First Watt SIT 5

[Hubert]

I've spent the past few days listening to the SIT-5 and XA60.8 back to back (using Nordost Tyr 2 RCA on both to eliminate that factor). In retrospect I may have been a bit harsh on the 60.8. While it's definitely missing the greater holographic imaging and texture of the SIT, it's not really grainy and dull - just less good especially in the highs and mids.

I cannot speak to synergies with your Tannoys and it may depend on your music preferences. I suspect Nelson may offer an opinion as he's familiar with them.

As a side note, a friend recently asked how the SIT does when really pushed with challenging music. To those surprised that they mate well with Wilson Alexias, while I listen mostly to classic jazz and pop up to moderately loud volume levels, to answer my friend I played the Scorpion's "Still Loving You" full tilt. The vocals demand everything from the highs and mids, and when the percussion/bass come in the lower end is comparably challenged. All I can say is that at ear-splitting volume it put a smirk on my face - gives very little away to the 60.8 in bass slam, etc.

As Nelson says, there's no perfect amp, so along that philosophy if I were primarily listening to rock and/or other challenging music at high volume, I'd go with the 60.8, but for jazz/instrumentals/vocals it would be the SIT - no question. The SIT will play loud with exceptional performance in the upper range, giving away something in shear dynamics/overhead but it's magical with richer texture, detail, holographic imaging, etc.

Thanks for your input. The Westminster are 99dB and thrive on tube or tube like sound. So I guess that the easy load will let the dynamics go through. Besides all other sound aspects, the dynamics and livelinness are very important to me.

 

[David Hyman]

Plenty. 80-wpc into 4 ohms is a lot of power for a 90+ db efficient speaker. Believe it or not, even 5-wpc from the SIT-4 is enough for most of the music I play.

Interestingly it's only rated at 65 Watts into 4 ohms. Wondering where your 80 number comes from! I hope it's 80 as I just ordered the amp.

 

[Hubert]

Interestingly it's only rated at 65 Watts into 4 ohms. Wondering where your 80 number comes from! I hope it's 80 as I just ordered the amp.

Dear David,
Congrats on your order! I hope it'll be up to your expectations. I'm actually in the process of pre-ordering, but waiting on the possibility of a great opportunity for something else.
Please keep us posted with your impressions, I'd very much appreciate to have as many views as possible.
Concerning the rating, they are officially rated at 35W/8ohms. So 65 or 70 should be correct. However, this is based on the 120V version, and most often the 230V version is slightly stronger.
Thanks,
Hubert

 

[Axel C]

Interestingly it's only rated at 65 Watts into 4 ohms. Wondering where your 80 number comes from! I hope it's 80 as I just ordered the amp.

I received mine before the product details were available on their website so I asked the man himself via email. He confirmed 40 into 8, 80 into 4 but noted that the people at Pass might lower the published ratings. As is common with Pass, their power ratings tend to be conservative and when independently measured sometimes exceed their official rating considerably.

 

[Rumpole]

Steve Guttenberg (Youtube Audiophiliac) has the SIT-5 and is working on a review. He has a lot of experience with Pass and FirstWatt amps, so it will be interesting to hear his take.

 

[Hubert]

I received mine before the product details were available on their website so I asked the man himself via email. He confirmed 40 into 8, 80 into 4 but noted that the people at Pass might lower the published ratings. As is common with Pass, their power ratings tend to be conservative and when independently measured sometimes exceed their official rating considerably.

Thanks, good to know!

 

[David Hyman]

Dear David,
Congrats on your order! I hope it'll be up to your expectations. I'm actually in the process of pre-ordering, but waiting on the possibility of a great opportunity for something else.
Please keep us posted with your impressions, I'd very much appreciate to have as many views as possible.
Concerning the rating, they are officially rated at 35W/8ohms. So 65 or 70 should be correct. However, this is based on the 120V version, and most often the 230V version is slightly stronger.
Thanks,
Hubert

Thanks for the info!

 

[Axel C]

Hot off the press, Steve Guttenberg’s review:

 

[KPC]

Just watched Steve Guttenberg’s review. Lush but different from other class A sounds - curiosity itch to demo

 

[Alpha121]

I think it's particularly interesting that he had the opportunity to compare it to the XA25. These are two very different design strategies, both brought to a very high level, by the same world leading designer.