ARC or Pass Labs preamp for XA60.5 ?

[BlackTT]

Hello everyone,

I am buying used preamp for my XA60.5 and have two options at price about 8K€:


Audio Research Reference 5SE

or

Pass Labs XP-30


Right now I have nice self made tube preamp, but would like to go fully balanced from my Marantz NA-11S1.

Can you share some opinions-diferences between this two preamps and wich would be better for my system...

Thnx & best regards from Slovenia...

 

[Bruce B]

A lot can be said about using pieces from the same manufacturer. That said, I'm keeping my XP-30

 

[BlackTT]

Thank you Bruce B...

Just wondering... Did you hear them side by side?

 

[Bruce B]

Thank you Bruce B...

Just wondering... Did you hear them side by side?

I heard the Ref 5.... not the SE

 

[budda]

I am very happy with my XP30

 

[BlackTT]

I am very happy with my XP30

That is nice to hear budda... Did anyone on this glorious forum had both of these preamps at home...

Now really leaning towards xp-30... No tube troubles...

 

[budda]

No tube troubles and can stay on all time so you don't need warm up time

 

[Frank750]

That is nice to hear budda... Did anyone on this glorious forum had both of these preamps at home...

Now really leaning towards xp-30... No tube troubles...

I had both and both are great preamps. I preferred the Ref 5 with ARC amps but chose the XP30 when I decided to go with Pass Labs amplifiers. I preferred overall performance of the XP30 over the ARC REF5SE and ARC REF40 in combination with Pass amplifiers. I've since changed to the Pass XS pre.

 

[BlackTT]

I had both and both are great preamps. I preferred the Ref 5 with ARC amps but chose the XP30 when I decided to go with Pass Labs amplifiers. I preferred overall performance of the XP30 over the ARC REF5SE and ARC REF40 in combination with Pass amplifiers. I've since changed to the Pass XS pre.

Thank you very much for your replay Frank750... I guess that's it then...

XS combo must be great...

Did you try some difrent fuses then stock on amps & preamps...

Furutech blue fuse with cryo treatment maybe...

 

[MadFloyd]

I've also owned the Ref 5 and the XP-30.

They are very different beasts. ARC has a 'house' sound that is, to my ears, very elegant, pleasant, but a little white-ish sounding. Very fluffy sound - especially evident on piano.

The XP-30, to my ears, has very little coloration, will produce much better timbre (especially in the bass), but imaging will be little more flat than the Ref 5.

Tubes versus solid state; really depends what type of sound you prefer.

 

[BlackTT]

I've also owned the Ref 5 and the XP-30.

They are very different beasts. ARC has a 'house' sound that is, to my ears, very elegant, pleasant, but a little white-ish sounding. Very fluffy sound - especially evident on piano.

The XP-30, to my ears, has very little coloration, will produce much better timbre (especially in the bass), but imaging will be little more flat than the Ref 5.

Tubes versus solid state; really depends what type of sound you prefer.

MadFloyd thanx for your replay... You have really nice setup with Magico S5's... That is on my future list...

I like tube sound but in the long run I wan't to have preamp for life... No troubles...

It's very hard to move stuff in Slovenia for right price... Like you got married, hard to break up...