Pass Labs
X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier (Pair)
$14,250.00 USDFeatures
Class A/B Topology: Utilizes Pass Labs' renowned Class A/B topology for outstanding sound quality and low distortion.
260 Watts per Channel: Provides a robust 260 watts of power per channel into 8 ohms, delivering dynamic and detailed sound reproduction.
Symmetrical Circuitry: Ensures balanced and accurate audio reproduction, capturing the subtlest musical details.
Premium Components: Meticulously selected components contribute to the amplifier's exceptional sound clarity and dynamics.
Balanced (XLR) Inputs: Offers balanced inputs for superior signal transfer and noise rejection.
Large Heat Sinks: Equipped with large heat sinks to dissipate heat efficiently, ensuring optimal performance over extended listening sessions.
Sophisticated Power Supply: Features a robust and sophisticated power supply design for stable and reliable performance.
Precision Volume Control: Features a precision volume control for fine adjustments to suit individual listening preferences.
Enhanced Soundstage: The dedicated monoblock design offers a cleaner, better-defined image and soundstage, enhancing the listening experience.
Greater Control: Provides greater control and power, ensuring the amplifier can effortlessly drive a wide range of speakers.
Exceptional Transparency: Delivers exceptional transparency and clarity, allowing the listener to hear every detail in the music.
Solid-State Design: Offers the benefits of solid-state amplification, including efficiency, reliability, and stable performance.
Elegant Design: Boasts a clean and elegant design, reflecting Pass Labs' commitment to both aesthetics and performance.
Perfect Pairing: Ideal for pairing with high-end audio systems, the X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier elevates the listening experience to new heights of sonic bliss.
What's in the Box?
Warranty
The Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier, a formidable powerhouse that sets the standard for monoblock amplification in the world of high-end audio. The X260.8 is a reference-level monoblock amplifier designed to deliver uncompromising sonic performance. With a robust Class A/B topology, each X260.8 amplifier is capable of delivering a substantial 260 watts of pure power into 8 ohms, ensuring dynamic and detailed sound reproduction. The symmetrical circuitry and premium components contribute to its exceptional clarity and accuracy, allowing the listener to experience music with unmatched realism. Equipped with balanced (XLR) inputs, large heat sinks, and a sophisticated power supply, the Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier represents the pinnacle of audio engineering, offering audiophiles and music enthusiasts an unparalleled listening experience.
Dragon Cable Recommendation: we recommend pairing the X260.8 stereo amplifier with our award-winning Bronze Dragon Interconnects. The Bronze Dragon Interconnect is one of our best-selling cables at Moon Audio. With a braided geometry and amazing shielding, this interconnect is a remarkable solution where noise isolation is key. The Black Dragon Power Cable is also recommended to provide the cleanest and unbridled power to your high-end amplifier.
The Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier is packed with features that define its exceptional performance:
- Monoblock Design: Dedicated power supply, circuitry, and chassis for each channel ensure uncompromising performance and separation.
- Class A/B Topology: Utilizes Pass Labs' renowned Class A/B topology for outstanding sound quality and low distortion.
- 260 Watts per Channel: Provides a robust 260 watts of power per channel into 8 ohms, delivering dynamic and detailed sound reproduction.
- Symmetrical Circuitry: Ensures balanced and accurate audio reproduction, capturing the subtlest musical details.
- Premium Components: Meticulously selected components contribute to the amplifier's exceptional sound clarity and dynamics.
- Balanced (XLR) Inputs: Offers balanced inputs for superior signal transfer and noise rejection.
- Large Heat Sinks: Equipped with large heat sinks to dissipate heat efficiently, ensuring optimal performance over extended listening sessions.
- Sophisticated Power Supply: Features a robust and sophisticated power supply design for stable and reliable performance.
- Precision Volume Control: Features a precision volume control for fine adjustments to suit individual listening preferences.
- Enhanced Soundstage: The dedicated monoblock design offers a cleaner, better-defined image and soundstage, enhancing the listening experience.
- Greater Control: Provides greater control and power, ensuring the amplifier can effortlessly drive a wide range of speakers.
- Exceptional Transparency: Delivers exceptional transparency and clarity, allowing the listener to hear every detail in the music.
- Solid-State Design: Offers the benefits of solid-state amplification, including efficiency, reliability, and stable performance.
- Elegant Design: Boasts a clean and elegant design, reflecting Pass Labs' commitment to both aesthetics and performance.
- Perfect Pairing: Ideal for pairing with high-end audio systems, the X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier elevates the listening experience to new heights of sonic bliss.
The Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier is not just an amplifier; it is a refined musical instrument meticulously crafted to deliver an impressive 260 watts into 8 ohms. This powerhouse combines raw power with finesse, offering all the benefits of mono-block performance in a single unit. Its measured performance - from distortion to bandwidth, noise, and resolution - is beyond reproach, setting a new standard of excellence in audio reproduction. Like its class A/B .8 counterparts, the X260.8 features a touch of class A bias, elevating the listening experience to a whole new zenith of sound quality. Whether you're experiencing delicate nuances in a classical symphony or the thunderous impact of a rock concert, the X260.8 delivers every detail with precision and clarity, offering an immersive and captivating listening experience that will leave you in awe.
Pass Labs and First Watt
Pass Labs and First Watt were founded by hi-fi legend Nelson Pass. After co-founding and later selling Threshold Audio, Pass began working out of his Auburn, California, home in the early 1990s to develop prototypes of single-ended Class A amplifier designs under the name Pass Labs. Pass Labs quickly became known for its commercially produced Aleph, X, and XA Series amps, and preamps. Pass later started First Watt as a passion project focusing on low-power amps for a niche audiophile audience. Today, Pass splits his time between the two companies, with production happening in Pass Labs' facility in Foresthill, California.
F.A.Q.
What is the power output of the Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier?
The Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier delivers 260 Watts into 8 ohms and 520 Watts into 4 ohms. These robust power outputs, combined with its Class A/AB operation, provide ample headroom and dynamic capability for driving a wide range of speakers. The X260.8 is designed to deliver exceptional clarity and control, even with demanding speaker loads.
What are the key features of the Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier?
The Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier is packed with features designed for audiophiles seeking uncompromising sound quality. It features a fully balanced input stage and a robust, high-current output stage for low distortion and musicality. The X260.8 includes Pass Labs' proprietary Super-Symmetry circuitry for improved performance, along with a precision volume control for accurate level adjustments. Each X260.8 unit is a standalone monoblock amplifier, providing maximum isolation and power delivery for each channel.
Can the Pass Labs X260.8 drive even the most demanding or low-impedance speakers?
Yes, the Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier is designed to handle a wide range of speakers, including those with demanding loads or low impedances. With its 260 Watts into 8 ohms (520 Watts into 4 ohms), the X260.8 has the power and control to drive virtually any speaker with ease. Its Class A/AB operation ensures stability and clarity, delivering a detailed and dynamic soundstage even with challenging speaker designs.
Does the Pass Labs X260.8 require any special considerations for setup or maintenance?
The Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Amplifier is designed for straightforward setup and operation. It does not require bias adjustments, as it is a self-biasing Class A/AB design. However, users should ensure proper ventilation for optimal performance, as higher-powered amplifiers can generate heat. Adequate ventilation will help maintain the amplifier's performance and longevity. Additionally, it is recommended to provide sufficient space around each X260.8 unit for airflow and to follow Pass Labs' guidelines for safe and optimal operation.
Who is Nelson Pass?
Nelson Pass, the man behind Pass Labs and First Watt, has been designing and building amplifiers for decades. His early passion, however, was speakers; at age 14, he started assembling loudspeakers. As a college student studying physics at the University of California-Davis, he co-founded a speaker company called PMA. He also worked for ESS, where he designed crossovers and enclosures. After college, with his interest having shifted toward amplifiers, Pass co-founded Threshold Electronics (now Threshold Audio). His achievements during the Threshold years include developing the first dynamically biased Class A amplifier circuit; developing a fully cascode audio power amplifier; and developing the STASIS stereo preamplifier and power amplifier. During the 1980s, Pass designed the Adcom GFA-555 amplifier. Later, after selling Threshold, he started Pass Labs in 1991 and First Watt in 1997. Pass holds several patents related to audio circuits.
How did Pass Labs make its name?
Pass Labs helped popularize solid-state, Class A power amplifiers. Pass Labs' first product, the Aleph 0 amplifier, operated as single-ended Class A up to its 70 watt rating and in push pull Class A at higher wattage. The Aleph series of amplifiers, some of the first solid-state amps that were said to be "tube-like" in sound, operated pure class A and contained internal circuitry using MOSFETs. The Aleph amplifiers had a unique appearance, a cube with heat sinks on all four sides, a solution to the heat generated by the class-A design. This can be attributed primarily to the specific MOSFETs used and the minimum number of gain stages that were implemented in the design. Pass Labs also developed the Super-Symmetry™ ("Su-Sy") circuit, which achieves exceptionally low distortion and noise levels. In 1998, Pass Labs released the X1000, the first amplifier using the patented SuperSymmetric™ topology. The X1000 achieved 1000 watts with high performance, local feedback and only two gain stages: a cascoded differential pair of transistors and a large bank of complementary output followers. This groundbreaking design informed all subsequent Pass Labs amplifiers.
What else does Pass Labs make?
In 2002, Pass Labs unveiled the first XA amplifiers, combining the X and Aleph topologies into balanced single-ended Class A amplifiers with many of the characteristics of both the X and Aleph series. The current Pass Labs lineup includes Class A amps (XA and Xs Series), Class AB amps (.8 Series), line preamps (Xs and XP Series), phono preamps (Xs and XP Series), integrated amps (INT Series), and one headphone amp.
What is the relationship between Pass Labs and First Watt?
When he started Pass Labs, Pass did everything out of his home. In 1997, having outgrown the space, Pass Labs moved into commercial space in Foresthill, California. When Pass started First Watt, it was a "kitchen table" venture, with work once again happening in his home. In 2016, with production demands not leaving him enough time to pursue the vast array of yet-to-be-designed amps, Nelson handed the business end of First Watt over to Pass Labs. Pass Labs took over the building of First Watt amplifiers as well as marketing and distribution. There's a synergy between the two operations, in that Pass Labs gets to gather up some of the more interesting First Watt finds and repurpose them as more commercially viable designs. Today, Pass splits his time between First Watt and Pass Laboratories.
Specifications
| Class | AB |
|---|---|
| Type | Mono |
| Gain (dB) | 26 |
| Full Pwr @ 26 dB gain (V) | 2.2 |
| Low Frequency Response | 1.5 Hz |
| High Frequency Response | 100 KHz |
| Power Output /ch (8 ohm) | 260 |
| Input Impedance (SE & BAL Kohms) | 50/100 |
| Damping Factor | 150 |
| Power Consumption @ Idle (Watts) | 370 |
| Unit Dimension (W x D x H)(In.) | 19 x 21.25 x 7.5 |
| Unit Weight (LBS) | 100 |