Anyone heard the Pass x.2.5?

I owned one for several months. Previously, I had several preamps, active and passive. It is one beautiful sounding, and looking, preamp. I had it mated with the X250 amp. In MY system, it was magical.
I changed frontends and went to a cdp direct to amp, so I sold it. If I needed more flexibility, I'd not hesitate to go back to that set-up. It was one sweet-sounding marriage.

Alliedtvandsound,

Which preamp(s) would you say are able to reproduce the "lifelike tonality" that you say the Pass pre's lack. I'm not trying to challenge your conclusions, just trying to figure out which other units to compare the Pass with.
Thanks for your comments.

I own a Pass Labs X2.5 and I can honestly say that the sound is very neutral- the circuitry is the same as the more expensive X1 with only the difference in the seperate power supply for the X1. I have paired it with the PS Audio HCA-2 and it makes a very fine match-up. The sound is far from flat and delivers the music in a very convincing and realistic fashion. Similar to Jeff Rowland and not as clinical as Krell- really the best of both worlds. It has great resolution and detail. The depth is very good (not sure why the dealer above was disappointed)- I played Diana Krall's Live in Paris and the depth is very good- this is a very musical pre-amp but like all things you have to audition and let your ears decide.

Alliedtvandsound-

Can u elaborate on your findings with the pass equipment? What were u comparing it to that had such a deep, layered soundstage which made the pass seem flat?

Contact Perrotta consulting in NY and he is jsut getting the 2.5 in. He let me audition the Pass X-250 am for aroung 4 weeks which I eventually bought.

Peter

With the introduction of the X0.2, the gap between it and the X-1 has become much greater.

I've auditioned x-0, x-1(95% of the x0), x-2 (90% of the x-1). I've posed the question on other sites and have received it’s about the same as the x-2 just more features and inputs.

I’ve never heard a bad pass component.

Best of Luck.

We have heard the Pass X-1 (and X-250 power amp) over the course of a 1-month evaluation.
First of all, the preamplifier is extremely quiet possessing crystal-clear clarity, wide/high sound-stage and fine dynamics. Sadly, this preamplifer had virtually no layering and depth perspective and simply was unable to deliver a tangible, lifelike tonality that makes sound reproduction (when done right) so captivating and real.

peter jasz.