Little brother of the XA-200 available? (XA-150)

[MEnsing]

I checked the site of the Pass Labs distributor for the Netherlands for some price info about the XA-200.

http://www.moremusic.nl/prijslijsten/passlabs.htm

But when I looked in their pricelist not only a price is mentioned for the XA-200 but also for the XA-150. XA-150???? So far I have never heared of it. When I check the Pass Labs site only little information is available for the XA-200 but the XA-150 is not mentioned. Nelson, is the little brother of the XA-200 born?

BTW, the XA-200 costs in the Netherlands 42000 EURO and the XA-150 26900 EURO.
Unfortunately I can't afford one and therefore I have to build one myself (Sorry Nelson).

[jam]

The Pass Labs site mentions additional XA amplifiers added to the lineup and I believe the XA-150 is the next, it is a 150watt amplifier in the same chassis size as a X-600.

Jam

[Nelson Pass]

At present it will be called the XA160.

[BrianGT]

What other lower powered versions are you going to offer in the future? Anything for more efficient speakers?

--
Brian

[Fred Dieckmann]

I'll bet he is going to have an XA-30 as soon as you guys stop messing around and finish the design here on the forum....


Sorry Nelson.... I couldn't resist,
Fred

[Franklin]

With regard to the consumer prices of Pass amps I have to say that as a former (prospective Pass) distributor this is exactly the development that kills the high-end business in general and particularly in the Netherlands.
Music loving audiophiles who cannot build their own gear, cannot afford quality audio equipment this way.
Distributors and dealers will do anything to put other distributors or dealers out of business. It sadly is all about money and only money. Dedicated high-end loving dealers can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Manufacturers easily fall for distributors who tell them that they can sell twice as much amps then the manufacturer's current distributor. With Pass Labs this is not different as I have experienced myself. Sorry Nelson, but it's the truth.

However I still respect Nelson for his open and honest way of supporting this forum. As I understand he's into designing and not into sales.

Franklin

[Nelson Pass]

Our current distributor in the Netherlands is doing a very
good job. As I recall, one of the reasons Franklin did not
become a distributor is that he objected to the publication
of schematics and such.

I see things differently, but then I suppose I can afford to.

We have not seen any decline in our business, much less
loss of business that could attributed to the DIY community.

We obviously try to pick distribution for success, and as an
organization we are far more interested in the long term
relationship. We don't believe promises of volume in any
case.

[Franklin]

Nelson, glad you responded.

At that time I made a remark about my concern to publish schematics of commercial designs.
If I'm informed well, this is still the case, otherwise everyone wouldn't be backengineering here. And it is not you personally I critisize, but
the system.

My remark concerning the status of high-end in the Netherlands is the observation of a patern which has been going on for some time now and which can only be judged and monitered objectively locally. Although Pass Labs is the company which proclaims an honest and open approach, which may be true to some extend, I think the way they kept me waiting for almost a year is far from professional and literally being dumped says more about your sales dept. than it says about me.

Franklin

[Nelson Pass]

To address the issue of what we publish and what we don't:

It is our policy to publish the service manual online when the
product ceases shipping.

In the case of the Volksamp products, an exception was made
to publish the service manuals on introduction.



Franklin, I'm sorry that you had a long wait, only to be
disappointed, but we both understand that this is often
the way it goes in business. In this case the sales department
is also the president of the company, and we are in accord.

[Ken L]

Originally posted by Franklin
It sadly is all about money and only money. Dedicated high-end loving dealers can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

This I think could easily apply to many situations and areas-

Business is about profits - No profits=no business.

Further, for a business to survive and prosper in a "niche market" they frequently will make decisions that are not understood by those that have less of a grasp of the niche.

Mr Pass has been very tactful and thoughtful in his reply, as is usually the case.


To Franklin

It is my opinion that it is in poor taste to choose this venue as the place to make such statements and then relate them to your disappointment about a business deal that fell through.

sincerely

Ken