Thank you. I can only describe the sound as a XP22 and XP27 combination as compared to Ref 6 and Ref 3 combination as most of my serious listening is on Vinyl. The Pass combo has a very quiet background as compared to ARC. Previously I was using Nagra BPS with Airtight ATC 2 pre. When it was replaced with ARC combo, I noticed it was not as quiet as the Airtight ATC/Nagra BPS. With the Pass combo, it is so silent between notes that I can hear each instrument clearly all the way to the back of the stage. All the instruments and voice seemed to float holographically in space. With the ARC, I can still hear the instruments but it does not sound as transparent. Bass control with the Pass is much superior with lower bass, better texture, better control and I could follow the bass notes clearly. The ARC bass is very good for a tube pre, and I think it lose to Pass marginally with slightly fatter and slower bass. Vocals appear smaller with Pass, ARC vocals sounded bigger and more upfront. In some ways, ARC sounded more full with voice although I feel the Pass is more accurate. Depth is very well delineated with each layers to the back of the soundstage. Best of all, its tonal balance is somewhere between a tube amp and a transistor amp. Being a tube amp user all my life, this is important to me.
Vinyl used in the listening include Sade - Diamond Life, Tracy Chapman - Fast Cars, Dead Can Dance - Into the Labyrinth, Kraftwerk - The Man Machine, Fourplay, Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue, Diana Krall - Wallflower.
