I've lived with Pass amplifiers for a long, long time. From Nelson's Threshold days, with his Aleph amplifiers to his next to current designs.
We currently have a pair of XA-200.5's for our Sasha I speakers, MIT Oracle cables, Meridian 800 series digital components and Sound Application line conditioner.
Our room is ideally set up (if there is ever such a thing) and recreates the illusion of a live performance, especially small venues - very well.
A very neutral, natural and revealing system. It's very easy to recognize the acoustic environment the performance was recorded.
I explain so you understand the level of our system and what I'm about to say.
BTW - at this level, software - well recorded music - is critical.
Pass amplifiers are the most natural amplifiers I have found that are reasonably priced. I haven't heard the .8 series, nor have I heard Soulution, Constellation or other very expensive SS gear. The amplifier I've heard that sounds closest to the Pass amplifiers we have are the $50k D'Agostino Momentum monoblock amplifiers.
The Pass amplifiers provide the best fidelity of the recorded performance at anywhere near their price range. I could wax poetry about their strengths, but it's easier to explain by asking if you're looking to recreate the performance as it was recorded. If you are, I haven't found better anywhere near their price.
The McIntosh MC601 do not perform the same way. They sound very nice, but they homogenize things. They help bad recordings sound better because they are more forgiving and not as revealing. They don't provide the insight to great recordings and can make many recordings sound similar. If you are not as critical a listener, and want to enjoy more music that may not be recorded critically well - the McIntosh may be attractive.
Driving the Sasha Series I's.
These speakers can be difficult to drive, because their impedance dips low (somewhere in the mid-base region if I remember correctly). I've auditioned the Sasha I's with Lamm Ref 1.2's and Spectral gear - both were very good but I preferred the neutrality and organic reproduction of the Pass (Lamm's were SLIGHTLY base heavy and the Spectral equipment was SLIGHTLY dry - just MHO).
Because the Sasha I's can be a challenge, I'd recommend the 160's. Will the 100's sound good - no doubt, but the 160's will perform better not just because they'll have the extra muscle to provide the drive when the music demands it, but because each step up in the Pass amplifier line is a better amplifier, it's not just the same amplifier with more power. This was explained to me by Kent English (a WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN) and I'm sure he'd be very happy to discuss things with you and answer any of your questions - especially considering you have no local Pass dealer. I do have Pass dealers local and Kent was very insightful and generous with his time.
Mark at Reno will let you try the Pass amplifiers, and if you can - compare them side by side to the 601's (either the 100's or the 160's) using well recorded performances and you'll understand exactly what I'm referring to.
Without trying to sound offensive, this presumes your system is at a level of performance that will reveal these differences.
Most importantly - enjoy your music! Life is too short not to listen to music that stirs our sense and moves our souls!
We currently have a pair of XA-200.5's for our Sasha I speakers, MIT Oracle cables, Meridian 800 series digital components and Sound Application line conditioner.
Our room is ideally set up (if there is ever such a thing) and recreates the illusion of a live performance, especially small venues - very well.
A very neutral, natural and revealing system. It's very easy to recognize the acoustic environment the performance was recorded.
I explain so you understand the level of our system and what I'm about to say.
BTW - at this level, software - well recorded music - is critical.
Pass amplifiers are the most natural amplifiers I have found that are reasonably priced. I haven't heard the .8 series, nor have I heard Soulution, Constellation or other very expensive SS gear. The amplifier I've heard that sounds closest to the Pass amplifiers we have are the $50k D'Agostino Momentum monoblock amplifiers.
The Pass amplifiers provide the best fidelity of the recorded performance at anywhere near their price range. I could wax poetry about their strengths, but it's easier to explain by asking if you're looking to recreate the performance as it was recorded. If you are, I haven't found better anywhere near their price.
The McIntosh MC601 do not perform the same way. They sound very nice, but they homogenize things. They help bad recordings sound better because they are more forgiving and not as revealing. They don't provide the insight to great recordings and can make many recordings sound similar. If you are not as critical a listener, and want to enjoy more music that may not be recorded critically well - the McIntosh may be attractive.
Driving the Sasha Series I's.
These speakers can be difficult to drive, because their impedance dips low (somewhere in the mid-base region if I remember correctly). I've auditioned the Sasha I's with Lamm Ref 1.2's and Spectral gear - both were very good but I preferred the neutrality and organic reproduction of the Pass (Lamm's were SLIGHTLY base heavy and the Spectral equipment was SLIGHTLY dry - just MHO).
Because the Sasha I's can be a challenge, I'd recommend the 160's. Will the 100's sound good - no doubt, but the 160's will perform better not just because they'll have the extra muscle to provide the drive when the music demands it, but because each step up in the Pass amplifier line is a better amplifier, it's not just the same amplifier with more power. This was explained to me by Kent English (a WONDERFUL GENTLEMAN) and I'm sure he'd be very happy to discuss things with you and answer any of your questions - especially considering you have no local Pass dealer. I do have Pass dealers local and Kent was very insightful and generous with his time.
Mark at Reno will let you try the Pass amplifiers, and if you can - compare them side by side to the 601's (either the 100's or the 160's) using well recorded performances and you'll understand exactly what I'm referring to.
Without trying to sound offensive, this presumes your system is at a level of performance that will reveal these differences.
Most importantly - enjoy your music! Life is too short not to listen to music that stirs our sense and moves our souls!