A Pass 150.8. It was plenty of power for my speakers (both the Thiel 2.4s and the Magnepan 20.7s) but the ARC amplifier just added tremendous refinement and delicacy and speed -- yes speed -- there is simply no comparison. The ARC GS-150 is a great amplifier. Of course it IS always about the amplifier speaker combo and perhaps the Pass matches some speakers better than others but the vast improvement with the ARC product for me was astonishing.
Do have anyone to purchase Audio Research REF 75SE in 2021?
Ref 75se has go off from their official website,and they are replaced by REF 80S. As I do not have any experience of 80S and I get some knowledge of pass labs online and how good it is,then go listening x250 and xp10. The listening feeling I got is just water,pure water and lack of texture of the sound. so I go back Audio research and buy ref 75se instead.
Am I made the right choice?
Is that the good time to buy this discontinued products?
Why in my listening, Audio research Ref 75se is much much better then X250? As I feel the singer is just standing in front of me when we run Ref 75se.
I welcome any comments. As I think pass lab is a good SS Amp if we do not compared with Audio reserach Ref 75se.
Is it unfair to compare tube and SS Amp?
Am I made the right choice?
Is that the good time to buy this discontinued products?
Why in my listening, Audio research Ref 75se is much much better then X250? As I feel the singer is just standing in front of me when we run Ref 75se.
I welcome any comments. As I think pass lab is a good SS Amp if we do not compared with Audio reserach Ref 75se.
Is it unfair to compare tube and SS Amp?
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- 26 posts total
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That’s interesting as Pass amps are known for being a great match with Magnepans. Jim Smith wrote: ” Having worked at Magnepan, I still have some friends there. I know for a fact that some folks at Magnepan think that this X series - including the 260.8 & 350.8 - may be the best sounding amps that they have heard with their speakers. Of course, ymmv - but I doubt it.” |
@swede58 I’ve spoken to -- I forget his name but he’s mentioned here frequently -- at Pass re whether the 150.8 was "enough" power to drive the 20.7s. I also talked to them back in 2019 at Axpona at the Pass exhibit. I listen to mostly classical and jazz. With the 150.8 the "needle" on the amp’s meter does move but most of the time just barely and occasionally on orchestral peaks it might move to 1 o’clock. Since the needle is moving, the 150.8 is clearly cycling from class A into class AB. That may be the problem. But Pass told me at Audiogon that the .8 series amp clip only at 3 or 4 o’clock so the amp is still coasting along. But once I put the ARC GS 150 in the system there was simply no question that it was better. I go to about 20 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concerts every year. When I travel (which hasn’t been much recently) I usually like to take in classical music. I KNOW what live orchestral music sounds like. The ARC has the Pass beat but I haven't heard the 260.8 monoblocks or the 350.8 or the XA series. |
- 26 posts total