[iFi audio]

Unfortunately not. I have 4 issues w/it:

1. It's too large physically to go in either of the two systems in my office: neither the headphone + speakers/sub system (in which I would use it as a preamp), or in my headphone-only side system
2. No remote control
3. No balanced output
4. And the cost of it would be a stretch for me, even on a used basis

I'd still like to hear it, but it just doesn't work IMS.

OK, that's understandable. If you have a need for a balanced product with remote control, that Pass won't do the trick. I've seen it live and I have to say that it's fairly compact

 

[bagwell359]

I have reasons not to chase this amp: it's too big for my office, costs too much, and doesn't have a balanced output. It really isn't for me.

...which doesn't stop me from wishing I could hear it. I have a thing for really good solid state.

Pass was one of the early amp makers to embrace balanced. But his DIY, F amps, HPA-1 tend to see saw back and forth. I assume he has good reasons and IMO he's the best SS amp designer/maker since his Stasis Series of the later 70's. The Aleph series was a bit off in dynamics and bass but it was still interesting.

My next kit will be one of his kits. It's been 6 years since I had one - breaking a 36 year long string of Pass amps. I was an idiot to sell the Stasis 3 and the X-150....

BTW I like the D8K. It's the best can I've heard since the Susvara about 3.5 years ago. Better than the LCD-5, LFF HE-4, Emp, 820 these last 3.5.

 

[Pharmaboy]

Pass was one of the early amp makers to embrace balanced. But his DIY, F amps, HPA-1 tend to see saw back and forth. I assume he has good reasons and IMO he's the best SS amp designer/maker since his Stasis Series of the later 70's. The Aleph series was a bit off in dynamics and bass but it was still interesting.

My next kit will be one of his kits. It's been 6 years since I had one - breaking a 36 year long string of Pass amps. I was an idiot to sell the Stasis 3 and the X-150....

BTW I like the D8K. It's the best can I've heard since the Susvara about 3.5 years ago. Better than the LCD-5, LFF HE-4, Emp, 820 these last 3.5.

I started my "audiophile journey" in the early '80s, and throughout that time up to now, Nelson Pass' products and designs have been on the leading edge of amplifier and preamplifier design. His reputation is without equal.

When I got into headphone audio ~6-7 years ago, I was surprised to find Pass was a player in this field, too--which at the time was a small but growing corner of audio in general.

In all these years I somehow never managed to hear a Pass product. That's my bad, because in all those years, I've read little but rave reports about their sound.

 

[bagwell359]

I started my "audiophile journey" in the early '80s, and throughout that time up to now, Nelson Pass' products and designs have been on the leading edge of amplifier and preamplifier design. His reputation is without equal.

When I got into headphone audio ~6-7 years ago, I was surprised to find Pass was a player in this field, too--which at the time was a small but growing corner of audio in general.

In all these years I somehow never managed to hear a Pass product. That's my bad, because in all those years, I've read little but rave reports about their sound.

Back in the 70's the choice was recievers, SS amps, and tubes and some Int Amps. The highest spec SS amps were Crown 150 and 300. Hard, mechanical. Wrong. The best tubes were Macs - expensive. The cheapest liveable SS with a quality sound were the SAE 31B and Citation 12. Then out of the blue came the Stasis 3. Consistent from top to bottom, drove DQ-10 like no other (including Ampzilla, Dyna VI, etc). The magic trick I figured out later was a bit more THD than other SS amps - the Crowns were like .0001% the Passes .1% there is just a whiff of warmth/sweetness - far less than most tubes not to mention killer circuits and part quality. The SP-15 pre-amp was close to the same idea coming from the hybrid tube side. Didnt hurt that it had the best MC step-up of the time built in.

I went Krell for a while to drive the Duetta but that combo just wasn't organic enough. Driving the ML IIz and Verify Parsifal with Pass X-150 (vertical) was about as great as one could ask.

That First Watt stuff is quite amazing too.

 

[iFi audio]

Nelson Pass' products and designs have been on the leading edge of amplifier and preamplifier design. His reputation is without equal.

That's true and it's very cool how much he cares about the DIY community too.

 

[Currawong]

The magic trick I figured out later was a bit more THD than other SS amps

This can't be said enough. With much a trend for low THD amps, people aren't realising that we're talking about pleasant harmonics. It also results in designs pushed out which fall apart under even fairly low headphones loads, and which have IMD, or "bad" distortion.

I've been running the D8000 Pro out of the Studio Six again, using an R-27HE as a source (equivalent, roughly, to the R-8HE) and it has been a wonderful experience.

 

[Slim1970]

This can't be said enough. With much a trend for low THD amps, people aren't realising that we're talking about pleasant harmonics. It also results in designs pushed out which fall apart under even fairly low headphones loads, and which have IMD, or "bad" distortion.

I've been running the D8000 Pro out of the Studio Six again, using an R-27HE as a source (equivalent, roughly, to the R-8HE) and it has been a wonderful experience.

The D8K Pro’s are an incredible set of headphones. The way this headphone presents music is simply magical at times.

 

[ChJL]

Has anyone an Artic Cable for this HP?
Hopefully European, for customs info...
I try to find out if either a pure Copper or pure Silver would be preferable... Or shouldn't I bother and go with a FAW? I'm tempted by the customability options from AC.

 

[Death_Block]

The D8K Pro’s are an incredible set of headphones. The way this headphone presents music is simply magical at time

Money me please

 

[vcoheda]

@Slim1970 - any comments about the Sol P compared to the D8000 Pro. how is bass on D8000 in comparison. also, would you say one is more genre specific.

thanks

 

[Pharmaboy]

Has anyone an Artic Cable for this HP?
Hopefully European, for customs info...
I try to find out if either a pure Copper or pure Silver would be preferable... Or shouldn't I bother and go with a FAW? I'm tempted by the customability options from AC.

Just my 2 cents & purely subjective:

• I've heard silver cables and never found them preferable to copper
• On the Final D8000 in particular (a high resolution headphone that has musical, but clear & present upper mids & treble) I would only use TOTL copper cables. My best cable (by a hair) is the Norne Drausk, and that's what I use w/the D8000 (wonderful synergy)
• Re "Or shouldn't I bother go with a FAW?" Answer: that's always a good option. I liked my first FAW cable so much (2M balanced Noir HCP MK2) that I bought a second one (2.5M). I also bought the FAW short connectors that let me use any ZMF/Audeze-style cables with the Final D8000

 

[Slim1970]

@Slim1970 - any comments about the Sol P compared to the D8000 Pro. how is bass on D8000 in comparison. also, would you say one is more genre specific.

thanks

Both headphones are great all a round headphones. The D8K Pro's have a bit more air to their sound giving them a great sense of space. I like this about them as they need very little EQ to sound their best. The Sol P's has a beefier low end and fuller sounding midrange but is just as detailed throughout the frequency spectrum. The only thing they need is some EQ up top to sort match what the D8K Pro's is doing. With that said, the Sol P's sound more refined and I rank just above the D8K Pro's. My top 3 headphones are the Sol P, AB-1266 TC's, and D8K Pro's with the Utopia's and HEKse's rounding out my top 5.

 

[jlbrach]

sr1a,abyss TC,susvara...

 

[vonBaron]

Sol P have very sharp, piercing treble.

 

[joseG86]

The D8K Pro’s are an incredible set of headphones. The way this headphone presents music is simply magical at times.

My very first time with them and I chose this as test

Been in love with them since that very moment