Has anyone compared Ayre K-1x to Pass X-1

The Ayre K-1x is a fantastic preamp, better than that KX-5.  I haven't spent much time with the Twenty version however.

Between it and the Pass X-1 I give the nod to the Ayre.  The X-1 is very good however, but my memory was that the Ayre was just better.

I have a K1 - there are a few permutations to this unit.   Some have a phono, some with remote.  Mine is both ....and there is an update K1xe.   I remember when mine was modded to xe.....a definite upgrade.   The performance of the unit is quite wonderful, the phono section can take any moving coil made....the Ayre service is among the tops in the industry.

I can comment on the Pass X-1 to the Ayre K-5xemp. The K-5 was the last piece to give me a full Ayre rack, and I thought it a little better than the Pass X-1 at the time, but I was going to change anyway.So I put the Pass back in the system today to check. On the Chesky Schererazade,  I found the upper register on the orchestra to be a little more vivid on the Pass, and the lower register to be a little more articulated on the Ayre. Again in my system, I slightly prefer the Ayre, as a matter of system synergy, but with a Pass amp you might find a similar system synergy with the Pass X-1. The Ayre K-1 should be a notch above the K-5, but is normally more expensive. You pay your money and make a choice. In this case, you can't go wrong by much.