Amp opinions- ATI-B&K-Pass Labs

I was looking several years ago at the local high end stereo shop for something I was needing for my system and I heard a system that had the Wilson Watt speakers and a Levinson amp and several weeks later I heard the same system with the Pass amp and just had to say the Pass amp TOTALLY TRANSFORMED THAT SYSTEM INTO SOMETHING SO AWESOME I can not even in words describe how good it was ! So forget the rest PASS is the way to go ! JB

I would love to own a pair of Vienna Acoustic Beethovens! If you can afford it, go with a quality amp like Pass Labs but don't skimp on the preamp. I was not impressed with the so called Stereophile "class A" rated Adcom GFP-750 compared to many other preamps. Yes, the design was licensed by Nelson Pass but even Nelson says the component selection was not of the highest quality in the Adcom to keep the cost down. I've owned and tested nearly a dozen preamps in the past couple years and although the GFP-750 was decent I don't see how Stereophile gave it a "class A" rating.... but I don't agree with Stereophile on many of their findings.

Aleph will sound like a tube system without the tube hassle. Incredibly soaring sound qualities. Did I say WOW!

Downside of an Aleph, slower than some ss amps, not overly but apparent.

All in all ask yourself do I listen to music or a ss attack.

Abecollins:
I am trying to suggest components that are not an enormous step pricewise from what is already present in the system. I agree with stereophile giving the gfp-750 a class A rating. I had it at the same time I owned the ARC Ref 1 and the Pass labs Aleph P. It was considerably more transparent than the ref1 & almost as transparent as the aleph P. While I think the Aleph P and ref 1 do sound a little better, they were all in the same general category. Personally I think they are one of the best bargains in high end audio.

Sayas:
I don't think the alephs are slow at all. They are about the FASTEST amps I've ever heard (spectral is possibly a little faster). I've used mine with audio physic tempos, virgos and avanti's (all fast speakers). Usually with nordost cabling. I've also used them with magnepans, spica's and vandersteens. Did you hear them with big speakers ? I know that the aleph 2's did make my vandersteen 3's sound a little less authoratative in the bass - I could understand from that perspective. They cannot control a large speaker that well.

I do agree that they are about the only solid state amp out there that sounds as smooth as a tube amp (an ultra pure one). A tube amp still has a little more magic and life to it.

All the above is mean't in good tone. Don't mean to be ornery, just my opinion.

I agree with the posts above. I have auditioned the x-1, x-2, x-150, x-250 with my Thiel 2.3's. I own the x-1,x150 are a perfect match. I believe that 60% of the sound is from the pre-amp. I'm saving for the x-250. I concur with the TAS review on the x-250; you get the best of both worlds tubelike performance with the power of SS.

best of luck