Speaker suggestions - Pass XA30.5 $3500


Hi all, I've been with Thiel for about 10 years and think I'm ready to try something new. I've got a Pass INT-30A, listen only to digital sources (PS Audio PWDII), and want speakers that image well and can periodically support a loud dance session. Looking at speakers that go for around $3500 used.

I listen to a wide range of music (e.g., Electronic, Pop, Rock, Jazz, and female vocalists) and am open to a variety of speaker designs.

Also, the Pass is probably more powerful than you think. Stereophile measured it as clipping at 135W @ 8 ohms and 295W @ 4 ohms. I preferred it pretty soundly to the X-250.5 on my Thiel 2.4s.

I have a medium sized living room that takes up the entire width of the house when you come in the front door. It's 15' x 21' with 8' ceilings (on a slab) and the stereo (attached to a TV) is on one half of the long wall. The room's a bit unbalanced in that way, but unfortunately that's the only setup option.

Thanks for your suggestions.

- Chris
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There's a pair of Ref 3A Grand Veenas for sale near your price range, and also some Joseph Audio RM25XLs for sale a bit under your price target. Both are great imaging speakers and are both relatively easy to drive. Best of luck.
not sure if you can find a set, but i recently moved to audio physics Caldera II. its matched with a Pass xa30.8 and Pass xp10. This setup is fantastic. By a long margin, the best i have ever owned. I picked up the calderas for that price range. I also heard the scorpio's are great also. Imagining is one of the strengths of the early Audio physics line. great balance from highs to lows with no shortage of bass response.
Oilmanmojo: I see that there are various AP's up on Agon, some of which are MKI and others are MKII, and the current line is 25. I realize they make a lot of different speakers, any elaborations on the general differences across generations?
I sold AP for over 8 years of time. They make fine speakers.
But in the world of highend audio a wide and deep stage is
what makes highend audio thrilling. This part is not the best
of AP.

The Pl-200 is superior in speed and has a much wider and
deeper stage. Beside this instruments and voices are a lot
more physical apparent.

These days I sell 3 dimensional sound. I outperform all other
shops in audio all the time. That is how I work. At the end
the best and most convincing sound in audio always wins. That
is why I keep it simple and clear!