Pass X150.5 vs. X250.5

Kind of figured there was not much to be had by going to the 250.5. The speakers are average efficiency, around 6 ohm if I remember correctly. The room is roughly 13x18x8, so about average too. Ww carpet on floor, some absorbers at first reflection, no real furniture to speak of other than 2 cabinets on side walls. Using Pass X2.5 pre, all balanced Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference, Kimber 12TC double bi-wire to speakers. Playing with speaker position and tilt forever! Guess that is the direction to go for now!

I owned the 150.5 in the past and have spent a fair amount of time listening to their amps. I currently own an Aleph for a specific pair of speakers in which it matches well (60/90 watts 8/4 ohm, all class A). IMO, buying a/any Pass Labs amp should be based on your anticipated amount of required power being able to be driven by said amp when it is still functioning in Class A.

My experience with the Pass Labs amps is that their performance when it moves from Class A to A/B changes notably. In AB they are decent amps (not great amps) and become strident in class A/B versus their characteristic sound in pure class A.

As the poster above stated, going from the 150.5 to the 250.5, while delivering more total power, its added power in Class A that is important. In this sense, it is not a big increase (if you look outside of just the percentage increase - 10 to 15 is a 50% increase - but still not much in class A).

Ccanino,

Have you assessed your power delivery? I owned an X150.5,
and it drove my Avalon Avatars to acceptable levels on music. It did sound somewhat worse when I drove it very loud. I decided that the (1) 15 amp breaker servicing my living room wasn't enough.
This is already after I ran a beefy extension cord from the kitchen, and put my front end and Video on that breaker.
I'm planning on dedicated lines, soon..
I have (2) James EMB-1200 subs. I'm only using (1), until my dedicated lines are in.
You may be experiencing dynamic compression, due to lack of power to your system...

Does not seem like an issue that will be solved by going from 150 to 250 watts (not much of a difference in dbs)and I think the 3As are fairly easy to drive and your room is not all that large. Is what you are hearing so apparent that it must be something other than a Class A versus B issue?

Where the meter sits is completely arbitrary, some sit at 12, some sit at 11, others wherever. What matters is if it moves. If it sits and does not move, then there is no leaving Class A. If it bounces all over the place then you need more power. The X250.5 is definitely a jump in power, but as many have pointed out it is doubtful that is your problem, it is most likely something else in the chain. Is the X250.5 a better sounding amp, to me yes, but if you have fatigue it is probably something else.