2. amps-preamps
  3. 180557-4104

Pass labs upgrade path

Hi there. I’m Currently running a X350.5 and XP20 with a Bricasti M1SE and PBN KAS speakers. 
 

I have budget to upgrade amp or preamp and am considering either a X350.8 or XP22 or XP30 as my next logical upgrade. 
 

I’m more inclined for a XP22 than anything else as I heard a XP12 in my system and it did sound much more like a live show but without the advantages of separate power supply. 
 

I have not heard a XP30 or a .8 amplifier so I figured I’d ask around and see if anyone had been in a similar spot. 
 

Thanks y’all. 

systembuilder

Showing 3 responses by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

Thanks. Good to be back. 

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

Thanks, Doug. fyi, thousands back you up. Literally, thousands. That is how many visits I had when my site launched. 3.7 thousand, to be precise. Therefore fair to estimate hundreds if not thousands have benefited from this advice: Nobsound if on a budget, Townshend if top shelf. The hardest part about Nobsound, it is so hard to believe something so cheap really can be so good. (The hardest part about Townshend is they can be so much better even than that!) 

 

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 

I'm using the Townshend Allegri Reference with my Pass XA25 and hard to imagine anything more transparent. Being passive it uses only a small wall wart to power remote and display, so money saved on one less power cord. The chassis with dedicated design Pods takes care of isolation. It even takes up hardly any shelf space. Altogether making it a tremendous value. Main drawback being it is hard to say how it sounds. But having no sound is what I'm going for, so I'm happy.

More to discover