Review that offers a perspective on / Sugden FBA-800 - Coda S5.5 - Pass Labs XA-25

https://www.stereotimes.com/post/sugden-audio-sapphire-fba-800-amplifier-by-terry-london/

Very interesting, @teajay. I have a Pass INT-25 and a Sugden A21SE Signature, and the differences between them are fairly dramatic. The FBA-800 must be different from the A21 sound.

@teajay, your review of the SPL S-900 grabbed my attention. It’s apples and oranges, I know, but how would you characterize the sound of the SPL compared to these true class-A units from Pass, Sugden and Coda?

Hey drubin,

Would you be good enough to share your take on the Pass Labs INT-25 and Sugden A21SE, regarding why you find them so different. The SPL S-900 comes very close to these class A amplifiers, just a smidgen less transparent and not quite as vivid in color/timbres. It offers a totally grainless ease to the music with great overall dynamics and bass control.

Thanks Teajay.

I want to temporarily walk back my “fairly dramatic” characterization. I realize it applies with the speakers I’ve been using exclusively for the past six months, the Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2. But I believe It was a different story with the Audio Note AN-K/Spe, which I will return to the system and report back.

With the Radiant Acoustics speakers, the Pass is very transparent, with a spacious soundstage that is slightly set back. Ambience is vividly audible, tonality is rich and colorful (consistent with good SS class A), high resolution. I don’t find it underpowered for my listening, but it does lack drive.

The Pass INT-25 is rated 25 wpc and the Sugden 30 wpc, but each play more powerful than those numbers. The Pass has 29 dB of gain. I’ve never found a gain number for the Sugden, but it plays (maybe too) loud at the bottom of the dial, which may be unrelated to its overall gain.

With the RA speakers, the Sugden has a more propulsive drive and can sound more dynamic and alive. It presents very solid images in a soundstage that is more forward than what I hear with the Pass, and also shallower. Much less ambient information (a drier presentation), less resolution of detail, and less tone-colorful and convincing tonality. 

overpriced, overhyped, well marketed

All three amplifiers are at the top of the list for eliminating grain/dryness in their overall presentation

???

what is this direction we have "evolved" to?