Pass Labs INT 150

[Ninanina]

I am tempted to purchase a Pass Labs Integrated 150 amp to drive my Maggies

It is rated at 300 Watts into 4 Ohms so was thinking it might suit the .7's well

Any thoughts ? :)

[southall-1998_mk2]

I've yet to hear a Pass Labs type amp. Keep hearing good talk about Pass's creations.

S.

[Ninanina]

I've yet to hear a Pass Labs type amp. Keep hearing good talk about Pass's creations.

S.

Yes Shane I've only heard good things about anything Pass Labs...

[Ninanina]

Anyone else used/heard a Pass Labs amp ?

[hifinutt]

You have seen the one Dave has at mcru ? Nearly swapped my rig for a pass integrated int 30 but there are no htb facilities . Of course the 150 has been replaced by the int range but still worth considering

[hifinutt]

Would the 150 be better than the sn2 ? That's the question . Having had a sn2 recently I was very impressed with it.

[Ninanina]

Hi Phil
I've absolutely no idea if the 150 would better the SN2 but it certainly has a lot more 'power'

As the Maggies are supposed to like a lot of power had be considering the 150

However I still love the SN2 and it seems fine with the Maggies, to me

[hifinutt]

Shame you are a long way from Huddersfield where the int 150 is , as you might have been able to demo it perhaps

[hifinutt]

You are nearer hi fi guy who has pass labs integrated like the int 250 but there are a bit more money.

[MikeMusic]

Pass is very good

Belles is better, from experience.
I went from a Pass Pre to a Belles pre

Have heard the Belles integrated is extremely good

[hifinutt]

Belles make some wonderful kit , each has their strengths .never tried the integrated but love the vt01 and mb200 . Have you compared the 150 to the belles integrated?

[jandl100]

I had a Pass X150 power amp for a while.
I found it a bit boring. I wouldn't get Pass again as, reading around and chatting on forums, I think that is their 'house sound'.
Many people love it, but it's not for me.
Typical solid state class A sound. :zzz: :eyebrows:

Gorgeous to look at, though. :drool:

https://i.imgur.com/R5otY5h.jpg

[User211]

Get a Parasound A21. It will blow your Maggies out of the room.

Seriously a fab amp on planar magnetics.

EDIT: there's a caveat, though. Don't use an A21 without a good valve pre. So in retrospect probably not a good choice for you.

However, it will really wake up a pair of Maggies. Very dynamic amp with bags of authority/oddles of power.

[Ninanina]

Get a Parasound A21. It will blow your Maggies out of the room.

Seriously a fab amp on planar magnetics.

EDIT: there's a caveat, though. Don't use an A21 without a good valve pre. So in retrospect probably not a good choice for you.

However, it will really wake up a pair of Maggies. Very dynamic amp with bags of authority/oddles of power.

Justin that's one of the amps I had in mind and only heard good things about the A21 with Maggies... however I've been a very naughty girl today and purchased a 'monster'... well a monster to me anyway.. not a Pass Labs

It's being delivered next week sometime and I think I'll have to grab the first strong man that walks past to help me unbox it... :eek:

You only live once I thought and curiosity got the better of me...:doh: I do that sometimes...;)

[User211]

Justin that's one of the amps I had in mind and only heard good things about the A21 with Maggies... however I've been a very naughty girl today and purchased a 'monster'... well a monster to me anyway.. not a Pass Labs

It's being delivered next week sometime and I think I'll have to grab the first strong man that walks past to help me unbox it... :eek:

You only live once I thought and curiosity got the better of me...:doh: I do that sometimes...;)You're as bad as.me, Bev.

What is it, or do we have to guess?;)

[Ninanina]

You're as bad as.me, Bev.

What is it, or do we have to guess?;)

:D:D

Mark Levinson 383 integrated.... I'm sure everyone will now tell me it's rubbish... I'll get me coat :eek:

[User211]

:D:D

Mark Levinson 383 integrated.... I'm sure everyone will now tell me it's rubbish... I'll get me coat :eek:Smart amp. Congrats.

[Ninanina]

Smart amp. Congrats.

I thought the next comment from someone was going to be: "why on earth did you buy a ML" they are no good etc etc....

For what I paid for the ML, and if I like it, I can recoup the cost selling the SN2 and the High Cap DR, maybe with some change, so I've got nothing to loose ... best laid plans and all that....;)

:sofa:

[jandl100]

:wow: ML 383 - I've always fancied trying one of those.

For the 1st time ever, probably, I'm a bit jealous of your gear. :eek: - our tastes usually differ quite a lot.

[User211]

It's a pretty amp. I wanted one when it came out.

[Ninanina]

:wow: ML 383 - I've always fancied trying one of those.

For the 1st time ever, probably, I'm a bit jealous of your gear. :eek: - our tastes usually differ quite a lot.

Steady on Jerry...... :lol:

But don't be jealous

I was the same; I always fancied trying the ML so just went for it. I don't think I've got anything to loose to be honest

I read some reviews of the 150 and to be honest not all of it was good, not that I always believe reviews but had to go on something, but the 383 always had pretty good reviews and I had an urge.. so went for it.. I think the only thing that did come across about most ML amps was they are not immediately 'impressive'... but actually that suits me fine as I think 'impressive' sounding amps in the long term turn out not to be so. The ML gear tends to be owned in the long run I think. We will see

Boy it's a heavy brute though

[Sherwood]

Steady on Jerry...... :lol:

But don't be jealous

I was the same; I always fancied trying the ML so just went for it. I don't think I've got anything to loose to be honest

I read some reviews of the 150 and to be honest not all of it was good, not that I always believe reviews but had to go on something, but the 383 always had pretty good reviews and I had an urge.. so went for it.. I think the only thing that did come across about most ML amps was they are not immediately 'impressive'... but actually that suits me fine as I think 'impressive' sounding amps in the long term turn out not to be so. The ML gear tends to be owned in the long run I think. We will see

Boy it's a heavy brute though

I think you will find your Maggies transformed by the new amp. I am not familiar with the specific amp but the specs suggest it will really get a grip of the 0.7s.

I tried a Parasound when I first bought my 1.7s and although it had good control and sounded quite muscular, it was unbearably "shrill" on many tracks (not a term I use loosely). I had it on trial for two weeks and was pleased to see the back of it. I don't think it was a bad amp, just not a good match to Magneplanars.

[User211]

I think you will find your Maggies transformed by the new amp. I am not familiar with the specific amp but the specs suggest it will really get a grip of the 0.7s.

I tried a Parasound when I first bought my 1.7s and although it had good control and sounded quite muscular, it was unbearably "shrill" on many tracks (not a term I use loosely). I had it on trial for two weeks and was pleased to see the back of it. I don't think it was a bad amp, just not a good match to Magneplanars.

Very interesting. The Parasound is a Mark Levinson i.e. John Curl design.

But it does need a good tube pre as I said. I found it was literally transformed with a good tube pre.

[Ninanina]

I think you will find your Maggies transformed by the new amp. I am not familiar with the specific amp but the specs suggest it will really get a grip of the 0.7s.

I tried a Parasound when I first bought my 1.7s and although it had good control and sounded quite muscular, it was unbearably "shrill" on many tracks (not a term I use loosely). I had it on trial for two weeks and was pleased to see the back of it. I don't think it was a bad amp, just not a good match to Magneplanars.

Thanks Geoff

The ML has over 200w into 4 ohms so quite a bit more than the SN2

The only thing that put me off the Parasound was the extra £'s for a pre of suitable quality

I happen to like integrated's so the ML looked good and it is certainly 'muscular' I think... ;)

And, for some reason, I don't like hifi stuff made in China etc... I know that's probably not the way to go but Made In USA, like the ML, clinched it for me...

If the Parasound was "shrill" sounding to you I'm glad I didn't go that route. From what I've heard the ML stuff is anything but "shrill", apparently the ML stuff is a quite a 'smoothy' ;)

[jandl100]

I ran an A21 with my MBLs for about 18 months and really enjoyed it, if anything it was a bit on the warm side tonally.
But it had a bit of a squeal when I took it round to Justin's place to try on the big Apogee ribbons.

[Ninanina]

I ran an A21 with my MBLs for about 18 months and really enjoyed it, if anything it was a bit on the warm side tonally.
But it had a bit of a squeal when I took it round to Justin's place to try on the big Apogee ribbons.

I don't like the sound of "squeal" Jerry....

[User211]

I ran an A21 with my MBLs for about 18 months and really enjoyed it, if anything it was a bit on the warm side tonally.
But it had a bit of a squeal when I took it round to Justin's place to try on the big Apogee ribbons.

I don't remember that squeal in the months I had mine but I do remember it sounding sterile without a good tube pre.

I still rate it. That said I did sell it.

[Ninanina]

I don't remember that squeal in the months I had mine but I do remember it sounding sterile without a good tube pre.

I still rate it. That said I did sell it.

I have a liking for integrated amps so the A21 was out but I did consider the Parasound 2.1 integrated but thought I'd get better value on the used market so went for the ML

[Ninanina]

I'm wondering if anyone is using ML amps...;)

[User211]

I don't like the sound of "squeal" Jerry....It was better on my speakers than Jerry's. Jerry had Krell that sucked on mine but was amazing on his.