Krell FPB 400CX vs PASS LABS X-350.5

I think you should contact Reno HiFi and arrange an in-home trial and bypass
the speculation.

I also think John Devore has already mentioned what amps he believes would
work well.

In my system and room (93dB speakers), the XA-30.5 was very close, but
wouldn't quite get the job done in the volume department. If you audition the
XA-30.5, you'll know how the XA-.5 series sound on the Nines, and then you
can move up to more power if necessary.

IMO, any of the XA-.5 series Pass amps are better choices than the X-350.5
because of their more refined sound.

Well I actually had both amps side by side in my system for a while and the Pass X350.5 is better in every aspect than the FPB400CX.

The X350.5 should be compared to the Krell EVO402 and then they are very close. I had the EVO402 as well and it does sound very similar to the Pass X350.5 but at 1.5 times the price.

For price / performance ratio the Pass is the best.

The FPB700CX is much better than the 400CX and would come close to the Pass X350.5. The 700Cx might even have a little more bass slam.

Peter

I did a head to head audition between the X-250.5, the X-350.5 and the XA-30.5.

The smaller 30 watt class A XA-30.5 smoked both of the X models, and has more than enough power for my DeVore Nines in a large room.

Thanks for the report, Roor.

How would you describe the combination?

I recently read Fremmer's Stereophile review of the Devore Silverbacks, in which he mentioned they were slightly "cool" sounding due to a recessed midbass (although he mentioned he preferred this over a plump midbass).

The DeVore Nines/Pass XA-30.5/Pass X-1/Esoteric X03-SE combo does not sound cool at all in my opinion. I would say very slightly warm "ish"; yet smooth, and neutral. Correct I guess would a good description. Dead quiet with more soundstage depth than the Pass X-model amps.The Pass Labs XA amps are killer.