pass labs xa30 to valve amplifier.


hi all, i have the above amplifier direct to droplet cd player and zingali 20.6 ( i think thats model number) , chord anthem 2 xlr and epic speaker cable. no preamp as droplet has volume control.

ive been thinking of valve amps recently, but have never been able to hear one. the pass is excellent but i was wondering how a valve amp would change the sound. would a valve one have the same level of clarity and detail? i have heard valve amps offer a more laid back, spacial sound, with emphasis on soundstage? wht kind of price range should i be looking at to better the pass? any thought?
james123
Thanks. Thats very interesting. The amount of sound it produces, it certainly sounds far more powerful than 30 watts.
I'm no tech-head by any means, but the published sensitivity should take into account the power eaten up by the crossover, BUT the x-over can produce those impedance dips and large phase angles that make a speaker "difficult to drive" as Magfan wrote. Applying this to the OP's question, does anyone have a link to an impedance and phase angle vs frequency curve for the Zingalis?
Hi everyone. From some of the responses here, it seems the pass xa30.5 has greater power output than 30 watts. i am still looking at valve amplifiers am aware now that a move to valve amplification may be, at best, a sideways move. Im hoping to hear a few products to judge. Am i right in thinking a 30 watt valve amplifier would not have the same volume output as the xa30.5, even though both are rated at 30 watts ( the pass very conservatativly, it seems). i am considering low powered tiode amps ( i understand they sound better) How are low powered valve amps with regard to slam and attack with clarity?
When a valve blows, can speakers be damaged? Sorry for all the questions, but i rather get some further background into valve amplification. i have picked up some very useful pointers here and thank everyone for their input.
I've used XA30.5 before. It was one of the best SS amp I've used before. I've moved on to tubes, or valves, and now I own ARC VSi60. It's one of the best amp I've heard.
Normally tube amps with the same watts seem to play louder than their SS counterparts because they handle clipping very smoothly. I don't know the percentage of the tube advantage on perceived power, but tube watts always seem more powerful, considerably so, driving a speaker - unless the speaker's impedances are so uneven as to really need SS to operate properly.