Pass Labs X260.8 Mono Power Amplifier (Pair)

Back to Mono for Supreme Stereo: U.S.A.-Built Pass Labs X260.8 Monoblock Power Amplifiers (Pair) Deliver Massive Dynamics, Silky Smooth Highs, and Exceptionally Detailed Midrange 

If you have the space and the means, separate Pass Labs X260.8 monoblock power amplifiers for each channel go a long way towards providing the ultimate expression of the stereo experience. Made to order for you and hand-crafted at Pass Labs’ California facility, each X260.8 takes between eight and 10 weeks to build — reinforcing its elevated status as a custom piece. This is not just another off-the-shelf component with a high price tag. Each X260.8 is truly special. 

Don’t let the nearly identical specs to their sibling X250.8 stereo model fool you. Two separate chassis for a pair of X260.8 means twice as much power-supply capacity. That’s what dynamics are all about. And refinement. Besides, with twice as much reserve power, and twice as many output devices per channel, X260.8 is biased more heavily into Class A mode. Translation: Near-impeccable delivery of exceptionally smooth, silky, lifelike midrange and high frequencies to your speakers. All this also means more peak power on tap, whether you’re listening to Slayer or Shostakovich. 

The measured specifications tell a similar story. Ruler-flat frequency response from 1.5Hz to 100kHz means music will be reproduced with the utmost clarity. A damping factor of 150 assures tight, tuneful control over the lower registers. Plus, careful component selection delivers highs and midrange so natural, you might swear you’re listening to tubes. X260.8’s mono design has an even lower noise floor than stereo amplifiers, and the separate power supplies offer an even larger sonic landscape in all three directions than the stereo amps can muster.

Part of Pass Labs’ .8 Series amplifiers, the 100-pound X260.8 builds on everything learned from the prior .5 Series. Everything is more refined. Though officially a Class AB amplifier, X260.8 (like all Pass Labs AB amplifiers) is heavily biased into Class A mode. The upshot: At lower power, it delivers the sonic attributes of Pass Labs’ Class A amplifiers, and it has the reserve power to effortlessly achieve the loudest musical peaks. On the rear panel, an RCA input and balanced XLR input means you can combine it with the preamplifier of your choice.

Aesthetically, X260.8 personifies the assiduousness with which Pass Labs approaches its components. The big, round, blue meter in the center is not an output level meter but an indication of bias current being delivered. Most listening sessions will not make it budge past the 10 o’clock position. X260.8 also touts a robust, machined aluminum front panel nearly an inch thick, and which contributes to vibration control and a timeless appearance.

Completed with banks of output transistors and massive heat sinks on each side of the chassis, the 7.5 x 19 x 21.5-inch (HWD) X260.8s require adequate airflow in terms of placement. Make sure you have two shelves on your equipment rack that can hold 100 pounds. Or consider a pair of amplifier platforms to show them off. Our staff can help you with that, too. Just give us a call at 312-433-0200 to get started.

"Its measured performance—distortion, bandwidth, noise, and resolution is beyond reproach. Like all of the Class A/B .8’s, this amplifier has some Class A bias, rewarding its listeners with a whole new zenith of sound quality.”
—Positive Feedback