DIY

Is there one thing that says DIY more than the Pass Xs Pre-amp? Not the front, mind you, but the back.


It's reminiscent of lab-grade stereo components you would see in the late 1980's at McGill University. In 1991, that August university was host to the International Computer Music Conference (ICMC), and some of us were lucky enough to attend. Dr. Bruce Pennycook was our faculty man, and the star in attendance was Dr. Tod Manchover of the MIT Media Lab with his "PowerGlove" orchestra.

It would of been nice to have Nelson Pass in attendance, as we had issues with some of our field mixers, and I must say that our RadioShack solder iron work was none-to-impressive to our peers. I can't remember the name of the brand, but they looked something akin to the back of the Pass Xs Pre-amp mated with the Burnmester 808.




That is, having field replaceable channel-strip electronics as in the 808, yet the august aesthetics of the full Nelson: DI.

While many at the faculty and visiting computer science "freaks" were playing with the NeXT cube (Objective-C) with regards to synthesis.our lust-machine was very much the Sine Curcuitu, courtesy of the Netherlands.

Perhaps it was growing up listening to Jean Michelle Jarre and Vangelis covers on the Commodore C64, with it's SID (Sound Interface Device) chip that made "10,000 high quality sine waves without detours" or the elegant laboratory aesthetics of the Sine Circitu machine by Cor Jansesen that made it appealing.

Regardless, APPLICA had created a great device. Peter Dessain was instrumental, and it is with no disdain that we refer to the Pass Xs Pre as "DIY." It's only our aesthetic taste that has changed, not the core audience.



It's almost as if you can see the construction.

Not that Nelson Pass is a stranger to DIY enthusiasts. He's a father to quite a Few. The knob is re-assuring, and the notched front-panel is quite a nice touch. The case-work engraving is a solid, and not a pass.



http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/pass-xs-preamp-and-xs-300-mono-power-amplifiers/

Should you not be interested in the greater power that Analog Domain Calysto through Apollo give you, 550W/channel to 4000W/channel, then the Pass XS 300 would likely be to our taste.

You might also consider the best-sounding Bridge Audio Laboratory (Balabo) Control Amplifier and Power Amplifiers at this price level and equipment category bridge.

Respect.