I own a Pass X-150 that I use to power my Audio Physics Virgos. I think this is a wonderful combination. I also have tried the Pass with my Nautilus 805s. Combining the X150 with the 805s really brought out the best in the 805s. The detail and soundstage both were incredible. In fact, I liked the combination so much that I am looking around for a Pass X5 to replace the amp I currently use in my HT. While I think the Cary is a great amp, I think the Pass would be a better combination with your 803s; however, you may wish to look at the X250 for the increased power. In my experience, the B&W speakers need a fair amount of power to bring out the best the speaker has to offer.
Pass X-150 or Cary V-12?
Does anybody have any experience with either of these amps? I am looking for a new amp for my B&W N803 speakers and am using a Placette Passive Line Stage for volume control/source selecting. I don't want to spend more than 4k and have already tried a number of amps to no avail (including Krell, Mark Levinson, Musical Fidelity, Conrad Johnson, Aragon, etc.). Thanks for any opinions on these two pieces.