Coda #8, Pass XA25, or Schiit Tyr to replace PS Audio M700

@thriftyaudio I originally was running a single Schitt Aegir and was happy with it. But I was really curious about the Pass stuff, so I popped for the XA 30.8. There was a lot about the Pass that was great, but when I swapped the Aegir back in I was struck by how well it was holding its own against the 7x more expensive Pass. In the end I preferred the Aegir, all things considered. At one point I had my wife blind listen to the two amps back-to-back. She said "Ok, I can hear why that's the more expensive one." Turns out she was mistaken - it was the Aegir she was saying that about!

Anyway, I returned the Pass and happily sat on the money saved + the knowledge that I wasn't getting any "second rate" sound by any means. Quite the contrary - I now had the direct experience that the Aegir absolutely played with the "big boys" and absolutely held its own. I stuck with Aegir until the Tyrs came out. I jumped on a pair, and they ended up taking the new top spot and replaced the Aegir. 

The Schiit gear has a sweeter tonality and richness to my ear. The Tyrs are incisive and powerful without calling attention to themselves. They can swing for the fences when necessary while never losing their ability to sound musical. In a hobby where the running joke is the rabbit hole of never enough, I have no desire to change anything up.

The Aegir is a good amp and one I use for my RAAL SR1a headphones (with the new interface box). There is a slightly mechanical hum to it, but it is faint, and it does not come through the music.

The latest Aegir is supposed to have fixed that hum issue.

BTW - there was someone in the Bay Area trying to sell an KRELL Duo 175XD for a song, he had no box. I was thinking about driving up there to pick it up. I think that is a great amp and owned it before. It is in the CODA #8 price range MSRP.

@yyzsantabarbara I have been warned off Krell amps by a couple of respected friends who say there are issues with fan failure in the newer units.  There is one in Orange County offered for $4700, plus The Music Room is taking offers on new sealed units at $7999, which means they will go below that.  There must be a reason they are being offered used at less than half MSRP only four years after introduction.  I am comfortable with used, but would prefer to items that hold their value like Pass.  There is a used Coda #8 offered at $4200, but that is 2/3 of new price.  I can't find any Tyr on the used market.  Of course they are only a couple of years out since introduction.

Interesting statement on the KRELL. I no longer have the 2 units I owned so I cannot offer any long tern ownership history.

I am not sure if CODA hold value as a PASS, but I would take a CODA over a PASS for my preferences. CODA also seems rock solid.

@sid-hoff-frenchman you make some great points.  The XA30.8 is a close comparison to the XA25.  It sells for a bit more, but some seem to like the First Watt DNA for the XA25.  That the Tyr little brother won out says a lot.  I look forward to seeing them tomorrow.