Pass Labs XA30.5 and ModWright KWA150

I never heard the Modwright but I have heard the XA-30.5 and all I can say it is one sweet amplifier. I heard it through a pair of Salk HT3 which is a very difficult speaker to drive and the Pass handled it effortlessly.

I know Modwright is also great stuff so this would be a hard choice for anyone.

Good luck.

Why not just get a tube amp if you are looking for "tube like" sound?

In my system I was able to directly compare the Pass XA30.5 to Atma-Sphere M-60's and MA-1's and there wasn't a single area that the Pass came out ahead from a sonics perspective. The Pass will come out ahead in being more compatible with a wider range of systems when compared to the similarly priced M-60's.

The Pass amps are excellent and right up there as my favorite ss amps, but I'll take the Atma-Sphere amps every time.

George

I too had the XA30.5 and M60s at the same time driving Merlin VSMs. The Pass is by far the best SS amp I have ever heard. I kept the Atma-sphere M60s, as it was the best amp I have ever heard driving the Merlins. I have not hear the Modwright, so I have nothing to say about it, but I do get the feeling that the XA30.5 will be remembered as one the very best amps Nelson Pass has ever made, and that says alot.

I also agree with some posters here that Pass amps don't really sound tube-like (I had a 250.5 though, not the XA series)

The SS amp that sounds like tubes to me is McIntosh.