I'm generally very happy with a Mcintosh MX114 driving two Dynakit Mk 3 amps into AR3a speakers, but wonder if a tube phono preamp would make much difference. I don't want the latest or greatest, so I'm thinking of getting a Dyna PAS-something on eBay and trying its phono section, putting its Tape Out signal into the Mac for tone controls etc. IIRC from back in the day, the PAS3x was the same as the PAS3 except its tone controls were removed from the circuit in the flat position. Otherwise, I don't know the functional difference between PAS2 and PAS3, and something I've seen recently but don't remember from back in the day, but which looks like a PAS3, is just called PAS. What are the differences between the PAS2 and PAS3, and what's the PAS all about? Thanks.

Bob's post of a 1965 Dyna catalog, which I hadn't seen before, shows that the PAS2 and PAS3 have identical circuitry. IIRC the PAS3x just had the "flat-out" tone controls. The only question left is, what was the "PAS" (no number).

I'm speaking of the old stuff, not the PAS3 series 2 or the PAS4.

Thank you Bob. I had searched for "PAS", "PAS-3X" etc. and did not find anything. I just searched again (using the first, small search box that pops up when you click Search at the top) and again found nothing. I then went to advanced search and used the same search terms, and found the thread you mention right away. Sorry I didn't try advanced search before. Feel free to delete this thread if you like. Thanks also for the excellent info in the post you referred to.

[quote="jrethorst"]Bob's post of a 1965 Dyna catalog, which I hadn't seen before, shows that the PAS2 and PAS3 have identical circuitry.

If memory serves me, the only difference was cosmetic in that the PAS-2 had the earlier brass faceplate with brown plastic knobs, whereas the PAS-3 had the champagne color aluminum faceplate with metal knobs.

Charlie

[quote="bnc31"]

jrethorst wrote:Bob's post of a 1965 Dyna catalog, which I hadn't seen before, shows that the PAS2 and PAS3 have identical circuitry.

If memory serves me, the only difference was cosmetic in that the PAS-2 had the earlier brass faceplate with brown plastic knobs, whereas the PAS-3 had the champagne color aluminum faceplate with metal knobs.
Charlie

Ebay often has a Dyna "PAS" (without number), which looks like a PAS-3 or 3x. Is the PAS later, or just a rename of the PAS 3 or 3x? It's not shown in the sticky "Dyna's product numbering system".

Ebay often has a Dyna "PAS" (without number), which looks like a PAS-3 or 3x. Is the PAS later, or just a rename of the PAS 3 or 3x? It's not shown in the sticky "Dyna's product numbering system".[/quote]

Again, going by memory (a sometimes risky venture) I believe that "PAS" is the product category designation, with PAS-2, PAS-3, and PAS-3X being the model numbers. I don't recall any product with just "PAS" as the model number.

Charlie

Thanks, Bob...very interesting information! And logical too!!

Charlie

This is from eBay, showing the designation PAS without a number. It looks just like a PAS-3 or 3x.

It seems like the later PAS 3(x) faceplates (70's vintage) had less of a champagne color and more of a silver color to them.

The knobs changed, too, with the change to the -x models. Basically, earlier ones were splined, later ones were setscrew types.