I'm considering building the Bryston 3sst amps. It’s for music and HT, mostly rock. the Brystons sound clear with extended highs and a very good bottom end. They don’t have the warmth, and silky smoothness of the original Alephs. However I don’t know if I want that sound. For HT it would play down seems like, for example the seen in the original Matrix where they where braking marble tiles in the lobby of that sky rise.
Now enter the XA. It has improved bass and highs. This is an $18,000 amp compared to the $2,500 Bryston. Does this amp do everything the Brystons do and more? Or is the XA made to appeal to a special kind of listener.
The brystons and Pass XAs are some of the best topologies I found online. I have both there schematics. They both employ creative solutions for lowering distortion. The XA has higher distortion and higher heat
. But is it worth it? Beside the heat sinks, they cost about the same to build.
Opinions are welcome by everyone, but hopefully by people who have actually lisined to these amps.
Leve Hajdu
Now enter the XA. It has improved bass and highs. This is an $18,000 amp compared to the $2,500 Bryston. Does this amp do everything the Brystons do and more? Or is the XA made to appeal to a special kind of listener.
The brystons and Pass XAs are some of the best topologies I found online. I have both there schematics. They both employ creative solutions for lowering distortion. The XA has higher distortion and higher heat
. But is it worth it? Beside the heat sinks, they cost about the same to build.Opinions are welcome by everyone, but hopefully by people who have actually lisined to these amps.
Leve Hajdu
Attachments
distortion, dischmortion...
I have not heard an XA yet, but I traded a Bryston SST for a PassX - the Pass wins hands down (what a place to make such a statement, huh?
). I imagine the XA should be even better.
The Brystons sound very clean and "in control" but the Pass are more musical and transparent at the cost of some (but not a lot) bass definition.
I have not heard an XA yet, but I traded a Bryston SST for a PassX - the Pass wins hands down (what a place to make such a statement, huh?
). I imagine the XA should be even better. The Brystons sound very clean and "in control" but the Pass are more musical and transparent at the cost of some (but not a lot) bass definition.
If all you're interested in is the sound of braking marble tiles (sic)
go with the Bryston's.
If you want a really nice stereo set up - and are willing to work
for it - build an Aleph-X. I don't think you'll be let down.
P.S.
How did that Bryston make the weigh-in??... this is the Heavy Weight division!
go with the Bryston's.
If you want a really nice stereo set up - and are willing to work
for it - build an Aleph-X. I don't think you'll be let down.
P.S.
How did that Bryston make the weigh-in??... this is the Heavy Weight division!
LBHajdu,
The XA from PassLabs and the Bryston 3Bsst do not play in the same league....
The XA is a pure class A mono amplifier, its a lot of heat but the results are wonderful ; the Bryston 3Bsst is a Class AB stereo... good music but not the smoothness and purity of the XA... to compare the 3Bsst you'll have to go for the X150 - 2 ch amp: The X150 is rated at 150 watts per channel in 8 ohms...
To build a class A you'll have to buy a lot of heatsinks, and for more than 100 watts
it will cost both arms and legs... I have built a A75 stereo 2*75 watts class A and for a DIYer, going more than 100 watts mono or 2*75 stereo is a very pricy project.
Good luck.
Regards.
Alain.
The XA from PassLabs and the Bryston 3Bsst do not play in the same league....
The XA is a pure class A mono amplifier, its a lot of heat but the results are wonderful ; the Bryston 3Bsst is a Class AB stereo... good music but not the smoothness and purity of the XA... to compare the 3Bsst you'll have to go for the X150 - 2 ch amp: The X150 is rated at 150 watts per channel in 8 ohms...
To build a class A you'll have to buy a lot of heatsinks, and for more than 100 watts
it will cost both arms and legs... I have built a A75 stereo 2*75 watts class A and for a DIYer, going more than 100 watts mono or 2*75 stereo is a very pricy project.
Good luck.
Regards.
Alain.
My Aleph 2's cost me about 1000.00 to build including new heat sinks. I believe thats alot less than a used Mint Condition Bryston. No comparison in sound either. The Brystrons are made to be reliable...... at the sacrifice of sound quality...they have a 20 year warranty they have to fulfill, but the Pass labs stuff is designed to last until the universe is eaten up by the sun 
Mark
Mark
Well the response seems overwhelming, if not a little bias. My speakers, which are not put together yet, but lying on the floor in a box next to me, will be 91db efficient. It’s the highly regarded Proteus from Tony Gee’s web page. I think I will need between 60 and 100 watts of “pass power” to drive them.
Now am looking into X vs. XA. Mr. Pass says that the emphasis of the XA series is a little more toward Class A performance over power. However I have a feeling that the high end is a little more crisper on the X and efficiency is a whole lot better. An AX built at 60 watts could get by with about 200watts of dissipation. That’s a little more then I’d like but maybe it would be acceptable.
Uli built an X amp in real life. Details can be found at “normal X-Amp”. I have a fear that if I don’t build the X amp right out of Mr. Pass’s schematics that a value of a component being slightly off could compromise the sound, and I wouldn’t even know it. I would just assume that that’s the way it’s supposed to sound. I think I have compiled all the information I need to build an X600, but that’s way too much dissipation, so I’m not going to go there.
I got up the nerve to e-mail Mr. Pass and ask him for the schematics. He turned me down, and I certainly don’t blame him for that.
I’ll post back when my thinking is a little clearer. My, oh my is that the time already, I’ve got the get to work.
Now am looking into X vs. XA. Mr. Pass says that the emphasis of the XA series is a little more toward Class A performance over power. However I have a feeling that the high end is a little more crisper on the X and efficiency is a whole lot better. An AX built at 60 watts could get by with about 200watts of dissipation. That’s a little more then I’d like but maybe it would be acceptable.
Uli built an X amp in real life. Details can be found at “normal X-Amp”. I have a fear that if I don’t build the X amp right out of Mr. Pass’s schematics that a value of a component being slightly off could compromise the sound, and I wouldn’t even know it. I would just assume that that’s the way it’s supposed to sound. I think I have compiled all the information I need to build an X600, but that’s way too much dissipation, so I’m not going to go there.
I got up the nerve to e-mail Mr. Pass and ask him for the schematics. He turned me down, and I certainly don’t blame him for that.
I’ll post back when my thinking is a little clearer. My, oh my is that the time already, I’ve got the get to work.
LBHajdu
??will be 91db efficient. Proteus from Tony Gee’s web page. I think I will ??need between 60 and 100 watts of “pass power” to drive them.
Well, in your case the Aleph-X seems a very good choice,
and with 60 watts of pure class A you will be able to drive your speakers
hard.
And for the 200 watts dissipation, well for a class A it's fair.
I have received my 2 boards for building the Aleph-X, that will be a future
project, and as said Bob Ellis he is using DIGIKey components, not "any exotic components" ; the results are pretty good, so go for it, you can't be disapointed.
I similarly built my A75 with the same components, and I just have to say, wouahhhh ! the results are overwelming, tought bass, a clear and well defined medium, the hights are crisp. Mr Nelson Pass and all the DIYer group is offering you the ticket to pure Class A for a real bargain, I wouldn't hesitate.
Good DIYer projects.
Regards.
Alain.
??will be 91db efficient. Proteus from Tony Gee’s web page. I think I will ??need between 60 and 100 watts of “pass power” to drive them.
Well, in your case the Aleph-X seems a very good choice,
and with 60 watts of pure class A you will be able to drive your speakers
hard.
And for the 200 watts dissipation, well for a class A it's fair.
I have received my 2 boards for building the Aleph-X, that will be a future
project, and as said Bob Ellis he is using DIGIKey components, not "any exotic components" ; the results are pretty good, so go for it, you can't be disapointed.
I similarly built my A75 with the same components, and I just have to say, wouahhhh ! the results are overwelming, tought bass, a clear and well defined medium, the hights are crisp. Mr Nelson Pass and all the DIYer group is offering you the ticket to pure Class A for a real bargain, I wouldn't hesitate.
Good DIYer projects.
Regards.
Alain.
planet10,
Well, my Martin Logan Aerius i are at 89 Db sensivity with 200 watts power handling
and the El Diablo A75 2*80 watts is right to the job,
my understanding of Nelson's Class A theory is: more final Mosfet's, more bias and so more bass... less distortion and better sound quality.
But on the other way 2*10 good watts of Class A can do the job for the Proteus
91db efficient speakers.
Just his choice.
I have always dreamed to have a nice 2*80watts pure Class A
and winters are so cold here in Canada....
Regards.
Alain.
Well, my Martin Logan Aerius i are at 89 Db sensivity with 200 watts power handling
and the El Diablo A75 2*80 watts is right to the job,
my understanding of Nelson's Class A theory is: more final Mosfet's, more bias and so more bass... less distortion and better sound quality.
But on the other way 2*10 good watts of Class A can do the job for the Proteus
91db efficient speakers.
Just his choice.
I have always dreamed to have a nice 2*80watts pure Class A
and winters are so cold here in Canada....
Regards.
Alain.
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