Pass Labs

[harley .guy07]

I was looking in an high end magazine the other day and noticed a Pass Labs add on one of the pages and It made me wonder if anyone owns one of Nelson Pass's products and could tell me how they perform. I was big on his designs many years ago when he was helping Adcom design their stuff and new he went his own direction but have never had the chance to hear the fruits of his labors and was wondering if anyone out there has. If you have I would like to know what you think. I looked at his new stuff on his sight and it looks light years ahead of the Adcom stuff that I use and it looks very well built and probably priced in the stars but I'd still like to know.

[E-Stat]

It made me wonder if anyone owns one of Nelson Pass's products and could tell me how they perform.

He is arguably one of the most prolific and talented amplifier designers today. He is also unusual in being very involved in the DIY community freely providing schematics and assistance. I was introduced to his very first amp, the Threshold 800A back in 1976. It was a groundbreaking design that pioneered the concept of sliding bias class A.

Lots of old stuff here

I bought a Stasis 3 back in '81 and use it to this day. The only thing I've done with it is to proactively replace the Mallory computer grade power supply caps a couple years back. It is extremely well built and can drive virtually any load with its overkill 32 device output stage. I "abused" it for nearly twenty years driving reactive electrostats. It runs pure class A up to about eight watts which is all double Advents need to play pretty loudly.

I looked at his new stuff on his sight and it looks light years ahead of the Adcom stuff that I use and it looks very well built and probably priced in the stars but I'd still like to know.

Understand that the designs he made for Adcom and Forte were not his best efforts. They were intended for a more modest product with the build quality determined by those companies. His own Threshold, Pass Labs and First Watt brands have all been designed and built by his companies (or literally by "the one and only" himself with the First watt products).

There's a recent article on him in Six Moons discussing the expansion of the First Watt brand. If you're into looking at gear eye candy, also check out reviews of various other First Watt and Pass Labs stuff on this site. They like topless hi-rez pics.

Nelson Pass

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[audio amateur]

They like topless hi-rez pics.

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How geeky does that sound!

[harley .guy07]

I do like my Adcom and I know he helped make it happen. I do know that Adcom is in a different league than his other stuff but for what price class the adcom stuff is in I think it is pretty good stuff. Maybe some day when the rest of my system is worthy I will get one of his Pass lab amps since they look like they could really come alive with some good source components and speakers that could show the ability of his amplifiers. And the fact that he is big on the diy thing is really cool seeing that I am very interested in it myself.

[E-Stat]

I do like my Adcom and I know he helped make it happen. I do know that Adcom is in a different league than his other stuff but for what price class the adcom stuff is in I think it is pretty good stuff.

Don't get me wrong as it is good stuff. And very popular. His contribution to Adcom was the schematic alone. And the designs don't require the close device matching of his more exotic stuff.

And the fact that he is big on the diy thing is really cool seeing that I am very interested in it myself.

He is a frequent contributor to the Pass Labs section on diyaudio. Here is his site focused on the hobbyist: Pass DIY

My favorite project is the Zen amplifier. It requires some significant power resistors and some complained about the cost of those parts. Nelson had a "bright" idea for a suitable, inexpensive and readily available replacement. Hint: there are four of them



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[harley .guy07]

I am sure most of the stuff he builds today is more of the class A single ended stuff which to say the least is awesome stuff. And in most cases that is the best solid state design out there. Adcoms philosophy was good performance for a lower price so they just could not get that tight in tolerance and still pay the bills. I love my amp because I paid 500 bucks for it in 1996 and that was a deal and it has served me well for the past 13 years without a hickup and I have studied audio all my life and I would say in my opinion that almost everything he has put his name on has been golden in its given category.

[dakatabg]

E-Stat that is a very nice picture of that amp! I like the big lights! I have never seen an amp with so big lights!

[E-Stat]

E-Stat that is a very nice picture of that amp! I like the big lights! I have never seen an amp with so big lights!

Remember those lights are active parts of the circuit. They are dissipating current.

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