Brinkman Edison VS pass labs xp25

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
Hi all -
i am between the hummer and the Hard case in here -
i am about to flip my relatively new phono stage. i bought the new luxman eq500 but its happened to be it is not a Fit with my other tube component (I feel there is a miss match in there between trans’)

So, I was thinking maybe I need to “go back” to SS where is all figured out… phono stage wise,
I have a Brinkman Bardo with a 10.5 arm from the company and talked with our dealer about the Edison. of course it’s not a problem to bring one over, nor him or me listen to it in our own system. It’s a very expensive unit for him to bring one for display. (him and me herded the Edison in Munich but it was a part of a big system, so…)
The next case on my hand is the PASS xp25 I know some of you guys own\ed
The pass dealer have one for me to evaluate in my own system but the price differences from my part (vs the brinkman) will be excessive if I will go the Pass route. (the luxman dealer is the brinkman dealer and willing to take the luxman back in full amount and give me a great price on the 9500eu Edison for resolving my “mistake”)

The questions are:
1 – what will you prefer based on your experiences (if any?)
2 – It’s a difficult one to decide I know, couse’ one of them will cost me a large amount but I get to evaluate it, the second will be largely less expensive and its an extension to my TT and arm (so I figure that will a perfect match) but it a “chance” all over again.
3 – I was reading here and other forums about Hum issues the xp25 have in some cases. Logistically I cant place this phono-S if it will not sit box on box directly - (I mean PSU and controller) how bad is that? Is there any one doing it and didn’t suffer from huge hum? Or its just a small issue us audiophile “need” to complain about?

Thank for any input…

A.
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Hi all -
i am between the hummer and the Hard case in here -
i am about to flip my relatively new phono stage. i bought the new luxman eq500 but its happened to be it is not a Fit with my other tube component (I feel there is a miss match in there between trans’)

So, I was thinking maybe I need to “go back” to SS where is all figured out… phono stage wise,
I have a Brinkman Bardo with a 10.5 arm from the company and talked with our dealer about the Edison. of course it’s not a problem to bring one over, nor him or me listen to it in our own system. It’s a very expensive unit for him to bring one for display. (him and me herded the Edison in Munich but it was a part of a big system, so…)
The next case on my hand is the PASS xp25 I know some of you guys own\ed
The pass dealer have one for me to evaluate in my own system but the price differences from my part (vs the brinkman) will be excessive if I will go the Pass route. (the luxman dealer is the brinkman dealer and willing to take the luxman back in full amount and give me a great price on the 9500eu Edison for resolving my “mistake”)

The questions are:
1 – what will you prefer based on your experiences (if any?)
2 – It’s a difficult one to decide I know, couse’ one of them will cost me a large amount but I get to evaluate it, the second will be largely less expensive and its an extension to my TT and arm (so I figure that will a perfect match) but it a “chance” all over again.
3 – I was reading here and other forums about Hum issues the xp25 have in some cases. Logistically I cant place this phono-S if it will not sit box on box directly - (I mean PSU and controller) how bad is that? Is there any one doing it and didn’t suffer from huge hum? Or its just a small issue us audiophile “need” to complain about?

Thank for any input…

A.

Unfortunately i have not spent enough time with the two to be able to answer which one is going to sound better. But i can tell you that the xp-25 is going to have a way lower noise floor than the Edison ( even with the step up transformers). Noise is important with a phono stage, but it is not the only factor. Whether you are going to experience any Humm with the Xp-25 is going to be very System dependent.
Personally i would not be to worried about that, because you will have to try the two yourself, to see what fits in your system and your taste....
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
Unfortunately i have not spent enough time with the two to be able to answer which one is going to sound better. But i can tell you that the xp-25 is going to have a way lower noise floor than the Edison ( even with the step up transformers). Noise is important with a phono stage, but it is not the only factor. Whether you are going to experience any Humm with the Xp-25 is going to be very System dependent.
Personally i would not be to worried about that, because you will have to try the two yourself, to see what fits in your system and your taste....


Hi Billy
thanks for you reply!
a couple of things if i may,
1 - why do you think the Brinkman will have more noise vs the PASS ?
2 - may be i was miss in translation (english is not my native as you may understand) but the problem i will only be able to here the PASS in my system and not the Edison.
the edison deal will be a better one against my own phono stage by a Significant amount vs the deal with the PASS on hand.

hope id make it clearer :)

thanks again.
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Hi Billy
thanks for you reply!
a couple of things if i may,
1 - why do you think the Brinkman will have more noise vs the PASS ?
2 - may be i was miss in translation (english is not my native as you may understand) but the problem i will only be able to here the PASS in my system and not the Edison.
the edison deal will be a better one against my own phono stage by a Significant amount vs the deal with the PASS on hand.

hope id make it clearer :)

thanks again.

Its a bit tough that your dealer will cut you a deal on the Edison but won't let you listen to it before hand!

The Edison does not have the lowest noise floor of any phono stage i have ever encountered. Not that i care much about measurements but i have read reviews with measured results that said the same thing. The edison still does all the things a high end vacume tube phonostage should do, like soundstage and Timbre but its not deadly silent. The pass is better in that respect (which does not mean you will definately prefer the pass). Also you would want to run the Pass balanced (xlr) to get the best out of it....
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
I just went through my Archive to see if i can find that Review i was remembering:
It was in the Sept.2011 issue of Stereoplay in German. Guess what...they compared the Edison to the Pass xp-25.

I will try to find time to give you a translation if you can't read the German.



IMG_0288.jpg IMG_0291.jpg
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
I just went through my Archive to see if i can find that Review i was remembering:
It was in the Sept.2011 issue of Stereoplay in German. Guess what...they compared the Edison to the Pass xp-25.

I will try to find time to give you a translation if you can't read the German.



View attachment 25136 View attachment 25137

wow!! that will be helpful!
i know stereoplay was ranking them in the same level. but i cant read the article itself...
if you could translate it even in a "manager brief" it will be great!

thanks a lot!
 

Billy Shears

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2015
255
1
150
Summary:
- They recommend using the Balanced input of the Edison
- Experiment with the Trnsformers and load resistance
- They where not so fond of the Edison with Moving magnet carts
- Paradoxically they found the noise to be more intrusive with MM than with MC
- The measurement actually backs this up: SN 67db with MM, 70db with MC (Transformers)
- Pass has better Bass but the Edison was more natural on Timbre which made different instruments stand out more clearly
- The Edison has this soundstage 3d effect you would hope for with a tube phono stage. But the Pass is very good when it comes to soundstage too.
- They rated them both the same but the Pass stays their reference due to the lower Noise floor
 
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byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
Summary:
- They recommend using the Balanced input of the Edison
- Experiment with the Trnsformers and load resistance
- They where not so fond of the Edison with Moving magnet carts
- Paradoxically they found the noise to be more intrusive with MM than with MC
- The measurement actually backs this up: SN 67db with MM, 70db with MC (Transformers)
- Pass has better Bass but the Edison was more natural on Timbre which made different instruments stand out more clearly
- The Edison has this soundstage 3d effect you would hope for with a tube phono stage. But the Pass is very good when it comes to soundstage too.
- They rated them both the same but the Pass stays their reference due to the lower Noise floor


i thank you greatly sir! for your time and kindness.
 

byrdparis

Well-Known Member
Nov 24, 2015
427
478
295
Israel
i will appriciates more inputs on the subjects if there are any, i will evaluate the XP25 today in my own system
but i'm still debating with myself which route to take if the XP25 turn to be great and quiet phono at my place.
thank you.
 

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