'd be listening to this amp's first 0.5 watts...

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #38 on:** 29 Jun 2020, 10:24 pm »

Any single ended transistor amp will get my attention.

mdss68 · « **Reply #39 on:** 4 Jul 2020, 06:16 pm »

I've also had that Yamaha, superb amp.

I've been running my Super 6 XRS's with an Audio Note Oto SE, but that's got a few issues (nearly 20 yrs old off ebay, not entirely surprising!) so I tried what seemed an unlikely combo, a Quad Elite power amp with a cheap as chips Tidsbury Audio passive pre, total cost about £350 (the quad was another ebay special, and the Tidsbury retails for about £100 here in the UK).

The result has taken me aback somewhat, it sounds different to the Oto, but there is a delicacy to this too that I don't tend to associate with SS, along with a bass that I didn't know these speakers could do, controlled and deep, but with a litheness too, almost as if you get the best of both tube & SS worlds, but with no tubes! As I say, for what was really meant to be a stop gap solution, after a week or so now I could most definitely live with this too.

I for one didn't track down a pair of Omega's with any intention of using an 80w SS power amp, but if it works, it works imho