Pathos Classic One MKIII
The Pathos Classic One MKIII pairs holographic imaging with a dark, composed backdrop, giving voices and instruments exceptional air and definition. Nemo Propaganda found its near-neutral balance, subtle warmth and confident four-ohm control especially persuasive, while the Italian hybrid design delivers effortless separation, refined detail and authoritative bass grip for serious analogue systems.
WATT RECOMMENDS
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
92/100
Build Quality
95/100
Features Connectivity
83/100
Value for Money
87/100
Pros
Exceptionally spacious, holographic presentation with clear vocal placement and strong separation across the frequency range.
Dark background, very good detail retrieval and an easy, largely neutral sound with a slight touch of warmth.
Maintains composure and bass control with difficult four-ohm speakers, including at high listening levels.
Impeccable, class-leading stainless-steel chassis construction according to the review.
Cons
Focused analogue connectivity: the supplied information lists line-level RCA/XLR inputs but no onboard DAC, streaming, phono stage or headphone output.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 92/100
Nemo Propaganda found the Classic One MKIII notably effortless and easy to listen to, combining a dark background, strong detail retrieval and excellent separation. Its presentation was described as essentially neutral with a slight warmth, alongside unusually spacious midrange imagery and assured control into demanding loudspeakers.
Transparency Resolution
93/100
Nemo Propaganda describes a very dark background, very good detail retrieval and extremely good separation. The review also says individual notes have their own air and space, contributing to a clean, open presentation.
Tonal Balance Musicality
91/100
The amplifier was judged mostly neutral rather than overtly colored, with only a slight touch of warmth. Its effortless, easy-on-the-ears character and clear, unstrained vocals suggest a refined balance suited to long listening sessions.
Dynamics
92/100
Nemo Propaganda reports that bass control remained secure with every speaker tried, including difficult four-ohm models. The amplifier drove Børresen S400 MkI loudspeakers to very loud levels without losing composure or bass grip.
Soundstage Imaging
94/100
The review praises strong holographic qualities through the midrange, with generous air and separation around voices and instruments. Vocals were said to occupy a clear, effortless space rather than becoming crowded by the accompaniment.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
95/100
Nemo Propaganda calls the stainless-steel chassis impeccably made and class-leading. The in-house Italian remote is also singled out as a nicely executed accessory.
Features Connectivity
83/100
The Classic One MKIII provides four RCA line inputs, one balanced XLR input and a slim remote control. It is a focused analogue integrated amplifier, without onboard digital conversion, streaming, phono provision or headphone output listed in the supplied material.
Value for Money
87/100
At approximately $3,495, Nemo Propaganda considers the price reasonable for an amplifier made in the manufacturer’s home country. The review stops short of portraying it as a bargain, but regards the asking price as credible for its execution and performance.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- Type
- Integrated amplifier in Class A/AB, hybrid circuit with input tube stage, bridgeable
- Output Power
- 2 x 70W @ 8 Ohm, 2 x 135W @ 4 Ohm, 180W in bridged mode (mono)
- Inputs
- 1 balanced XLR
- Specification
- 4 unbalanced RCA
- Frequency response
- 2Hz ÷ 100kHz
- THD
- <0.05%
- Signal/noise ratio
- 90dB
- Input impedance
- 100kOhm
- Dimensions
- 230mm (D) X 500 (W) X 140mm (H)
- Net Weight
- 13Kg
Manufacturer's Description — Pathos
After having won over the international audiophile community with state-of-the-art reference amplifiers, to conceive a product with a set price point as the main design limit has been a true challenge to Pathos.
The Classic One project was initiated to transfer, in a more affordable amplifier, all the know-how and expertise acquired developing reference products.
Classic One represents a new standard in its price category: it success fully blends in a single chassis a preamplifier and power amplifier, completely separated from each other and provided with their own individual power supplies.
The pre-stage – or, better, the preamplifier – is purely tube, balanced, pure Class A, extremely low noise, with high intrinsic linearity and without any feedback. It provides an exquisitely tube sound in terms of transparency, air, harmonics and refinement… in one word, musicality.
Sound performance and overall quality
The power stage is a solid state power amplifier, high bias current, Class A/AB in order to adequately drive every load. It provides the sound with speed and dynamics, without influencing the tube nature of the sound. The volume control is motorised and remote controlled, the remote itself is in solid wood. Power supplies are over-dimensioned and stabilized. Selected components, pure silver Pathos signal cable wiring, gold plated terminals, high quality materials and refinement at its highest standard are additional benefits provided with the Classic One.
Together with such sound performance and overall quality, the Classic One is offered at a price that clearly demonstrates a philosophy of value for money. This is possible thanks to an aimed design approach, coupled with extremely accurate engineering and superior aesthetic form.
Innovations about the new Classic One MKIII
We used an high quality op-amp to drive the mosfet power amplifier. It is an ultra low noise, high?linearity and very low distortion op-amp. More definition on the sound and clearer. You’ll immediately appreciate its superior sound.
We used a new volume control with Burr-Brown which is more linear and it can accept up to +/-12V audio signal. In this way we avoid the input saturation when the CD player has high voltage output (5V). There is also a new power supply.
We added a particular electronic stage to protect the power amplifiers against short-circuit on the speaker connectors. This particular network is an high impedance stage that feels the current and save the output stage when a short circuit happens.
We used a new high quality speaker connectors that are completely protected with a transparent plastic, in order to avoid short circuit.
We used a new stainless steel cover for the power transformer.
New power transformer which can work up to 130Vac , so it is less sensitive to the different voltages in the US territory. We also are also supplying an additional set of spare fuses.?We use chromium plated knobs and red paduk wood for front panel.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Pathos Classic One MKIII
- Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
- Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Art & Voice — online (website)
- Audio Affair — online and in-store — Deritend, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Audio Solutions — online and in-store — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (website)
- Audio Zaal — online and in-store — Binnenstad, Utrecht, Netherlands (website)
- Auditorium — in-store — Hamburg-Mitte, Hamburg, Germany (website)
- COMMERCIAL ELECTRONICS — online and in-store — Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (website)
- George Meyer AV — in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
and 26 more verified dealers