Pass Labs Xs amps ... Any owners here yet? Please check in ....

Howard

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2014
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Bad news....one of my xs300 amp died after 6 months of operation....had to sent all 4 pieces back to pass.... very disappointing to say the least....apparently a current regulator was faulty/ out of specs and needed to be replaced.... apparently this is the second time it happened to the xs amps...my conclusion? A rushed designed and execution.too bad that a reputable company like pass would put out a flagship model that is subpar, in my experience.good riddance.
LOL - that very pair of XS 300s is sitting on a pallet in my garage waiting to be swapped in for my outgoing XS 150s. The part that failed has been upgraded in both amps and Pass has given me a new 3 year warranty on them. From my discussions with them it seems they've been using the same part for a long time without any failures before the 2 failures in XS 300s, and it was well within the design specs for use in the XS 300, but for whatever reason it seems the XS 300 needs a beefier inrush thermistor. I can't wait to get these monsters up and running in my system. Thanks to ozy for breaking them in for me! I'm a diehard Pass Labs fan and I have no reservations about them at all.
 
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Howard

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2014
30
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Good deal! Trade in or selling your XS 150's ?

Trade in. I'm dying to get them powered up - I'm told that they're a spectacular set of XS 300s.
 

Howard

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2014
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Wow, congratulations. I've heard the XS150s with XS Pre and XS Phono many times on a very good system. They are excellent electronics. The 300s should be fantastic.

Wow!! Just wow!!
 

MadFloyd

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May 30, 2010
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Please report back the differences between the 150's and the 300's. I don't know that anyone has every heard both in their system so as to compare them.
 

Howard

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2014
30
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313
Please report back the differences between the 150's and the 300's. I don't know that anyone has every heard both in their system so as to compare them.
Are you sure you want me to do that? :)
 

MadFloyd

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May 30, 2010
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Howard

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2014
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Yes, I think I can handle it. ;)

Okay then. Of course, even though they're already broken in they'll need a few days to "acclimate" - I only powered them up for the first time this afternoon. I'll write up my impressions next week.
 

Howard

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2014
30
9
313
Please report back the differences between the 150's and the 300's. I don't know that anyone has every heard both in their system so as to compare them.
I wouldn't have thought so, but the XS 300s are significantly better than the XS 150s - the difference is not subtle. This is not meant as a knock to the XS 150s, which sound amazing... right up until you hear the 300s.

Harmonically, they sound very much the same. I'd say the major differences are:

Bass is much better - deeper and more powerful. It's easier to follow the bass line, and bass drums hit a lot harder.

Soundstage is immense - wall to wall, floor to ceiling, front to back - the listening room disappears and you're in the concert hall or studio.

Sounds cleaner and begs to be played at louder levels. Powerwise they feel like huge class A/B amps in that they "own" the room and the speakers. But they are clearly class A tonally and don't sound at all like class A/B amps otherwise.

There's a sense of greater "purity" in the midrange and treble, especially on sustained notes. By purity, I mean the tone is more natural and pleasant, more organic.

I also think that it's easier to follow all of the various threads within the music - not just the bass... but I've also recently started installing the Resolution Acoustics room treatments which would contribute to that as well.
 

MadFloyd

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May 30, 2010
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Excellent, Howard. I always wondered about the differences so thanks for the report!

Now get the MPods and you'll really be happy.
 

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