Completely agree with Bill (Audiofeil). For your stated application the XA60.5 will offer the most refined sound for the dollar. The key is the tame impedance curve at 8 ohms coupled to the high sensitivity... You get 60 wpc rms clean class A power (120 wpc peak) versus the ~20 of the 250.5 or ~40 of the x350.5. Visit the website to learn more specs. The XA.5 amps are the pinnacle of Pass Labs and will have a leg up sonically, given appropriate system match. In your medium room with those speakers the XA60.5 should be the bomb.
Pass Labs amps. Help me choose.
Speakers: Focal JM Labs Electra 1037BE
Room: 15 x 20 x 10 (w x d x h)
Listening Volume: typically 70 - 80 db at listening position. occasionally peaks at 90 db with symphonies (Mahler, Tchaikovsky). Rarely if ever above 100 db.
First a little background. I had an opportunity to audition X-150.5 at home, and I instantly fell in love. I have a stereo + multi channel music system, and I need five channels of amplification. I have immediately acquired X-3 for center and rears, and have been looking to get X-150.5 or X-250.5. In the mean times I was using X-3 for fronts and center duties. I had B&W Nautilus 804 speakers back then.
Fast forward a few months, I have replaced B&W with Focal Electra 1037BE. Focals are wonderful speakers, but it turned out they are a mismatch for X-3. When driven with X-3 the tonal balance is noticeably lean. X-3 couldn't control the bass and dynamics, and loud transient became muddy. Not a big deal, as my intention was to use X-3 for center and rear anyways, but I still needed amplification for the fronts. I've then acquired Levinson No 335 to drive Focals. With Levinson the bass control and dynamics are back.
Objectively, No 335 is an excellent amp and I could happily live with it for a while. However I am still partial to Pass Labs, and I would like to get a proper Pass amp for my speakers and compare against my Levinson. I do miss the musicality and the ease of flow with the previous set up with Pass amp. The amps I'm currently considering are the following:
X-350.5
XA-100
XA-100.5
X-350.5 and XA-100 are within my budget. XA-100.5 is a somewhat more than I would be willing to spend on amps. But if it comes down to only XA-100.5, then I am willing to take a leap.
Obviously my primary concern is whether the amp can drive my 1037BE. They are not an easy load where the impedance swings from 3 ohm in low bass to 18 ohm in upper midrange. X-3, a sibling of X-150, had problems driving my speakers. Personally I would choose XA-100 if it doesn't show the problem X-3 did and can drive my speakers with correct tonal balance. I don't know if it can or can't. X-350.5 looks great too. Two concerns with X-350.5 is that I don't want to pay for the powers that I may never need (350W @ 8 Ohm and 700W @ 4 Ohm is really a lot of power), and I may later regret not getting the XA series and just "settle" with X series. Then XA-100.5 would probably be perfect, but with about 2x the cost.
That's where I'm at right now. If you own any of the models listed above please let me know what speakers it's driving, and how you like / dislike about your amp. Thanks,
jlee
Room: 15 x 20 x 10 (w x d x h)
Listening Volume: typically 70 - 80 db at listening position. occasionally peaks at 90 db with symphonies (Mahler, Tchaikovsky). Rarely if ever above 100 db.
First a little background. I had an opportunity to audition X-150.5 at home, and I instantly fell in love. I have a stereo + multi channel music system, and I need five channels of amplification. I have immediately acquired X-3 for center and rears, and have been looking to get X-150.5 or X-250.5. In the mean times I was using X-3 for fronts and center duties. I had B&W Nautilus 804 speakers back then.
Fast forward a few months, I have replaced B&W with Focal Electra 1037BE. Focals are wonderful speakers, but it turned out they are a mismatch for X-3. When driven with X-3 the tonal balance is noticeably lean. X-3 couldn't control the bass and dynamics, and loud transient became muddy. Not a big deal, as my intention was to use X-3 for center and rear anyways, but I still needed amplification for the fronts. I've then acquired Levinson No 335 to drive Focals. With Levinson the bass control and dynamics are back.
Objectively, No 335 is an excellent amp and I could happily live with it for a while. However I am still partial to Pass Labs, and I would like to get a proper Pass amp for my speakers and compare against my Levinson. I do miss the musicality and the ease of flow with the previous set up with Pass amp. The amps I'm currently considering are the following:
X-350.5
XA-100
XA-100.5
X-350.5 and XA-100 are within my budget. XA-100.5 is a somewhat more than I would be willing to spend on amps. But if it comes down to only XA-100.5, then I am willing to take a leap.
Obviously my primary concern is whether the amp can drive my 1037BE. They are not an easy load where the impedance swings from 3 ohm in low bass to 18 ohm in upper midrange. X-3, a sibling of X-150, had problems driving my speakers. Personally I would choose XA-100 if it doesn't show the problem X-3 did and can drive my speakers with correct tonal balance. I don't know if it can or can't. X-350.5 looks great too. Two concerns with X-350.5 is that I don't want to pay for the powers that I may never need (350W @ 8 Ohm and 700W @ 4 Ohm is really a lot of power), and I may later regret not getting the XA series and just "settle" with X series. Then XA-100.5 would probably be perfect, but with about 2x the cost.
That's where I'm at right now. If you own any of the models listed above please let me know what speakers it's driving, and how you like / dislike about your amp. Thanks,
jlee