German review XA-160

[Leeuwarden]

For everyone who understands the German language. Not really diy but nice to read. (In the pdf-file is even a picture of "Das Genie"!)

http://www.stereoplay.de/d/52576

http://www.stereoplay.de/sixcms/medi...4PassXA160.pdf

[moe29]

I wonder how Pass Labs feels about the pictures included in that
article? Are the demo amps completely disassembled for these
pictures? Or does the magazine purchase it's review pair?

I suppose anyone could buy a pair and reverse engineer the whole
amp if they really wanted to... just wondering.

Could anyone translate the captions for the pics, since we're
seeing them?

(as usual, excellent workmanship! I'm sure this German magazine
fully appreciated and could relate to what they were seeing!)

m.

[GRollins]

Er...that circuit's already been reverse engineered.
Kinda sorta, anyway.

Grey

[fcel]

Aug/Sept 2004 issue of The Absolute Sound also has a review of XA-160 by AHC. I can't remember what was written but I know there wasn't any internal pictures of amp.

[Peter Daniel]

German magazines are much better than American, as they actually always show the detailed pictures of everything they review, why wouldn't they?

Each time I see pics like that, makes me want to build another amp.

[xcel]

As a matter of fact, the amps are usually opened up for pictures in German magazines. Sometimes the amps are completely taken apart, and reassembled after the photo shoot, all with the approval of the local distributor.

Makes for great study material..

Xcel

[moe29]

This is what i worked out for the summary box at the end of the
.pdf article. Seems like a solid review. If you can afford a pair of
XA 160's you don't worry about Praxis!

I agree with Peter, Pass amps are just pure works of art


Klang [Sound] = 61 out of 70? (or 100)

Messwerte [Measurements] = 8/10

Praxis [Practicality] = 3/10

Wertigkeit [Workmanship] = 10/10

[zinsula]

More or less they say that the XA160 sound's about on the same absolute level as the X600, and there is only one amplifier they tested yet which sounded better in their opinion (62 points...). It's a Single Ended Triode I believe, and the Name is "Double Kronzilla" or similar.
The only thing they complained about the X160 is that with difficult loads (less than 4 Ohms) ist does loose a little bit control, compared to X600.

BTW, in the same issue, a fully balanced phono stage from Ayre (Charles Hansen) got an excellent review too, and plays on the same lavel as the XOno with MC. And those are the absolutely best Phono stages in their opinion.

Nelsons work is highly regarded by this magazine.

Cheers, Tino

[xcel]

And I've heard this single-ended tube amp (Kronzilla) in it's latest incarnation in a direct comparison with the X-600. And although the Kronzilla is obviously a superb amplifier, it was clear that the X-600's were definitely better.

But that's just little old me talking ..... although the majority of the crowd seemed to agree.



Xcel

[till]

from the pdf:

Die Drossel-
Luftspulen bilden
zusammen mit den
Netzteil-Elkos ein
Filter, das (anders
als Induktivitätsbehaftete
Eisenkern-
Drosseln)
hauptsächlich
höherfrequentere
Störungen
ausschließt.

Its new to me aircoil inductors do profit from having no inductance...


... Hifi mags. - bähhhh.