Pass X-250.8, X-250.5 or XA-30.8...or?

The pass monoblocks got better over time gradually because I made changes to room acoustics as well as cabling and vibration control devices.  This got me 80 percent to total happiness.  I then changed my turntable cartridge from lyra kleos to koetsu platinum signature which found used on audiogon and that was the final element needed to make everything sound glorious in the midrange and a tight bass.

The dartzeel is in a different room with different equipment including dartzeel preamp so hard to compare the amps in terms of how close pass gets but would say if had to buy new would be very content with the pass at half price.  However used they are roughly same price nowadays and would buy dartzeel first as it still more magical.  That said dart amp should be played with dart preamp as that is where magic occurs and pass better if driving less efficient speakers than 90db so really system dependent.

I have not heard newer lux and frankly if luxman monoblocks were not twice as much as pass 260.8 would have auditioned them.  I was offered great price but still over 50 percent more than pass monoblocks and so was non starter.   I dont think a stereo luxman would be enough power for harbeth 40.2 to fully make em sing.

I have heard chatter that luxman stereo has many qualities similar to dartzeel so must be impressive....

WC audiogon user swaps equipment like a nascar pit crew swaps tires.

Its great fun but imho you dont buy based on listening to constantly rotating equipment over a brief period of time.

I own the 260.8 monoblocks and doubt will sell them because while I would love to hear the XA200.8 monoblocks they cost a lot more and run a lot hotter.  The 600.8 monoblocks might be appealing but take up incredible amount of room and also run so hot.  The XS amps are prohibitively expensive.  

it took a little bit of time to get the pass labs to mate well with the Harbeth 40.2 but now it sounds wonderful for almost any recording even poorly recorded ones.  Had I made a final conclusion after 30 days or less my opinion would have been pretty good only.

I also own a dartzeel amplifier for a different room and think that the pass labs is pretty close in the midrange and has more bass slam.  

The pass labs is a great value when you consider performance versus cost.

the dartzeel amplifier is very expensive in the USA but again is crazy good especially if you buy it used.