I see that most of you guys are using XA or even Xs amps. Any head to head assessment of how the X.5 amps stack up compared to the all-Class A Pass amps?
I don't have the space, the money or the air-conditioning, so I'm not second-guessing my decision (and I got a very good deal from Mark at Reno Hi Fi) -- however, it would be informative to learn from folks who definitely have more than passing (ouch, pun) experience the the other amplifiers in Nelson's line-up, as well as some very well-thought-of other brands.
I too am a Pass fan! My gear seems to be a little older then what I've been reading about on here. But I've been very satisfied with the performance and cannot see myself ever switching to a different amp.
My rig consists of Pass X250, X3 with Focal 1038beII L+R+C, M2tech Young Dac, 70/30 Music and Movies (respectively). I've been looking for a tube pre-amp for ages now. So far I like the PrimaLuna Prolougue 3, Modwright LS100, and McIntosh C220 to add some warmth.
I'm also curious if anyone has firsthand (or close) experience with how the XA.5 amps compared to their X.5 siblings (e.g., XA30 vs X150, XA100 vs X350, etc)? It is my understanding that the amps are identical except for the amount of bias current, which determines to what power output the amp runs in Class A before converting to Class A/B.
From my experience, XA amps are more tube-like, have a warmer fuller sound. They are more three dimensional and have a wider sound stage. The X.5 amps have a firmer bass, are on the more neutral side of the spectrum and don't have as much bloom. There is no right and wrong. I think careful system matching is important. A warmer more forgiving speaker may benefit from the X.5 series, while a more neutral or truthful speaker will benefit from the XA.5 series. Just my opinion. I prefer the XA.5 series myself and would love to own the Xs amps someday.
From my experience, XA amps are more tube-like, have a warmer fuller sound. They are more three dimensional and have a wider sound stage. The X.5 amps have a firmer bass, are on the more neutral side of the spectrum and don't have as much bloom. There is no right and wrong. I think careful system matching is important. A warmer more forgiving speaker may benefit from the X.5 series, while a more neutral or truthful speaker will benefit from the XA.5 series. Just my opinion. I prefer the XA.5 series myself and would love to own the Xs amps someday.
You are welcome. Mark at Reno is a great dealer. The X350.5 leaves class A @ 40 watts and will sound awesome. Unless you crank the heck out of it, you should be in the sweet spot and loving the sound. Congrats!
I just sold an XA100.5 and hope to move up the XA160.5's.
You are welcome. Mark at Reno is a great dealer. The X350.5 leaves class A @ 40 watts and will sound awesome. Unless you crank the heck out of it, you should be in the sweet spot and loving the sound. Congrats!
I just sold an XA100.5 and hope to move up the XA160.5's.
Thank you, Joe. Mark treated me right, that's for sure.
Unless I move to a house with a much bigger room (currently 28' X 17.5' X 8') I can't imagine needing more than 40 watts of class A. I find I'm running out of headroom before the amp and speakers do.
That's quite an impressive list of equipment in your signature.
Thank you, Joe. Mark treated me right, that's for sure.
Unless I move to a house with a much bigger room (currently 28' X 17.5' X 8') I can't imagine needing more than 40 watts of class A. I find I'm running out of headroom before the amp and speakers do.
That's quite an impressive list of equipment in your signature.
Former Xono owner... and now current XP-15 owner posting here for the first time.
The XP-15 arrived on Wednesday via Mark at Reno HiFi, who took very good care of me. Even cold out of the box, the XP-15 was an obvious step up from the Xono. And after a few days of burn in, the XP-15 left me gobsmacked. It's a wonderful product.
If you are getting a new pair, plan on at least 200 hours of break in for them to sound their best. Pass says you should see most of your improvement in the first 24-36 hours but I don't think you're even close at that point.
I'm still loving my XA200.5s. The XS300s have me concerned in terms of heat, current draw on the power conditioner, and price. I probably couldn't listen to music from May through October with that kind of heat, as the XA200.5s are uncomfortable enough during the summer for short listens.
