looking for upgrade for Pass labs Int30a

Hi guys,

I am using pass labs int30a to drive my 86db sensitivity 50ohm planar heaphone hifiman he6 for a while. While everything is perfect with me, sometimes I think the vocals (only the vocals, other parts are fine) are a little bit "veiled" and I need more clarity and bring it "closer" to me.

Can I have some recommendations about what amp I can use for an upgrade from pass labs int30a, the int30a is based in its xa30.5 power amp with a passive preamp.

The dac I use is a schiit audio yggdrasil r2r multibit dac. I heard some good discussions about Sanders Magtech, Mark Levinson 532h, Classe cam300/ca2000, Plinius 102/103, Gryphon Diablo, Simaudio moon 600i, Krell evolution 302e.

Can anyone gives some AB comparisons of these amps or some recommendations about other amps? Appreciate your help!

Thanks. Bear it mind that I am driving a hard to drive headphone, so I need only two channels.

Might be the DAC or the headphones. It's not the amp! That's such an easy load for this Pass, the amp doesn't even know it's connected....
Vocals can often be 'shrill' or 'veiled' as they're very difficult to record.

reply

Tosh said:

Might be the DAC or the headphones. It's not the amp! That's such an easy load for this Pass, the amp doesn't even know it's connected....
Vocals can often be 'shrill' or 'veiled' as they're very difficult to record.

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Thank you! Is there any good dac for recommendation that is under $2.5k? Thanks.

Anything is only as good as its power supply, so maybe there's room to improve with your DAC's ps, and also with a power conditioner for the whole system. But I'm mostly suspicious of the planar-magnetic headphone -- and the recording!
How does Holly Cole's Train Song sound to you?

Tosh said:

Anything is only as good as its power supply, so maybe there's room to improve with your DAC's ps, and also with a power conditioner for the whole system. But I'm mostly suspicious of the planar-magnetic headphone -- and the recording!
How does Holly Cole's Train Song sound to you?

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I just listened to the Holly cole's Train Song and the vocal sounds good. It's not very close but it's very 3 dimensional. Thanks for your advice. I will keep my dac now and looking for some power conditioners. What kind of power conditioner and power supply are you using may I know? Thank you!

How are you connecting your headphones? My INT-150 does not have a headphone output. So far as I know, the INT-30 does not have one either.

Here power conditioners and power supplies are DIY, so tons upon tons. But your stuff is too valuable to make mods.

I suspect you're mostly running into recording problems (various types of compression). See them as 'character' and 'artistic intent' instead.

Tosh said:

Here power conditioners and power supplies are DIY, so tons upon tons. But your stuff is too valuable to make mods.

I suspect you're mostly running into recording problems (various types of compression). See them as 'character' and 'artistic intent' instead.

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Sure. Thank you. I have enjoyed it a lot as I listen to it more. Thanks.

jtucker said:

How are you connecting your headphones? My INT-150 does not have a headphone output. So far as I know, the INT-30 does not have one either.

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I use spades plug and DIY a spades to 4pin-xlr interconnect cable. It worked fantastic since he6 is such a low sensitivity headphone.

yuhengdu said:

Sure. Thank you. I have enjoyed it a lot as I listen to it more. Thanks.

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But now you have put the Pass INT-30 up for sale?

Tosh said:

But now you have put the Pass INT-30 up for sale?

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I want to upgrade it for a separated preamp/amp system now. I am happy with the sound but I am still in the "trying everything around" phase. Maybe I will find my self love the sound of int30a the best eventually.

Tosh said:

But now you have put the Pass INT-30 up for sale?

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I wanna buy a new XA30.8 of Pass labs on audiomart.