Integrated Amplifiers - Luxman vs Pass Labs

4) Do you find the sound to be veiled in anyway?

this is the kicker question. Here is where the Pass sound really shines for me. Transparency. I have never heard an amplifier bring absolute stunning transparency to the scene as Pass. It is spooky! how transparent Pass amps can be. Literally, hearing new details and delicacy in music I’ve heard a thousand times before. When I heard that …and felt it….I knew these amps were special beasts.

@tj-sully

I appreciate that the above impressions are based on the Pass Labs XA60.8 mono blocks and a Pass Labs XP-12 preamp. Nevertheless, these are separates and not the integrated that the OP is asking.

Steve Huff has compared the Pass Labs INT250 and INT25(which he owned for a period of time) to the Luxman L-590AXII. Transparency to me represents detail, and the Luxman is said to sound more detailed than both Pass units.

Reviews in the links below with their respective excerpts;

Pass Labs INT-250 Review

"Luxman 590 AXII – Sweet, a little leaner than the Pass Labs with more detail so this is more for those who crave sharpness and detail over warmth and liquidity. Class A 30 watts but what it lacks in body compared to pass it makes up for in sweetness and dynamics. Made in Japan."

Pass Labs INT-25 Review

"Some may wonder what I think of the INT-25 compared to the Luxman 590AXII which is another beautiful heirloom quality integrated that comes in at around $9000. I could live with either but I would be happier with the Pass with my current speakers. The Luxman is more detailed, and has a thinner mid bass."

In this video, the Luxman L-590AXII is said to be more detailed than Pass Labs INT-250. Both units are in the top 3 list of best integrated amps of all time.

Hey Ryder,  yes of course this thread is about integrated amplifiers. But the op is also asking about the overall  house sound of Pass.  I own Pass products so I thought would  provide my own personal opinion.  Not something from a review or YouTube video. My own.  Cheers. 
“can anyone be more specific about the Pass sound (more specifically the Integrated's but also the overall house sound of Pass) 

Hi tj-sully. Don’t get me wrong. Of course you are entitled to provide your experience on the Pass Labs amp which you own. I’m just providing information on the comparison between the Pass Labs and Luxman in response to the remark which you made about the transparency of the Pass. The reviews and YouTube video are perfectly valid as they are specific to this thread. The reviewer has compared both Luxman and Pass Labs integrateds while both of us only have experience with either one. Although useful impressions, it’s pretty much a one-sided affair.

Two things:

1) Very few posters in this thread have had Luxman and Pass amps in their systems at the same time. Our aural memory is shockingly short - some studies suggest as short as 15 seconds.

2) Opinions are all over the map.

When you are spending serious dollars on equipment, you need to listen for yourself, ideally comparing both brands in your system. Not always easy to do though.

One thing worth noting is that Pass integrateds are bare bones affairs. Luxman’s feature set is better. Plus they look nicer IMHO.

FWIW, I have no Luxman experience in my system. I own a Pass Labs XA30.5, driving high efficiency open baffle speakers (Spatial Audio M3 Sapphires). I enjoy this pairing so much that I would only move up the Pass Class A line, most likely just to the XA30.8. Incredible detail and a very nimble, delicate presentation (not sure why some say these Class A amps are “dark” or “slow”.)