Fiddle, INT30A! That's one sweet sounding amp. I have XA30.5 and Desmond of Pass once told me its actual output is closer to 60 watts class A into 8 ohms.
Czbbcl, Focal Be and Pass class A are quite an amazing match. I had 1008Be and now 1028Be, both sets are driven by XA30.5. Meter rarely move (if at all) in my 18x25 room. |
Hi Chuck, I have Pass XP-10 pre. My music preference are rock, jazz (vocal), EDM and some classical. |
I like XP-10 a lot (granted never had a tube pre in my rig and that's one of the things I'd like to try sooner than later). Haven't heard XP-20 but based on my experience with the 10 and what ppl told me, 20 should be an amazing piece. Obviously XP pre-amps offer truly balanced circuits (and other benefits of having a good pre - soundstage, noise level, etc) over the volume control of INT30A or INT150, but it's subjective if the added cost is justified. XP pre also has HT by-pass, one of the features I need. INT models do not. One thing to note here also is it sounds better when I have my AVR passed through XP-10 pre to XA30.5 using balanced connection than connecting AVR to XA30.5 unbalanced directly. My AVR doesn't have balanced outs.
If you don't need HT by-pass and want to get an integrated than the separates, I'd go with INT30A and use the rest of the fund towards upgrading from 1007Be to either 1028Be or Diablo Utopia. :)
For a tube pre to pair with either XA30.5 or X150.5, I'd make sure the pre's output impedance is <1k ohm across the board (not just the rated output impedance). |
Sorry to hear your tube blowing up incident. That doesn't sound pretty.
What you said is exactly the reason I went with XA30.5 and XP-10 combo. XA.5 amp input impedance isn't very high and I also felt XP-10 might just be the best matching ss pre.
I thinking you're talking about Mark. A good guy to do business with. |
Congrats on the purchase Chuck. Let's us know how it is compared to your Cary. I know it's tube vs. ss, but I think it'd still be very interesting. |
Congrats Chuck! It seems money is not much an object and in that case, I'd like to suggest Utopia Scala over Diablo. :) XA100.5, XP-20 and a pair of Scala would be a killer system. I wet my pants talking about it. lol I currently have XA30.5, XP-10 and Electra 1028 Be and not sure if I can go back to monitors, even if it is Diablo. |
Hi Chuck, congrats on INT30A! As mentioned, IME, Focal Be and Pass class A are a match made in audio nirvana. With that air and energy at high frequency with a touch of sweetness leading the way, everything becomes very transparent, clear and seductive. With 1007s being 89db 8ohm (min 4ohm), INT30A shouldn't break a sweat taking control over the drivers, even at loud levels.
BTW, I've had 2 other sets of speakers from well known brands with Pass XA30.5 in my rig, but pairing with Focal Be is what floats my boat.
Hi Fiddler,
I've heard nothing but good about Electrocompaniet. The only experience I have had with them though is their old ECD-1 dac. One word (or two) that can describe is "beautiful mid-range". |
Hi Chuck and Fiddler,
Any updates? :) |
XA30.5 is the only stereo in XA.5 line and all the others are mono. Maybe X250.5? Mark once told me X.5s have more bass slam and XA.5s are about seduction and refinement. |
Chuck, just to make sure...your speakers are 1007 Be, correct? I had 1008 Be and felt the bass was a little lacking in my 18x25 room. So I moved up to 1028 Be and still find XA30.5 drives these 3-way floorstanders without a sweat (meter stays on the left side even at very loud level).
One other thing to note is when I had 1008s, at one point I did A/B XA30.5 with Bryston 4BSST2 (300wpc) and didn't feel Pass gave up anything to Bryston in any way. Bryston may drive a lot more difficult load better, but for speakers like 1008s, my experience is Pass is in another league. |
Diablo it is then :) Still XA100.5 + Diablo will sound heavenly. Come back and let us know..I'd be very interested to hear what you think. |
If you have the room for it, go for the Maestro :D Bass performance should emulate modern EDM concerts. XA100.5 should stay in class A even for big dynamic swings with these 93db mammoths.
One caution though, is to address your power distribution if you haven't already. These world-class speakers and amps deserve quality power or you could go in circles trying to set them up. One other thing is, I'm sure you know this, Be tweeters (+crossover) could take upward of 500 hrs of break-in time (my own experience). |
Any updates Chuck? I'm keenly awaiting what you'll decide. :) |
Any updates, both czbbcl and fiddleronroof? Just for the sake of it I'm thinking of trying an integrated, possibly Hegel or Electrocompaniet. I recently added a CD player and a mixer to the setup and going separates is just too many boxes and cables. |
I have Focal Electra 1028 Be speakers (91db). Love the Be tweeters with class A amplification :)
Pass INT-30A doesn't have HT-bypass :( Or else I'd be all over it. I was just thinking the other day if one of the inputs on INT-30A can be used as HT-bypass with max'ing out the volume steps. |
I have XA30.5+XP-10 combo :) so probably do not lose much from INT30 in terms of sonic quality, but I'd love to have a one box solution. |
Just to update, I have had a chance to home-demo a Hegel H200 integrated in my rig for about 3 days. The unit is well broken-in and the gentleman who loaned me the unit has been using it. I didn't start the evaluation until it was in my rig for at least 20 hours playing music constantly.
It went up against my Pass combo (XA30.5 + XP-10) and I must say Pass combo wins with ease. This is expected given their MSRP price differences. But I was impressed enough with H200 that if you're looking for an integrated in sub $4-5k range, H200 is a must audition. It sounded quite nice, but just not at Pass separates level.
I might also audition H300 (many people say H300 is at another level than H200), hopefully in the next a couple of months. |
To my surprise, they sound very similar. Pass combo is just more refined and has a calmer, sweeter presentation. |
Yes, H300 is definitely worth a look for anyone who's looking for one box solution. H300 even has a built-in dac btw, unlike H200. With Hegel claiming H300 was built from the ground up and not from H200, I'm not sure what to expect of it. To me, H300 has to be at least on par with my Pass combo for me to switch. A little less and not sure if I could live with it long term. I feel what I currently have is the absolute minimum.
Chuck, Boulder 865 looks very interesting. I will look into it too. I do need HT bypass and a set of pre-outs to drive the sub. |
Hi Chuck,
Congrats! What is your impression regarding INT-30A vs. XA100.5 (plus XP-20?)? I'll be very interested. For now, it's not in the plan to move up to XA100.5 (due to too many boxes) but who knows what future might hold.
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By the way, did you also change the speakers too? I remember you have 1007Be. |
Hi Chuck,
I know you mentioned INT30A bottomed out on your 1007Be. If you're looking at Diablo, would it be possible to wait until after the speaker upgrade to try out the amps, particularly XA30.5? Many people commented XA30.5 is sweetest sounding of XA.5 series if the speakers are efficient enough (I wouldn't know because I only have experience with XA30.5). Your experience on INT30A maybe due to its not being as "powerful" as or relatively lack of control compared to XA30.5. I understand INT30A amp section is the same but a combo like XA30.5 + XP-10 or XP-20 should be much better than amp + volume control (sharing power supply, capacitor size, etc).
I'm saying this because I had 1008Be and now 1028Be with the same XA30.5 and even at very loud level, the amp stays in class A. My room is 18x25. Besides, I do not think XA30.5 + XP-10 would give up anything Diablo has to offer if source and cabling are up to the task. More importantly, it's much less money and boxes/cables than XA100.5 + XP-20. If the speakers are Scala though, I wouldn't want anything less. BTW, Focal announced there might be a Scala II (I was also told it is not possible due to important changes to the cabinet).
But of course I don't doubt XA100.5 monos will outperform XA30.5 stereo in any way. |
So which speakers did you end up getting? Please tell me Scala II. :p |
