Pass Labs xa - .5 amps


Has anyone compared the new Pass XA-30.5 stereo amp to the XA-60.5 mono amps? Interested to hear your impressions. I am considering one (or two) these for use with my ML Vantage speakers. Thanks.

Bob R.
rmrobinson1957
I owned the Aleph 3 and 2 and I think the XA is more dynamic, and obviously so. I owned the Alephs so long ago that I can't say more about other specific comparisons, but the XAs are real current monsters and they have a lot of bass drive and pace. The high power/low power argument is proabably endless and subjective to some extent, but I still think that the same basic circuits with the differences based on output power will sound better IF the lower power is sufficient to drive the speaker to the right levels. IF not, than more power will have an advantage since insufficient power is proabably more of a liability than the benefits of the simpler lower power version of an amp. But I don't mean to sidetrack, other than to agree that overall the XA is an improvement over the Aleph in that it maintains the former's virtues while adding improved bass and dynamic performance (the Aleph is still a great sounding amp, and with certain speakers the difference in drive might not even be noticeable)
Well the XA-30.5 is here and it sounds wonderful - powerful, punchy, and very transparent. It's been running for about 5 hours now and I've noticed marked improvement just in that period of time - thin and bright when I first plugged it in, but that's all but gone now. I'm sure the buck-a-foot Monster Cable that I'm using isn't helping matters any (the only able I had with spade connectors.)

Any recommendations for speaker cables?
I used a Nordost Hemindall speaker cable with Focal Electra 906 and Pass X2 pre. and run very well, but im searching a Xlr cable between pre and power, ideas?

Im think in focal micro utopia but are a 89 db what do you think?
At the moment have a loaner XA 30.5 hooked up to my Lohengrin.
with 95 Db it get's to really excessive spl's.
just amazing what this little Pass does concerning control and sheer power.
very new so cannot make claims on musicality, but i like it. remember it's all in the match.