Pass Labs XA25 Anyone?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by avanti1960, Aug 18, 2021.

  1. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    After four weeks of running this bad boy I am going to give it a solid listen today and tonight. A couple items and thoughts are favorable-

    >After a switch back to the Parasound a21+ after a solid warmup it did not sound like I remember it and simply cannot compare to the sound quality of the XA25. Big plus.
    >Deciding which amp to replace it with led me to tubes, but a tube amp is not a silver bullet either and I am ruling out mono blocs and stereo amps with 8 power tubes. Which leaves limited choices.
    >Thoughts about what it does not do- positives by lack of negatives- it never ever sounds harsh or edgy any more. Has the smoothness of McIntosh but more detail, the best combination of detail and smoothness I have heard in an amplifier.
    >My only reservation is a slight forwardness and occasional sterility for lack of a better word. But it seems true to the recording and warm thick recordings sound warm and thick so I would not want an amp that makes them sound darker than they already do.

    A full day's worth of listening and notes to follow....
     
    jfeldt, Dignan2000, Rick58 and 4 others like this.
  2. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    subtle and in comparison. it is fine and sounds like it should just cannot compete with the XA25s transparency.
     
    Rick58 and timind like this.
  3. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian

    Sounds like you’re perfectly happy with the amp. It’s very reasonably priced and to better it would probably set you back 2 or three times the retail price. You should have a decent take on the sound by now and it probably will improve over time. Seems like in your case it’s a winner.
     
    mreeter and avanti1960 like this.
  4. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    A few revelations while critical listening the Pass Labs XA25-
    1) Overall an excellent sounding amplifier. Smooth, dynamic, clear, resolving and has more power in its "25 watts" than amplifiers I have had rated at 100 or 150 WPC.
    2) Only negative is a touch of high energy in the presence area - 3 to 4 Khz or so. Like any good audio fan I decided to "work" it into the system by the means at my disposal.
    3) Switched my preamp tube rectifier to a known slightly warmer sounding NOS GZ34- a "Tektronix" Amperex I had on hand. Definitely an improvement.
    4) Put the Grilles back on my speakers ! This is known to reduce 2-3Khz or so by a db or two. Bam ! What a revelation! The sound is literally perfect ! Detailed, natural, smooth as the day, transparent, not a sharp edge to be found. Just the right amount of liveliness and energy that will relay what my sources are capable of without going over the top.

    Bass is literally perfect. Notes are so well defined that I am hearing greater differences in the hardness/ softness / sustain or punch. Bass strings are so easy to distinguish. I heard a bass note from a drum beat and it sounded so realistic in tonal definition, harmonics and impact- I have never heard this degree of bass resolution before.
    Midrange is a touch forward and distinct, horns and acoustic guitar strings sound better than they ever have in my system. Guitar strings sound spectacular. I would say it is this amplifier's best quality but it does everything else just as well.
    Treble is also a sweet spot. Defined, resolute with detail yet natural and without distortion. Cymbals sound dead on accurate and very pleasing to the ears.

    An absolute stunner of an amplifier and totally recommended.
     
    Oliver Meyer, C10, Swann36 and 17 others like this.
  5. Glmoneydawg

    Glmoneydawg Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ontario Canada
    Lol...grills on the Harbeths is a must for me....it's a distraction seeing the beautiful wood baffles regardless of sound :) glad the amps are working out for my friend.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  6. Pkcpga

    Pkcpga Audio Enthusiast

    Congratulations, happy it worked out for you, tubes can be magic, I like my Forte’s with their grills on, common fix with many speakers.
     
  7. TEA FOR ONE

    TEA FOR ONE Listening to the world one note at a time

    Location:
    Rochester,NY
    It’s wonderful when everything falls into place. Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the music!
     
    Pkcpga and Glmoneydawg like this.
  8. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    Good thing time is on your side. Fantastic.
     
  9. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    thanks. my first amp where the sound is better with grilles on.. i had them in the attic so that i wouldnt be tempted to try them again. they caused such a loss of dynamics. not true any longer.
     
  10. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    after two more weeks the XA25 has become more refined. speaker grilles are off again, my reference recording that used to be slightly bright and detached with the grilles off is now smooth and neutral.
    dynamics are spectacular as is refinement (now).
    just perfect.
     
  11. mreeter

    mreeter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City
    I knew it was a sure bet, congratulations Tony:righton:
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2021
    Rick58 likes this.
  12. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    After more run time unfortunately the amp is sounding much warmer than it did even a few weeks ago. Actually starting to sound too bassy and warm.
    I literally cannot believe the difference in the sound of my reference tracks.
    It sounds OK but not as good as it did and not the beacon of transparency everyone has written about. We'll see how it goes.....
     
  13. Slimwhit33

    Slimwhit33 Forum Resident

    Location:
    N America
    I’m sorry to hear this. I assume this is what spurred on the “sick of bass” thread.. any chance this is just another phase in the break in?
     
  14. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    Have you tried swapping tubes again and then listened?
     
  15. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    If there have been no changes in your system as far as components, cables, tubes (if any) or speaker location changes what could be the issue? I can't see how the XA25 can go from sounding spectacular a few weeks ago and now just sounding OK. If I recall you had similar thoughts with the A21+ sounding great then not so much. Do you still have the A21+? If you do maybe try putting that back in your system. Worth a try.
     
  16. Pkcpga

    Pkcpga Audio Enthusiast

    A few reviewers stated XA25 had an unusually long and strange break in period:
    Pass Laboratories XA25 power amplifier
     
  17. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian

    Could it be some other incompatibility in you system? Usually amps sound better specially after the length of time you’ve been running it. Somethings not clicking here. Maybe it’s just not the right “perfect” amp for you. There’s so much really good stuff out there.
    But, if you’re determined to make it work you could give it a few more months.

    I admire your patience. With me it would have been out the door long ago.
     
    timind and Pkcpga like this.
  18. Pkcpga

    Pkcpga Audio Enthusiast

    Lol, same here, would have been gone long ago.
     
    Khorn likes this.
  19. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    True that the Stereophile reviewer did comment on a long break in period with the XA25 and that it "occasionally sounded unsettlingly "different."" But I take those comments to be from the break in period with no mention of the SQ of the amp regressing past the break in period as avanti1960 is now experiencing.
     
  20. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Yes…Pass is warm…a little too warm for some. You may have to much of a warm thing with the synergy of the remainder of your gear…warm Cary, warm Pass, Speakers aren’t exactly bright….can make for a sleepy time, sleepy time.
     
  21. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    The amp had not finished changing and is now coming into its own. There may be to much of a warm signature with the Cary/Pass. If he’s willing…..need brighter speakers and livelier cables. In a system one does not want all bright or all warm gear including cables. It’s better to balance out the sound back to neutral with a mix of warm / bright gear and cables….especially with different brand gear as he has in the Pass/ Cary. So…..Not all of one or the other. System will either be to warm or to bright. In a situation such as this….if sound continues with a warm signature….I’d consider German speakers which have a more lively open sound. German speakers are voiced very different than British speakers…that will balance out the sound.
     
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2021
    mreeter and timind like this.
  22. Bill Mac

    Bill Mac Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    The amp has been in his system for six weeks. I'm assuming that should be sufficient time for the amp to break in and come into it's own. The question I asked earlier was if there were no changes in avanti1960's system what could possibly make the XA25 suddenly not sound good. Making suggestions for different cables and speakers are all well intended. But I'd be more interested in finding out what is the issue with the system in it's current form.
     
    mreeter, Slippers-on and drgn95 like this.
  23. Pkcpga

    Pkcpga Audio Enthusiast

    The reviewer did mention after break in his cables needed swapping before being satisfied with the sound quality.
     
  24. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    He said it became warm(-er.) So perhaps it had not finished changing…..Pass are a warm signature and made to sound like tubes. CODA and Levinson both are more transparent.
     
    Bill Mac likes this.
  25. timind

    timind phorum rezident

    Hopefully for @avanti1960's sake, if it does continue changing, it won't be to an even more warm sound. Isn't a warm sound signature what class A amps are known for?
     
    jonwoody, Pkcpga and Slippers-on like this.

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