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DartZeel compared to Pass Labs XA-160/200's

Has anyone had the pleasure of auditioning both the DartZeel amp and Pass Labs XA-160 or 200 monoblocks? They all retail for around $20000.00 and are true reference pieces. If so, what did you hear concerning the sonic signatures in the different amps and what other gear were they being used with. I'm very interested because I will being to try to set up home auditions of both amps in the near future and both have gotten raves and are supposed to be the most "tube-like" SS amps there are, offering both "warm/sweetness" of tubes and at same time have the slam/extension/clarity of SS. Thanks in advance if anyone has this information based on their own listening experience.
teajay
snook2's avatar
snook2
626 posts
 
I have had the Dartzeel for about 3 months and it came broken in. Only recently have the full potential seem to bust out. It extricates more music than any amp I have EVER owned. The Dartzeels 100 watts sounds more dynamic and powerful than amps with a 300 watt rating(tube or SS). An amp that it rivals would be the audio research-600. You owe it to yourself to check one of these amps out
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
the dartzeel is strictly flavor of the month.not what one would hope from a major investment. the pass labs monoblocks have consistantly been among reference quality.
arthurp
37 posts
 
I would never in my wildest dreams describe the darTZeel NHB-108 as the flavor of the month. More like the flavor of the century. I have heard many amps including some of the best from Pass, Audio Research, VTL, conrad-johnson, Lamm, Mark Levinson, ASR Emitter Exclusive, McIntosh, and others too numerous to mention. Nothing could have prepared me for the sound my speakers would produce being driven by the darTZeel. The darT leaves nothing to be desired, only to be imagined, even compared to the world's best tube amps. As great as the other amps are from the fore-mentioned manufacturers, the darT is at least 15% - 20% better. In the world of ultra high end that's a lot! Take it from me, it's impossible to form any opinion on the darT without hearing one in your system. The USA importer can not sell this amp properly over the phone because if he really told you what it's capable of, everyone would write him off as exaggerating. I bought the amp and the pre-amp is on order.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
if you are crazy enough to spend 20k on an amp (remember reviewers and dealers(even buying one-offs get these much much cheaper)you are ready for the dartzeel.
arthurp
37 posts
 
I think the darTZeel NHB-108 is appropriately priced when compared to other top of the line amps from other manufacturers. Audio Research's Reference 210's are $29,000 and to my ears aren't nearly as good. The sonic performance offered by the darT is probably second to none. IMHO if you have speakers that are above 89db efficient the darT's are the best money can buy.
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