The "Gathering of the Geeks" @DTB300 Hse

Joey_V said:

I accept any and all amps!!!

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you didn't want to take my transport to try.....

jtwrace said:

The results are where?

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Take a look at my system and you'll see !!

Seriously, Last winter, I sat down with John Ratan (Audio Connection) and auditioned the Plinius SA-102 next to a Pass Labs 250.5, I felt the Plinius bested the Pass in an overall sense of 'liquidity' and my only way of explaining and or reasoning this is that there must be something to be said for it's ability to be fully biased in Class 'A' that would have this effect. I'm not a reviewer in one of the magazines so pardon my lack of flowery adjectives but lets just say it transitioned itself throughout the entire freq range more seamlessly than did the Pass. I know alot of folks feel Pass is tube like with SS authority, I agree, I just feel the SA-102 is a "titch" better !!

I have been a Nelson Pass fan for a long time(ran my Maggies with a Threshold Stasis s300 twenty years ago), so as Dan said, both Pass and Plinius are excellent !!

twich54 said:

Take a look at my system and you'll see !!

Seriously, Last winter, I sat down with John Ratan (Audio Connection) and auditioned the Plinius SA-102 next to a Pass Labs 250.5, I felt the Plinius bested the Pass in an overall sense of 'liquidity' and my only way of explaining and or reasoning this is that there must be something to be said for it's ability to be fully biased in Class 'A' that would have this effect. I'm not a reviewer in one of the magazines so pardon my lack of flowery adjectives but lets just say it transitioned itself throughout the entire freq range more seamlessly than did the Pass. I know alot of folks feel Pass is tube like with SS authority, I agree, I just feel the SA-102 is a "titch" better !!

I have been a Nelson Pass fan for a long time(ran my Maggies with a Threshold Stasis s300 twenty years ago), so as Dan said, both Pass and Plinius are excellent !!

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Dave,

Sounds (pun intended) like you folks had a great time and experience at the Gathering of the Geeks!

As you know I listened the newer Pass Labs with John at Audio Connection this winter. I really did not know I was going to spend time there until they decided to close the store and spend the rest of the next two hours listening to the new Pass Labs amp! Of course it is the newer version the x250.5. Supposedly there is a difference between the x250 and the x250.5...I don't know the sound of the x250 because I never heard it. My original intention was to question them about future upgrades to my amplification, phono cartridge, some replacement tubes for the PH-3 and interconnect cables. Hey, no problem I'll stay and listen!

I'm headed back there sometime in the next few weeks to take another listen and will ask to compare with a Plinius. I think Plinius has upgraded to a new product line as well...the 103 like Dan mentioned earlier on...I did not see the 102 in the current line. Also John has the Magnepan 20.1's hooked up in that room so it looks like we will listen thru them. We listened to everything from Vivaldi to Cream, it was a blast!

I agree there is a distinct difference with a pure class A amplifier. For those who do not know, the Pass Labs x series operates in class A for the first 15% or so of the power rating then switches to A/B. Amps like the Plinius operate in Class A all the time...lots of heat but some prefer the difference in sound. Pass also has a line of amps that operate in Class A also...

Sam

Sambob2 said:

I'm headed back there sometime in the next few weeks to take another listen and will ask to compare with a Plinius. I think Plinius has upgraded to a new product line as well...the 103 like Dan mentioned earlier on...I did not see the 102 in the current line.

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Unless I'm wrong, the 102 and 103 are exactly the same internally per my dealer.