I've never owned a Pass amp but have a couple of friends that have owned many of their models and they both think that the 30.5 and 30.8 are the best all around sounding amps in the line if their power works for you. One of the reasons I recommended the Buchardt is that you can listen in your home for 30 days and they pay the shipping both ways and refund your money if you don't care for them or they don't work for you. I am keeping mine. Another model to look at is the Reynaud Bliss Jubilee and you can call Bob Neill at Amherst Audio and talk to him about it as he has personally owned Harbeth's, Spendors and Audio Note's in addition to the Reynaud's. Both speakers will work well with the Pass and are extremely musical.
4 ohm (or 6) Bookshelf speakers. Pass Labs 30.8
Hi everyone!
I am having a hard time finding book shelf speakers that run in 4 ohm (or 6 maybe?). Before I seriously consider the Pass Labs 30.8, I need to at least know what kind of speakers to listen to, price them out, etc. I am just now building a system and have no speakers, but I see it looks like the 30.8 is ideal for not that many speakers (from what I can see). Google didn't help much. I live in an apartment, and the room I have isn't ideal for floor speakers, and is perfect for a lower watt amp, I'd rather pay for quality over power I won't use!. Bass from floor speakers could also be an issue so I'd rather not even entertain that idea. If 4 ohm and small speaker don't really go together, I will consider the 150.8 instead.
Many have said "Any 4 ohm speaker", but being able to find a 4ohm book shelf has left me with not much, so far.
If this isn't really in the cards (small speakers and 4ohm), feel free to be blunt. Save me time. :)
So here is what I have found so far. Any others?
1. Harberth Super HL
Thanks everyone in advance.
I am having a hard time finding book shelf speakers that run in 4 ohm (or 6 maybe?). Before I seriously consider the Pass Labs 30.8, I need to at least know what kind of speakers to listen to, price them out, etc. I am just now building a system and have no speakers, but I see it looks like the 30.8 is ideal for not that many speakers (from what I can see). Google didn't help much. I live in an apartment, and the room I have isn't ideal for floor speakers, and is perfect for a lower watt amp, I'd rather pay for quality over power I won't use!. Bass from floor speakers could also be an issue so I'd rather not even entertain that idea. If 4 ohm and small speaker don't really go together, I will consider the 150.8 instead.
Many have said "Any 4 ohm speaker", but being able to find a 4ohm book shelf has left me with not much, so far.
If this isn't really in the cards (small speakers and 4ohm), feel free to be blunt. Save me time. :)
So here is what I have found so far. Any others?
1. Harberth Super HL
Thanks everyone in advance.
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- 38 posts total
Synergy, ok. I will have to focus on that when eyeing speakers. Given the cost of the amp, used, it will be a bit after I purchase it before I get speakers, so I hadn't totally thought that far, other than at least validating most book shelf's will work ok. Tentatively, I wasn't planning on anything over $2k/pair, not that I need to or am aiming to go that high. I will have to find a Pass dealer, probably just buy the speakers there, and I really want/hope I can listen to some speakers with the 30.8. |
I looked at that Buchardt site and those S400 speakers look amazing. If I were doing this, I would try out the speakers and stands, you really have nothing to lose. I bet it will sound really right with 30wpc of pure Class A power. If you live in the US, I bet it would probably be under 3K. Don’t cheap out on the speakers, especially with an expensive amp like that. If you cheap out, you will become dissatisfied wityh the speakers really quick. I’ve been there and done that a few times over the years myself. It ends up costing you much more in the long run. |
There is a better than average chance that the 30.8 and a vast majority of amplifiers both S.S. and tube will perform better with a higher impedance speaker. The impedance swing will be a less significant factor with S.S. than tube however. I think that you shouldnt worry about the impedance and concentrate on buying a speaker whose sound you like. |
mplstereo I would worry too much as the Pass 30.8 gives more that you think, and it actually increases it wattage for each halving of impedance as well, so can do half decent current into low impedances. This is the 30.5 which I take is similar just earlier version. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/comparing-the-pass-labs-xa30-5-to-the-xa-30-8 While the XA30.5 may give 30Wpc into 8 ohms in class-A the distortion at this power level is low, at 0.015%.Cheers George |
- 38 posts total