Pass Labs vs. Sugden

@georgehifi I always enjoy and learn from your posts. Have you done any comparisons between Pass and the others (Sugden, Belles, Clayton) that puts it first and foremost for you?

No A/B’s, but just looking at the internals, the Sugden looks to me like it could be a "anaemic" version of Pass amps, look at the transformer size, amount of output transistors and power supply capacitors.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0212/2502/products/A21SE-INTERNAL-1-WS_large.jpeg?v=1496938402 lots of empty space.

There’s also a reason they are saying the Pass get’s hotter, even though it’s bigger heavier and got more heatsinking, it’s most probably because it has more "music making" Class-A bias than the Sugden.

Cheers George

Sugden is not anaemic at all.  I've had quite a few customers do a direct comparison to PASS and pick Sugden.

In the end, both are great brands.

Sugden is not anaemic at all.

Read again, not the sound, what’s inside!
Even on Sugdens "biggest power amp", from 2006 the transformer and very thing is "anaemic" in comparison inside
https://neophonics.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/SUGDEN-MASTERCLASS-SPA-4-STEREO-AMP_1709N-INTERNAL...

Compare that to Pass https://youtu.be/Ytqk_9z0KMQ

Sugdens could be nice sounding amps for small 2 way to medium size systems for unit dwellers, even bedroom systems. They are not in the same "bruiser" league as Pass Labs stuff.

Cheers George

Sorry, but not true at all.....I have no trouble driving larger speakers in my demo area with the several of the Sugden options.

Now if you are trying to say that PASS offers some amps that have more power, then you would be absolutely correct.  Sugden has never played in the high power Class A/B arena, and I doubt they ever will.  

FYI...the SPA4 is not Sugden's largest amp.  And it retails at $6k in the US.  I do believe that the Pass in your link is somewhere in the $15k-$16k range.  

Look as a guy that's built many high bias Class-A amps, even a couple of water cooled ones, what I see is what I see.
And Pass is way ahead of Sudgen for an amp for any "driving condition", and above that again by the same measure is to me is Gryphon.

Cheers George