I suppose after a few of these cheap amps and time wasted on trying to improve their performance, you'd arrive at the point where for the cumulative money spent, an Aleph J clone or similar would've been a viable option. With a bit of tender loving care, it'd sound amazing and could be called an end-game amp for sure.
I'm not going to get drawn into a cap debate, all I would say is make your own mind up after actually looking and listening. If there is a dealer near you try and get a home demo/trial of something like the A21SE.(I know someone who had (and still has) two Sugden based systems and I've also had the privilege around 15 years ago being shown round the factory I've no connection beyond that but they would be on a serious shortlist)
Hi Mooly, I shall try and get a listen to them. Thanks.
(I know someone who had (and still has) two Sugden based systems and I've also had the privilege around 15 years ago being shown round the factory I've no connection beyond that but they would be on a serious shortlist)
Here's that pitch again.
Although the ACA Mini completion kit is out of stock, if you get on the Email list and eventually build it, it would be a great introduction into DIY. Building something like this would help you understand how elegant Pass amps are (even though you, unfortunately, had an issue with yours). The ACA mini being a very bare bones approach.
We can be pretty sure no one will spend a word on it anymore. With excessive brand loyalty as shown in this very thread many simply refuse to believe a product can be defective and then, even when things are solved, still are blaming the messenger which is a way of coping with it that is a bit sad. Many had doubts but since the story ends like it ends simplest is to see that even electronics made in heaven may not be perfect. It is just stuff.
You keep editing posts more that I do Moving target. BTW I don't link stuff and people, some think higher of the stuff than of the people. It is not a religion, it is material stuff that is replaceable.
You keep editing posts more that I do
Moving target. BTW I don't link stuff and people, some think higher of the stuff than of the people. It is not a religion, it is material stuff that is replaceable.
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Andy did receive a full refund. I think the dealer worked hard to make him happy and hopefully he is.
We also worked with the dealer to resolve the situation. We want happy customers even if that means with another company’s product.
Pass has a good reputation and a loyal brand following for good reason. Do we make products that have problems sometimes?
Absolutely. Anything can break no matter the cost or quality. How it is handled is the important part. You don’t keep distribution since the 1970’s if you don’t take care of business.
We also worked with the dealer to resolve the situation. We want happy customers even if that means with another company’s product.
Pass has a good reputation and a loyal brand following for good reason. Do we make products that have problems sometimes?
Absolutely. Anything can break no matter the cost or quality. How it is handled is the important part. You don’t keep distribution since the 1970’s if you don’t take care of business.
Isn't the tl;dr on this that the problem was real, at least for the customer who is all that matters, but we don't know what if anything was wrong with the unit? It was for the dealer to work this out with the customer and it seems that ultimately they did. Happy ending.
The dealer can audition or test the unit to their capabilities and decide whether it was a sample problem to return to the factory. Sure, it could be defective, but we don't have enough info to know. Why speculate further or cast dubious aspersions?
EDIT: Wayne and I were typing at about the same time. I'd not seen his response.
The dealer can audition or test the unit to their capabilities and decide whether it was a sample problem to return to the factory. Sure, it could be defective, but we don't have enough info to know. Why speculate further or cast dubious aspersions?
EDIT: Wayne and I were typing at about the same time. I'd not seen his response.
Just for a final speculation, even as I doubt the many amps with loose parts left the seller in one piece and ALL are victims of transport misshandling. How many amps where exchanged? 4 or more? I lost count. Statistically very ununsual. Maybe some just repackaged and sent again? No manufacturer can affort so many returns!
If the Pass Labs amp was handled like the other amps, thrown around etc. the core of the toroid may simply have been brocken. This can lead to very funny sounds, when the core contracts and expands inside the winding, from the magnetic field. To me in the PL amp it looks like a toroid in a metal case. I you throw these heavy parts to the ground, their own weight can brake them. If they are enclosed in epoxy, they are much more durable. Don't know the type.
On the other hand, I personaly know some retailers that ship defective parts to customers, blame the courier for the problem and try to get them repaired for free. Yes, it is a bad, bad world out there...
The thread starter was very clever to use diyAudio as a forum, the negative PR and (maybe?) Pass Labs staff questions can produce quite some pressure.
When I think about buying from some unknown retailer, I always google the name plus "problems, experience, return, service" and look at the result. Has sure saved me a lot of time, money and trouble over the years. The internet is very mighty...
You need to spent a fortune in add's and positve review's to compensate for one negative thread in a world wide audio forum...
If the Pass Labs amp was handled like the other amps, thrown around etc. the core of the toroid may simply have been brocken. This can lead to very funny sounds, when the core contracts and expands inside the winding, from the magnetic field. To me in the PL amp it looks like a toroid in a metal case. I you throw these heavy parts to the ground, their own weight can brake them. If they are enclosed in epoxy, they are much more durable. Don't know the type.
On the other hand, I personaly know some retailers that ship defective parts to customers, blame the courier for the problem and try to get them repaired for free. Yes, it is a bad, bad world out there...
The thread starter was very clever to use diyAudio as a forum, the negative PR and (maybe?) Pass Labs staff questions can produce quite some pressure.
When I think about buying from some unknown retailer, I always google the name plus "problems, experience, return, service" and look at the result. Has sure saved me a lot of time, money and trouble over the years. The internet is very mighty...
You need to spent a fortune in add's and positve review's to compensate for one negative thread in a world wide audio forum...
I didn't think of PL, as decades of fair dealing with customers and the DIYS community has made a lasting impact.
On the other hand, a small HIFI dealer, in a small country, may see some lasting influence if they are accused of ripping off High End customers.
Internet mail order is very sensitive to internet "talk" or how ever you may call such events like these.
Once I even heard about a former presidents that used the Internet to propagate a blatant lie and had people hurt and kill fellow citizens. Don't underestimate the internet lol.
On the other hand, a small HIFI dealer, in a small country, may see some lasting influence if they are accused of ripping off High End customers.
Internet mail order is very sensitive to internet "talk" or how ever you may call such events like these.
Once I even heard about a former presidents that used the Internet to propagate a blatant lie and had people hurt and kill fellow citizens. Don't underestimate the internet lol.