Pre/power Amp Advice

Pass Labs, Mmmmmmmmmmm! Id actually go with the Basic X2.5 and a pair of Used Aleph monoblocks if you can find em. Either that or wait for the new XA160.

Thanks to everyone who posted! Pass Labs seems to have quite a reputation. As always, listening will make the decision easier. I also decided to listen to some new speakers recently with comparable equipment...JM Labs Electra 926's...I'm thinking maybe speakers are what I really need first.

Buying Pass equipment is always a sound decision. I use an Aleph P preamp with a X250 power amp. I wouldn't trade it except for more Pass gear.

Tx, Jshaw004 ...

Bhouser:
Sorry about the confusion. Yes, in my opinion, Pass Labs should belong to a higher league to the others from the list.

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- Jshaw - I am a bit confused. Could please clarify the statement "Pass Labs basically is not the same league to the others".

You make it sound like it is NOT as good as the others, then go on to seemingly recommend Pass products. If your intent was to say that Pass is in a HIGHER league then the others, your other statements make sense, and I agree completely.

I currently have some Arcam product as well, and replaced 2 Bryston 4B-ST & 5B-ST amps with the Pass equivalents of the exact same power ratings. This change alone has taught me that statistics and increased power ratings do NOT necessarily make a product sound great. There was a major improvement in effortlessness, warmth and smoothness while adding detail and micro-dynamics.

Remember: YMMV and this is just IMHO.

Ruffway:
From your list, Pass Labs basically is not the same league to the others. I used to own Pass Labs Aleph 0, Aleph 2 and now I am using X-600 matching with ARC Reference II tube premap. Pass provides great products and the service as well. Pass X line provides X150, X250, X350, X600 and X1000 depending on your budget and the power needed for you to choose from. Good luck.

question: why stay with matched amp & pre? You may find better deals on equipment if you are willing to mix.

note: Doubling your wattage will only gain you 3db, a 10db gain will effectively double your volume. Keep that in mind if you are looking for more power.

Well, since nobody has responded so far, I will toss in my 1.5 cents worth.

I have a Pass X2.5/X-250 combo, running Talon Ravens from an Audiomeca CD player. This is a fully-balanced configuration, and as it has satisfied so much, I really have no desire to change this equipment anytime soon. And, my new pre and CD player are not even broken-in yet (they are playing as we speak, actually!). I also have a Pass X-3 (3x150w) amp and an Anthem AVM-20 processor for HT/M-Chnl use.

When dealing with the X-series Pass gear, I have no problem buying used. Almost everything in my system was either bought used or demo, and there is enough great Pass stuff in excellent condition for sale that you can get what you really want for reasonable prices.

It is extremely reliable gear, beautifully crafted and way over-built. Their service reputation and response to customer inquiries is also top-shelf. You really should take this sort of important after-purchase support condition in to account before making your decision.

If you have difficult speaker loads to drive, I would suggest that you go ahead now and pony-up for the X-250 instead of the X-150, or maybe bi-amp with 2 150's. The 250 just has more overhead to allow for heavy transitions, and you will probably - as many 150 owners on A'goN seem to do - find yourself yearning to upgrade from the 150 to a 250 or 350 soon, anyway. Don't get me wrong - if you simply can't afford a used 250 right now, a 150 is certainly a fine amp. But I am always glad that I went forward with my 250 - it just never seems strained.