I wouldn't give up the JC1s until you try them with a good tube pre-amp. I had the Parasound P5 and P6 preamps with my JC1 mono's driving Focal Kanta 2's and thought it sounded ok. Then I got a Rouge RP7 tubed preamp and could not believe the difference. Total game changer!
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Martin Logan Expression ESL 13A Electrostatic Speakers My ultimate quality speakers (for me). The Pass Labs X260.8 took the ultra-high frequency edge off without losing any treble detail. This is what people mean when they say they are analog sounding. I have had a few listening sessions that lasted for 2 to 4 hours where my whole system put me in a music trance that I never wanted to leave. This happened in my late teens and early 20s with the addition of that wildwood weed. I am now in my 70s and no juice is needed. Pure electronic heaven.
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@firstonetallguy thanks! |
FWIW, I went from what is arguably the best sounding Pass amp, the XA25 (so I’ve been told), to an SST Son of Ampzilla II. These were used with a variety of speakers, including my Revel F208s. The Ampzilla is as close as I’ve encountered to the sound of the XA25, but also has the requisite grunt. It was just what I needed to bridge the gap between the effortless power of a Parasound A21 and the audiophile traits of the Pass. Suffice to say, the SST is an incredible bargain of an amp. It’s also easier on the power bill. With your budget I would consider the SST Ampzilla 2000 monoblocks. That is if you can get past their lab equipment aesthetic. It seems quite a few Pass owners make a switch to Coda amps, a brand that shares similar roots, and is also located in NorCal. It was founded by a couple ex-Threshold engineers. Coda and Boulder are the only brands piquing my interest at this stage. All that said, I don’t think you can go wrong with one of the higher output Pass amps. That is, if you can live with the heat and grid power consumption.
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