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

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. 

After a lot of deliberation & a little hesitation, I ended up buying the Luxman m900u.

I'll update you after I plug it in but not sure how much that will help as I haven't listened to any of the Amps discussed here. The only comparison I can make is with my previously owned Parasound Halo A51.

Good to know it’s the Luxman M900U which got the nod.

This post may not add much value to the thread. I noticed there are few comments here on the bass of the Luxman that’s lacking in comparison to other options. Although I don’t own the M900U, I do have the L-590AXII integrated and it’s currently the best sounding amp I have experienced in my system after more than 20 years in this hobby messing around with different types of amps. The bass may not be Luxman’s strong trait in terms of visceral power and slam but it’s quality bass. It may sound slightly lean or lightweight but it’s a defined, layered and textured bass with good refinement and detail. You will hear all the detail and nuanced layering in the bass if it’s in the recording instead of a "one-note" bass. The appeal or strength of the Luxman is mainly in its detailed and neutral presentation, sounding a little light on its feet with a slight hint of sweetness and warmth in the midrange and treble.

At the end of the day, the amp needs to match the speakers. Synergy is the key to great results.

Good luck.

Thank you Ryder & everyone who shared their experiences/ insights to guide me in this process. It's the most expensive Amplifier I never dreamt I'll ever own. I stretched my budget to my wildest dream. And I still have a bunch of toys on my list to complete my HT/ Music setup. 😊

You will not regret it. Every well though out stretch purchase in high end audio has been a revelation. Give us your impressions when you get it and after several hundred hours when it is partially broken in... remember to reserve final appraisal after 500 hours or more. This stuff just gets better and better,