HiFiMan Susvara
Oct 23, 2020 at 4:59 PM Post #4,936 of 24,881
I wrote the above because many folks associate class A with certain sonics, but in reality it's as you've just said: there's a sliding bias within it that leads to at times very different results. And yes, Nelson Pass is one of the greatest if not the greatest audio engineer into transistor amps :).

Pass has used lots of tube circuit ideas in some of his designs on the SS side. I've heard well over half of his amps, and they are just amazing. I sold off my 150.5 about 3 years ago and I do miss it.
 
Oct 26, 2020 at 5:59 PM Post #4,937 of 24,881
Pass has used lots of tube circuit ideas in some of his designs on the SS side. I've heard well over half of his amps, and they are just amazing. I sold off my 150.5 about 3 years ago and I do miss it.

Ah, yes, Nelson Pass SIT amps were designed to mimic tubes weren't they? Transistors he used in these products have tubey characteristics, don't they?

If I may ask, why did you let go that 150.5? Did you see .8 as its upgrade?
 
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Oct 26, 2020 at 10:10 PM Post #4,938 of 24,881
Ah, yes, Nelson Pass SIT amps were designed to mimic tubes weren't they? Transistors he used in these products have tubey characteristics, don't they?

If I may ask, why did you let go that 150.5? Did you see .8 as its upgrade?

No, sadly we decided to sell our home which included a listening room designed and partially built by me. I had a pair of 150.0's which I used on big speakers (ML CLS IIz and Verity Parsifals). I got the .5 when I settled with the Parsifals - IMO the best real world speaker I ever heard.

We now have a home less than 1/2 the size and listening room is so awful (ProAc Tablette sound fair = at 80 db. My Triangle Celius 202's collect dust. So I bailed inot headphones. I didn't know about HFM HF-6's or I would have kept the 105.5. 105.5 is closer to the .8 then the .0, so I wasn't tempted. I'm going to build one of Pass's kits - just to have it around, and given the past, I might use it a lot.
 
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Oct 27, 2020 at 7:39 AM Post #4,939 of 24,881
No, sadly we decided to sell our home which included a listening room designed and partially built by me. I had a pair of 150.0's which I used on big speakers (ML CLS IIz and Verity Parsifals). I got the .5 when I settled with the Parsifals - IMO the best real world speaker I ever heard.

We now have a home less than 1/2 the size and listening room is so awful (ProAc Tablette sound fair = at 80 db. My Triangle Celius 202's collect dust. So I bailed inot headphones. I didn't know about HFM HF-6's or I would have kept the 105.5. 105.5 is closer to the .8 then the .0, so I wasn't tempted. I'm going to build one of Pass's kits - just to have it around, and given the past, I might use it a lot.

Thanks for explanation and apologies for asking this much. And Verity Parsifals, wow. I've listened to them in Munich (with Reimyo if I recall correctly) and they sounded "good" enough so even today I remember their sound. As for HE-6 and Susvaras, yes, the 150.5 would probably do very nicely with them.
 
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Oct 30, 2020 at 1:36 PM Post #4,940 of 24,881
Chord Hugo 2 would be a strong DAC contender in the price range - especially if used. For an Amp, I'd consider something like a Cayin iHA-6 to get you started?
 
Oct 30, 2020 at 6:40 PM Post #4,942 of 24,881
Within budget (well within if buying in the US, not so in the UK), high power output (and current) for the Susvara's, solid build and I liked the pairing of the Hugo 2 and the IHA-6 (subjective of course).
 
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Oct 30, 2020 at 6:45 PM Post #4,943 of 24,881
Is there any particular reason why this would be your pick :) ?
Guess tons of power, high current Mode, readily available and quite affordable.

Never heard it myself, but from reading it sure is a valid choice
 
Oct 30, 2020 at 6:52 PM Post #4,945 of 24,881
Oct 30, 2020 at 9:29 PM Post #4,947 of 24,881
A bit... haha!
 
Oct 31, 2020 at 1:20 AM Post #4,948 of 24,881
Those of you looking for a cable for the Susvara, and at the "cost no issue" and end-game cable spectrum, I think you have to really consider the Arctic Cable Palladium.

I've only had it for a few days, and at risk of sounding premature and overexcited, I can't help but post about it here. This cable is really something. I won't write anything else about it just yet; I'll run it in some more and do some cable comparisons down the road. But already i can tell this is a special one..
 
Oct 31, 2020 at 2:06 AM Post #4,949 of 24,881
Those of you looking for a cable for the Susvara, and at the "cost no issue" and end-game cable spectrum, I think you have to really consider the Arctic Cable Palladium.

I've only had it for a few days, and at risk of sounding premature and overexcited, I can't help but post about it here. This cable is really something. I won't write anything else about it just yet; I'll run it in some more and do some cable comparisons down the road. But already i can tell this is a special one..
Thats one pricey cable. I had a hard time pulling the trigger on a Norne cable and its like half that price 😅
 
Oct 31, 2020 at 2:13 AM Post #4,950 of 24,881
Thats one pricey cable. I had a hard time pulling the trigger on a Norne cable and its like half that price 😅

Lol I know.. I waited and thought about it for a long time before I actually pulled the trigger. Roy from AC was a pleasure to talk to and he assured me the cable was worth its asking price.
 

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