Completed an F6 build last month....probably my fav audiophile experience so far. Really respect Nelson...and great video series, Steve!
@jlmain57775 жыл бұрын
After watching these videos, I wished I lived next door to Nelson and could wander over and see what he’s working on each day.
@NickP3335 жыл бұрын
I love listening to Nelson speak, and he’s got a great sense of humor and so me great sayings too. I was just laughing aloud by myself. “The dog that pisses on his food when he’s not hungry” That’s some f’n funny stuff! Anyway, I loved seeing him go through his stash and then showing those crazy parts. Thanks again, Steve!
@MrRad215 жыл бұрын
Fascinating Nelson is a true genius and so enjoyable to listen to him share his wisdom with the audio and diy community
@wesw95865 жыл бұрын
Thanks again for this. Nelson is one of the great minds of our time. Could listen to him for hours. And wow that's a stunning collection of parts.
@mzondi19703 жыл бұрын
Even though I wouldn't know half of what he's talking about I could sit and listen to him talk amplifiers forever
@chrisvinicombe99475 жыл бұрын
First time I've seen a transistor hoarder. Usually it's tube hoarders on the audio channels. Thanks for the upload I'm really enjoying your chats with Nelson 😄
@milesdufourny37835 жыл бұрын
@Club Soda the best sounding fuzz boxes use gallium transistors ie; tone bender.
@MrStingraybernard5 жыл бұрын
Seems like a really nice guy , half this stuff I don’t know but it was still really interesting
@garyalexander56865 жыл бұрын
Listened to this with my Nelson Pass-designed Amp Camp Amp. Love it. Thanks Nelson.
@SuperMcgenius5 жыл бұрын
Nelson thank you for your support of diy, I have made a few of your designs. Still have a phono preamp which sounds wonderful. Note I have never called you so you can keep designing. 😀
@coldfinger459sub05 жыл бұрын
Almost finished building Nelson’s BA - 3 preamp DIY after that build Nelson’s Alpha -J AMP mono blocks
@carlosbauza11395 жыл бұрын
Great interviewer AND interviewee!!! So great to feel Mr. Pass' sharing, as well as protecting from whatever might take bread from his table. Congratulations.
@johnlebeau54715 жыл бұрын
I like this guy. Back when I started in this hobby the amps that I wanted but could not afford were the Threshold Stasis line. Nelson Pass was the first audio designer name I learned.
@andershammer93075 жыл бұрын
I heard Pass amps many years ago and while they sounded very good I never felt compelled to own one. I once wanted a big Belles A amp but I did get some amps I was interested in like the Electrocompaniet Ampliwire II which is a low power class A amp that is I think the sweetest sounding amp I ever heard. It has BD british bipolar transistors.
@rolandmetivier44374 жыл бұрын
BDs are nice bipolar transistors indeed.
@stevefick39195 жыл бұрын
For sure the best job around! Not too many people are able to make a living out of something they love to do. Or a hobby, for that matter. Nelson seems like a very nice gentleman. Interesting to listen to.
@Mosfet5105 жыл бұрын
I'm in electronics, and I find I learn something new or a different look at things after listening to Nelson Pass, a learning experience. His stock of parts is impressive and very rare.
@weldchip5 жыл бұрын
Nelson loving the t-shirt ;-) Steve you have outdone yourself, on these videos. I have conversed with Nelson on diy audio in the past and built a few of his designs. Diy audio and Nelson in particular opened my world to a level of audio unattainable to 99.9% of the population
@hahaagi4 жыл бұрын
Nelson is a real hero!
@TheTrueVoiceOfReason5 жыл бұрын
'JFETs... about 250,000 of them. Enough for the rest of my life.' Or until you build The Beast Of 100,000 JFETs pair of monoblocks. So sometime next year. LULZ
@audiorick8415 жыл бұрын
I really like that man. Thanks Steve.
@RoaroftheTiger5 жыл бұрын
wow ! Nelson Pass, "… to Boldly Go, Where No one else, has Gone Before !" ;-)
@Maxiinti5 жыл бұрын
Boy what a nice guy you too Steve
@andrewgillis85725 жыл бұрын
in our first band the drummer was my buddy who as a college system got Magnaplanar Tympanii IIIBs, an Oracle turntable, a moving coil with pre & another pre, & Threshhold power - so we could listen to Mahavishnu Orchestra - the listening spot was no bigger than, well, a lotus petal, but unreal once you got situated there. Odd in all because our band covered Little Walter, Jimmy Reid, J Geils heavily, & Wet Willie.
@andrewgillis85725 жыл бұрын
Ouch a missing comma after J Geils - anyway it seemed like John McLaughlin had the most exciting mix of anyone out there, set in sub-continental intervals & psychedelic shredding. N never gotten over it and sad that in 2017 he retired from the stage. How JM featured drummers in those arrangements, lets lone, mixes, & likewise onstage where I watched him battle it out with Tony Smith October 78 Rainbow Theatre. OMG the mix of that show - transporting. Shankar shook the seats with simple tambourine SM58 and thumb-slaps. Crescendi of guitar and violin were like a Blue Origin lift-off - if that outfit called themselves, Emerald Beyond..
@andrewgillis85725 жыл бұрын
Meanwhile, winter of '75, me and my two brothers built Philips kit speakers, 3-way incl 12 and a passive (at rear out of phase); We had made the walls of flake particle baord so thick that we needed to regain woofer air suspension volume. Likewise via mail order I got South West Technical lab-style kit mono bloc transistor class A power amps. And all assembled, a Dynaco PAT 5 pre-amp and AR IA turntable with N91 ED from classified ads, that once landed in people's driveways, with glass bottles of milk. As I recall the whole thing was under 500 bucks in mid-70s CDN currency values. Speaker wire to this day is that flat green 100 amp contractors' style 10-gauge.
@hoytmccloskey59674 жыл бұрын
Thx SG Audiophiliac...great to hear from such an icon in the audio design world
@DriverDude1005 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this awesome video.
@fredpasta64885 жыл бұрын
"the dog that pisses ...." I did laff out loud 😂
@myk1200s5 жыл бұрын
Steve WOW!! Really appreciate your video series with NELSON PASS GREAT INSIGHT INTO HIS WORLD AND THANK YOU NELSON FOR LETTING EVERYBODY INTO YOUR WORLD THROUGH STEVE'S VIDEOS GREAT JOB.... I MUST SAY I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE DIY KIT WITH FULL INSTRUCTIONS (GOOF PROOF)? I think I might make that my project in DEC WHILE ON VAC. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK STEVE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH 👍
@JoeJ-82823 жыл бұрын
He is one nerdy audiophile who I would love to get to know and talk to, even become friends with, and learn from!
@fbonacic5 жыл бұрын
Thanks Nelson for all your shares!
@lynnpoole78305 жыл бұрын
WOW, just WOW!
@mjodr4 жыл бұрын
No wonder why Digikey is always out of stock on my stuff.
@artsabound76275 жыл бұрын
Very interesting video ! Great job Steve and Nelson for sharing . I'm guessing Nelson's buying power is some what of an advantage over cloners who are trying to compete . Of course the overhead is not equal but looking at the actual prices for components in these amplifiers the margin can't be anything to retire on for a cloner. And....of course , there is the customer support issue. I would love a diy amp , more substantial perhaps just under the 1,000$ mark. The diy site as fantastic , amazing people and of course Nelson's input freely interacting is highly unique. Top notch this whole video series..
@rupertkingsley4 жыл бұрын
And we thank Papa for all his time, attention and toys on DIYAudio
@miguelbarrio5 жыл бұрын
Love this
@jfbaquero5 жыл бұрын
Nelson, what an awesome guy. Respect!
@carybaxter2745 жыл бұрын
A great treat. Thanks!
@ronbradshaw74045 жыл бұрын
Nelson Pass, ------------------- THE--------------- Amp guru!!!
@GeraldGarcia5 жыл бұрын
10:46 "I don't even know what these are."
@Buddythunder1 Жыл бұрын
He's such a dude. I'd love to own a Papa Pass piece.
@cafe80s5 жыл бұрын
I LOVE this video series!!
@Relayer6a2 жыл бұрын
As a guitarist it's well documented that Germanium is the best sounding transistor. (Dons flame proof undies) 😀
@williampearson49685 жыл бұрын
Waiting for Part 7 ---- Nelson and Steve --- Great Interview.... Wow, all the different transistors, too bad First Watt can't make more SIT 3's.
@keithkrieger70755 жыл бұрын
Love it. You should do one of these with the Soundsmith.
@NickP3335 жыл бұрын
Yes! 100% agree!
@hahaagi4 жыл бұрын
You are real hero.
@andershammer93075 жыл бұрын
I have some older stereo equipment (KLH) that have germanium outputs and I think they have a warmer more pleasant sound because they roll off at about 15 KHZ
@turbo54835 жыл бұрын
I could listen to nelson all day long
@analogaudiorules17243 жыл бұрын
Nelson pass needs to make a germanium poweramp, I'd buy it in a heartbeat
@steveilich2197 Жыл бұрын
Nelson seems like a really cool dude, would love to share a bottle of wine with him and Steve Guttenberg🍷🍷🍷
@edjackson43893 жыл бұрын
Great interview!!
@davidstein91296 ай бұрын
Do any viewers here have any experience listening to the Pass Labs XP-20 Preamplifier? It's a combination of a preamp & power source...So, 2 seperate consoles Thanks!
@goodforwatch5 жыл бұрын
looks like jay leno has a soulmate, he’s the einstein of audio science 😂
@jimomertz5 жыл бұрын
Some men collect fine wines. Others collect rare cars. Nelson collects transistors. He reminds me of furniture makers who hoard old growth wood. They are the only ones who can make something beautiful out of raw materials.
@Aswaguespack5 жыл бұрын
Most contemporary modern consumer electronics are built with surface mounted devices and digital signal processing robotically assembled which makes the manufacturing process very efficient at lower manufacturing cost and maximum profitability. Difficult to repair faulty individual component parts so it’s basically swapping boards -out with the bad, plug in a good one. But, there’s something very cool about the older analog electronics that can be repaired and can last almost indefinitely with good care and proper maintenance. Look at some of the quality Brands of the past like McIntosh for instance. So many very dedicated owners of McIntosh Audio Equipment still use those devices purchased decades ago and where the equipment has outlasted the lives of their human owners have been passed down to a new generation of loyal audiophiles and continues to impress and amaze a new generation.
@FooBar895 жыл бұрын
Aswaguespack industrial equipment and test instruments is also made to be repairable; outside a few companies, consumer electronics is the garbage can, lots of compromises, made cheap for scale
@Aswaguespack5 жыл бұрын
ThinkLearnSolve also it seems that there is planned obsolescence designed into much of the modern Electronic devices available on today’s market. My first TV was American made and lasted 34 years. My second Non-American built TV didn’t make 10 years. Old technology was built to last.
@johnnytoobad77855 жыл бұрын
The only component that he showed that I have are the 2sk170 J-Fets. They are used a lot on his DYI site.
@weldchip5 жыл бұрын
Johnny Toobad I have a pile of them too :-)
@jonfoss3437Ай бұрын
I have a gfa 555, love it❤
@jaylasky55895 жыл бұрын
Wow Like Radio Shack on steroids!!!!
@gregorytoddsmith97444 жыл бұрын
Very enjoyable!!
@orronoco5243 жыл бұрын
It is real treasure down there 😁
@efiksas25 жыл бұрын
Steve, stop interrupting! :D Great video otherwise, thank you for doing this!
@jamest.50015 жыл бұрын
He was the S.I.T.!!
@subStuff5 жыл бұрын
Question to Nelson: Why SITs are so rare? Given their remarkable characteristics, shouldn't there be more of them around? Do they perform less reliably outside the audio world? Are they just too expensive to manufacture at a mass scale?
@FooBar895 жыл бұрын
Jhan Jar because they don't have remarkable characteristics, and they are not meant to be used in audio and don't make sense to be used in audio; they are for power regulation, if you don't have very high current drive, don't use them
@subStuff5 жыл бұрын
@Dave Micolichek Thanks Dave.
@mikerothacher5 жыл бұрын
Awesome!
@user-dd8zk2rj3f5 сағат бұрын
Guru
@montech56475 жыл бұрын
5:11 - Steve: "Do transistors ever just age out?" Nelson: "I suppose, it's a concept they do, but I haven't seen it. They do if they've been working hard, then they do get some thermal stress and you can see them break at some future date........"
@Carl-bd1rf5 жыл бұрын
Well, the transistors in my original gfa555 still going strong! Recapped with fresh caps, amp will out live me.
@montech56475 жыл бұрын
Small signal trannies (TO-92) are more exposed to stresses, though. A lot of them fails or get noisy, leaky, etc...
@HareDeLune5 жыл бұрын
@@Carl-bd1rf Is that an Adcom amp? Did Nelson Pass design those? I used to work in a store that sold them, but didn't know about him back then.
@Carl-bd1rf5 жыл бұрын
@Hare deLune Yep his design. I also believe it holds the record for most sales as a transistor amp. I’ve bought and sold 4 of them over the years. Prefer the sound of the original vs mkII.
@HareDeLune5 жыл бұрын
@@Carl-bd1rf Have you heard the story behind the "GFA" designation? : D
@BlankBrain5 жыл бұрын
I bought my Sony TAN-5550 in 1978. The protection circuits surrounding and supporting Sony V-FETs are complex. It's time for a re-cap before I use it any more. There is a varactor diode that controls bias; if it fails, so do the outputs. I've only used the amp to drive tweeters 1250 Hz and up. I use bipolar amps for bass and midrange. The problem with germanium power transistors is that they go into thermal runaway faster than silicon. They also are frequently noisier than silicon. I had a TEAK reel-to-reel that was all germanium. It took some maintenance, not just mechanical, to keep it happy.
@gtrguyinaz11 ай бұрын
I have owned several Pass amps…
@yaniv-nos-tubes5 жыл бұрын
great video. i think a lot of audiophiles need knowledge about nos tubes. think about all these people buying peachtree and schiit relatively cheap tube preamps .a lot of them never had tube gear before .even if you bought the top of the line grand integrated in 2012 and payed 4500$, between the galvanically isolated usb input and the super linear ultra quiet volume youve got 2 chinese 10$ at best crappy noisy tonally challenged 12au7 tubes! on the other hand if you buy the ifi tube preamp/buffer for 300$ you get a nos ge tube .what i don't like about schiit is that they are trying to persuade everyone(at their website) that nos tubes \pricey cables don't matter because they don't use them.it's bullshit(bullschiit?). whoever reads this and has tube gear with modern tubes(china/russian) please try at least one nos tube even if you like the sound as it is .anything is better than chinese tubes and nothing is worse (till they start making them in korea and taiwan)
@InsideOfMyOwnMind5 жыл бұрын
Sure would like to see the SOA of the THF51S.
@frankmcguckin45725 жыл бұрын
Very nice video off the subject i have a sealed introducing the Beatles with the songs i saw her standing there and ps I love you any comments on this copy thanks and keep the videos coming
@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac5 жыл бұрын
frank mcguckin What can I say, I’m a huge Beatles fan! If you need the money see what they’re going for on eBay, or slice that puppy open and enjoy!
@TheBodhisattvaWisdom4 жыл бұрын
Transistors rule 💪
@max1walker7875 жыл бұрын
I have some of those Germanium transistors. Wonder how to send them to Nelson Pass?
@Carl-bd1rf5 жыл бұрын
Ok time to move up the Nelson line. I have an original gfa555 that I upgraded the capacitors in. What amp in the Nelson line (used) would you guys recommend I move up to? I don’t have millions to spend either!!
@lynnpoole78305 жыл бұрын
I'v got a gfa 555 prototype amp. It's white with round rackmount handles. I have never seen another like it. Good that you replaced the caps as they tend to leak over time and ruin the pcb they are connected to. If you don't mind low watts consider an amp camp amp. (I did).
@Carl-bd1rf5 жыл бұрын
@Lynn Poole Funny u mention the amp camp amp I was considering one! 👍🏻
@motorradmike5 жыл бұрын
Carl Smith, I just recently took my time completing DIY Audio’s stereo Amp Camp Amp Kit. It is simply brilliant sound wise and in appearance. Unfortunately being designed to drive high efficiency 8 ohm speakers, it is a poor match for my beloved 4 ohm speakers. Sadly, I had to set it aside and put the Vidar back in my system.
@Carl-bd1rf5 жыл бұрын
@Michael Schroeder My monitor speakers are rated to be 96db @ 1 watt so I’d think maybe the little amp might do well with them.
@motorradmike5 жыл бұрын
Carl Smith, if they are 8 ohm rated, absolutely. If they are 4 ohm nominal impedance, the ACA’s rating is reduced to 5 watt per channel from 8 watts, which substantially limits dynamic headroom. My Tektons being 4 ohm, DID work with the Pass amp, just not “let’s party” loud.
@Audiojunkabus5 жыл бұрын
Fantastic piece! Hey what's the cool looking red meter/tool with a couple of electrical outlets on the workbench?
@espenboholm11125 жыл бұрын
variac?
@dell1775 жыл бұрын
That looks liker a metered 18a variac. 40 years ago I built a 10a variac that fed a 1000w isolation transformer with volt and ammeter, all in a slope faced cabinet. The 150v meter had to be replaced a couple of years ago because the old one opened up
@MrStingraybernard5 жыл бұрын
What’s that red box with the big knob sitting on his desk ?
@subStuff5 жыл бұрын
probably a Variac.
@lvazquezus5 жыл бұрын
variac
@tsloth13904 жыл бұрын
Cool stash! Btw the transistor was invented in the late 40’s so it could be from the 50’s
@matthewcooke44772 жыл бұрын
I personally believe that it was invented by sprague or Siemens under orders of nazi Germany... along with MANY other world changing technologies. It's believed that Hitler made deals with the devil (literally) in exchange for knowledge on futuristic technology's in Hope's of world totalitarianism. (He clearly has never red God's word or if he had, didn't take it seriously)
@NoMoreRadioMyths5 жыл бұрын
That's a problem with solid state. You can have an amp with obsolete transistors that can be difficult to replace. Its easy to find a 12AX7 tube that was first released in 1947.
@moodyga404 жыл бұрын
fets are like vales
@rene3185 жыл бұрын
Show us your secret blackgate stash... I won't tell anyone ;))
@andrewt9025 жыл бұрын
Such an inspirational treat listening to Nelson. My DIY experience is all tube based but seeing his stash takes me back to the days of scouring the aisles of Apex Surplus for big electrolytics and usable transformers. Now I see that even the SS stuff is getting to be unobtanium. Would love to try a simpler circuit using an interstage transformer. Any recommendations?
@rene3185 жыл бұрын
@@andrewt902 My only experience is just upgrading my Sun Audio 300b with as good components as possible. At some point it became so far that a man in a trench coat would only meet me at midnight under a bridge smoking cigarettes... Sold it just recently and looking for a Pass amp. So if you find one let mé know!
@dalefriesen78125 жыл бұрын
Why not make it an eight ..or nine? or...?
@florinpetre13265 жыл бұрын
No 2SK92?
@chadbarker23165 жыл бұрын
This guy is so fckn cool.
@hurkamur15 жыл бұрын
Tha Greedyboiz
@HouseofRecordsTacoma5 жыл бұрын
what are the chances of that happening? where's a Bill Gates audiophile when ya need one?
@stevieg27555 жыл бұрын
Surprised he didn't mention Tim Rawson clones,but I'm sure you won't respond Mr Guttenberg cause you don't seem to
@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac5 жыл бұрын
I do when I can add something, but you didn't ask a question.
@stevieg27555 жыл бұрын
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac my question was/is Nelson says he don't piss on good food but he came down pretty hard on Lawson making clones.I mean come on the guy is s multi millionaire .And you take a pass amp and price the parts it's a 1000 percent markup
@wa23685 жыл бұрын
There will be zero audiophile gear in the world without Japan!
@user-zm4yg9xv8q8 ай бұрын
Whos going to start making 800ohm speaker coils for full range? Higher voltage, easier to control and induce magnetic fields. Then people can use otl triodes which is probably best. The cones would be the only things needing to be sold really..., and finished sets of specifically engineered speakers. Something 12 or 15 inch point source with the appropriate surrounds and suspension, the whizzer cones that philips used or similar.., Full Range only, and something that will fit a cheap and popular neodymium speaker basket and magnet. I dont know how those enormous standard subwoofer magnets and frames would do (probably trash for full range) but if those bigger more powerful magnets work, it would be best... Along with the 800 ohm or higher field coil, You could use smaller transistors and probably 120v Straight. That would be powerful. instead of inducing amps youre inducing voltage which is most comparable to pressure. SO why noty?
@user-od1fo3lj4q24 күн бұрын
It's kind of disgusting that his business model is intentionally creating amps around scarce deprecated components, as if they were some NOS 1920s diode.