Have Luxman 509x. Considering Pass Labs INT-250 or Dan D’Agostino Progression Integrated

Hey @erik_squires I’m fine with what you’re hearing. No need to flare up. You hate Pass. I get it. And you’re making it abundantly clear every time you see the brand brought up in a discussion. 

I guess you can call me a Pass fanboy. I’ve owned several Pass amps and preamps, paired with different speakers. 
B&W N803/Pass X250.5/ARC LS-25 line stage. Had also tried ARC Ref1 in place of LS-25

Dynaudio S5.4/X250.8

Martin Logan Montis//XA30.8/XP12 linestage

Wilson Sabrina/XA30.8/XP12, later upgraded to XP22

Wilson Sabrina/X260.8/XP22. Also tried ARC Ref6 in this system 

I guess I’ve optimized my room acoustics and the associated equipment synergy to the level where it results in a fatigue-free, dynamic and musically satisfying presentation.

There’s no high resolution system that doesn’t require care, effort and time to optimize within a listening space. What you heard and described could be a product of bad setup, bad room acoustics, bad components system synergy or all of the above. 

Without taking all factors into account, forming a final opinion and blaming one component for what you didn’t like is an opinion. But it isn’t necessarily a correct assessment.

No need to flare up. You hate Pass. I get it. And you’re making it abundantly clear every time you see the brand brought up in a discussion.

@audphile1

Don’t put words in my mouth or in my writing and we won’t have a problem. I don’t actually follow every thread to seek out Pass and bash the brand. I was pretty discrete and to the point. I also don’t hate Pass, the man or the company. The choices they make in tuning the amps is for many but not for me. I find it a distinct enough sound that I can’t recommend purchases without listening.

I’m convinced that a listener will have a strong preference either way and not really need me to tell them what it sounds like.

Of course, fan boys can’t see me posting an opinion like this without using words like "hate" to describe my experiences. It is the deliberate attempt to alter what’s been written to suit their own narrative that makes a fanboy a fanboy as well as just being a generally insincere person. .

Take a look at Sugden,Masterclass series. I have been completely satisfied with their amps. My main system has had the SPA-4 power amp and LA-4 pre amp. I sold the power amp, and bought a pair of Sugden MPA-4 mono blocks. I am not ever giving them up. I also have a second system in the basement, with a Sugden IA-4 integrated amp.  We all have a preference, and I have never been one for clubs or group thinking when it comes to making purchases. 

As usual, opinions are like buttholes. I may as well share mine. I owned and sold several pass labs amps of recent design. Why? I did not like the sound, period. This includes both class A, AB, monoblocks, and stereo .8s.  For lack of a better description of what I didn't like about them I felt they were lacking in detail and seemed a little fatiguing at times. I finally brought in a new Luxman 509Z. It is the best amp I ever owned. Sounds amazing to my ears. 

I had pass  int-60 and int-250 in my system with Sonus Faber Serafino and Amari tradition speakers. I kind of agree with Eric. To me pass sounded a little mechanical and I could not get rid of this feeling, until I changed pass to luxman. First it was luxman 590axii that to my ears was more organic than pass. I changed it later to luxman 507z and sound became liquid with better bass and blacker background.
now ordered luxman 509z. Should get it soon. The luxman gear requires at least 400 hours of burning before you can make comparisons. Otherwise to me luxman all the way.