Itch again! what do you think: Pass Labs, McCormack, BAT, or Levinson amp?

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #60 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 04:52 pm »

Ah, 300 at 8 and 600 at 4. Search engines do work!

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #61 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 04:57 pm »

1000 watt beasts! No looks like 250 watts? Hate their numbering scheme.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1208938546

rydenfan · « **Reply #62 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 05:10 pm »

My vote would be the 250.5 Pass Labs or the McCormack DNA-500. I have not enjoyed my auditions with Krell amps in the past. You can always add these Musical Fidelity Superchargers to anything as well...
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1210639613

rydenfan · « **Reply #63 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 05:14 pm »

I am sure these custom built Steve McCormack monoblocks are incredible!

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1209125717

zybar · « **Reply #64 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 05:16 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 23 Mar 2008, 04:49 pm

So George, is that his amp on Agon? I thought that thing was 600 wpc. Looks like it is 300 wpc? I think BAT's website is useless.

This is the amp:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1209128019

Looks like a sale is pending...is that you Pete?

George

zybar · « **Reply #65 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 05:17 pm »

Quote from: rydenfan on 23 Mar 2008, 05:14 pm

I am sure these custom built Steve McCormack monoblocks are incredible!

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1209125717

I bet they are as well...but now you are getting very pricey indeed.

Not sure Pete wants to spend anywhere close to this amount.

George

Frank S. · « **Reply #66 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 05:18 pm »

It's sold guys.............Shipping out on Tuesday.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #67 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 05:45 pm »

Yeah. I'm pretty comfortable at 6k, less so at 7k. 4k is sweet though. I have 2 emails to 2 sellers of 350.5's and one email to a seller of a 250.5 and another seller of a 250.5 is a little high. Of course, snooze and lose, right. My target is definitely the 350.5. So what's up with these people not monitoring their email messages on Easter Sunday anyway!

rydenfan · « **Reply #68 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 05:50 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 23 Mar 2008, 05:45 pm

Yeah. I'm pretty comfortable at 6k, less so at 7k. 4k is sweet though. I have 2 emails to 2 sellers of 350.5's and one email to a seller of a 250.5 and another seller of a 250.5 is a little high. Of course, snooze and lose, right. My target is definitely the 350.5. So what's up with these people not monitoring their email messages on Easter Sunday anyway!

Seriously! Dont they know you have gear to buy

Imperial · « **Reply #69 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:08 pm »

I'd get the KW 750, my pick, personally, if the EC Nemo is not more than unobtainium now... sulk!!!

It's RCA only, I don't know if that is a problem, but.
It will kick in about 900w in pulses at 8 ohms ( Close to 1400 at 4 ohms.. - that is a lot of lightning!!! )I believe, it is a VERY powerfull amp!
But like the Bryston 28ST... it also excels at low output levels!!!

Uhm, Might one ask what the pre amplifier of choice is?

Imperial

Double Ugly · « **Reply #70 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:21 pm »

Quote from: Imperial on 23 Mar 2008, 10:08 pm

I'd get the KW 750, my pick, personally, if the EC Nemo is not more than unobtainium now... sulk!!!

Might want to check this, Imperial.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #71 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:24 pm »

Those were the ones I "purchased". Poor guy had a concussion and is out of commission from a car accident for a while. I need amplification this week so I moved on as soon as he refunded my dough.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #72 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:27 pm »

Quote from: Imperial on 23 Mar 2008, 10:08 pm

I'd get the KW 750, my pick, personally, if the EC Nemo is not more than unobtainium now... sulk!!!
It's RCA only, I don't know if that is a problem, but.
It will kick in about 900w in pulses at 8 ohms ( Close to 1400 at 4 ohms.. - that is a lot of lightning!!! )I believe, it is a VERY powerfull amp!
But like the Bryston 28ST... it also excels at low output levels!!!

Uhm, Might one ask what the pre amplifier of choice is?

Imperial

I am using a Bel Canto DAC3. Looks like I may score an X350.5 today. Anybody know if that is a 15 or 20 amp IEC? Can't find any butt shots.

Imperial · « **Reply #73 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:30 pm »

Ok.

Then I'd check out the KW750's, they are awesome as well!

Blast, I wish that there would be a YBA Passion 1000 on A-Gon...
I'd then tell you Beg, steal or kill to get it...

But Hey, A KW 750 is also in Nemo league.

Edit: I've heard Pass loabs 600's I belive it was make music, awesome awesom indeed!
The .5 series are really popular in Norway, also a great choice of course - this in the land of Nemo...

Imperial

zybar · « **Reply #74 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:30 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 23 Mar 2008, 10:27 pm

I am using a Bel Canto DAC3. Looks like I may score an X350.5 today. Anybody know if that is a 15 or 20 amp IEC? Can't find any butt shots.

Pete,

According to the manual, it's a standard 15 amp cord:

The Pass Laboratories™ X350.5 is provided with a conventional IEC
detachable AC line cord, which is rated at 15 amps. The safety ground
is attached to the chassis in the conventional approved manner. The
AC power input to the amplifier runs through a RF filter, which removes
high frequency noise coming into and going out of the amplifier
power supply.

George

zybar · « **Reply #75 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:32 pm »

Quote from: Imperial on 23 Mar 2008, 10:30 pm

Ok.

Then I'd check out the KW750's, they are awesome as well!

Blast, I wish that there would be a YBA Passion 1000 on A-Gon...
I'd then tell you Beg, steal or kill to get it...
But Hey, A KW 750 is also in Nemo league.

Imperial

There is a YBA Passion 1000 on Agon, but it is a preamp:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?preatran&1209664843

Is there also a Passion 1000 amp?

George

Imperial · « **Reply #76 on:** 23 Mar 2008, 10:40 pm »

Edit:

Ok, the below was written yesterday.. You mean like for sale on A-Gon an amp also.. Uhm, no, not right now I think.

Oh dudes... (About the amp, nimble info..

)
Yves Bernard Andre designed an amp in 1996 - 7 that he called the YBA Passion 1000. It is a Stereo amplifier
featuring 2 c-cores 1500VA transformers. A C-Core transformer is like a Choke in that it can store amperage for massively quick delivery, eh, it releases the voltage curve more slowly, meaning that the charge time to the caps also is increased, I think?

)

The Passion 1000 amplifer has like 240watts (make that 1000w pulse capacity /480 amperes pulse capacity.. That has never been beaten by the way..... at close to shorting..) into 8 ohms of power.
It has the BEST midrange of any transistor amplifier!!!
It's powersupply runs like that of a Class-A amplifier does, with full power to the rails, but the outpustage is modulated
by the input signal only, rather smart this!!!

It is the first French amplifier to be class A ranked by Stereophile.
It's a powerhouse!!
The stereo unit can be converted to mono at any time. (This does not give more power, only increases the headroom - and the A/C cleaning..)
A bleedin shame that this amazing amp does not have more reviews to it's name!!!
It's only 230 - 250w pr channel... so it won't lift mars or anything.
But it is STABLE to 0.7 ohms, and then it will kick 3500w into a pulse... I'd like to see the speaker that can handle that...
So it is no slouch this BEAST!!
It has two sets of outputs, that is, it has different dampening factor, maximum of 400.
It runs very cool, and will never run out of steam even after hours of MAX output, so it most likely is immensely durable.
These days, they are very expensive new...
That is very interesting by the way, as YBA does have a new line out now, so I think that the Passion 1000 could be looking at
an upgrade some time soon as well, it's impossible to say, but it has been made for 10 years now, unaltered - an Improved version
could very well be on the way, that could release a score of the older version on the used market, and the old version is utterly fantastic - so that would be a super bargain indeed! It is a 250w/channel amp, and it is French, it's not gonna have hyper full bass...
OUI?

I believe that out of Europe you have a couple of amps that are legends.
The Nemo, The Gamut D200 MK III , The YBA Passion 1000, the Bladelius Grendel, The Tri-vista KW/KW 750 , the Burmester 909, The MBL 9007, the ECS EA-1 monoblocks, The Dynaudio Arbiter , the Gryphon Antileons, The Adyton Cordis 3B (Known as the Forsell Reference in the US)... there is more, but I'm tired now...

Time for bed soon I feel ... "Yawn.."

Imperial

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #77 on:** 24 Mar 2008, 04:30 pm »

X350.5 purchased and being shipped from Pass Labs today.

Telstar · « **Reply #78 on:** 24 Mar 2008, 05:41 pm »

Quote from: Imperial on 23 Mar 2008, 10:40 pm

Edit: Ok, the below was written yesterday.. You mean like for sale on A-Gon an amp also.. Uhm, no, not right now I think.

Oh dudes... (About the amp, nimble info.. )
Yves Bernard Andre designed an amp in 1996 - 7 that he called the YBA Passion 1000. It is a Stereo amplifier
featuring 2 c-cores 1500VA transformers. A C-Core transformer is like a Choke in that it can store amperage for massively quick delivery, eh, it releases the voltage curve more slowly, meaning that the charge time to the caps also is increased, I think? )

Are you sure about the nomeclature?
I think the original YBA was simply called YBA-1. The Passion line came later, and it differs a bit in sound to the classic line, more PRAT, less "magic". Nowadays the best YBA amplifiers that descend from those are called YBA signature.

The Passion 1000 is the biggest but not the best YBA currently in catalogue (they killed the classic line).

I would like to own one, but it is out of my price league for now (both the yba 1 and the signature).
I'm thinking to get a YBA-2, it is only 70W (100 measured) but should "suffit" for me

I'm also going to listen to a full YBA signature setup next week.

Telstar · « **Reply #79 on:** 24 Mar 2008, 05:50 pm »

Quote from: TomS on 14 Mar 2008, 01:37 pm

I currently have a DIY Pass Labs First Watt F4 and have to say it's really making me want to go looking for one of the x.5 series for a bass amp. His designs and construction are very robust and he's certainly in business for the long haul. Unfortunately, I still haven't heard one of those recently other than RMAF a few times. I'd really like to have a 250.5 or 350.5 for a bass amp but that's a lot of coin, even used. The XA60 or XA100, of course, would be even better, within their power limits, but the $$$ are even more off the charts than the x.5's

Tom

It is very interesting what you say about Pass and bass. I have heard the x150.5 and found it to have poor control of the low frequency range. But I loved the midrange.

Now I'm reconsidering the bigger models, the 350.5 would be too expensive and too bulky, but the 250.5 can be the sweet spot.