Pass XA.5 vs XA.8

Mike said:
Ken - I'm over the moon. I listened to Albert King/SRV - In Session and it NEVER sounded like that before.

I hope you can hear the amazing synergy between Pass and Strads.

Mike

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Mike,

I can't wait to lay my ears on some Strads. The synergy you're experiencing must be unbelievable. What are you enjoying most so far, rock, jazz or classical?

My Salon 2's sound terrific with my Pass gear but I don't think they're as synergistic a match as Pass and Strads. The Salon 2's are so neutral that they are very much a blank canvas to be painted on by the rest of your gear. But they don't produce a natural musicality unto themselves, they just pass it along. The synergistic match you have achieved is actually pretty rare, something to be savored like a fine wine.

Enjoy,
Ken
 
Ken - I've owned Salon 2's and Studio 2's. They are excellent speakers. But IMO - the Strads are on another level. They have soul.

I've been listening to everything - Jazz, rock, blues, even some classical.

Just finished listening to Albert King/SRV - In Session.


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Thanks Allen - definitely yes.


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Mike said:
Ken - I've owned Salon 2's and Studio 2's. They are excellent speakers. But IMO - the Strads are on another level. They have soul.

I've been listening to everything - Jazz, rock, blues, even some classical.

Just finished listening to Albert King/SRV - In Session.


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Mike,

I would love to hear Pie Jesu - Rutter's Requiem - Turtle Creek Chorale on your Pass XS / Strad combo. And then follow With You I'm Born Again - Jazz in the Key of Blue - Roy Hargrove.

Ken
 
Alpinist said:
Mike,

I would love to hear Pie Jesu - Rutter's Requiem - Turtle Creek Chorale on your Pass XS / Strad combo. And then follow With You I'm Born Again - Jazz in the Key of Blue - Roy Hargrove.

Ken
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Ok, you better bring it with you.


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Hallo Mike,

Sonus Faber are sure great speaker but is a personal taste.

Personaly I find the Sonus a good match with McIntosh gears......but I dont like this combo...Is not my taste. too much "soft"...a slow motion...

well IMHO!!!

I like Passlabs and I have Pass too! with Wilson Sasha2.

Speakers like Isophon/Ayon/Tidal/Estelon/Focal/Wilson.... hard sound is for me the Top.


Is sure a personal taste....Sonus Faber is much appreciated, no way but is not for me.

In your signature I read that you have the XS preamp. -> before you had ampli like Xp20/30 with the XS150 dual chassis?

Is this Top preampli "on the edge"?

thank you
 
db33 said:
Hallo Mike,

Sonus Faber are sure great speaker but is a personal taste.

Personaly I find the Sonus a good match with McIntosh gears......but I dont like this combo...Is not my taste. too much "soft"...a slow motion...

well IMHO!!!

I like Passlabs and I have Pass too! with Wilson Sasha2.

Speakers like Isophon/Ayon/Tidal/Estelon/Focal/Wilson.... hard sound is for me the Top.


Is sure a personal taste....Sonus Faber is much appreciated, no way but is not for me.

In your signature I read that you have the XS preamp. -> before you had ampli like Xp20/30 with the XS150 dual chassis?

Is this Top preampli "on the edge"?

thank you
Click to expand...

db33 - I understand your view on the Mc/SF combo. As much as I loved my McIntosh 2301's on the Strads, they seemed slow. I was the first to mention this at another forum got roasted for it. Turns out, I was right. Many others have since found the same thing. But it's still a great amp....but Pass is better IMO.

I can imagine Pass with the Sasha 2's as being a great combination. Which Pass amps do you have?

I owned the Wilson Alexia's, but never got a chance to test them with Pass gear. I tried lots of other gear though: D'Agostino, McIntosh, Cary, VAC, etc. The D'Agostino's were excellent, but my room proved too problematic for the Wilson speakers.

If you have not heard the Stradivari's, I would encourage you to do so. They have soul. They are a Masterpiece from the late Sonus Faber founder Franco Serblin. They are my definition of musical vs audiophile sound type speakers.

Yes, I have the XS preamp, but did not own any previous Pass preamp to compare it with. I know MDKIM (Michael) here on Audioshark.org has gone from the XP30 to the XS preamp. Perhaps he can offer his comments and insight.

I have two world class preamps - the Pass XS and a heavily modified VAC which technically sits between the Master and the Statement. I have not compared the two on the Pass amps....but may one day. The synergy between the XS preamp and XS amps is something I just don't want to mess with right now - not even for testing purposes.

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the XS Phonostage (to be announced sometime early next year). That will be my next move.

In the end, I would suggest that if you can move up to the XS preamp, you won't be disappointed.

Mike
 
The Xs pre brings so much refinement and nuance in comparison to the XP30. Tiny tiny variations in dynamics, cleaner decay, and even better bass texture than the XP30 - which is, IMO, an already outstanding piece. And, as Mike mentions, everything comes from one of the blackest backgrounds that I've ever experienced. I also feel the Xs allows me to hear deeper into the rest of system. Cable/source changes are even more readily distinguishable.

IMO, the Xs amp/pre combo is hard to top or move from once you've experienced it. And it should for its price. It's why I've chosen to build my system around them.

Mike, I've found the amps sound a touch smoother after being on for several hours ;). My electricity bill is consistently $80-120 higher after I switched to Pass. Congratz again and enjoy the heck out of them.
 
mdkim said:
The Xs pre brings so much refinement and nuance in comparison to the XP30. Tiny tiny variations in dynamics, cleaner decay, and even better bass texture than the XP30 - which is, IMO, an already outstanding piece. And, as Mike mentions, everything comes from one of the blackest backgrounds that I've ever experienced. I also feel the Xs allows me to hear deeper into the rest of system. Cable/source changes are even more readily distinguishable.

IMO, the Xs amp/pre combo is hard to top or move from once you've experienced it. And it should for its price. It's why I've chosen to build my system around them.

Mike, I've found the amps sound a touch smoother after being on for several hours ;). My electricity bill is consistently $80-120 higher after I switched to Pass. Congratz again and enjoy the heck out of them.
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That's why I leave my Pass amps on for 4 hours before I listen to them. I don't want 98% but 100% of Pass performance!
 
mdkim said:
The Xs pre brings so much refinement and nuance in comparison to the XP30. Tiny tiny variations in dynamics, cleaner decay, and even better bass texture than the XP30 - which is, IMO, an already outstanding piece. And, as Mike mentions, everything comes from one of the blackest backgrounds that I've ever experienced. I also feel the Xs allows me to hear deeper into the rest of system. Cable/source changes are even more readily distinguishable.

IMO, the Xs amp/pre combo is hard to top or move from once you've experienced it. And it should for its price. It's why I've chosen to build my system around them.

Mike, I've found the amps sound a touch smoother after being on for several hours ;). My electricity bill is consistently $80-120 higher after I switched to Pass. Congratz again and enjoy the heck out of them.
Click to expand...

Mike - this is a great explanation of the XS preamp and exactly what I'm hearing in comparison to previous systems. I can fully understand (now) why you built your system around the XS gear. Having owned the XA.5 series, enjoyed the XA.8 series in my system and now owning the XS series, it is clear to see why Pass remains an worldwide industry leader.
 
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