2. amps-preamps
  3. 173534-16015

Amplfiers that Sound like Pass 30.8 that are not so heavy

I am moving  to a smaller house and I really need a amp that is not as heavy as the Pass 30.8. Currently it is hooked up to a pair of QLN Prestige 3's with Adrenaline Speaker cables, a SAS 11A preamp recently modified and upgraded and fed by a Pagoda DAC.  I love the sound of this amp with a the tube preamp. But....its just really to heavy for me to move around by myself. And yes I do go to the gym. Also it does put out some heat which is not the coolest thing in Florida. Any ideas on an amp that would be a good substitute for the 30.8's would really be appreciated.  My listening prefernces lean toward transparency and holographic instrument presentation. Thank all of you for your help and direction on my question. Best wishes to all for a healthy, safe and peaceful New Year.

char1
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jerryg123's avatar
jerryg123
3,429 posts
 

There is a lot of really good Class D gear out there now.

AGD, Bel Canto (I have a REF501S), Orchard (website was down yesterday) and the Gear LAS is making is getting some good reviews here to.

ejlif's avatar
ejlif
1,375 posts
 

Personally I would try a tube amp.  I have the 30.8 and the First Watt J2 and F6 and have compared many other solid state amps to my Decware Zen triode as well as the Feliks Arioso 300B amp.  I always hear what I would call grain from the solid state amps.  I am using very efficient speakers so I can get away with 2 and 8 watts but I think there is some tube magic that is hard to get from solid state.  The 30.8 is a real powerhouse and sounds more like 3X that much power to me.  The F6 is a more delicate sound and the J2 is somewhere in between.  The 30.8 is the only amp I have that will power the Maggie LRS and I hear it's character different with those speakers compared to the couple different high efficiency Klipsch speakers I have here.  As warm as the 30.8 is compared to other solid state it's still nothing like a tube amp to my ear and hard to come back from that grainless and seductive non fatiguing sound. 

 

erik_squires
16,100 posts
 

The problem here is something that sounds like Pass.   Usually I recommend amps in contrast to Pass.  While I'm a big fan of Class D I recommend them as not sounding like Pass to begin with. 

How about an Ayre???  It's not a straight replacement, but it may be a good switch. :)

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