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Pass Labs Amps - Does the heat bother you?

I am very intrigued by pass amplifiers (NOT the intergateds). I have heard many good things about them. However, I also have heard from many people that they get really hot. I am interested in the stereo amps.... like the X350. 

Curious, if you own one or used to own one... how do/did you deal with the heat? I wouldn’t want it heating up my living room where the AC runs more (which kills my music enjoyment session). 

Also, I usually leave my  amp on from 5:00 pm till I go to bed (anywhere from 9:00 pm to 12 am). Not sure how that would come into play if a pass labs would be a good fit for me. 

 

dman777
rocray's avatar
rocray
1,540 posts
 

I am running a First Watt J2 in my small,(9x13x8) listening room. This amp gets hot. Our a/c is run in the summer to keep the house at 72. It is a little warmer in my room in the summer, but not uncomfortably.  I have a low tolerance for summer heat and I don’t find it unbearable. 

jjss49's avatar
jjss49
6,920 posts
 

yes 

charles007100
236 posts
 

I have the Pass Labs XA-25 that doesn’t really get hot maybe a tad over warm but my speakers take nothing to drive the Volti Audio Lucera and also have the First Watt SIT-4 that gets pretty hot, the heat sinks get around 135 degrees F…but sure sounds sweet…

easystreamer
119 posts
 

I had the XA30.8 and the First Watt J2 which are class A and ran super hot by design, whether playing music or not. Loved the sound of both but being in Southern Cal, they were too hot for my liking year round.

My way of dealing with it was to sell them. Seemed silly to crank the A/C just to listen to music.

 

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