Pass Lab owners - Check in!

Annapurna

Well-Known Member
Mar 19, 2018
29
7
85
Congrats. How does the Xp 22 compare to ref6 in your system?

Thank you. I can only describe the sound as a XP22 and XP27 combination as compared to Ref 6 and Ref 3 combination as most of my serious listening is on Vinyl. The Pass combo has a very quiet background as compared to ARC. Previously I was using Nagra BPS with Airtight ATC 2 pre. When it was replaced with ARC combo, I noticed it was not as quiet as the Airtight ATC/Nagra BPS. With the Pass combo, it is so silent between notes that I can hear each instrument clearly all the way to the back of the stage. All the instruments and voice seemed to float holographically in space. With the ARC, I can still hear the instruments but it does not sound as transparent. Bass control with the Pass is much superior with lower bass, better texture, better control and I could follow the bass notes clearly. The ARC bass is very good for a tube pre, and I think it lose to Pass marginally with slightly fatter and slower bass. Vocals appear smaller with Pass, ARC vocals sounded bigger and more upfront. In some ways, ARC sounded more full with voice although I feel the Pass is more accurate. Depth is very well delineated with each layers to the back of the soundstage. Best of all, its tonal balance is somewhere between a tube amp and a transistor amp. Being a tube amp user all my life, this is important to me.
Vinyl used in the listening include Sade - Diamond Life, Tracy Chapman - Fast Cars, Dead Can Dance - Into the Labyrinth, Kraftwerk - The Man Machine, Fourplay, Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue, Diana Krall - Wallflower.
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,523
10,688
3,515
USA
Congratulations and thanks for this description. I own the XP22 and XP25 and will soon hear the XP27 in my system. How long would you say the XP22 and XP27 took to fully break in before they reached their best sound? Also, have you noticed a difference in noise level depending on whether or not you stack the units or place the power supply to the side? Finally, are you using the stock umbilical cords?
 

Annapurna

Well-Known Member
Mar 19, 2018
29
7
85
Congratulations and thanks for this description. I own the XP22 and XP25 and will soon hear the XP27 in my system. How long would you say the XP22 and XP27 took to fully break in before they reached their best sound? Also, have you noticed a difference in noise level depending on whether or not you stack the units or place the power supply to the side? Finally, are you using the stock umbilical cords?

Thanks Peter. My XP22 and 27 are more than 100 hrs already and I started serious listening after 100 hrs and did not notice much changes. Unlike ARC which probably need more than 500 hrs, Pass pre is much easier as I left my Network player streaming to it 24 hrs non stop for many days. Yes I am using the stock power cord which looks pretty well made. I did not stack or place the power supply at the side and what you see in the picture is the original and only placement I tried after communicating with Nelson Pass and Kent English which I shared on the other Pass thread.
 

alfa100

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2014
262
49
258
South Africa
Thank you Annapurna for sharing your experience . I am considering a preamp between my MSB DAC and XA 100.8 and have narrowed my choice to either Ref 6 or XP22.
 

Annapurna

Well-Known Member
Mar 19, 2018
29
7
85
Thank you Annapurna for sharing your experience . I am considering a preamp between my MSB DAC and XA 100.8 and have narrowed my choice to either Ref 6 or XP22.

I had the Ref 6 for almost 9 months and the Ref 3 for 6 months. Both are very good amps and the final decision between Passlabs and ARC is depending on your taste. You won't go wrong with either of them.
 

jackelsson

Well-Known Member
Dec 1, 2013
264
215
280
.de
Congratulations and thanks for this description. I own the XP22 and XP25 and will soon hear the XP27 in my system.
Peter, I‘m most interested to read about your comparison between the XP-25 and the XP-27, owning two XP-25 myself. Please by all means share your impression here on WBF.
 

TKoral

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2017
11
1
108
Hello to all pass labs owners....
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1738.jpg
    IMG_1738.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 176

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,523
10,688
3,515
USA
Hello to all pass labs owners....

Wow, that must sound fantastic. Love the photograph and the whole look of your listening room, including the gorgeous rack. Another Magico/Pass combination system. I am sure you are enjoying this system and thank you for sharing it with us. I have heard an entire Pass XS chain on the Magico MPro, and it was a match made in heaven for my taste. Congratulations.
 

jeff1225

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2012
3,011
3,259
1,410
51
Wow, that must sound fantastic. Love the photograph and the whole look of your listening room, including the gorgeous rack. Another Magico/Pass combination system. I am sure you are enjoying this system and thank you for sharing it with us. I have heard an entire Pass XS chain on the Magico MPro, and it was a match made in heaven for my taste. Congratulations.

TKoral,
I think I've seen this room before on Audiogon. You are a person of great taste, well done.
 

TKoral

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2017
11
1
108
Guys , thank you very much for your nice words...
 

MadFloyd

Member Sponsor
May 30, 2010
3,076
774
1,700
Mass
Beautiful system and room!
 

Evolusean

Well-Known Member
Apr 21, 2014
13
0
133
Atlanta
Hi All! Long time PASS Labs user here. I'm excited to say that I just received an XP-22 for audition. Should be a fantastic weekend!

You won't send it back....trust me :)
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,523
10,688
3,515
USA
Hi All! Long time PASS Labs user here. I'm excited to say that I just received an XP-22 for audition. Should be a fantastic weekend!

I directly compared my former XP20 to my current XP22. After the ten day audition period, I sent back the XP20. I found the new component needed five days to warm up/break in. You may or may not hear much difference over the first couple of days, but by this weekend, it should be better. Enjoy the process. What preamp will you be comparing to the XP22?

I just now finished a direct comparison between the XP25 and XP27. The latter is a considerable improvement.
 

Karlos5000

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2018
4
0
81
Ann Arbor Michigan
I directly compared my former XP20 to my current XP22. After the ten day audition period, I sent back the XP20. I found the new component needed five days to warm up/break in. You may or may not hear much difference over the first couple of days, but by this weekend, it should be better. Enjoy the process. What preamp will you be comparing to the XP22?

I just now finished a direct comparison between the XP25 and XP27. The latter is a considerable improvement.

I have been enjoying the XP-15/XP-10/XA30.5 combo since 2012. I made major improvements to my vinyl front end since then and thought that it was time to upgrade the pre or the phono pre. I thought the pre was the right place to start.
I just inserted the new XP-22 into the system this morning and have my Linn DS streaming continuously. I listened for about a half hour to the first Doors record (AP 45rpm release) that I ripped to 24/96. Mark at Reno HiFi also suggested that warm up time was important. I could actually hear things subtly improving over the first 30 minutes of listening. I won't pass judgment until the end of the ten days though. I have to say, the power supply module on the XP22 is impressively heavy!
 

PeterA

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2011
12,523
10,688
3,515
USA
Thanks Karlos. You already have the current generation of preamp and amp and should notice an improvement with the separate power supply. I had the two box old generation versus the two box new generation, so are comparisons are a bit different, at least in theory. The XP-22 gets pretty warm, the control unit, not the power supply. Try to make sure there is space around the unit. I look forward to reading an update as time allows.
 

BlueFox

Member Sponsor
Nov 8, 2013
1,709
406
405
I have to say, the power supply module on the XP22 is impressively heavy!

Even more important, the connecting cable between the power supply and the pre is upgraded.
 

RickS

Well-Known Member
May 23, 2018
64
93
123
NW Indiana
Just got my first Pass amp in the other day from Mark at Reno HiFi. It’s a refurbished X250 and looks absolutely in mint condition. It also has an interesting distinction of having the rectangular black output transistors as seen in the .5 series amps rather than the metal cased devices most commonly used in the X250. It also has a black clad transformer. Mark said the amp had three revisions during its span of manufacturing and mine is from the final revision.

It’s currently breaking in so I can only state the sound of my X250 is very promising. F3B0C33C-2BEA-4C10-B91A-0CFAD7BE4759.jpeg 3F407DCC-7E5E-4B6E-BDBD-AF04D09E3585.jpeg 0B87C7A3-998A-4160-ABDC-5FA4D8C92AF5.jpeg
 
Last edited:

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing