racecar

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $1225.00 from Sound Room

Summary:
Just shows you how much psychology invades hi fi appreciation. These amps are identical!! I own the AQ1003DT and a friend owns the Passion. We have dissected both and except for the fact that the dimensions are slightly different (to allow for component orientation and extra inputs on the Passion) and the negative feedback is marginally different - they are absolutely identical!!

Strengths:
good value for the money

Weaknesses:
don't expect much support from either distributor if they fail after warranty

Price Paid:  $975.00 from The Audio Room - Cal

Summary:
Actually ASL dealers will tell you that the AQ1003DT has the upgraded Xformers,Alps pot,High end caps etc. Both amps are produced in the same factory in China and are far as I can discover identical. The UHF article reviewed an early production AQ and at that time it is possible that the Passion had superior components. In any event I can state that the AQ is one sweet amp and presumably given the neglible differences one may assume that the Passion is equally as good ( ie. bloody marvelous ). As for the statement that the Passion is a ripoff....BULLFEATHERS!

Strengths:
Transparent Sound,Strong clean reproduction beyond both ends of the audio spectrum.My Klipschorns sing ! Solid build quality.

Weaknesses:
None

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Macone's note below is PLAIN WRONG. But anyone with an opinion and a Web account can be a reviewer, eh? To see his errors, check out the UHF Magazine review of this unit and comparison with the ASL 1003 DT. The Passion trounced the ASL, and it should. It has an upgraded ALPS volume pot, different caps, and much beefier output transformers. It sounds much better than the thin sounding ASL, with far more bass, air, and a stellar soundstage (something the reviewers focused on). It was simply in a different league, closer to UHF's reference amp. I tried both the Passion and the ASL with three speakers: the demanding Totem Model 1, the EPOS M11, and the Merlins. The ASL could not keep up with the 4 ohm, 87 db Totems, making them sound weak and thin (something that does not happen with a beefier amp). The ASL sounded fine with the EPOS and Merlin, since both are much easier loads to drive. However, replacing it with the Passion was such a revelation. With all three, the Passion had depth, terrific soundstage, and air all around the instruments and performers. Same power rating, but the smaller transformers of the ASL could not deliver the current that the Passion PAK 11 could. The ASL smooshed all the performers together and the bass was flabby and not well defined. The ASL is fine for very entry-level gear, especially super efficient speakers over 89 db, but the Passion is so much better for not a bunch more. This amp is really amazing; it outclasses the Jadis integrated and comes closer to much more high end pieces such as the VAC Avatar (4x the price) and Cary SLI-80 (3x the price) than any other tube integrated. In the end, the Passion is not the equal of these far more expensive integrated amps. But it is an integrated that you can live with for years and never get tired off. Biasing this amp is a simple job, requires only a VOM (cheaply found at Radio Shack). I personally prefer the cleaner classier look of the Passion to the look of the ASL with digital BIAS meters, but someone who likes lots of flashing lights and meters will prefer the ASL (the ASL can be ordered w/out this and looks close to the Passion).

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
KIDS! This is a fine amp...BUT...what it actually is,is an Antique Sound Labs AQ1003 dt....but it doesn't have the bias control/meter that the ASL has...and this one retails for $200 MORE! Do your research folks...this is NOT a good buy. I own the ASL...it is wonderful...DOn't get scammed into this one tho...just buy the ASL!

Price Paid:  $1259.00 from Audio d''occasion

Summary:
Je cherchais au départ un modèle plus haut de gamme que mon Harmon Kardon que je possédais depuis 7 ans déjà. Je pensais acheter un Arcam ou un Cambridge. Ce Passion Audio m''a littéralement jetté par terre de par sa profondeur, sa chaleur, sa douceur, mais aussi avec une transparence unique. Il conduit actuellement des B&W DM602 S2 avec un Sub B&W ASW 600 et un Cambridge DVD300. Pour le prix, je crois qu''il me serais impossible de trouver mieux. Cet ampli vaut bien des modèles entendus au Festival Son & Image pour 5 000$ et plus. Allez-y les yeux fermés (les oreilles grandes ouvertes !)

Strengths:
Son naturel et juste sans effort chaleur et douceur

Weaknesses:
Aucune