2. amps-preamps
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Sophia II's and Pass Labs etc

HI!

I will buy a new amp set up for my Wilson Audio Sophia II's after the summer. I currently use a Burmester 051 integrated amp and a Burmester 061 cd player + a TW Acustic Raven w/Graham Phantom II arm will be ordered soon

I like the Burmester 011 preamp and Burmester 911 mk3 amp very much, although I have not tested the amp set on my speakers. The price for the set in Norway is NOK 276,000,-

The other options I am looking at are:

- Pass Labs XP20 and XA 100,5 / XA 160.5 mono amps, approx. NOK 210,000 / NOK 255,000

- Audio Research REF 3 preamp and REF 110 amp, approx. NOK 220,000,-

- Simaudio Moon P8 and Simaudio Moon W8, approx. NOK 245,000,-.

- Spectral DMC-30SS and Spectral DMA 360, approx. NOK 230,000,-.

And then you have Conrad Johnson, Mark Levinson, Luxman, Accuphase, MBL, etc etc.

Do you have any preferences of the amps mentioned. Do you know if Pass Labs XA 100.5 will be strong enough for the Sophia 2's?

I listen foremost to pop/rock/hip hop/electro/jazz/metal/etc, since I am a talent buyer within the festival circuit in Norway.

Thanks for your help.

Cheeers, ToffenG, Norway
toffeng

Showing 5 responses by peterayer

peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Madfloyd,
How about posting some pictures of that awsome system of yours? I agree about the power of the XA100.5. I have Eggleston - 87dB, 4ohm min. - and they easily drive the speaker. The meters have never moved. They control my speakers much better than my old XA160s did. They double down in power as impedence is halved and they have more current. Plenty powerful with the sweet sound of Class A.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Hello Tvad,
That's hard to say. My gut says that the XA60.5 will be enough to drive the Andra II (89dB and 6ohm nom. load?) if the music is not too dynamic or too loud and the room is not too large. But that is a lot of "ifs". My Rosa is not as efficient as your Andra II and my XA100.5 seem like plenty, so they would be amazing with your more efficient Andra IIs. But then again, your room is probably bigger than mine as mine could not support the Andra's woofer. The Eggelstons love power and some Audiogoners use the X600.5 to drive the Andras. I have a small(15'x16'x7.5') room and my "gut" has been plenty wrong in the past. Do you have any way to audition them in your system before committing? There is always the XA100.5 or even the XA160.5, but the latter is getting quite expensive.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
Sorry Tvad,
I misunderstood you. I thought you owned the Andra II and were considering which Pass XA.5 to buy. Sorry for the confusion.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
That was a great post, Hce4. I like your very "real world" consideration of price vs. performance. I don't often see comparisons between equipment which include a personal perception of value. You're right that Kent and others at Pass seem to express their honest opinions when discussing their products to potential customers. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
I have only heard the XA100.5 in the XA.5 line. I have read people refering to a "sweet spot" in the various Pass lines. The Aleph 2 in the Aleph line, the XA 160 in the XA line, the X350.5 in the X.5 line, etc. I read somewhere Nelson Pass or one of the employees talking about this. I think they are refering to the price/performance ratio which can be a moving target depending on which generation of amps you're talking about. I don't think it is just more power or stereo vs. mono blocks.
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