Pass Labs ALEPH 5 vs ALEPH 2

Yes, all the 2 stage Alephs need a high-output pre; the Aleph P essentially provides the third stage that was there in the original first Aleph, I think, along with a fine servo-driven stepped attenuator. It's an incredibly quiet, neutral preamp, and of course drives the Alephs seamlessly.
The remote is the best, too. Having separate gain and volume controls allows one a "balance" control as well the ability to dial in a bit of stage depth variability, although I simply follow nelson's advice and use the final attenuator set at upper scale, with gain pots semi-permanently set mid-scale, slightly unqual to offset assymmetry of room. Works great. Let's not hijack the thread....

no hijack subaruguru, always interested to learn something new.

Cdma I would suggest that the P is an idea match to the aleph amps and might suggest that the P doesn't begin to amplify until very late on the gain knob 4 to 5 oclock with mains set at off or 7 oclock. This is the case in my system. I have considered the P as passive in my system until the volume is wound right out, to two or three click to full volume, again with mains set at the off position,

Sayas,
Thanks ! SC-4 is sensitive so I have never gone beyond 12 o'clock.
Back to the orginal topic, IMO, 2 and 3 are the best choices in the Aleph family based on the design and spec if speakers are sensitive enough.

Good point, Sayas. With my EMC-1 and MD100 tuner I set gains at about 10 o'clock, using volume from noon to full max (4 o'clock). Still probably passive, but man does it sound active!

I've had the 5 and the 2 and now have the 1.2 Alephs. The two is the best sounding of the bunch if you have sensitive speaker, the right room etc. The 2 has 100 watts per side and the 5 has 60 per side. The 2's are like having two 5's in terms of power supply. Budget and speaker sensitivity will tell the story...either way you will be happy. Don't be a fool...keep the aleph's until they run out of electricity. I've tried more than a few and keep coming back. You might try to find some 60 watt monoblocks...aleph 60's. I saw them here not long ago. Same power supply as the 2's. Good luck.