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Which amps with B&W 800D's... Pass Labs or Classe?

I am finally down to the wire... I am considering either the Pass Labs X350.5, a pair of the X600's, or a pair of the Classe CA-M400's to power my B&W 800D's. I am having the hardest time making this decision. I love my music loud, and I listen to alot of large-scale symphonic music, choral music, jazz, and various recordings that are very grand in nature. I am planning on incorporating a center channel and surrounds eventually in a theater and multi-channel setup and I would like to use the same brand of amp for those speakers once I decide to add them. I have heard great things about all of the amps above, but I cannot make that final leap of faith. Are the Pass Labs amps and the CA-M400's from Classe in the same league? I would love to get the Omega Omicron monos, but the budget does not exist for those right now. If I get the Pass Labs X600's, I am considering upgrading to the X600.5's when the budget allows. I have heard great things about the class-a capability of the Pass Labs amps. I am not keen on bi-amping and I really need some help in making this decision. I look forward to your advice! Thanks.

-Dave
mad14

Showing 1 response by georgehifi

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georgehifi
10,312 posts
 

Dave (Mad14)
We listened just yesterady to many amps on the B&W800D's which are a pig of a load (combined impedance and - phase angle), and the amp that won was the one that could double it's wattage for each halving of impedeance from 8 to 4 to 2ohms.
And the only one game enough to advertise this out of all the amps that you listed that do this right down to 2ohms, is the Classe Omega Omicron Monos.

Cheers George
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