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Suggestions to match a pair of speakers to Pass Labs XA25?

I upgraded recently from an integrated amp (Musical Fidelity M3i) to a XA25 power amp. I also chose the Pass Labs XP12 pre-amp for good measure - Wow, not the same world! I mostly play LPs (RP3), stream Tidal through Bluesound 2i hooked to a Brooklyn DAC+, and enjoy my old Marantz CD player.
When I bought the M3i 10 years ago or so, I picked a nice pair of PSB Image T6 - They sound great, though a bit bright with the M3I. Hooked to the new Pass Labs setup, they sound much much better... but I feel I'm missing satisfying "sound", stage/image, better definition, that plus that would make me smile broadly.
I've read many reviews, went to the CAF 2019 in the DC area... But I'm stuck about high efficiency speakers: Horn or not? I used to be a DJ with horn speakers to get the crowds go wild, so perhaps Klipsch would do great, but then I read about Zu (Soul Supreme) and I don't know anymore. I'm a firm believer that size matters, so bookshelf speakers are not for me. My budget is 4K-6K, and I believe that should be plenty to upgrade from the PSBs. Getting 3 or 4 pairs home to try out and return them will end up costing me some dollars, so narrowing it down to a couple would be nice. Any suggestions?
trackmoe
johnto
1,016 posts
 
Lots of reviews on this amp check what speakers the reviewers are listening to and which sound you are looking for. Good luck.
soix
9,453 posts
 
+1 Spatial Audio M3 Sapphire or LSA-20 if you’re buying new.  If you’re open to used, both the Joseph Audio Perspective and Nola KO2 (both $12k+ MSRP) are available now right around $6k and image/soundstage like crazy.  The T6 is a nice speaker, but these are at another level and your XA25 should be fine to drive either.  Best of luck. 
jdal
159 posts
 
I had both a Pass XA25 and a First Watt SIT-3. The XA25 was a great match for my Bache Audio Tribeca’s. Very open and holographic and balanced from top to bottom. Not bright at all. With the Eton woofers the speaker is a 4 ohm load and 93db sensitivity. I actually liked the amps better with my Tribeca’s than my Quad 57s. 
I also used the XA25  with my pair of Audio Physic Tempo Plus speakers. This was also a nice matchup. It’s a warmer sound with pinpoint imaging but can sound a bit flat sounding compared to the Bache’s. 
trackmoe OP
15 posts
 
Thank you all, this is very helpful. I really appreciate your input, especially when you explain your reasoning. JospehAudio is high on my list, but they are expensive... The Open-baffle is a good option, but I'd need to listen to them first - I was not subjugated by them at CAF19, or perhaps they were just so expensive. The NOLA are huge (just like the Tri-Art B Series 5) and would not fit in my living room - Very impressive!! I never heard of the Bache Audio Tribeca and they could be a very nice option indeed. And then Tekton of course - I have to think more about that brand. Finally, I find it interesting that there not more kudos for Klipsch Cornwall IV...
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,367 posts
 
Golden Ear Speakers, efficient and built in powered bass.  Your Pass amp will be driving just the midrange and tweeters. 
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