Short List of Amps I prefer over the Pass Labs XA25 or INT 25

I’m on the "NeverPass" camp. It’s not ideological, it’s not personal (Nelson Pass is a fine gentleman), it’s not anything about the quality of the gear. I just really find the sound scratchy or weak. I assume, without investigation, that the euphonic distortion Pass adds and which his fans love and which Stereophile often measures, is exactly what I do not like. This is an IPA vs. Belgian White discussion though, there’s no right or wrong, but for my wallet, no, never would I buy, nor would I put a Belgian White in my mouth deliberately. I’m in the minority, and happy to let Pass fans love the products.

I also wonder based on some of Pass' writing about proper matching of amp output impedance to woofers if he isn't targetting a specific type of big-woofer speaker like Tannoy and Klipsch folded horns.  Neither of which I listen to.  Not a criticism, but a question of intended matching.

Amps I like a lot:

Luxman
Arcam
Ayre
D’Agostino

Amps I don’t like as much, but still more than Pass:

Parasound
ARC


Amps I’d like to hear more of to make a better view:

Vandersteen

Hi Ralph,

You, @atmasphere ,  make this statement which seems contradictory right after talking about tubes and distortion:

The answer has something to do with the ear's masking principle; that is where a louder sound can mask the presence of a quieter sound.

Right, and this is the basis of MP3 compression, among other things. Why do you think the masking principle benefits tubes??

Best,

E

Right, and this is the basis of MP3 compression, among other things. Why do you think the masking principle benefits tubes??

I thought I had explained that enough, but nutshell explanations can be tricky. Essentially though the tubes have enough 2nd and 3rd harmonic distortion that those harmonics are able to mask the presence of the higher orders. So they **sound** to the human ear as if the higher orders are absent altogether. That is why they sound smoother.

erik_squires;
You seem to have gone off the deep end lately. 
You used to be a reasonably affable and knowledgeable bloke and now this? 
Do you really not comprehend the difference between MP3's shortcomings (and all of digital's) for the totally separate and distinct concept that Ralph is discussing? Are harmonic orders and truncated bits the same thing to your mind? 
To mine, there is one connection between Ralphs's post and digital and that is the limitations of modern measurements. Time and time again John Atkinson would measure a DAC (Benchmark being a prime example) or an amp (Benchmark again is a good example) and declare the measurements to be beyond reproach and often the reviewer coincidentally gave a rave review, but the buying public has disagreed. Certain highly esteemed writers/reviewers at S'Phile even disagreed. That is the only connection between Ralph's point and explanation and digital/MP3. 

And does your post above mean that you have only heard 8 brands of amplifier in your lifetime?
Implicitly equating the performance of ARC and Parasound is another gaffer.