Pass X1 preamp

[blackraven]

I received my X1 today and have been listening to it for about 1 hour or so. Here's the short story-

Do I like it-yes, Am I a little disappointed-yes. Does it sound better than my Van Alstine Ultra Plus hybrid tube preamp- In some ways yes and other ways no!

Here is the long story- I recently upgraded from an Parasound A21 amp to a Pass X250. I found the Pass to sound better but at the expense of some resolution on strings, horns and piano. So I decided to pick up a used X1 preamp thinking that I would gain some of this back and that there would be some synergy with the X250. Well I did get back some of the inner detail and the sound is more liquid, transparent with a slightly wider sound stage. However, the X1 is not as musical. It smooths things over like the X250 and the music has lost some of its texture. And even though there is a slightly wider sound stage, the spacing between instruments is not as great as with the Van Alstine if that makes sense. Bass is similar with the VA being a little tighter. Vocals are smoother with the X1 but more real with the VA. On one song that I was listening too, finger snaps were more real and more forward with the VA. The X1 has a tube like sound and a warmer sound but it is laid back. Treble sounds more realistic with the X1 however.

I have heard that the X1 needs to be powered on for 24hrs to reach its peak sound. I will reassess the sound in 24hrs and do some tube rolling in my Van Alstine Ultra Plus hybrid DAC. I have a feeling that I will have a dilemma. Do I keep the X1 with its smooth, liquid airy sound or the Van Alstine with its more visceral not as refined, but more musical sound? Hearing the X1 makes me appreciate the VA preamp a liitle more as it cost $1799 about 4 years ago and then I added another $450 in upgrades through Van Alstine. It certainly can compete with the $6000 X1 which is an older model and getting a little long in the tooth.

Other issue's with the Pass. The remote can be used as a weapon. It is wide as a brick and feels like it weighs about 2 pounds. The user interface is odd and you have to scroll through a menu to get the mute to work and the remote is just too big. Lastly, the volume control knob is odd looking, although the VA preamp won't win a beauty contest either as it has that 1970's heath kit look as all the VA gear still has.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Good information BR. I'll look forward to more insight as you listen further. Is there a particular type of music that sounds really good (Rock, Classical, Jazz, etc.) or not so good?

[blackraven]

Good information BR. I'll look forward to more insight as you listen further. Is there a particular type of music that sounds really good (Rock, Classical, Jazz, etc.) or not so good?

Jack, the X1 does not sound bad. It's just that I am probably missing the lush midrange that tubes can give you. And the music sounds too perfect and I probably perceive this as missing some texture. Even my son is on the fence with the X1. It would be interesting to try it with my A21 amp.

I am going to roll some tubes with a more lush midrange in my DAC.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Jack, the X1 does not sound bad. It's just that I am probably missing the lush midrange that tubes can give you. And the music sounds too perfect and I probably perceive this as missing some texture. Even my son is on the fence with the X1. It would be interesting to try it with my A21 amp.

I am going to roll some tubes with a more lush midrange in my DAC.

Sorry, Bad was a poor choice of words on my part. I'm in the middle of the Absolute Sounds review of the X350.5 in this months edition. I'm waiting to see what preamps he uses in the review. I know Peabody likes his X-10, I wonder if you would, or would you still miss the tube midrange. That's one of the things I like about this hobby, you can't always count on things happening the way you want them to.

[blackraven]

My son finds the X1 a little fatiguing. I may end up selling the X1 and buy a CJ, BAT or ARC tube pre. I may even take a look at Frank Van Alstines new fully tube FET preamp. I am going to see if he has one that I can take home next week or the week after. He would have a smile a mile wide if I told him that my Ultra Plus preamp beats out the X1 in some aspects.

[JohnMichael]

Just to play devil's advocate it sounds like you received it today and you are ready to move on already. Has it warmed up in your system yet and have you had time to try different cables? My advice is to give it more time.

[Jack in Wilmington]

My son finds the X1 a little fatiguing. I may end up selling the X1 and buy a CJ, BAT or ARC tube pre. I may even take a look at Frank Van Alstines new fully tube FET preamp. I am going to see if he has one that I can take home next week or the week after. He would have a smile a mile wide if I told him that my Ultra Plus preamp beats out the X1 in some aspects.

Are you using the BJC XLR's between the X1 and the X250?

[Mr Peabody]

If the X1 is same topology as the XP10 give the X1 a good 24 hours of being plugged in and warming up. I haven't heard the X1 but it should be noticeably better than the AVA. I remember reading a review about the older menu, thankfully, that has been eliminated in the XP10 and I'd assume the other newer models. Some one posted a link to a X1 review, did you read it, if so, any mention of warm up time?

You won't get that fleshy, or euphonic, sense on vocals like tubes but you should hear more things like tightness in drum strikes, bass should be better controlled, I am puzzled on your A21 statement, I can see the A21 maybe being more brash on strings and piano but those tones come through beautifully for me, very clean with no harshness at all, you should also be getting better textural info, like woodiness from the stand up bass, brass should have that growl you get from real brass instruments, although that effect varies from recordings, that Chesky disc really shows it. The space and air around instruments should definitely be better with the X1. I will say instruments should also have more body and be articulate. The X1 should have a more overall sturdiness to the sound over the AVA.

Just relax and give it some time, and definitely do not unplug it, any swapping of gear should wait a couple days.

[Mr Peabody]

Jack, when are you getting your 150.5?

[Jack in Wilmington]

Jack, when are you getting your 150.5?

Looks like Monday is the delivery date when I check the tracking. It's made its way across the country from Reno and it's in Newark, De. now. Going to start moving things around on my rack today to get her shelf ready.

[Mr Peabody]

This thread has been quiet lately anything new on the preamp search, Jack, BR? I think you both are looking for warm but a good balanced preamp in a more neutral sound would be a krell, like a KRC-3. I know shipping isn't cheap but it would be interesting to see what the X1 did in Jack's system with the 1.8's. If you want to be bold I see Emo is coming out with a new $2k Reference balanced preamp .

[Feanor]

This thread has been quiet lately anything new on the preamp search, Jack, BR? I think you both are looking for warm but a good balanced preamp in a more neutral sound would be a krell, like a KRC-3. I know shipping isn't cheap but it would be interesting to see what the X1 did in Jack's system with the 1.8's. If you want to be bold I see Emo is coming out with a new $2k Reference balanced preamp .

Well I've decide that I don't need a "warmer" preamp than my ARC LS9 in combination with my Pass X150.5. A fairly small portion of my recordings sound a bit bright but I've decided that it's the recording's fault, not the amplification's.

LS9 cost me about the same as a new Emotiva XSP-1 "Differential Reference"; it was less than what a Krell KRC-3 would have cost and less than half as much as the Pass X1.

The Emotiva XSP-1 has a lot of nice features but I wouldn't include its numerous opamps among them. When I look at this photo from Emotiva, I count at least 15 opamps. The LS9 is all-discrete and class A.

[Mr Peabody]

From your posts Feanor I would think the ARC is a good match for you. If anything on your system at some point you might consider an upgrade in DAC.

[Feanor]

From your posts Feanor I would think the ARC is a good match for you. If anything on your system at some point you might consider an upgrade in DAC.

I agree with that my DAC would be the next thing to consider, though I'd like a nice SACD player, being a classical listener. I'm definitely envious of your Mark Levinson 512. Any DAC suggestions?

Meanwhile I feel my Schiit Bifrost Uber punches 'way above its weight, so no rush.

[blackraven]

I am eventually going to buy a CJ ET-3, preferably the SE version. Reviews on this preamp are nothing but stellar. It's a tube preamp.

[Jack in Wilmington]

This thread has been quiet lately anything new on the preamp search, Jack, BR? I think you both are looking for warm but a good balanced preamp in a more neutral sound would be a krell, like a KRC-3. I know shipping isn't cheap but it would be interesting to see what the X1 did in Jack's system with the 1.8's. If you want to be bold I see Emo is coming out with a new $2k Reference balanced preamp .

I'm still doing research. The holidays have slowed me down, plus our friend is building a house and wants to put a home theater in her entertainment room. It's so much easier to run the wires before the drywall is up. I've looked at ARC LS-15,16, and 17. Cary and CJ also. I want tubes and balanced and I'm mainly looking used. We're heading for Las Vegas in 2 weeks and I'm missing CES by a week. That figures.

[Mr Peabody]

Jack, may want to put BAT (Balanced Audio Technology) on your list.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Jack, may want to put BAT (Balanced Audio Technology) on your list.

Being a local company, I've been wanting to stop by their place and see if they have a loaner program or a 30 day trial deal.

[blackraven]

Jack, there are a few BAT 51se's and a BAT32 for sale on Agon. I would like to have a tube pre with XLR's but I don't want to limit my options. There are plenty of great tube pre's that don't have XLR. I tried my x250 with and wo XLR and the difference sound is minimal if any that I can hear.