BAT or other Valve pre for PASS X-250

Hi Guys, Thanks for that.
I am using the Pass with a 20 year lod Musical Fidelity ss pre-amp which probably does not do it justice but find it far to solid state sounding compared to my Nu-Vista integrated which it was supposed to replace.
HMS Gran Finale speaker cables and a variety of i/c's but it's quite noisy on the phono inputs so I'd like to go balanced as I am moving my gear to another room and will need to use long i/c's.
I use an original Hydra with all Shunyata power cords and a dedicated ring main.
I.m also a bit miffed that I can't seem to use it with my REL sub due to none of the speaker outlets being grounded.
It works ok but I'm told it will eventually burn out the amp so no sub.
i've already had all sorts of problems with the Pass (in spite of it being checked and voltage converted at their factory)and beginning to wish I never shipped it over here.

Simon

Hi Overhang,
Got it last July and it gave a constant 'buzz' through my speakers (noticeable from about 15ft away at the listening position), after months of being told it was a grounding loop, which I knew was not the case (I tried it in three other peoples systems apart from my own-all of us are scrupulous about our mains supply), I gave it to an engineer.
When he told me he had screwed with the bias without a manual, I just dumped it in my garage.
Pass recommended an engineer at the other end of the u.k.who has 'almost' fixed it (at my expense).
He recommended replacing the op-amps which had been revised since my amp but had to take advice from Pass re the 'buzz'
It still gives a very slight buzz and I am told it is a problem with very long grounding tracks on the circuit board for the phono inputs - this can be tuned out.
Shame Pass could not have done this six months ago and saved me a lot of money and grief.
I'd love to say alls well that ends well but I'm singularly unimpressed by it. It does all the power, dynamics but subtlety, read ambience, harmonics etc don't seem to figure.
Tonally 'Bleached' would be my summation.
My Nu-Vista leaves it for dead with regard to creating something that sounds like real music.
Simon

Thanks for that, I will try it with other speaker cables but the HMS are IMO, very, very hard to beat.
I have some Kimber and Xindak I can try when I can sort out some spade connectors.
My speakers are Virgo 111's at 90dB and the noise is not really a problem now.
I will probably e-mail BAT direct and ask their opinion as I really fancy on of their pre-amps.
Si