Pass Labs is a high-end-audio company based in Auburn, California, United States founded by Nelson Pass, a well-known figure in the high-end audio community. The company was founded in 1991. Pass founded, and worked at, audio company Threshold, where he developed the Stasis series of amplifiers. These designs were later licensed to Nakamichi. The Pass labs Aleph series of amplifiers operated pure class A and contained internal circuitry using

MOSFET The metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, MOS-FET, or MOS FET) is a type of field-effect transistor (FET), most commonly fabricated by the controlled oxidation of silicon. It has an insulated gate, the voltage of which d ...

s. The Aleph amplifiers had a unique appearance, a cube with heat sinks on all four sides, a practical solution to the heat generated by the class-A design. After the Aleph series of amplifiers was discontinued, a separate entity Volksamp was licensed to continue to produce a similar product. Aleph 30 and 60 Amplifiers were made by Volksamp until production ceased in 2003. Manufacture of the Aleph series of amplifiers is to be continued by First Watt, an amplifier company founded by Nelson Pass in 2004. First Watt initially produced power trans-conductance amplifiers (or technically a power current source). These current domain amplifiers are only suitable for use with certain types of speakers. With respect to the Aleph amplifier line, First Watt has announced plans for the Aleph J, a revision of the famous Pass Labs Aleph 3/Volksamp Aleph 30 wherein a new JFET input stage is to be added. Today Pass Labs makes amplifiers, preamplifier and speakers. Pass Labs is also a supporter of the

DIY audio DIY Audio means " do it yourself" audio. Rather than buying a piece of possibly expensive audio equipment, such as a high-end audio amplifier or speaker, the person practicing DIY Audio will make it him/herself. Alternatively, a DIYer may take an ...

community and maintains an internet presence for this purpose. Current Pass Labs "X" series amplifiers use a distortion canceling balanced audio signal circuit.US Patent 5,376,899

References

External links

First Watt website

Pass Labs website
Audio amplifier manufacturers Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States Manufacturing companies based in California 1991 establishments in California Electronics companies established in 1991 {{tech-company-stub