Disappointment with Pass Labs - I'm looking for something else


Hello, I am new to this forum and my mother tongue is not English, so please forgive me if I make mistakes as I use a translator.

I recently bought an XA30.8 and an XP12. I was very happy but as time went by I began to not feel comfortable with the sound.
After doing many tests, I find that the XA30.8 sounds very very sweet but actually too much. I find it to be a loosely defined amp, somewhat muddy and lacks a lot of air and grip. The soundstage is very closed.

The XP-12 is the worst of the two. It is a previous that removes a lot of resolution and information, without transient attacks and sunken mid frequencies. Instead it brings warmth.

Has anyone of you found the same?

If you ask me, I have a Klipsch Cornwall and a dCS BArtok.

Now I want a capable amp, forceful, something warm, decisive, airy and with a great soundstage.

At first I thought of changing my XA30.8 for X250.8, and changing the XP-12 for a second-hand Audio Research Ref5. I am afraid of this change and continue with Pass, since I can go back to the same thing a bit.

On the other hand I have thought of going for a Luxman 900 combo, since it has very good reviews and from what I have read it could be the winning ticket.
opm
Thank you for your advices. D'agostino is a lot of money for me, I can't reach them. Outside the USA it is very very expensive.

Gryphon Diablo is much more accessible, especially in Europe and Soulution has a distributor nearby.

Can you elaborate on Gryphon or Soulution?
The only tube amplification that I have liked is the Jadis 120 monophonic blocks. Really brutal, an incredible push, an incredible detail recovery. But they have a problem, that they make a lot of noise while they are silent. Changing all the tubes is a lot of money.
Hi @opm
I think the Pass Labs X250.8 / AR 5SE combo might work very nicely for you. I had the exact set up. Very airy, pungent and natural sound. Not too sweet. I don’t like too sweet either. The X250.8/XP-22 was a great combo as well, but if I was to go back now, I would gravitate towards the AR 5SE.

If you are really considering a tube amp(s), the Balanced Audio Technology tube amps are fantastic!

Good luck.