George,
Great advice and I agree with you for sure. There is no doubt that with stock power cords or rather (Kubala-Sosna Emotion PC’s) I much prefer the Pass Labs XA-160.8 monoblocks over the Soulution 530 Integrated.
I actually found that the Pass improves with power cables but most it’s overall character stays in tact it just shows nice improvement across the board where the Soulution is an entirely different amp which is odd and great at the same time.
I pretty much have already decided to keep my Kubala-Sosna Emotion IC’s and SC’s because they sound great with both amps.
Sure the Stage 3 cables are better but not as much as I would have ever thought and actually the K/S cables bring some warmth and actually a little better base to the table.
All equal I would choise the Stage 3‘s but only after thinking hard about it but at $6000 more is a no brainer. Well I could sell my K/S and maybe it would only be $3000 more but still I like the extra warmth that the K/S provides.
Now I wasn’t looking to use cables as an EQ to tune my system but rather just speaking honestly about what I feel the differences are between these in my system.
Now if you said to me to me I could get (2) Kraken Power Cables for the price of one - what amp would I take - then that might be different but two of these power cables cost almost as the Pass amps which is nuts but even so the Pass gets much better with the Kraken cables but just doesn’t jump out it’s shoes like the Soulution does.
Just keeping my K/S IC, and SC’s is a huge savings. I’m psyched for this and not sure I would have got here so efficiently with out you guyses help.
I do want to get loaned a second Kraken PC to see the true effect of it on my Pass. I tried them with a lower level pair of Stage 3’s.
Part of me doesn’t want to because if I love them I’m stuck with buying two of those beasts.
Another cool thing about the Soulution 530 Integrated Amp is it has a really good phono Stage. I’ve never used it but people that know says it’s nothing like the throw in phono stages so many companies drop in their intergrateds but rather a true Reference quality phono.
They say the stand alone Sountion phonostage the 550 which is like $18000 is only a hair better and it’s outstanding.
Ive never tried it so I don’t know for sure but it uses all those premium switching power supplies and top quality parts and it’s one of the main reason this amp goes for $55,000 new.
Me and many other with this amp don’t really think of the phono and are more intersted is pure sound quality but if you love the sound quality like I do and knowing it has this is really cool.
I actully sold my entire analog front end to upgrade my amplification so now if I grab a decent table and cart I’m good to go.
One guy told me the best thing about the 530 is it’s fantastic phonostage so I think it is a cool extra to this option.
For records i dont need to buy a phonostage or another power cable or another set of phono Interconnects. They are all included. Cool with a capital C!
Great advice and I agree with you for sure. There is no doubt that with stock power cords or rather (Kubala-Sosna Emotion PC’s) I much prefer the Pass Labs XA-160.8 monoblocks over the Soulution 530 Integrated.
I actually found that the Pass improves with power cables but most it’s overall character stays in tact it just shows nice improvement across the board where the Soulution is an entirely different amp which is odd and great at the same time.
I pretty much have already decided to keep my Kubala-Sosna Emotion IC’s and SC’s because they sound great with both amps.
Sure the Stage 3 cables are better but not as much as I would have ever thought and actually the K/S cables bring some warmth and actually a little better base to the table.
All equal I would choise the Stage 3‘s but only after thinking hard about it but at $6000 more is a no brainer. Well I could sell my K/S and maybe it would only be $3000 more but still I like the extra warmth that the K/S provides.
Now I wasn’t looking to use cables as an EQ to tune my system but rather just speaking honestly about what I feel the differences are between these in my system.
Now if you said to me to me I could get (2) Kraken Power Cables for the price of one - what amp would I take - then that might be different but two of these power cables cost almost as the Pass amps which is nuts but even so the Pass gets much better with the Kraken cables but just doesn’t jump out it’s shoes like the Soulution does.
Just keeping my K/S IC, and SC’s is a huge savings. I’m psyched for this and not sure I would have got here so efficiently with out you guyses help.
I do want to get loaned a second Kraken PC to see the true effect of it on my Pass. I tried them with a lower level pair of Stage 3’s.
Part of me doesn’t want to because if I love them I’m stuck with buying two of those beasts.
Another cool thing about the Soulution 530 Integrated Amp is it has a really good phono Stage. I’ve never used it but people that know says it’s nothing like the throw in phono stages so many companies drop in their intergrateds but rather a true Reference quality phono.
They say the stand alone Sountion phonostage the 550 which is like $18000 is only a hair better and it’s outstanding.
Ive never tried it so I don’t know for sure but it uses all those premium switching power supplies and top quality parts and it’s one of the main reason this amp goes for $55,000 new.
Me and many other with this amp don’t really think of the phono and are more intersted is pure sound quality but if you love the sound quality like I do and knowing it has this is really cool.
I actully sold my entire analog front end to upgrade my amplification so now if I grab a decent table and cart I’m good to go.
One guy told me the best thing about the 530 is it’s fantastic phonostage so I think it is a cool extra to this option.
For records i dont need to buy a phonostage or another power cable or another set of phono Interconnects. They are all included. Cool with a capital C!