Need immediate help

FWIW I have heard people over at Audio Asylum use the X-1 with the X-250 (of course) and for those who like a little warmer presentation the Plinius SA-250 mkIV.
I would recommend checking out the inmate systems at www.audioasylum.com, search for Pass Labs and see what folks are using. Best of luck!
-Vik

I own the Pass Labs X-1. Pass Labs strongly recommends running this unit in balanced mode. Both my CDP and my Amp are true balanced designs. I began with RCA termination, then moved to discovery essence XLR. In my system, balanced sounds better.

As with every component,a certain amount of tweaking is necessary to fine tune a unit to be synergistically correct with the rest of the system. With the X-1 in my system, I found it sounded better stacked than separated. I understand using XLR cables are the way to go. Being too cheap to purchase balanced cables (until necessary),I run my RCA plugs to #2 input and pull the jumper pin from the #2 balance plug. Running the pre without the jumper pin resulted in a more relax presentation. I also run my Aleph Amp without the jumper pin.
I am also using a Tice Solo power conditioner. Believe it or not plugging the pre's power cord into each different outlet on the conditioner also gave me a different presentation. I'm not sure of the wiring configuration on the conditioner to why this is so.
Anyway, this is where things will stay no now, for the first time I am satisfy!

If the unit has a true-balanced in/outputs along with single-ended use Balanced.

Definition:
True-balanced outputs have their signal wire split to two for positive and negative component of the signal.

I have the X150 amp and thought that it may be somewhat lean in the midrange, until I changed my digital, and cables. Now, I almost think it is too rich in the midrange, but who knows. Bottom line...the amp is a chameleon and will take on the signature of your surrounding components and highlight its weaknesses. It is amazingly fast, neutral, transparent, detailed, and utterly smooth. If your system is lean, I would look elsewhere first.

For synergy, I am guessing a Pass amp is best for your X1, and run it in balanced mode. I too have done alot of research on what type of preamp to get and when I do, I will get a Pass X2.5 or if I have the cash an X1 to match my X150.

Thanks for the info everyone; and, by the way,Platsolos, there are a lot of X-1s coming up for sale; be careful and make sure you're getting what you think you're paying for: the newest ones have matching silver boxes (the older units have silver primary and black power box).