HELP ADVICE FEEDBACK PS Audio BHK 300 - Hegel H30 - Pass Labs X250.8 or Pass X350.5 amp

Have you considered trying a Devialet amp?  I'll admit I wasn't a fan of an all in one setups and didn't care that much for their phantom speakers, but I came across a used one for a good price about two months ago and figured I'd be able to sell it for the same price I got it for.  Within 2 weeks I listed my 2 mc275s, c22, chord hugo 2 for sale and I didn't even hesitate.  I currently have the Blade 2's and a devialet D400 and I've just ordered the D1000.   Doesn't hurt also that my electric bill has dropped significantly...the d400 draws about 30 watts under load.

I've always been intrigued by the Magico's and thought they are a really great looking speaker and of superb build quality - probably nicer build quality than the Blades.  I've had my Blade's for about a year (evolved from LS50, to Reference 1s to Blade 2s) and I absolutely love them.  They really do disappear and it is very difficult to position the speakers with your eyes closed.  Hearing they require hundreds of hours of breaking sounds bogus to me - why would they ever stop breaking in then?  Why do all speakers seem to get better with breakin time?  Are there any speakers that get worse?  Seems to me like it's more getting used to a particular speaker signature just like you get used to living in a new place.  The blades took a few positioning tweaks adjustments over a few days when I got them new, but no break in time for me.

Nice - sounds like a great set up you have.

i have not tried or considered one of those amps but have heard great things about them.

I’m not sure what the KEF Uses for Caps but I think Conrad Johnson said it best. Lew would say “ I have no idea why our preamps sound better after a few hundred hours but they do.” Maybe the Caps forming and breaking in or the wires or transformers or boards or who knows really? The ears make those calls. I myself do not pretend have enough knowledge about all of the technical stuff but from talking to Nelson Pass where we can measure everything but can’t say something measuring great will actually sound better to the human brain verse something else that doesn’t.

All those old Carver $200 amps measure really well and in some cases better than his .8 amps and does anyone think for a second those amps sound better than his new Pass amps. He measures to get everything in line and close and finishes by ear as many but not all do. Ironically I think Magico is more prone to follow the measurements much more closely but I also think amps and speakers are quite different.

The reason I believe or rather know break in really matters is because I hear it with my own ears. That’s the best way in my opinion to decide on anything by seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling or smelling something ourselves. Once we do that we don’t need someone’s opinion about any of those things as we just experience it ourselves and no one can explain to you how something tastes verse actually tasting it yourself.

Fist hand tangible - actual experience is where it’s in my opinion but again that’s just my take. Maybe other people taste food but don’t want to decide what they think until they hear from others first. That’s certainly not my take on things but I respect people wanting to live their lives the way they want. That’s what everything is all about really. 

Someone can state that’s not what I’m hearing and I’m not arguing so I’ll say ok and then think to myself how can someone else even pretend to tell me what I hear but to each there own. This is in general not toward you. Speaking generally about the idea or concept of breakin.

That’s awesome you didn’t need any break in I’ve heard that from others as well which is cool. That’s what you hear which makes sense to me for sure.

Thanks for your feedback.

For what’s its worth I pulled the trigger on the Hegel H30 amplifier. Yeah probably should have waited until I got my ML Pre but I buy my gear used so need to pull trigger when the deal available - don’t aways get to chose or dictate the time line so must make those calls on the fly and my gut said go so I went. We shall see. New pre and amp coming.

Out goes the BAT VK-32SE 
In comes: Mark Levinson No.326s

Out goes: Pass Labs X350.5 
In comes: Hegel H30 

We shall see. I’m trying to get closer to the music. More transparency, more vivid, higher resolution, more dynamic, more clarity, more bass control and nuance and detail down low but also must be smooth with no etch or sterile or white wash or chalk.

I’m hoping Levinson and Hegel combo provide that over BAT and Pass but we shall see. I actually preferred my Bricasti direct way more than with the BAT so at worst I’m hoping I like Bricasti direct to Hegel over direct to Pass. Or better yet like Levinson / Hegel over Bricasti direct to Pass but we shall see. 

Appreciate the comments and feedback.

All that matters is that you can tell the difference.  Wish there were more blind tests done, but I don't doubt given there are moving parts that things can change.  Enjoy!

I think like most things the actual truth is probably somewhere in the middle give or take a bit each way. We staunch break-in believers more than likely attach more to break-in when many other factors im sure are contributing overall. Like our brains acclimating to the new and different sound im sure plays are larger roll than we can understand or appreciate I'm sure.

I'm excited to try this new Hegel H30 amp. 

I have made plenty of mistakes and part of the fun for me is my not worrying about making the mistakes. Well as long as the new buys are grounded in relative, data driven, intelligent purchase decisions. Obviously buying used allows this bring em in and if not what I was hoping move them out approach possible.

I know today it is not nearly as easy to do as it was a decade ago but still if one is patient it can work. Moreover, the opposite it true also (me doing an amp deal before even getting to hear my pre with old amp) as I must be willing to jump early. I think both patience and the willingness to jump when not ready is what can allow the coming and goings possible with regards to making audio mistakes and keeping them form becoming monetary mistakes. 

The goal is getting closer to the music but also making what I think is informed decisions without fear of being wrong. 

My thinking was this at this point. I am looking to push and get a bit closer to the music while not getting to close so to say. We are always looking for the equilibrium. Some warmth but not too warm as we don't want to loose that detail. Immediate but not in your face. We want that depth but not too far back. We want to lighten up with entire stage without being too bright. Liquid but not too smooth. A dap of coolness for the detail but not being clinical. We all know there is no free lunch and synergy is key to oh so many moving parts before we even consider break-in and the like.

I've been looking for a pre but in a certain price range. If money was no object things would be much easier but still not easy.

So the Pass X350.5 is known as a warm, powerful and beautiful sounding amp. An excellent amp in any event. 

The Levinson No.326s is a very good solid state preamp but the knock on it seems to be its known to be a little laid back and not the most vivid or exciting but it excels at most everything else.

It seems if your system is already a bit warm and could use a little infusion of vividness or immediacy then thing pre will not push it forward but it is otherwise thought of very fondly. Much of it is like the great No.32 preamp which most everyone loves.

My thought with the Hegel H30 is to get an amp that is a bit more immediate, dynamic, transparent and a bit more more resolving and this may match the Levinson No.326s a bit better and I maybe able to get a bit closer to that elusive equilibrium we all are looking for.

Sure it is tough to part with the outstanding and beautiful sounding Pass X350.5 but you know the saying - no pain no gain so I'm taking a shot. The safe would be to keep the gorgeous sounding X350.5. 

Trust me I don't claim to be some expert that has all the answers. I am the exact opposite. Not on purpose but I understand but I'm really just sort of just throwing darts but honestly unless you hear in your own system with your own gear that's really all any if us are really doing. I'm trying to do in a way that if it doesn't work well then bring on the next one but I hope it does as I keep learning and hope I score on a much higher percentage of these shots!  Thats may take anyways...