Itching to upgrade preamp...

Budget is pretty open. I would like to keep it at $5k (plus the trade in value of the X0.2), but a bit more is not out of the question. I'd rather spend money once on good stuff that will stay.

The VAC sounds like an interesting option!

I do like the overall sound right now, but it's lacking a bit in depth (as in depth of soundstage). The width is decent, although not perfect.

@georgehifi I used to go direct from the DS Sr to the XA60.5, but inserting the preamp added quite a bit more space and drive. I do think the preamp is necessary to get the most out of it. Not that the DS is bad, just that the X0.2 is better.

Going through the P12 does actually improve the XA60.5. Yes, it looses a bit of low end slam, but it gains in terms of imaging. It's trade off that I can live with.

@oldears Maybe you're right... it could very well be that the X0.2 is not the limiting factor. Only way to find out is to demo some other pre's (trying a PrimaLuna EVO400 today). As to the room, not much can be done with the layout. It's a dedicated room, but I can't "turn it 90deg" as it would be too short. There's a mixture between acoustic panels and acoustic diffusers. I used to own a recording studio, so I'm quite familiar with acoustics to how to get the most out of the room (wouldn't call myself an expert, but knowledgeable enough not to screw it up too badly).

@d2grils I'm not sure a passive preamp would achieve anything... that would be just like driving the amps directly via the DirectStream Sr... does sound good, but you do lose drive and space.

@soix about 8 feet. The speakers are well out in the room. If I move them further back towards the back wall, they loose the disappearing act that Audio Physic are famous for.

So I spent a bit of time yesterday with PrimaLuna EVO400 preamp and although decent, it just didn't add anything tangible. Maybe a bit of warmth, but the amps felt anemic with it. Not a good match. Also tested the EVO 400 amp with it and that doesn't agree with the AP Avanti III. They sounded glorious on my friends AP Virgo II's.

I'm guessing that I just need to try a few different pre's to get an idea of what works...

Lots of very interesting suggestions! I guess I need to find a bunch of dealers within driving distance and simply test them out.

The test with the PrimaLuna EVO400 (yes, I ran it fully balanced... just swapped the cables from my X0.2 and also grabbed the power cord, so about as equal as you can get) gave me new appreciation for the Pass pre... it's pretty good, but I wish it could give just a bit more space and maybe a smidgen of "tube glow"

@drrsutliff the more I read about the VAC the more intrigued I get. I may need to find a place to listen to it

I'm going to try a PSA BHK. I know the synergy with the DS is there, and I think it could be a good match to the Pass XA60.5's as well.