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Pass XA25 for my system

I have been a long-time lurker here, but never posted until now. I have learned a lot from reading other posts and I thought it would be nice to share details on my current system. Also wondering if anyone has thoughts on switching from Hegel to a Pass XA25 amp.

Current system:

  • Room: 14x19 living room with medium(ish) damping - couch, rug, bookshelves, plants etc.; however, no dedicated room treatments.
  • Sonicorbiter i9 optical Roon server upsampling to DSD128
  • Fiber to Sonore Opicalmodule Deluxe 2 (Sonore LPS with Mundorf Silver/Gold DC cable)
  • Sablon Ethernet 2020
  • Bricasti M3 DAC and Roon endpoint running exclusively via NDSD conversion (3x Isoacoustics Orea)
  • Audioquest Fire XLR cables
  • Linear Tube Audio Microzotl Level 2 preamp with Lundahl balanced transformer input, Ray Reserve and Gold Lion tubes.
  • Iconoclast Series 2 OCC RCA cables
  • Hegel H390 Integrated (using as amp with HT bypass)
  • Audioquest Robin Hood speaker cables
  • Dynaudio Heritage Special (Dynaudio Stand 6 with Isoacoustics Gaia feet) 
  • Power: AQ Niagara 1200, AQ tornado and Cardas power cables.

My system is relatively modest, but was carefully assembled and it sounds pretty great to me. After adding the Microzotl preamp and seeing the improvement, I am thinking of replacing the Hegel (I am not using the preamp or DAC functionality) and trying a new amp. Thinking of the Pass XA25 after reading great reviews and seeing other people matching it with both my speakers and preamp. To be clear, the Hegel has been great and is a good match for my speakers. Dynamics are great, clarity, detail and a very relaxed feel to the sound. It was maybe just a touch too “clean/thin” before the LTA preamp. That move added a little more body, better imaging and soundstaging so curious to see what the Class A XA25 might do to further improve on these areas. The LTA Microzotl also helped with lower level/volume listening allowing more detail and dynamics to come through. With the Hegel volume control, I had to turn things up quite a bit to get things sounding their best. I also tried the Bricasti as a preamp and that was slightly less preferable than using either the Hegel or LTA for volume control.

I am still slightly nervous moving away from the Class A/B sound I am familiar with. Maybe it will soften things a little too much and be a step backwards? I was also considering a slightly used Class A/B Audionet Amp. I have no doubt they make excellent amps but I also couldn’t find many people using that brand and even fewer using it with my preamp and speakers. Any thoughts on whether the Pass XA25 will soften dynamics and transients significantly relative to my Hegel? I found some info. at 6Moons comparing the XA25 to Kinki Class A/B monoblocks and the comments seemed positive albeit a little mixed and unclear.

sfpeloton

Showing 3 responses by cbrez

cbrez
79 posts
 

I have not heard the Hegel to compare, but I do drive the Heritage Specials with a Pass XA25. I also own the same LTA pre (with rolled tubes). I have no issue driving the Dynaudios to listening levels that are satisfying to me, though I am not into listening at high volume levels.

I feel that the combination of the Pass and the LTA works extremely well. The LTA is not at all a classic sounding tube preamp, but is very dynamic and natural sounding, but not lush (like an older CJ for instance). The Pass is a little on the warm side and it pairs well with the LTA. 

Also, the HS speakers are a nominal 4 ohm load, so you are getting the additional power that the Pass can put into lower impedances. And as it has been measured when reviewed, the 25 watts even into 8 ohms is very much underrated to what the amp can actually do.

In my room, the setup has responded very well to every upgrade I have made, adding resolution, precise imaging, microdynamics, and open soundstage, along the way. Timbre has always been good, but got even better when I upgraded the LTA tubes this year.

Tons of choices as others have indicated,  but I’ve been very happy with this combination.

cbrez
79 posts
 

@bluethinker Definitely many factors and glad to hear you are enjoying the Gryphon. I did my tube rolling before I even heard about the “Ray’s Tubes” that LTA is using as upgrades. I bought some Telefunken ECC801s and CBS/Hytron VT-231 (6SN7) and they were a huge improvement over the stock LTA tubes. The LTA was terrific before, but next level after.

cbrez
79 posts
 

@sfpeloton Thanks for your kind words on my system - l certainly enjoy it!

Just wanted to clarify when I mentioned the warmth of the XA25 and perhaps I chose the incorrect word. I find that the XA25 has an exceptional naturalness of timbre for a solid state amp. IMO, some solid state amps excel at dynamics, bass control, “oomph”. While the XA25 is certainly not the final word in solid state muscle, it certainly does have some of it, but is not at all sterile, which in my listening some solid state amps are, even with those other qualities. The XA25 is very balanced sounding, smooth, and organic, which are characteristics that appeal to my ear.

Of course ears, rooms, and so many other things vary. I just wanted to provide a bit more clarity on my use of the word “warm”.

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