Best SS Amp - Pass Labs X350.8 vs. Luxman M900u vs. Ayre VX-R Twenty

I owned for quite a while the Pass Labs X350.5 amp. I had the opportunity to upgrade to the then newer model X350.8. I thought the .8 version was less lively and duller in dynamics so I kept my X350.5.

I eventually went on to tubes amps and couldn’t be happier.

I also owned for a time a Ayre five-Twenty preamp and I thought it was a very nice sounding preamp. Very little electronices inside of it though.

ozzy

Ozzy,

        Could you tell us which tube model you choose?and what pre to match?

Keithr,

         I am a female vocal lover, and you mentioned Rowland amp.,which model you mean? Could you tell us?

How funny a combination.  3 of those amps are one's I recommend people listen to for themselves becuase they are so different to my ears.  You will come to strong opinions on your own.

I almost never get to listen to JR so I won't comment on them at all.

Pass - Not my cup of tea, at all, but they seem to be the most speaker dependent. 

Ayre - Very smooth, has a kind of darkness about them, sometimes the effect is as if they are sucking noise right out of the room.  It's ... honestly a little odd but if you like velvet black backgrounds from which your music shoudl emerge this is your choice.

Luxman - Among the very best amplifiers I've ever heard.  Best traits are awesome extension at the bottom and top octaves along with an absolutely tube-like midrange to treble presentation.  Absolutely not a hint of grain or edge anywher while at the same time providing effortless extension.  Lesser amps make the same speakers sound smaller by comparison.

I strongly believe you should listen to the Pass in contrast, because you might find that like many here, you prefer it, or you really don't like it, and either way I don't think it will be close, but who am I to tell you which you should like? :)

Please enjoy listening and let us know what you decide.

Forgot to mention, my setup will be used 70% of the time for HT & 30% for Music. I’ll be eventually adding a Tube PreAmp & another Amp for the remaining 3 channels for HT.

@jjss49 : I agree with you. The 5 figure price factor limits the marketability of an Amp. And when the brand/ model doesn’t have a solid following or recognition, it further reduces your possibility to sell.

Another factor is at what % price you got your product. Assume there are Two similarly speced products at $20k MSRP & are normally available used between $10-11k. Out of those if you end up getting one at say $7.5k, I would jump on that because that’s a good value.

@ keithr : I usually listen to Male Vocals. If m900u doesn’t have the desired bass, will using a powered sub compensate for the low frequency?
 

And the last point, it’s not possible to audition 2 Amps side-by-side when you’re shopping around in the used market. So that possibility is ruled out. Henced asking here in the forum to people who are way more experienced than me.