Pass Lab owners - Check in!

[assessor43]

Pass Labs!

 

[chungjh]

Just got my first Pass amp in the other day from Mark at Reno HiFi. It’s a refurbished X250 and looks absolutely in mint condition. It also has an interesting distinction of having the rectangular black output transistors as seen in the .5 series amps rather than the metal cased devices most commonly used in the X250. It also has a black clad transformer. Mark said the amp had three revisions during its span of manufacturing and mine is from the final revision.

It’s currently breaking in so I can only state the sound of my X250 is very promising. View attachment 56791 View attachment 56792 View attachment 56793

Hi Rick

I see in your photo that you have Parasound. I was thinking about Parasound JC-1 vs Pass XA100.5. What do you think?

 

[RickS]

Hi Rick

I see in your photo that you have Parasound. I was thinking about Parasound JC-1 vs Pass XA100.5. What do you think?

Having never heard either of those amps I dare not make a recommendation. My Parasound A21 amp is very nice but the X250 steps up the performance quite handily. I strongly recommend auditioning both the JC1 and the Xa100.5.

 

[WDW]

Hello All,
We just took delivery of an AX30.8 from Reno Hifi and within an hour or two of listening, while the piece was still quite stone cold but wired into power, we are completely smitten. Just totally excited how good this piece will sound when played in.
Just a wonderful piece of gear.

 

[ostrey93]

Congrats on your new amp! If you like it now just wait. As it breaks in for a few hundred hours it keeps on getting better and better. What pre-amp / other gear are you running with it?

 

[valkyrie]

While a Pass fan of the first order, I have to admit that the JC-1 is an exceptional amplifier - in every way imaginable.

BTW: Most Pass amplifiers will deliver about 10% more power - continuously - than their rating. Same with the bias point - typically Pass biases his amps for about 10% of the rated power to be Class A - again - usually a bit more than the 10% default. Pass builds intensely musical equipment - that is very reliable.

 

[rugyboogie]

Now owner of a previously enjoyed X 350.5.
Arrived yesterday and now plugged in.
Will listen tonight to see how it drives the Divas.

 

[PeterA]

Congratulations. I look forward to learning your impressions. You have some nice gear, BTW. Any photos?

 

[rugyboogie]

 

[rugyboogie]

Pass front and center, darTZeel to the left, Classe DR-3b to the right.
Behind the Pass is the ML-23.5 and far back is the Wyetech Topaz 211.
Let the listening begin.
Link to my system on Agon, https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/1104

 

[rugyboogie]

Picture of the Diva with Wilson Watchdog sittin in the corner, good dog.

 

[cjfrbw]

OOOhhh, those Divas! Apogee lust, congrats.

 

[Robertd]

Aleph 3. Very happy with it. Maybe a phono pre in the future

 

[marcosax]

First post, just got a Pass Labs X250.8. Still breaking in and already love it!

 

[BlueFox]

Nice. Enjoy.

 

[alfa100]

Enjoy. Don’t be surprised if sound fluctuates. Will settle and sound great after 200 hours

 

[Mikem53]

I have the XA-25 and I am loving it! More than I expected, I even have my hardcore analog/tube friend wanting to borrow my amp for a listen in his system..
I recently built the Pass ACA amp for my office system.. was an enjoyable build and sounds very good !
Again, I got more than I was expecting, build and SQ wise.. Papa Pass is a class act and a fab audio designer/engineer.

 

[cpcat]

I currently have XA 100.5’s XVR1 active crossover, and X5. I bought the X5 in June 2000 and recently sent it back to Pass for recapping -so hopefully it’s good for another 20 yrs. I also bought dual x150’s a few years after original purchase of the X5 and several yrs ago traded them in at Reno HiFi towards the xa100.5’s. I bought the XVR1 from Mark at Reno HiFi at about the same time.

I use the XVR1‘s Hi-pass output to drive 2 of the X5 inputs which then provides speaker level outputs to dual Vandersteen 2wq subs-that is how the Vandys are designed, to take a first- order hi pass crossed at 80hi from the mains. The Low output from XVR1 is bypassed/full range and drives my mains speakers via the XA100.5’s.
The other 3 channels on the X5 are for center/rears on the HT side of the system.

I have emailed Kent English at Pass on occasion over the years with various questions about my system and he is always promptly responsive and informative -Pass Labs service after the sale is second to none.

 

[PGA]

I'm using an XVR1 that I bought used to bi-amp TAD R1s. Andrew Jones was very helpful identifying the correct settings on the XVR1. The system sounds great. We sent the XVR1 to the factory have them look it over, and it works flawlessly. The amps are Benchmark ABH2s, four in mono.

 

[Audire]

Pass 260.8s
XP-22

PS: The XP-22 will be replaced in the next few weeks with an EMM Labs PRE.