Pass Labs - X350.8 Power Amplifier

Go the Distance with the Pass Labs X350.8 Power Amplifier: U.S.A.-Made Reference Component Outputs 350Wpc, Offers Abundant Reserves, and Plays with Practically Unlimited Headroom, Studio-Like Control, and Natural Emotionalism 

Listening to music with practically unlimited amounts of headroom, studio-like control, concert-quality punch, and, perhaps most importantly, the rare kind of naturalism and human-played emotionalism all without subjecting yourself to the cold sterility and mechanical qualities that too often accompany high-end audio? That’s just the start of your introduction to the experiences wrought by the 350Wpc Pass Labs X350.8 power amplifier. 

When paired with a set of capable speakers, the 127-pound X350.8 resolves even the most challenging fare without overlooking any details or sacrificing any sought-after liveliness. You want scale? It delivers with tremendous low-end authority, massive weight, clear separation, and relaxed highs that will likely convince you to test the limits of your tolerances for high decibel levels. That’s because X350.8 never sounds loud, but viscerally present and unmistakably real, portraying all manner of voices, instruments, and electronics with an iron-grip stability and focus. The dimensions of your soundstages and steadiness of your images will now only be confined by the ability of your support equipment.

Though officially a Class AB amplifier, X350.8 (like all Pass Labs AB amplifiers) is heavily biased into Class A mode. The upshot: At lower power, it delivers the sonic attributes of the company's Class A amplifiers, and it has an abundance of reserve power to achieve the loudest peaks. The measured specifications tell a similar story. Ruler-flat frequency response from 1.5Hz to 100kHz means music will be reproduced with sublime clarity. A damping factor of 150 assures tight, tuneful control over the lower registers. Audiophile-grade parts throughout assist in replicating high and midrange frequencies with a warmth that will likely convince you you’re listening to tubes. One thing you won’t hear: noise.

As you can tell from its gorgeous appearance, the 11 x 19 x 21.5-inch (HWD) X350.8 personifies the perfectionist mentality with which Pass Labs approaches its components. Unlike many manufacturers, Pass Labs makes each of its amplifiers to a specific design brief. Every model is fine-tuned to Mr. Pass’ vision and hand-built to the required parameters in Pass Labs’ California facility. Anticipate an assembly time of between eight and 10 weeks.

If you need to wait, you'll enjoy X350.8 that much more. Including staring whenever you like at the big, round, blue meter in the front and center of X350.8. It's not an output level meter, but an indicator of bias current being delivered. Most listeners will not make it budge past the 10 o’clock position. X350.8 also touts a nearly one-inch-thick machined aluminum front panel to assist in controlling vibration. On the rear panel, an RCA input and balanced XLR input means you can combine X350.8 with practically any preamplifier on the market. You also get two pairs of seemingly indestructible speaker connectors, a signal ground, and a 12V trigger. Oh, and a pair of handles that might indeed come in handy when you move it.

With massive heat sinks on each side of the chassis and banks of output transistors to help deliver the sonic goods, X350.8 requires adequate airflow in terms of placement. Along with a hefty shelf or platform. We can assist with the latter and also answer any questions you have about this elite amplifier. To learn more, contact us at 312-433-0200.