Pass amp paired with audio research pre?

For my part, I’ve owned a VT 100 mk II, a SP 10, a LS 16, a phono 5, ...  i like my ARC stuff but must admit I find, and general consensus is, they definitely have a somewhat ‘buttoned down’ house sound. Like they’re afraid of being accused of sounding tubey or something.

 For me, I like it because it puts the music on display rather than showing off artifacts introduced by the component manufacturer.  At the same time, it certainly shows off changes in components up and down the line. 

Sometimes I wish I had more snap and thump.  Sometimes I wish they were a bit more forward. But for what I listen to, I think they do a pretty good job. 

 That does not keep me from getting that ‘itch’ to try something new every now and again.

I’d love to have the chance to own, or even have some extended listening time with, a reference 10,…but right now,  I think I’ll concentrate more on paying off the house ...

Fanotunes, use a Pass preamp and get an ARC phonostage.

I dumped my vinyl pursuit a couple years ago, so I have 0 skin in the game, when commenting on phono pre’s, but Harbeth + Pass I will say is quite epic.  I too was reviewing ARC pre’s, and ultimately settled on a XP-20.  I did not A/B them, so I’m of little use on that commentary, as well.  I will say that the pass chain, to a set of Super HL5 pluses is quite rewarding.  The best way I’m able to put it, Instruments sound exactly like instruments.  

Not to turn the conversation, but I have a don Sachs 6sn7 preamp going into a pair of first watt f4s and it is definitely not boring. It improves the signal from my dac in every way without being syrupy or tubey at all.  You can read about it in my systems page.

Sorry I'm late.

The Ref5 has two parallel outputs. One connects directly to the X350 which drives a pair of Martin Logan Ascent ES hybrids. The second output goes to a dbx 223XL which drives a single SVS PC Ultra. The 223 is just used as a low pass filter, the SVS crossover is bypassed. The Ascents are run full range. This is all done with XLR balanced lines.

We pretty much listen to anything. For awhile it's acoustic blues, then funk, then prog rock and lately western swing. We also use it for movies (love the processor bypass). The music stick in my car has everything from Asleep at the Wheel to ZZ Top.

It's not polite sounding. It'll do Tower of Power the way it was meant to be done. It's very detailed and can go reasonably load before the panels start to compress. eally harsh and compressed recording sound really harsh and compressed.