Can it get better?

@chorus 

@geof3 

Thanks for the replies. It's the age old discussion about Harbeth speakers and how much power is required given their relatively low sensitivity. My experience with the Int-25 is that it does check a lot of boxes and perhaps the most important one being able to handle peaks at my average listening levels.

Differently designed amps will have their own character, but I'm wondering if going to separates has a distinct advantage over integrateds in areas that all amps try to achieve like low noise, precise imaging, dynamics, etc.  Like you said Geof, integrated amps are great these days. Is it foolish to think I could achieve a significant Wow moment that exceeds the Pass by spending twice the money on separates?

I am going directly from my Antelope Audio Platinum dac into a Wavac EC300b. Good attenuators on the dac obviate the need for a pre. It’s important to understand that a dac’s output only needs attenuation under most scenarios, i.e. the circuitry of a pre is only going to alter but not improve the dac’s output. The Antelope has good analogue inputs, too. My next stop will be something akin to the Audion Class Ds; the Wavac though is a formidable benchmark.

Voodoo,

I get it, although you have an excellent system you are restless right now.I used to have lots of boxes but then tried an integrated amplifier and never looked back. Now my system is only two boxes unless I include the Roon server.

mono amps>stereo amp>integrated>receiver. (Of equal cost)

@voodoochillin You clearly know what you're doing with that setup.

I have an XA 25 and it underpowers my Salk 87db speakers. I know that more power would make them sing, because I had an AVA SET 400 hooked up to them and they kicked more but (but were harsher).

In my humble opinion, I think the question is about power/current quantity, not the integrated vs. separates question, unless that is also separates-with-more-power. If you had a Pass integrated with much more power, I cannot imagine you'd not notice a lot of the change you'd get with separates with more power. My guess.