F1 vs F3
The F3's power @ 8ω is 15W against the F1's 10W, its power @ 4ω 10W against 6W, its thd 0.010% against 5.000%, and its output impedance 0Ω against 80Ω.
AI-generated product photo — not official manufacturer imagery.
AmplifiersPower AmplifiersDiscontinued
About the F1
The First Watt F1, released in 2004, is Nelson Pass's pioneering 'kitchen table' design in the First Watt series, limited to 101 units. It functions as a two-channel active current source amplifier, converting input voltage to precise output current for superior voice coil control, bypassing speaker impedance variations, wire resistance, and voice coil inductance. This results in exceptional clarity, transparency, reduced intermodulation distortion, and phenomenally low noise (100 picowatts or 30 µV unweighted). With no global feedback and a single gain stage, it excels with efficient, sensitive full-range speakers or headphones like AKG K1000. It supports both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs, automatically converting single-ended to balanced. Operating in pure Class A, it draws constant 100-200 watts power. The F1 is no longer manufactured, with recent used sales around $1400-$1680.
Specifications
Power Specifications
Amplification power output and characteristics
- Power @ 8Ω
- 10W @ 8Ω
- Power @ 4Ω
- 6W @ 4Ω
- Amplifier Class
- A
- Minimum Impedance
- 4Ω
- Input Impedance
- 100Ω
- Max Input Voltage
- 20.0V RMS
Analog Output
Analog signal output specifications
- THD
- 5.000%
- SNR
- 120 dB
- Output Impedance
- 80Ω
- Max Output Voltage
- 20.0V RMS
Connectivity
Input and output connections
- Bluetooth
- No
- Wi-Fi
- No
- Ethernet
- No
- Analog Inputs
- XLR, RCA
- Analog Outputs
- Speaker binding posts
Key Specifications
Power: 10W
Specifications are community-contributed and may not be accurate or complete. Verify all details with the manufacturer before making purchasing decisions. Terms & Conditions