A change: Spectral to Pass Labs?

[ChasFreeland]

Hello all.
Since 2018, I have been using Spectral 400 wpc mono blocks with the Spectral 30SV preamp. These power Genesis Maestro speakers. I have thoroughly enjoyed this combination. The fast Spectrals get along very well with the Maestros. The Maestro speakers are active. A 500 wpc amp drives the bass to below 20 Hz. All was good until the Spectral amps failed. One channel is out. The pair were taken away six weeks ago and there's no word when--if ever--they will be back. I still have some confidence they will be reparable.
Meanwhile. I've been looking at Pass gear. Here in Bangkok, we do not have the equipment choices customers have in Europe or the US. I am very finicky about dealers here because they come and go. A brand will be represented at one dealer for a couple years and then by someone else. It's musical chairs in some ways. But I have a very good dealer I have been trading with for many years. He is the Pass dealer. He also has McIntosh and ARC and EMM labs. My Spectral dealer, meanwhile, has not been so helpful, no despite a 20-year business relationship with him. He is now telling me in so many words that Spectral is probably dead in BKK.

My question: how is 1.) Pass Labs these days from a business point of view? There does not seem to be much news lately but the WBF reviews of the gear is generally positive. My dealer has an SP32, an X350.8 and an X600.8 on reduced price offers, 30% discount. They may be demos. This special price makes this set all the more attractive, but after my experience with Spectral, I do not want to be riding yet another dying horse as I round the clubhouse turn.
2.) I will get to have a home trial of the amp-pre set. But I also wanted to hear comments from Pass users about this preamp-amp set in comparison with the Spectrals. Spectrals are a rare bird so there may not be much on offer in the way of advice about that brand. I have already written to Gary Koh, Maestro speaker designer, for his comments on compatibility. He has been to my home and personally tuned my speakers to the room on two occasions. Great customer support from Genesis Technologies.

This is a bit of a crossroads for me. Should I wait and hold out for the Spectral repair, which may take quite a bit longer? Or should I make that big change to a new brand, a new sound, a new day? Existential questions only I can answer, I know, but another point of view would perhaps facilitate the decision-making process.

My thanks in advance for your thoughtful advice.

 

[Gregm]

Hello, sorry to hear about your misfortune...

My question: how is 1.) Pass Labs these days from a business point of view? There does not seem to be much news lately but the WBF reviews of the gear is generally positive. My dealer has an SP32, an X350.8 and an X600.8 on reduced price offers, 30% discount. They may be demos. This special price makes this set all the more attractive, but after my experience with Spectral, I do not want to be riding yet another dying horse as I round the clubhouse turn.

Good question -- from a business point of view I htink Pass is doing fine and, if anything, they have more commercially attractive offerings in recent years. As to what will happen in the future -- who knows? Nelson Pass posts at diyaudio so you might wish to contact him directly: he is very kind, helpful, and friendly.

2.) I will get to have a home trial of the amp-pre set. But I also wanted to hear comments from Pass users about this preamp-amp set in comparison with the Spectrals. Spectrals are a rare bird so there may not be much on offer in the way of advice about that brand.

Years ago I had the Genesis V speakers (servo-active bass) and did audition Pass (class A) & Spectral gear (among others). I used my own TVC with the Pass and a Spectral pre as well as my TVC with the Spectral amps.
The sound signatures are (were) very different: Pass was lush, with a glowing midrange while the Spectral was subjectively very fast and crisp, sharper (i.e. more pronounced high frequencies).
It is difficult to give you more than a subjective view; I could live with either one of the two, but if I were to compare, I would opt for Spectral because it gave me the impression of bringing me closer to the original. The Pass, however, was very pleasant to listen to.

Are you sure that there is no hope of repairing your amp? Amplifier circuits are not rocket science and the circuit diagramme for your amp may be available online... i.e. a savvy tech should be able to check it out and repair it.
It might be worth posting at diyaudio as well, there may be a Spectral enthusiast lurking there!

 

[ChasFreeland]

Hello, sorry to hear about your misfortune...


Good question -- from a business point of view I htink Pass is doing fine and, if anything, they have more commercially attractive offerings in recent years. As to what will happen in the future -- who knows? Nelson Pass posts at diyaudio so you might wish to contact him directly: he is very kind, helpful, and friendly.

Years ago I had the Genesis V speakers (servo-active bass) and did audition Pass (class A) & Spectral gear (among others). I used my own TVC with the Pass and a Spectral pre as well as my TVC with the Spectral amps.
The sound signatures are (were) very different: Pass was lush, with a glowing midrange while the Spectral was subjectively very fast and crisp, sharper (i.e. more pronounced high frequencies).
It is difficult to give you more than a subjective view; I could live with either one of the two, but if I were to compare, I would opt for Spectral because it gave me the impression of bringing me closer to the original. The Pass, however, was very pleasant to listen to.

Are you sure that there is no hope of repairing your amp? Amplifier circuits are not rocket science and the circuit diagramme for your amp may be available online... i.e. a savvy tech should be able to check it out and repair it.
It might be worth posting at diyaudio as well, there may be a Spectral enthusiast lurking there!

Thanks, Gregm. I went all the way for Spectral: the 4000SL CD player, the MIT cables. It is rewarding with the Maestro speakers. Right now, I have not been informed about the problem besetting the amps. Once a week or so I call the dealer to find out and get vague replies. Don't push them though. That's the local culture.
Your reply carries a suggestion that sounds best: be patient, repair the Spectral mono blocks and get on with life. But when I saw this special offer on Pass gear, it is tempting to think of a fresh start.

 

[jeffreybehr]

"Your reply carries a suggestion that sounds best: be patient, repair the Spectral mono blocks and get on with life. But when I saw this special offer on Pass gear, it is tempting to think of a fresh start."

I very much LOVE the richness and MUSICALITY of the pair of Pass X260.8s driving my Sound Labs; it has the best-overall sound of several 300-Watts-or-so monoamps I've compared.

 

[ChasFreeland]

"Your reply carries a suggestion that sounds best: be patient, repair the Spectral mono blocks and get on with life. But when I saw this special offer on Pass gear, it is tempting to think of a fresh start."

I very much LOVE the richness and MUSICALITY of the pair of Pass X260.8s driving my Sound Labs; it has the best-overall sound of several 300-Watts-or-so monoamps I've compared.

Thank you, Jeffrey, for your reply. Just spoke with my Pass dealer here in Bangkok. He was at AXPONA talking with the Pass representatives. They told him that Pass has new gear coming out this year. There will be more amps in pure class A. The 600.8 will remain in the line-up but there will be other changes. I think the XP32 will still be in the line-up but not sure about other products. I will be going to a special show of hi fi products today, which will feature Pass gear, ARC, McIntosh 2.1kw amps, and the new Sonus Faber Aida special edition.

 

[Cavour]

Thank you, Jeffrey, for your reply. Just spoke with my Pass dealer here in Bangkok. He was at AXPONA talking with the Pass representatives. They told him that Pass has new gear coming out this year. There will be more amps in pure class A. The 600.8 will remain in the line-up but there will be other changes. I think the XP32 will still be in the line-up but not sure about other products. I will be going to a special show of hi fi products today, which will feature Pass gear, ARC, McIntosh 2.1kw amps, and the new Sonus Faber Aida special edition.

Hi,
you are referring that Pass is coming out with new gear. Does it regard also the monoblock X 260.8 that you know? They have been around for some 8 years now. I am contemplating to buy a pair to replace old (and glorious) Classé Ca-M 400. I like their musicality very much (strings are superb). A dealer (who sold me Magnepan MG 20.1 years ago) means that the bass is slow. As a listener of classic and jazz most of the time I have not been able to see a problem here.

 

[Toddcc01]

I can’t speak to Spectral, as I’ve never heard them, and recall reading 1 review on them…quick and articulate was the summation IRC. I have ran a XP2.5, XP20/22, XA60.5, XA100.5, X150.8. I’ve ran them with Harbeth SHL5+, SHL5+ XDs, and Dynaudio Heritage Specials. I would recommend a search and read on the .5 proponents vs. .8 amp releases, there are two camps. I’d also read between the X vs. XA characteristics. The .X series was very detailed and quick sounding, not cold or sterile though. I found the X/.8 to align with what people share in the X vs XA debate, as well as the .5 vs .8 series.

I found the preamps to be very quiet, open, with a good sense of “I’m not here,” which really allows whichever amp one is using to be a more concise representation relationship between the speaker and amp. My preference is for a more “tube like” sounding chain, and I’ve since swapped out the XP with a VTL 6.5 mk2, I’ve read of others using a Conrad Johnson + PL combo. Either way, the tube pre + Pass amps has become a magic combo for me, and wisely, Nelson places a grounding post on the back of his amps (not all .5’s btw) for hi-level sub connections. The XA series are great sounding amps, and have different A watt ratings.

As far as reliability, I know of one poster that sent his 20 or 25 year old X200.5 into Pass, and they reconditioned it, upgrading the transformers to the ones used in the X200.8. I’ve personally only bought used Pass Lab amps, my XA100.5’s are nearing 20 years old and I’m the 3rd owner. Point being, they are not only built like tanks, and provide long term support ability from a very reputable US company. Frankly, IMO, they are what McIntosh should have been.