Pass Labs .8 Series!

[Bruce B]

I thought you had put Stillpoints under your Alexia's?

Well since the jury it out, I think I'll keep my .5 amps for a while. Might have to go with the XS model instead.

Thanks so much Peter and Ian for your in-depth observations!

 

[PeterA]

I thought you had put Stillpoints under your Alexia's?

Well since the jury it out, I think I'll keep my .5 amps for a while. Might have to go with the XS model instead.

Thanks so much Peter and Ian for your in-depth observations!

Bruce, don't forget Alan's comments, which I think add a very interesting perspective from a part-time musician. He is a very good listener. Regarding the XS, the problem with that is that you will also want the XS Pre and the XS phono.

 

[MadFloyd]

I thought you had put Stillpoints under your Alexia's?

Well since the jury it out, I think I'll keep my .5 amps for a while. Might have to go with the XS model instead.

Thanks so much Peter and Ian for your in-depth observations!

Bruce, I've put them in twice, but took them out again. I love what they do for the midrange up but the low frequencies get smeared. Yet another thing I'm not yet sold on.

 

[Don C]

I feel that a one day comparison by switching back and forth (and turning the amps completely off and on) is not a valid comparison.

It takes the Pass class A amps 2 hours on, then 2 hours of playing music before they even start to sound good, and 48 hours completely on (not in stand by) before they sound at their best. If left on continuously they need music playing through them for 1 hour to sound at their best.

They need to be powered on completely for 5 days to break in IMO.

And using a new power cord is a no no. What is wrong with the stock cord?

You should not have changed anything with your system besides the power amp to hear the differences. We now know nothing about the point 8.

The Stereophile editor ran the same speakers with the XA60.5's, and said they sounded better than any another amp, including big buck Lamm's.

 

[Frank750]

What has really made this amp comparison difficult for me is that I switched to Shunyata power cords about a week earlier. When I first installed Shunyata Alpha HC on my .5 amps, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I've never heard such deep taut bass in my system before. Any 'mud' that I had was gone and it was the first time that I ever experienced the often described sensation of the front wall disappearing and the soundstage becoming deeper than the physical boundaries. Unfortunately that didn't last - as the power cords broke in, the sound thickened in ways that were detrimental to the overall presentation. These power cords now make the bass sound so thick that the bass is texture-less. If I switch back to my MIT power cords, it thins out and is much more articulate. In all fairness, I voiced the speakers with the MIT power cords and not the Shunyatas so maybe that's the reason. If was filthy rich, I'd buy thousands of Shunyata power cords and replace them after a week

How many hours on the power cords? Sounds like typical Shunyata break in to me. They start out great and then slide for a couple of weeks. You have to give them time and they will be better than they were when you first put them in.

And what about the amps? You're going to the trouble of putting Stillpoints under the speakers but leave the amps sitting on the floor? You certainly can't expect to get the best out of those amps without at least putting them on a decent amp stand.

 

[JackD201]

Bruce, I've put them in twice, but took them out again. I love what they do for the midrange up but the low frequencies get smeared. Yet another thing I'm not yet sold on.

Hi Ian,

Have you tried putting the amps on something other than directly on the floor? Amps on carpet always gives me poor bass.

 

[MadFloyd]

How many hours on the power cords? Sounds like typical Shunyata break in to me. They start out great and then slide for a couple of weeks. You have to give them time and they will be better than they were when you first put them in.

And what about the amps? You're going to the trouble of putting Stillpoints under the speakers but leave the amps sitting on the floor? You certainly can't expect to get the best out of those amps without at least putting them on a decent amp stand.

The power cords have about 2 weeks on them at this point. I had no idea that they needed that much time.

The amps have never been on any stand of any sort. I was told (by the dealer) that stands weren't required. That said, since I have Ultra 5's sitting around, maybe I could try them. Quick question for you Stillpoint veterans: when putting them under components, does the tapered end face up or down?

 

[Frank750]

The power cords have about 2 weeks on them at this point. I had no idea that they needed that much time.

The amps have never been on any stand of any sort. I was told (by the dealer) that stands weren't required. That said, since I have Ultra 5's sitting around, maybe I could try them. Quick question for you Stillpoint veterans: when putting them under components, does the tapered end face up or down?

Then I would stop listening to your dealer. Some form of isolation for the amps is both beneficial and necessary.
As for the Stillpoints, you can place them whichever way sounds best, experimentation is encouraged.

 

[microstrip]

The power cords have about 2 weeks on them at this point. I had no idea that they needed that much time.

The amps have never been on any stand of any sort. I was told (by the dealer) that stands weren't required. That said, since I have Ultra 5's sitting around, maybe I could try them. Quick question for you Stillpoint veterans: when putting them under components, does the tapered end face up or down?

I have been following your listening sessions with great interest. However when I see in your signature you have tube and solid state equipment, as well as Transparent Audio cables a question arises - how do you conciliate both types of electronics? Are your cables tuned for SS or tubes?

 

[mtseymour]

The power cords have about 2 weeks on them at this point. I had no idea that they needed that much time.

The amps have never been on any stand of any sort. I was told (by the dealer) that stands weren't required. That said, since I have Ultra 5's sitting around, maybe I could try them. Quick question for you Stillpoint veterans: when putting them under components, does the tapered end face up or down?

Thanks for informative review PeterA because I'm seriously thinking about upgrading to the .8 amps.

I also think that the Pass amp should be on Stillpoints. I've tried the Ultra SS on my XP-20 and X250.5 and the improvement on the latter was far more audible. I suggest that the Stillpoints should go under speakers first, and then the power amp.

Most Pass amps (including the 160.8 amp?) don't accept threaded inserts. Instead the four feet are attached using 5/16 bolts and screws. I had to open up my X250.5's bottom plate to remove the stock feet. Then I used custom 1/20-20 to 5/16 adapters install the Stillpoints. I think that the bass was tighter and more articulate with the Stillpoints threaded to my amp (and other components).

 

[MadFloyd]

I have been following your listening sessions with great interest. However when I see in your signature you have tube and solid state equipment, as well as Transparent Audio cables a question arises - how do you conciliate both types of electronics? Are your cables tuned for SS or tubes?

The cables were recently tuned for the Pass gear (I haven't used the tube gear in a while now).

 

[MadFloyd]

Placed 3 Ultra 5's under each amp. Tapered side up, locations being 2 in front, 1 towards the back (best I could do alone).

Significant difference in bass. Still deep but now incredibly tight. I'm very impressed and encouraged.

 

[JackD201]

There ya go Ian.

 

[PeterA]

Then I would stop listening to your dealer. Some form of isolation for the amps is both beneficial and necessary.
As for the Stillpoints, you can place them whichever way sounds best, experimentation is encouraged.

I used to have my XA160.5s on the floor and then put them up on pre loaded Vibraplane isolation platforms which in turn are on wood bases. I noticed a tremendous improvement. The isolation really helped as it did under my suspended SME turntable.

 

[MRJAZZ]

Placed 3 Ultra 5's under each amp. Tapered side up, locations being 2 in front, 1 towards the back (best I could do alone).

Significant difference in bass. Still deep but now incredibly tight. I'm very impressed and encouraged.

View attachment 14480

I noticed the same thing with 3 under each of some ELECTROCOMPANIET MONO BLOCKS. You should also here other gains in other areas: Cleaner, more pristine presentation in the mids, and highs to name a few. Staging should also improve in all dimensions, and the over all sound should appear to be
"MORE PRESENT" and there, very dense and solid images.
CHEERS,.......T

 

[ack]

At least capacitors - small and large - are very susceptible to vibrations, therefore, I would expect significant improvements on power amplifiers (and most other electronics). Have you noticed how Rowland carefully mechanically grounds them

 

[Frank750]

Placed 3 Ultra 5's under each amp. Tapered side up, locations being 2 in front, 1 towards the back (best I could do alone).

Significant difference in bass. Still deep but now incredibly tight. I'm very impressed and encouraged.

Put the amps on an amp stand or platform and then place the Stillpoints under the amps and you'll hear clarity and stage definition improvement. You really don't want the Stillpoints directly on the carpet. I had Shunyata Typhons on Ultra 5s on the carpet and was astonished at the improvement when I placed the Typhons on amp stands with the Stillpoints.

 

[MRJAZZ]

Put the amps on an amp stand or platform and then place the Stillpoints under the amps and you'll hear clarity and stage definition improvement. You really don't want the Stillpoints directly on the carpet. I had Shunyata Typhons on Ultra 5s on the carpet and was astonished at the improvement when I placed the Typhons on amp stands with the Stillpoints.

I should have mentioned in my above post that there is a 2 inch thick maple butcher block that sits on the floor, (carpet over concrete ) and than the STILL POINTS ULTRA 5,S are placed on it (flat side, with tapered portion pointing up wards, toward the amps .
CHEERS, ...T

 

[PeterA]

So Ian, Will you be leaving the Stillpoints under the amps or do you plan to try them one more time under the speakers? Are you considering ordering some more Ultras? I'm Glad to read that you are enjoying the amps more. How has the sound and scale of Ray Brown's bass changed on that Moonlight Serenade LP with the Stillpoints under the amps?

 

[JackD201]

I think Ian is busy canvassing racks and amp stands now.