first impressions of Pass XA30.8


My new Pass XA30.8 amp and XP10 came in today! After getting it hooked up to my Audio Physics Caldera II and my analog rig (Maplenoll Apollo with ZXY airy3/ZXY artisan phono, i cranked the amp up to get a quick listen. Mark (Reno HIFI) and Nelson Pass both said it will take about 24 hours for the Preamp/AMP to properly warm up and about 2 weeks for the Amp to break in. However, being the impatient person, i started spinning a couple of disks. I must say this is the best my system has ever sounded. I always thought i had a pretty decent system with my previous Khorns and my Marantz SR9300 reciever. However, when i moved, my Khorns just did fit so i picked up the Calderas and just wasnt pleased with the matchup with the marantz. I got a lot of input that these speakers needed a better front end and after a lot of agonizing on what to get, i got the Pass system. I was a little concerned that the 30.8 may not have enough power but as a Class A amp, it seems to have a lot of reserve power and with my smaller listening room is doing very well. The whole sound came together even better than my Khorns/Marantz combo. I am a little afraid because the advice is the sound will get better as the system warms up and the amp fully breaks in. Not sure how that can be because it is such a dramatic improvement already. the bass response is taunt and deep. Midrange so smooth and balanced. The delicate sounds like cymbals, bells etc just so much clearer. Crispness of each note (if that make sense) is like i have never heard. Again, my system was no slouch but i am beginning to understand why people on this site said (ditch the AV and give your system a chance). Many thanks to the knowledgable folks on this site who shared their thoughts and perspectives. Once i get my UNiverse set back up on my apollo and get some more time with the amp, i will give a freah update.
oilmanmojo
First, sorry for the poor typing, (was a little late at night and couple of macallens)

Second, as CZBBL highlights,the equipment sounds great and Reno HIFI was a real superstar. Put together a great package at a great price and gives you the 10 day trial though i am unlikely to need it. He also checked in to make sure everything was ok.

Third, I find its rare in my business that owners have much time for customres (leave it to the lower guys), but Nelson Pass took the time to send me a couple of emails to help me make the best decision for my current situation. I had similar experience with Lloyd Walker while i was modifying a Maplenoll a few years ago.

Finally, to Jax, excellent point. I would comment that it is really amazing how much different amplifiers sound. I also think the increased quality of the separate preamp has a lot to do with the sound. My wife commented today how much detail this new system has. We were listening to Adele (her favorite singer) and her comments were pretty interesting as she normally just tolerates by obsession
Oilman, what cables and power cords are you using? I find that Pass class A amps benefit greatly from better cables probably due to their high resolution.
I am using the stock power cords supplied by Mark. I purchased a set of 1 meter Burley XLR cables for the preamp to amp connection. My speakers are a old but great set of Monster powerline speaker cables(cant remember the exact model number but at the time was Monster top cable). My Phono stage has a set of AR gold plate RCA to preamp and from the Maplenoll table.I think i could upgrade the quality of the Phono cables but the rest are pretty solid.