Good article by Nelson Pass of Pass Labs talking about class A, AB and effects of bias. Nice easy reading. http://passlabs.com/pdf/articles/leaving_class_a.pdf

__________________
System 7.1:
Wilson Sasha/Mezzo/Watch surrounds
D'Agostino Momentum x3 amps
Bryston 4B SST2 x2 amps
Krell S1200U pre/pro
Oppo Blu
Sony Blu changer
McIntosh MS300 music server
EAR/Yoshino Acute III tubed CDP
Transparent Ultra cabling
JL Audio F212 Sub
Lumagen video processor
JVC RS-35U projector
Stewart Screen

Thanks!

__________________
McIntosh 501's, Sonus Faber Elipsa speakers,McIntosh LS 360's Full Surround Speakers in Home Theater. (2) MR85, MCD201, C46 Pre, (2) JL F113 Fathom Subs, (1) JL F112, MA2275 Int Amp, Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor Speakers, Project Turntable. Blackbird Cart, Clearaudio Concept table, MC, Oppo 95 120 inch screen and an Epson 1080UB Projector. Nothing better then Pipes/Cigars, and a Great movie with the JL subs Pounding. MAC1700 Receiver and ML-1C speakers

A very interesting article,. Serge. After that I found several more reviews which also rave about Pass Labs amps. Of course, how often do you ever read a reviewer really pan anything? They are out there to grease the wheels of the audio business. I want to hear some PassLabs amps as well as Lamms! Nelson Pass is able to design more power into a Class A design. I wonder if they sound as good as the Lamms? There is some interesting equipment out there... Ted.

__________________

Main - MC501s, C500t (Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 tubes), MCD500, MS750, MEN220, B&W N802, PS Audio PPP & Duet, Wireworld PC's, Audioquest Colorado, Jaguar IC's & Rockefeller SC's, Symposium Tungsten Rollerblocks, Cable Isolators.
Fam Room - Pioneer Pro FHD1, Denon 2808ci, DVD1800BD, B&W CMC, CM1, CCM817, ASW610XP, WM2.
Rec Room - Pioneer 5080HD, Denon 2808ci, Toshiba HDXA3, Oppo DV981, Thorens TD126, B&W M803S2, CMC, M805, M804, ASW610XP, Thompson Vocal Eliminator.

Pass has more amps to offer but the Lamm is a hybrid with a triode doing the driving of the output MOSFET stage. You should listen to both. I've heard quite a few Pass amps in the past and liked them but never fell in love with their sound. One listen to the Lamm's and it was all over, I fell in love with them.

__________________
System 7.1:
Wilson Sasha/Mezzo/Watch surrounds
D'Agostino Momentum x3 amps
Bryston 4B SST2 x2 amps
Krell S1200U pre/pro
Oppo Blu
Sony Blu changer
McIntosh MS300 music server
EAR/Yoshino Acute III tubed CDP
Transparent Ultra cabling
JL Audio F212 Sub
Lumagen video processor
JVC RS-35U projector
Stewart Screen

Serge,
Speaking of Lamm, have I asked you if you have ever heard the Lamm M2.2?

__________________

Main - MC501s, C500t (Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 tubes), MCD500, MS750, MEN220, B&W N802, PS Audio PPP & Duet, Wireworld PC's, Audioquest Colorado, Jaguar IC's & Rockefeller SC's, Symposium Tungsten Rollerblocks, Cable Isolators.
Fam Room - Pioneer Pro FHD1, Denon 2808ci, DVD1800BD, B&W CMC, CM1, CCM817, ASW610XP, WM2.
Rec Room - Pioneer 5080HD, Denon 2808ci, Toshiba HDXA3, Oppo DV981, Thorens TD126, B&W M803S2, CMC, M805, M804, ASW610XP, Thompson Vocal Eliminator.

I have not. The M2.2 have much less class A than M1.2s and put out 900w instead of 600w into 1 ohm. If you need to pound your speakers that much, I would not get a class A amp to begin with. If you really use the extra power, the M2.2s will spend much less time in Class A so you may as well get a class A/B amp that will run cooler.

You can use this calculator to approximate what kind of SPLs you can get without leaving class A. I get 105dB with my 88dB speakers right now before the amp would ever slip into class A/B. Most of my listening is 85dB with peaks around 95dB. http://myhometheater.homestead.com/splcalculator.html

__________________
System 7.1:
Wilson Sasha/Mezzo/Watch surrounds
D'Agostino Momentum x3 amps
Bryston 4B SST2 x2 amps
Krell S1200U pre/pro
Oppo Blu
Sony Blu changer
McIntosh MS300 music server
EAR/Yoshino Acute III tubed CDP
Transparent Ultra cabling
JL Audio F212 Sub
Lumagen video processor
JVC RS-35U projector
Stewart Screen

Thanks PHC1 for the calculator. I am at 115.9db.

Most reviewers don't "pan" products from legitimate mfrs., because none of them are making junk these days. So much of it is about system synergy, set up, the listening room and software quality, there are too many variables.

Being overly negative or gushy on a regular basis doesn't help the reader.

As much as you would like to think we are all "greasing the palms of the audio industry," to not describe a product as accurately as possible doesn't help you, me or the mfr.

The Lamm amps are a great example. I've always found the Lamm stuff to be way too dark for my taste, yet when I've heard them with Wilson Sophias or Sashas, the sound has always been fantastic.

It's never an easy conclusion to draw.

Ultimately the best hifi review will lead you to a product demo so you can draw your own conclusion in your own system. Nothing more.

Jeff.......That pretty well sums it up right there.

__________________
Dan


Living Room System: McIntosh C2300, MC601 (2), MCD1100, MS750, MR85, Sony DAT 60ES, Nakamichi BX-300, Micro Seiki DD-40, Ortofon 2M Black, Sonos ZP90, Oppo BDP-83SE Blu-ray, PMC EB1i, Fathom f113 w/ Sound Anchor stand, Power Plant Premier (2), PS Audio Soloist Premier SE (3), Rollerblock Jr.'s, Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's & PC's, Kimber 8TC with WBT Solid Silver Angled Locking Banana Connectors.
Studio System: McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MCD1100, MR88, Michell Gyro SE w/SME 309/Ortofon Cadenza Black, Sonos ZP90, PS Audio Power Plant Premier, PS Audio Soloist Premier SE, Sonus Faber Amati Anniversario, Rollerblock Jr.'s, Wireword Silver Eclipse IC's & PC's, Wireworld Silver Eclipse speaker cable.
Studio Home Theater System: McIntosh MX120, MC452, Oppo BDP-95 Blu-ray, PS Audio Soloist Premier SE, JBL LSR-6332 (2), JBL LSR-6328P (3), McIntosh XLS112 (2), Sony 52XBR9, Tributaries Silver IC's, Wireworld PC's.
Vintage: McIntosh MA5100, MR74 tuner, JVC XL-Z1050 K2 CD player, Wyred 4 Sound DAC2, Tandberg 3008A and 3026A, JBL4312A , McIntosh 4300V for deck speakers.

+1 (again )