Pass X vs XA amps sound quality in class A range

However, my speakers are 86dB with a 4ohm load and I just played the Chesky Drum Track LP at 95dB and my needles were moving all over the place, not pegged, but they moved about 3/4" every time the kick drum was struck.

My speaker sensitivity is 92dB, so the 100.5's play way loud enough and the bias meters barely budge from their starting position.

had the same "problem" as peterayer, which i covered in my review in positive feedback. best solution: buy the biggest XA you can afford...and maybe you cannot. they're fabulous amps. (id own them if the heat of the larger amps weren't prohibitive in my small room in texas)

Another question for you all then: When the XA series exceed their rated outputs, do they cross over into class AB or clippings occur right away?

In the case of the 30 watts XA.5, clipping occurs at 130 watts into 8 ohms, higher into 4ohms. If you search the Stereophile archives, you'll find a review with performance measurements.

According to Stereophile measurements...

While the XA30.5 may give 30Wpc into 8 ohms in class-A (14.8dBW)...the amplifier doesn't actually clip (defined as the THD reaching 1%) until a much higher power level: 130Wpc into 8 ohms (21.14dBW). Even higher powers were available into lower impedances before clipping: 195Wpc into 4 ohms with both channels driven (19.9dBW), and 332W into 2 ohms with one channel driven (19.2dBW).

I assume the other amps in the XA.5 series will be similar in this respect, but I don't know that for sure.

Bryon