@bluethinker "...switched out his Pass Preamp for the LTA as his reference preamp.".
That’s what reviewers do, they switch out gear. What I keep an eye out for is what they keep around for 2+ years to compare everything else to along the way.
If you watch his reviews, you can’t just watch one of them. Watch 20+. For example, he refers back to his Pass XA-25 amp over and over, while rotating new ones in. There are certain components he keeps in the short term list, rotates them out quickly. And, others kept in the long term stable - it seems.
I viewed one of his later reviews on the LTA and Pass, and he does comment about differences and what he likes about each. Check on this theory if you like over time - watch about 20+ and then see which components he brings back up again later. I really don’t believe that XA-25 amp is going anywhere, he loves that damn thing. This explanation is a long roundabout way to figure out what he actually prefers vs. what he’s marketing momentarily. I was surprised to see him start back into tube amps again as he claims he did a lot of tube gear several decades ago. And, tastes can change with audiophiles, and it could be more about just trying the next thing vs what sounds best to them. We see a ton of gear rotaters right here on Agon fwtw, so take it all with a grain of salt.