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Pass X150 vs Krell FPB 200

Hello,

I am currently looking at vintage balanced solid state amps and have narrowed the choices down to two. Which amp is the better performer, the original Pass Labs X150 (not the .5 or .8), or the Krell FPB200 (not the 200c or later). I currently am driving Klipsch Heresys with a 6v6 PP amp that I restored, so definitely a pretty efficient speaker. I am looking for more speed, transparency, and slam, though without a loss in musicality.

Thanks!
acsystems
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
If you had very hard to drive speakers, I’d say the Krell, but seeing your speakers can nearly be powered by rubbing two sticks together then the Pass. Both are big time overkill.
Something like a First Watt F5 turbo would be a killer amp for these Heresys.

Cheers George
mtrot
804 posts
 
I use a Krell FPB 400cx and there is just something about that class A sound.  I'm not sure if the FPB 200 is class A. 
acsystems OP
3 posts
 
Thanks for the thoughts so far. FPB 200 also should be class A as well. I doubt I would leave class a operation with the Pass X150 though it is an AB amp.

I might also consider a vintage Pioneer M-22. 

Please keep the thoughts coming. I'm pretty torn.
auxinput
2,920 posts
 

All the Krell FPB (Full Power Balanced) amps are fully Class A to their rated power (which is 200 watts per channel on the FPB200).  I'm not sure if there will be a big difference in slam/speed between these two amps as both are powerful and fast.

If I had to describe them, the Krell FPB may have a slightly creamy style of sound, but it is not slow at all - definitely has a lot of resolution and transparency and power. 

The Pass Labs will have a tad bit more of a dryer sound from it's FET based input stage, but I would not call this a "dry sound" at all.  It's just dry "in comparison to the slightly creamy Krell".  The "X150" is not a Class A amp, and these have been noted to have more slam than the fully Class A "XA" series.

Both have very nice characteristics, but if you're listening to Klipsch with 6v6 amp, the Pass Labs sound will likely be closer to this but with slam and resolution.


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