Pass Labs HPA-1 Headphone Amp Review

[Tom C]

I don't think that's fair.
Being talented in whatever he's talented in doesn't mean he's perfect or can make perfect products.
Especially when he's ideologically/technically limiting himself to certain topologies/components.

Lots of talented people have designed audio products that measure badly. Human hearing is very limited and forgiving.

From what I could find his design process is backwards and inherently biased, so it's more of a surprise that the products don't measure worse: measurements only to get the basics right instead of for performance tuning iterations, followed by sighted (inherently biased) listening tests for "tuning".

Well, I think it’s quite fair. The man’s a genius of the grade A variety. He knows perfectly well what he is doing. To say he doesn’t know any better, so it’s OK that something, or anything, he undertakes doesn’t measure up is, well, a foolish and nonsensical thing to say. Not something I would pay that kind of money for, when the alternatives are so much better. And cost so very much less

 

[Drakkar Noir]

The guys at Pass Labs create their gear to sound the way they want it to sound. I'm sure they have the talent, experience and equipment necessary to reach what most people in this forum consider "peak audio performance". Their sound is obviously a choice, not sloppiness.

Reminds me of the time I bought an iWatch. Returned it within a week. I didn't care how much more accurate it was over my Seiko, I just found it boring.
Maybe that's the way some feel about their HiFi gear. I certainly do, given my preference for tube amps.

 

[oleg87]

Forgive my ignorance, but what's the story with Nelson Pass? Why do people speak about him in such reverential tones?

 

[Drakkar Noir]

Forgive my ignorance, but what's the story with Nelson Pass? Why do people speak about him in such reverential tones?

To my understanding he's notorious for being one of the few audio guys who happily shares audio advise and even designs through various sites, most notably dyiAudio. Him holding several patents on audio circuitry helps with his reputation.