Pass Labs X1 vs. XP-10

A friend brought over his xp10 and compared it to my x1 a couple of weeks ago. The xp10 has a bit more detail, sound is more transparent and has lower background noise. The x1 is a bit warmer sounding.

The differences are not night and day but I preferred the xp10 over the x1 in my system.

I currently own a XP 10 and had an X1 in system for extended period of time. Buy the XP 10 it is a much better pre-amp. The XP 10 has a way lower noise floor, it has better highs, the mid-range is much more smooth, and the Bass is tighter deeper and way faster. The XP 10 is way more transparent in my system. I was going to buy a refurb X1 from Reno HiFi for a lot less money than a XP 10 but I was able to try both pre amps at the same time. The X1 barrowed from a friend and trial on a XP 10 from Reno Hifi and it was very apparent which one was better. I bought the XP-10. I will upgrade to the XP-20 in the next year.

I owned the Aleph P, the X1 and now the XP-20. The X1 was considerably more neutral and detailed than the Aleph P, though I loved the ergonomics of the P and the remote. The separate X1 PS also lowered the noise floor. The XP-20, though much more expensive, simply disappears. It is highly resolving of detail and nuance. It is very quiet. It is also very smooth without being soft. The sound can be "rich" if the recording is, but this is not a coloration or character trait of the preamp. I did listen to the XP-10 briefly in my system when I had the XP-20, but not for a long enough time to make an accurate assessment. After a brief A-B-A, the difference to my ears was small. More time might reveal greater differences.

If it were me, I would buy the XP-10. Of course, Pass suggests the XP-10 sounds better than the former flagship three box X0.2. You could try contacting Mark at RENO HIFI or Kent at Pass. They both know these products as well as the FW F5 and could give you another opinion. Depending on your system, you could also ask them about the FirstWatt B1 passive buffer.