Pass Aleph 3 or 5 for Proac 1sc


Have a Proac Response 1sc and look for a good amp. Some stereophiler recommends that Pass Aleph is a good match for 1sc but wonders if Aleph 3 is powerful enought to drive 1sc. Aleph 3 is about $600 less than 5 in a used market. Your input is appreciated.

Jerome
jeromexzh
I currently have an Aleph 3 driving ProAc 1scs and ProAC 2.5s. The combination sounds very good with the 1sc and even better with the 2.5s. My room is about 12x15 and I listen mostly to Jazz so I don't drive them to very high levels, I just concentrate on the detail of the music. I am using a VTL 2.5 tube preamp and the match is great. The Aleph is a great amp, one of the best I have heard. If your room is small and you don't require your clothes to flap while listening the Aleph 3 would be fine, if you have the cash, go for the Aleph 5 or look into getting the BAT VK200 which is about same price in the used market. The BAt is also excellent. I also run this amp in another system and it has all of the qualities of the PASS, plus.
Good Luck buty with either you are on the right track
I used an Aleph 3 to drive my NHT 3.3's for a time. I was mostly interested in testing out the Aleph line of amps. The 3 is a great product, but it didn't have the headroom or bass control that I want. I've not heard the 5, but my recommendation would be to go for the extra power.
I have owned both the Pass 5 and the Pass 3 amplifiers. The 5 is a more refined sounding amplifier. It is not a power issue, but a design issue. The circuit and number of components internally is slightly different. IMO the 5 is well worth the extra $$. Also send a note to Nelson Pass via his website. His description of the differences between the two amplifiers is quite eye opening. The Pass 5 is a classic amp. Good luck.
For existng Proac owners. What speakers would you use for front speakers in a hT setup. Proac 2.5 or 3.8 or Aerial 8's
Thanks
Jeffrey