Disappointment with Pass Labs - I'm looking for something else


Hello, I am new to this forum and my mother tongue is not English, so please forgive me if I make mistakes as I use a translator.

I recently bought an XA30.8 and an XP12. I was very happy but as time went by I began to not feel comfortable with the sound.
After doing many tests, I find that the XA30.8 sounds very very sweet but actually too much. I find it to be a loosely defined amp, somewhat muddy and lacks a lot of air and grip. The soundstage is very closed.

The XP-12 is the worst of the two. It is a previous that removes a lot of resolution and information, without transient attacks and sunken mid frequencies. Instead it brings warmth.

Has anyone of you found the same?

If you ask me, I have a Klipsch Cornwall and a dCS BArtok.

Now I want a capable amp, forceful, something warm, decisive, airy and with a great soundstage.

At first I thought of changing my XA30.8 for X250.8, and changing the XP-12 for a second-hand Audio Research Ref5. I am afraid of this change and continue with Pass, since I can go back to the same thing a bit.

On the other hand I have thought of going for a Luxman 900 combo, since it has very good reviews and from what I have read it could be the winning ticket.
opm
@cal3713  is right on.  I think system building starts with the speaker choice and the room you're putting them in.  That determines so much of the sound signature you are going to live with, for the most part.  And then you need to find a great amp to mate with those speakers.

I owned the Pass XA30.8, too, and I came to precisely the same conclusion that you did.  Too over-warm and a bit vague sounding, just like a blanket was thrown over the music, IME.  It, of course, didn't sing with my primary speakers, TAD CR-1's (not a happy pairing at all, and under-powered), but I also didn't like my very high efficiency Teresonic Ingenium Silvers (the reason I tried the Pass), for the reasons you find.  And I would note that both of these speaker options come from my "up front / bit brighter" camp, which would normally be a better match for a warmer amp.  The Pass just doesn't fill the bill.

I now have a Luxman M900u, and it has the attributes you say you are seeking - - a lot of definition, wondrous soundstaging, while still retaining a smidge of warmth.  And they do have plenty of drive, their Japanese pedigree aside (where did that blanket statement above come from?!).  However, I honestly can't see it with the Klipsch.  But since you're going to throw everything up in the air with a speaker change, I've offered my amp comparison, FYI.
Just get the NAD M33 Integrated, streaming 200 wpc amp with Dirac Live room correction as well as tone controls and balance control.  Simplicity in a revolutionary, distortion free amp.
If you are after the Pass Labs sound and you are not happy with the XA30.8 then I’d thoroughly recommend the XA25 as a cheaper alternative. I sold my XA30.8 and bought an XA25 for a similar reason to the OP. I felt that as nice as the XA30.8 was, it was too warm and it didn’t have tight enough bass. The XA25 has that Class A relaxed sound but it coupled with a lower noise floor and high levels of speaker control (lower output impedance). It also has fairly similar power output to the XA30.8 (Stereophile measured 90 watts into 8 ohms). Pure Class-A extends to about 25 watts which is similar figure to the XA30.8 from memory.
It also weighs about half as much so you won’t get a hernia lifting it (ask me how I know)......
Also, if you did buy the XA25 you still really don’t like the Pass Labs preamp, I’d heartily recommend the PS Audio BHK Preamp. I use mine with Telefunken tubes and it is sublime.