Stereophile, Pass Integrated and personal taste


Stereophile has reviewed another Pass product, the Int-25, and again I found the distortion signatures super interesting:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/pass-labs-int-25-integrated-amplifier-measurements

I wonder if it is possible that such a signature could be something some fall in love with and some are pushed away from?


Best,

E
erik_squires
Last year I went on a turbo mission to find the best amplification that makes the most music to my ears; I purchased and lived with top Luxman solid state: 509x, m900/c900 combo; numerous ancillary equipment swaps in the process so I could best discern the signatures of the amplification;

I also purchased and lived with Pass Labs x150.8, x250.8, xp12, xp20;

I have settled with a Pass Int 250;
In my book, Nelson Pass is, was, and will be an analog designer of epic stature; Pass Labs is a super company that defines customer service.
I will never understand members that bash gear, either passive aggressively, or full flame, on a public forum. It’s just kind of pitiful in a way;  

It’s my understanding that jealousy is something like: ’I want what you have’, but envy is something worse and different: ’I don’t want you to have what you have’; It’s really sad to see adults that carry on in this manner.

Anyway psychology 101 off, and back to audio: To thine own ears be true!

Erik interesting observation.  I remember reading a recent article / interview with Nelson Pass.  He stated that he was trying to create a type of distortion and use it to positive effect in the sound. 
These measurements might show the results of that effort.   
Hi @dpac996

I'm very happy that you are a true Pass fanboy.  However, what I'm asking here is if we can get to specifics of one amp.

Have you heard this particular integrated and can you tell anyone how it sounds compared to other Pass amps, or other amps you've heard?
Pro or anti Pass comments don't really move this question forward.
Thanks,

Erik

Hi @erik_squires thanks. I keep what I like and sell what I don't; In this case Pass won me over compared to the best Luxman had to offer; Pass Fan boy? Absolutely!! and thank you for the compliment :)

Good luck on your quest of trying to understand the sonic virtues and character of a Pass amp, (or any amp) via input from other people's ear/brains/memories. 

Recent interviews with Uncle Nelson indicate that he certainly is currently on top of the designer heap in just about every way, and has explained (and shared things including giving away his "distortion generator" at Burning Amp) at length his ever evolving design theories...note the term "evolving" which doesn’t seem to apply to many of the neanderthals around here, but has resulted in his amps receiving near unanimous rave reviews...both Pass Labs items and his First Watt designs are considered by many as representing the state of the transistor amp art. There may be some that don’t like the sound of his new stuff, but those are likely to be people who haven’t heard it in the first place (as noted above) as otherwise you’d be hard pressed to find many dissatisfied Pass gear owners.