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PSB Synchrony One Speakers and Pass XA30.5 Amp

For a while I've been driving a pair of PSB Synchrony Ones with a Pass Labs XA30.5 amp (and Pass XP-10 preamp) and I find I'm still fussing over the sound. This combination seems to lack liveliness on most recordings, and this observation  seems at odds with the descriptions I've read here about the speakers' character. I'm wondering if this pairing is just not suitable? I listen to a wide variety of music but mostly jazz, classical and choral. I'd like some suggestions on other amps that might do better (greater liveliness) with the Synchrony Ones than the XA30.5. My room is roughly 24' (L) x 10' (W) x 16' (H) with the speakers firing down the 24' dimension although I can only sit 6-7 ft from them. 

Thanks
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Showing 1 response by jmcgrogan2

jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
I agree that the XA-30.5 may not be the perfect amp for those PSB speakers. However, there are other factors at play. Pass Labs gear tends to be warm and musical, so combining a Pass preamp with a Pass amp may be too much warmth and not enough detail.
Many Pass amp owners use an ARC preamp, like myself. The ARC provides a bit of speed and resolution to the musicality of the Pass amp.

That said, I'm still not sure that the XA-30.5 is enough power to drive your speakers. My room is 24 (L) X 15 (W) X 9 (H), my speakers (90 dB, 5 ohms) are a bit more efficient than yours ( 88 dB, 4 ohms), and I am running XA-100.5's, which provide plenty of power. 
If you seek greater liveliness, it could be an amp/speaker mismatch, in which case I would change the speakers, or it could be that you need a preamp with a little bit more life.
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