Anyone auditioned Pass Labs XP-30 preamp?

Peterayer,

I just read the review in TAS as well and agree with you; a little disappointed. It wasn't as informative as I'd hoped, was short and well.....I expected more for such a great piece with little to no publicity.

There was a review posted online from Hometheatrehifi that has some measurements and comparisons to the XP-20 that they also reviewed.

No idea of the weight these reviews carry as opposed to TAS, but there they are.

I also felt ripped off after reading that review in the latest issues of TAS. I was left wanting more info.

I currently have one in for audition with a Pass X350.5 amplifier. I have compared it head to head with a Conrad Johnson GAT tube preamp. The CJ positively smokes the XP30.
The CJ is open and spacious, where the XP30 sounds dynamically and spatially constricted. The CJ has a full round natural tonality and is beautiful to listen to. The XP30 is thin and reedy with no bloom. I am not certain why some reviewers have called this a tube-like sounding pre. To me it sounds like solid state on a diet. Very strange and rather lean. Not bright in the treble, but lean nonetheless. For my money, at $16K, there are a world of choices out there that make more sense. I auditioned the XP-10 with the same amp a while back and actually prefer it to the XP30. Sorry folks. Hate to piss in the punchbowl,but that's my honest opinion and I've listened to a few things in my day.

I think you answered your own question -- the problem must lie not in the preamp but how it was set up.

All of Pass' preamps require 12 - 24 hours of on time before they reach their normal operating temperature for the class A sound and they are not meant to be powered off (hence no switch.) Was your unit adequately warmed up before your audition?