Pass XP-27 upgrade

[Cristian]

Hello,

Long time lurker on this wonderful forum, I’ve read and learned many wonderful things about our hobby! I’m contemplating an upgrade from my Pass XP-27 phono stage. What am I looking for? A little bit more emotion and ”flesh” for my music while keeping the Pass strong points: neutrality, transparency and dynamicity. I’m feeling it’s missing something or maybe it‘s sounding just as a good ss preamp should. I mainly listen to jazz, vocal jazz, blues, a tad of pop and rock music.

I’m taking a look at Phasemation EA-1200 or Allnic H7000V. Are those units what I’m looking for? Any other options?

My system is in my signature.

Cristian

 

[singulaudio]

I’m in the same boat. As good as it is, it lacks the fleshed out character I heard with the ARC Ref 3 phono SE that I demo’ed. But that’s too much money for me right now. I’m actually considering trying out the Prima Luna Evo 100 phono. It’s all tube, not even JFETS. But I’ve read and I suspect that it won’t be as resolving as what I have now. So, I too, am not sure what to look at.

 

[Nemal1]

Esoteric E-02 is excellent and has xlr inputs and outputs as well if you need that kind of flexbility.
I use with an avid acutus reference, triplanar se and koetsu Urushi wajima.
good luck with your search.

 

[Rexp]

Esoteric E-02 is excellent and has xlr inputs and outputs as well if you need that kind of flexbility.
I use with an avid acutus reference, triplanar se and koetsu Urushi wajima.
good luck with your search.

Did you try an Avid phono stage? I hear they are excellent.

 

[No Regrets]

Another suggestion for your consideration would be the Wavestream Kinetics Deluxe Reference Level 5.1.
It is an all tube design currently using (2 x 12AX7, 4 x 6DJ8); with extremely low noise ( I believe with the external power supply, noise is below 1uV (one-millionth of a volt ) competing with the best of the solid state phonos; providing 3 front panel selectable inputs providing 62 dB of gain (without the use of SUT’s or FETS) with a useful cartridge range of 0.2mV to 1.2mV. Having both Balanced and RCA inputs and outputs; adjustable loading available on the back panel via custom loading plugs; and an essentially flat RIAA EQ curve within one tenth of a dB (.1dB) from 3 Hz to 40 Khz.
Naturally, with any tubed phono high gain phono stage you will want to use selected low noise tubes, but I can say when using my NOS Mullards in this phono stage, it is dead quiet with my ears up against the speakers with my Dunlavy Signature SCIV's 91 dB sensitivity. I love not having to use a step up transformer with this phono stage; not having to worry about the SUT coloring the audio signal, worrying about possible hum issues, and having to use extra interconnects and connections, etc.

The Wavestream Kinetics gives me the pure, high gain, low noise sound that I love. It is incredibly dynamic in both the micro and macro sense, has the "meat on the bones" which you crave, brings the human voice to life, showcases the resonance of the body of cellos and acoustic bass, has the finesse for brushes on cymbals, etc. It truly is an incredible phono stage built by Scott Frankland who offers incredible customer service and support, which is the icing on the cake.

Best wishes,
Don

 

[Nemal1]

Hi, I had a pulsare II Phono stage and even after upgrading the umbilical cord, the Esoteric is noticeably more detailed and precise whilst also being in a single box.

 

[Tangram]

Why not give tubes a chance to win your heart and soul? Better yet, try a SUT suited for your cartridge into the MM input of a high quality tube phono stage.

 

[PeterA]

Why not give tubes a chance to win your heart and soul? Better yet, try a SUT suited for your cartridge into the MM input of a high quality tube phono stage.

That’s a nice suggestion. I had four Pass Labs phonostages: Ono, XOno, XP25, XP27. I then tried a Lamm LP2.1 Deluxe directly comparing the two. I kept the Lamm and then compared preamplifiers and amplifiers from the two brands. I had been a big Pass Labs fan.

 

[Kinn]

Hi Cristian, I’ll suggest to try an SUT and switch your phonostage to MM. I do not have an XP27 but use a Threshold Fet Ten/E(set to MM) with an SUT.

 

[DasguteOhr]

Manley Steelhead® RC Phono Stage — Manley Laboratories, Inc.

Clean, quiet, and bulletproof with enormous flexibility, the Manley STEELHEAD is both a tweak-o-holic tube-lover’s dream, and a reviewer’s reference.

www.manley.com

Manley steehead rc with a line stage input too for cd player, dac or streamer what you want

 

[tony22]

I know this might get me kicked off WBF, since it isn’t overly expensive ( I kid, I kid! ), but I’m awfully curious about that new MoFi phono stage that Peter Madnik designed. Seems like it might be a very nice proposition for someone needing more than one input.

 

[Tangram]

Hi Cristian, I’ll suggest to try an SUT and switch your phonostage to MM. I do not have an XP27 but use a Threshold Fet Ten/E(set to MM) with an SUT.

If the suggestion is to add a SUT to the XP-27, I agree, that would be the first step, before changing phono stages completely.

 

[No Regrets]

I do not have an XP27 but use a Threshold Fet Ten/E(set to MM) with an SUT

I had the same years ago and did the same... in fact, I much preferred the SUT into the MM stage better than just using the FET MC stage.

However, I much prefer tubes over the solid state alternatives.

Best wishes,
Don

 

[singulaudio]

So I a bought a Primaluna EVO 100 Tube Phono. The only thing it gives up to my Pass XP-27 is a slightly higher noise floor, and that is mainly because I’m using a Soundsmith Hyperion Mk 2 ES with .4mv output, which is near the low end limit for the PrimaLuna. I think the PrimaLuna has quieted down a smidge since it has been burning in. But the noise factor is a minor quibble - I may look into a possibily quieter pair of 6922s. It is at least as resolving, transparent and neutral as the Pass, while delivering a far more holographic, deeper, explosive, and utterly smooth presentation. Brass and percussion delivers a whallop that can startle; all instruments are clearly rendered in various places to more easily depict the soundstage. I can now turn up the volume when I listen to massed strings, which were a bit grating before. As I listen, my head nods and I say to myself, this just sounds right. The Pass I’m sorry to say just sounds flat, thin and harsh in comparison- and I thought the Pass was one of the best I heard before, tube or solid state. The only phono preamp I heard in my system that might compete is the ARC Ref 3 SE Phono, but that was over a year ago, so I may not remember it well enough, but I doubt very much that it was as non-fatiguing as I what I’m hearing now. It’s funny that the rest of my system components are far more expensive. I had not heard what they could do until now.

 

[Tangram]

So I a bought a Primaluna EVO 100 Tube Phono. The only thing it gives up to my Pass XP-27 is a slightly higher noise floor, and that is mainly because I’m using a Soundsmith Hyperion Mk 2 ES with .4mv output, which is near the low end limit for the PrimaLuna. I think the PrimaLuna has quieted down a smidge since it has been burning in. But the noise factor is a minor quibble - I may look into a possibily quieter pair of 6922s. It is at least as resolving, transparent and neutral as the Pass, while delivering a far more holographic, deeper, explosive, and utterly smooth presentation. Brass and percussion delivers a whallop that can startle; all instruments are clearly rendered in various places to more easily depict the soundstage. I can now turn up the volume when I listen to massed strings, which were a bit grating before. As I listen, my head nods and I say to myself, this just sounds right. The Pass I’m sorry to say just sounds flat, thin and harsh in comparison- and I thought the Pass was one of the best I heard before, tube or solid state. The only phono preamp I heard in my system that might compete is the ARC Ref 3 SE Phono, but that was over a year ago, so I may not remember it well enough, but I doubt very much that it was as non-fatiguing as I what I’m hearing now. It’s funny that the rest of my system components are far more expensive. I had not heard what they could do until now.

Congratulations on your new ride. I also prefer tubes phonos. You can always add a SUT down the road. That may reduce the noise a bit as well.

 

[Ron Resnick]

So I a bought a Primaluna EVO 100 Tube Phono. The only thing it gives up to my Pass XP-27 is a slightly higher noise floor, and that is mainly because I’m using a Soundsmith Hyperion Mk 2 ES with .4mv output, which is near the low end limit for the PrimaLuna. I think the PrimaLuna has quieted down a smidge since it has been burning in. But the noise factor is a minor quibble - I may look into a possibily quieter pair of 6922s. It is at least as resolving, transparent and neutral as the Pass, while delivering a far more holographic, deeper, explosive, and utterly smooth presentation. Brass and percussion delivers a whallop that can startle; all instruments are clearly rendered in various places to more easily depict the soundstage. I can now turn up the volume when I listen to massed strings, which were a bit grating before. As I listen, my head nods and I say to myself, this just sounds right. The Pass I’m sorry to say just sounds flat, thin and harsh in comparison- and I thought the Pass was one of the best I heard before, tube or solid state. The only phono preamp I heard in my system that might compete is the ARC Ref 3 SE Phono, but that was over a year ago, so I may not remember it well enough, but I doubt very much that it was as non-fatiguing as I what I’m hearing now. It’s funny that the rest of my system components are far more expensive. I had not heard what they could do until now.

Congratulations! The sonic beauty of tubes rediscovered!

Phono stages are not an easy place to have tubes. But I happily sacrifice solid-state dead quietness for the sound I hear from tube phono stages.

(From reports like this I develop the feeling that sometimes people start with Pass, but typically move on. We don't know what we don't know -- until we hear something better in a familiar system.)

 

[singulaudio]

Congratulations! The sonic beauty of tubes rediscovered!

Phono stages are not an easy place to have tubes. But I happily sacrifice solid-state dead quietness for the sound I hear from tube phono stages.

(From reports like this I develop the feeling that sometimes people start with Pass, but typically move on. We don't know what we don't know -- until we hear something better in a familiar system.)

And I suspect it’s not just the fact that it is tubed, but that it’s a brilliant tube design at that. I had not heard tube rectification since I used to listen to my Dad’s Dyna Stereo 70, which if memory serves right, sounded smooth but not very transparent or neutral.