By As a college student and burgeoning audiophile on a budget in the late 1980s and early 1990s, my local dealer made it easy to get hooked on the upgrade addiction many of us share to this very day. The store had a generous upgrade program where they would credit you your purchase price back towards a higher-priced component or loudspeakers if you upgraded within a year of your initial purchase. This created a sense of urgency to upgrade every new purchase with another purchase within 365 days. It was an excellent strategy that is as relevant today as it was back when Tower Recordsruled the music world.
The big leap for many of us as audiophiles was our first purchase of a separate stereo preamplifierand stereo power amplifier. When I decided to upgrade my Yamaha stereo receiver sometime around 1990, with my budget at that time I had two manufacturers to choose from, Carver and ADCOM. The Carver equipment looked cool, many of their amplifiers had meters on them and boasted outrageous power ratings. I thought that would be my move, but my salesperson at that time strongly suggested I look at the ADCOM components. He said one of the amplifiers in particular was special, the ADCOM GFA-555 (read the review). Most of us remember the switching boards many audio dealers had at that time. At the store, you could switch between components and speakers almost instantaneously. I’m sure it was not the best way to compare components and speakers, but it sure made for a fun afternoon. I quickly learned that the best way to listen was as I would at home or in my college apartment: directly hooked up and probably too loud. My audio dealer had the ADCOM GFA-555, along with a couple other ADCOM and Carver amplifiers in the high-end room hooked up to a pair of high-end Polk Audio towers. It was clear, after a good hour of listening back and forth between amplifiers, that the ADCOM GFA-555 was going to be the keeper. There was something different and special about it. I purchased it and listened to it for much longer than a year. It was the first component I had purchased that I kept and therefore didn’t take advantage of that one-year upgrade program. That amplifier was “special,” and it turns out that it was designed for ADCOM by Nelson Pass. That brings us to the subject of this review, the Pass Labs XA30.8. It’s a very special power amplifier. Let’s get into why it’s so special, shall we?
What Makes the Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier So Special?
- The Pass Labs XA30.8 is a Class-A amplifier. Without doing a deep dive on various amplifier classes, this means that the XA30.8 is always conducting. This typically leads to better high-frequency performance, feedback stability, and usually fewer high-order harmonics. The XA30.8 in fact has been designed to incorporate a bit of second-harmonic flavor into it, which many listeners just love.
- The Pass Labs XA30.8 is rated at 30 watts of Class-A output. Like every Pass Labs amplifier, this rating is woefully conservative. I typically listen at higher dBs and push most amplifiers pretty hard. While I did my primary listening with my Paradigm Founder 120H speakers that feature powered woofers, I hooked up a pair of OHM Walsh speakers. The OHMs are known to perform best with high-powered amps, and they also sounded better with the XA30.8 pushing them.
- The Pass Labs XA 30.8 was designed by Nelson Pass. Pass is easily on the Mount Rushmore of all-time groundbreaking amplifier designers. Starting with Threshold, Forte and ADCOM, through his namesake Pass Labs and his kitchen table project First Watt, Pass amplifiers consistently garner rave reviews. They just sound “right.”
- The Furutech speaker jacks are unique and well thought out. Yes, I know speaker jacks should be something that simply work well and hold up. The jacks on the Pass Labs XA30.8 (and other Pass Labs power amplifiers) are incredibly well thought out. They accept spades or banana plugs but also have a unique ratcheting feature that ensures you have a great connection, while not over-tightening the jacks, deforming your spades. It’s a small touch, but one that is appreciated.
- The Pass Labs XA 30.8 is pure eye candy. While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the Pass Labs XA 30.8 looks fantastic. The machined aluminum faceplate, with the simple Pass logo in the lower right-hand corner, is both classy and timeless. The bias meter on the front faceplate with the subtle blue glow adds a bit of audio jewelry that adds some pride in ownership, without looking gaudy or out of place.
- The Pass Labs XA 30.8 sounds ever so slightly warm, but overall has close to no overall “house sound” as an amp. Pass’ design is a classic and, while it has a slight hint of warmth, that’s about all it brings to the table. It is open-sounding, but that’s not a flavor per se. This is a very neutral, accurate amp that errs ever so slightly on the warm side of things.
- Pass is one of the most famous amp designers in audiophile history and I wouldn’t be shocked if this amp was collectable someday. Pass Labs amps are made in Northern California, with direct oversight from their namesake designer. The attention to detail, the extremely attentive service and support, and the pride of ownership are over-the-top with Pass Labs amps.
Why Should You Care About the Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier?
The Pass Labs XA30.8 stereo amplifier offers 30 (very conservative) watts of Class-A power. The XA30.8 uses 40 MOSFETs in its output stage. Audiophiles often wonder whether a Class-A amplifier does indeed sound better or offer that last little bit of performance we are all seeking. At the same time, we have been conditioned, when it comes to watts and power, to believe more is always better. I can confidently say that, unless your speakers are absolute power hogs (they probably are not if they are relatively modern) with huge impedance swings and you consistently listen at ear-bleeding levels, the XA 30.8 will give you all the power you ever need.
At a minimum, the Pass Labs XA30.8 will provide you an opportunity to hear what a Class-A amplifier would sound like in your system at a price point where most amplifiers are Class-A/B or, increasingly, Class-D. That said, the power reserves can push 160 watts into four ohms if necessary. That might be the case in very short blasts of music, but rarely will you otherwise come out of 30 Class-A watts.
Some Things You Might Not Like About the Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier
- The Pass Labs XA 30.8 runs very warm and at times hot. All that Class-A listening bliss comes with a price. That price is drawing 400 watts from your outlet (aka: nearly everything it has for every moment that it is on) with the subsequent increase in ambient temperature in your listening room. The amp must have some room to breathe in your rack, or you will have issues with it, as well as other nearby audiophile components. A simple whisper fan or even just four to six inches of open space will do. Just don’t stack a preamp right on top of a Pass Labs XA 30.8. That’s a bad idea.
- It’s heavy: the amplifier weighs 88 pounds. The heat sinks are large, and they are not rounded. Moving and setting up the Pass Labs XA30.8 can be a challenge, as the component demands that you are physically careful. The times throughout your life you were reminded to lift with your knees bent and using your legs should be exactly how you move this amplifier into your listening space.
- The meter on the front of the amp does not function like a typical meter you would find on an audio component. As opposed to bouncing back and forth to indicate swings in wattage output, the needle on the meter typically sits at 12 o’clock and moves towards one o’clock as you are moving out of Class-A operation and into Class-A/B operation. It is cool as hell, but just a little different than other audiophile gauges in its overall range.
Listening to the Pass Labs XA 30.8 Stereo Amplifier …
Sir Elton John released “Take Me to the Pilot” on his second eponymous album in 1970. It was the A side of a single, with “Your Song” as the B side. While “Your Song” became the bigger radio hit, I’ve always found the opening 30 seconds of this recording to showcase just how talented John is, and to provide an excellent song for reviewing audio equipment. The song starts with piano in the left speaker and then transitions back and forth to John singing unaccompanied between a couple quick piano riffs. Through the Pass Labs XA30.8, both the piano and John’s vocals sounded just a bit more separated and musically raw, as opposed to other comparable audiophile amplifiers in this class. As the rest of the band comes into the mix, you are met with a wall of gospel sound. It’s an awesome track to experience, a dynamic recording and, with lesser amps, it can get a bit messy and smeared. Through the Pass Labs XA30.8 it sounded big when called for, but never messy. Starts and stops were immediate, and the sense of scale, big or small, was exemplary.
I followed Sir Elton John with a well-recorded track from a new album by another older artist. “Olive Tree (Brightmix)” from Peter Gabriel’s 2023 release I/O is an absolutely huge-sounding track. If the intent was for Gabriel to sound larger than life, the recording succeeded. The Pass Labs XA30.8 provided a sense of scale true to the recording, and it’s almost as if there is a giant Gabriel looking over you as he starts singing. “Olive Tree” has much of the ‘80s and early ‘90s popular Gabirel production concepts throughout the track. It starts with a large, bass-heavy build reminiscent of some of his earlier hits, then opens up even larger with horns on each side of the room, pushing the boundaries. The magic of a Class-A amp is often in the midrange, and Gabriel’s voice sounds incredibly natural in the subtler parts of the track.
Audiophile-level live recordings are few and far between. These include Jeff Beck’s Performing This Week … Live at Ronnie Scott’s recording. His cover of The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” is an absolute audiophile treat. Beck is in a small-ish club with his band (who are ridiculously good to be playing in a small club), absolutely slaying it. Through the Pass Labs XA30.8, the notes were cleaner and more separated than with other power amplifiers I’ve owned. They sounded just a bit more natural, distortion sounded as it should and, when Beck used the whammy bar, I simply smiled as he bent the notes, with the Pass Labs XA30.8 producing Beck’s trademark sound masterfully. With Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, it’s hard to go wrong. His technical expertise comes through the Pass Labs XA30.8 as the separation of the instruments on this recording is the best I’ve heard through my Paradigm Founder 120H speakers (read the review).
I’ve always felt that heavy metal is underrepresented in the audiophile review world. Yet many of these bands’ members are absolute technological experts regarding their instruments. Megadeth (Dave Mustaine, et al) is well-regarded as technically excellent. The title track from The Sick, the Dying … and the Dead! is an example of their technical mastery. Through the Pass Labs XA30.8, you feel as if the guitar amps are right in the room with you from the opening notes. The distortion sounds live. Mustaine’s trademark growl and anger are palpable. This is what that Class- goodness is all about. During the breakdown of the track, the double bass drums are absolutely hammering, and there is no smearing at all. The double guitars are in lockstep. However, you can clearly delineate them. The midrange just sounds “right.”
Will the Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier Hold its Value?
Pass-designed components, especially amplifiers, always hold excellent value for years longer than most pieces. We saw an ADCOM GFA-555 from 30 years ago on eBay.com selling for retail price no less than a generation after it was sold. Nelson’s amps sound great, they are built like tanks, are always in demand, and there are never very many of them on the used market at any given time. I am of the very firm opinion that the Pass Labs XA30.8 is a special amplifier and will hold that reputation (and value) long into the future.
What Is the Competition for the Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier?
This is a bit of a unique question, in that there are simply not a lot of Class-A, solid state amplifiers currently being produced. That said, here are a few power amplifiers I believe one would be looking at when considering the Pass Labs XA30.8.
It is rare to have two solid state power amplifiers from the same brand at the same price point, but at $7,875, you could also choose the Pass Labs X150.8. With a similar size and heft to it, the choice simply comes down to 30 Class-A watts in the Pass Labs XA 30.8, vs. 150 Class-A/B watts in the Pass Labs X150.8. The X150.8 does start with some Class-A watts (about half of what the XA30.8 offers) and does pull less power from your wall outlet as a result. If you wanted to save some money and are willing to give up a little bit of Class-A and overall power, the Pass Labs XA-25 (read the review) is an option at $5,665 and an incredible, more no-frills audiophile value in the amp category.
The McIntosh MC312 offers two wattage meters for your viewing pleasure, with 300 Class-A/B watts on tap, regardless of your speakers impedance due to the Autoformer technology that is unique to McIntosh. It comes in at over 100 pounds, and has the traditional McIntosh look and sound. I have owned the larger McIntosh MC462 and found it to be an excellent-performing amplifier.
SPL Performer S1200 is a newcomer and very worthy of consideration in the Class-A/B world. The team here at FutureAudiophile.com has been very impressed by what we have seen and heard from German audiophile company SPL, as they continue to expand their reach in North America. Editor Jerry Del Colliano felt it had much of the sonic profile of a Class-A amplifier from its 300 Class-A/B watts. The SPL is unique with its use of the VOLTAiR high-voltage technology, and comes with a very different look than the Pass Labs XA30.8.
Final Thoughts on the Pass Labs XA30.8 Stereo Amplifier …
One could argue that you have become an audiophile after you make that first move to a separate preamplifier and power amplifier. Moving from that first power amplifier to a high-end power amplifier is what comes next. Searching for that just-right midrange and top end is where the upper-echelon power amplifiers are designed to excel, to find that little something special. Class-A power has a reputation for excelling in the midrange and top end. $7,875 is in no way, shape or form inexpensive. Conversely, it is very easy to find amplifiers costing two to five times that much. Most are good, but how many are special? How many give you 30 watts of Class-A power? I have zero doubt the Pass Labs XA30.8 can compete with those uber-expensive amps from a listening and looks perspective. Ultimately, I felt the Pass Labs XA30.8 was so special that I purchased one myself. It is absolutely perfect, powering the highs and mids on my Paradigm Founder’s Series speakers, but still has plenty of power to drive even somewhat challenging floorstanding speakers. This is a Goldilocks product, in that isn’t the most entry-level amp that Pass Labs makes, but it still keeps the price in the aspirational level while delivering a lot of the sonic performance that you might expect from amps costing many, many times more. Look at the reference systems of the staff reviewers at FutureAudiophile.com, as so many use Pass Labs components, and that’s not because they are handing them out for free. Pass Labs electronics are part of many of our systems because they are just that good. Maybe one should have an audition in your listening room? Just be prepared for it to not leave when the music is over (turn off the lights – just not the amp).
