Yes I got one (and fell in love with it)... From what I heard (I auditionned both before buying), the Passion comes in between the Series 2 and Series 1... I tried the basic version of YBA 2 (not the HCDT). The phono stage is better on the YBA 2 but for myself, I will never of a table...
The Series 2 may be a tiny bit more detailled (I guess the interconnects play a role in this, in this case it was a Siltech SQ-88) but the Passion is a bit more powerfull... I guess that for the price difference, it's hard not to buy the Passion... Another good solution would be a used YBA 2 amp/preamp.
I also auditionned the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista M3. The Passion is less powerfull than the M3 but it is more refined and also the sound was more opened. Unfortunately, I auditionned the M3 in another store so I did not have a side by side comparison...
Obviously, if you are looking most bang for the buck, the M3 is the winner (They are closely priced). If you are looking for an amp that is very refined, detailled without being aggressive (tubelike), the Passion is the winner... Also, YBA products sound close to tube amps... I was looking for an audio Research (VT-100MKIII with LS-16 or LS-25) but it fell out of my budget range.
I also tried a Sonus Faber Musica (50W). Nice integrated amp, it sounds like a 50W on STEROIDS (it felt like more like 100-150W). The Musica is good but lacks transparence compared to the Passion. The music is a bit too laid back to my taste. It's never tiresome (very musical). It's still a great value considering it's price (5,000CDN with no remote control available).
Hope it helps
Hope it helps
