Can it get better?

@voodoochillin

Interesting, the words you use. See if you are able to listen to a Audio Research VSi75. It is an integrated, but tubed. It offers warm midrange bloom, with great imaging and soundstaging.

I recently had a audio buddy over that commented my system had the best imaging he had heard… I hadn’t even thought of it… but it is outstanding… the natural… musical sound of ARC is incredible. For the time I was an audiophile Padawan I had heard ARC and been really impressed with their sound attributes. But out of my price range. However, today for $10K you can get a large chunk of the sound in an integrated.

My history includes living with Pass preamps / amps for 20 years / 35 years. The conversion from Pass to Audio Research has been one of the most transformative things that has happened to me. Pursuing high end audio all my life… having Audio Research Phonostages for 35 years… and preamps for 15, and now all Audio Research makes me realize I should have made this conversation earlier.

Today you can get a good slice of high detail, imaging, midrange bloom, warm organic sound from the VSi 75. When I drop by my audio dealer I alway listen to it. My system is over 10x in cost, so sounds better.. but for it’s price, it is amazing… to me.

If you run out of power with the Pass try a bigger amp. But make it much bigger. The Pass is not a 25 watt amp. That's it's rating running class A into 8 ohms. It goes into AB above 25 watts and puts out about 70 watts if I recall correctly. So if you go bigger go at least twice 70 watts, preferably more or you aren't really upping the amp dynamic range.

I agree with a person who says it’s not about integrated versus separate component. If you want tone and texture, I would look at some of the more powerful tube offerings That are available these days. Cayin Makes some very beautiful amps, integrated amps, That will bring out the best in the Harbeths. I am using A triode labs EL 84 which puts out about 15 watch per channel. I’m using this was her best 30.2 XDs. Sometimes a little bit Lacking In power, but they still sound much better than they do with my Bryston 14 B3. I’m using the prime Aluna Evo 400 amp preamp. If you haven’t played with tubes yet, you’re in for a treat.

I agree with a person who says it’s not about integrated versus separate component. If you want tone and texture, I would look at some of the more powerful tube offerings That are available these days. Cayin Makes some very beautiful amps, integrated amps, That will bring out the best in the Harbeths. I am using A triode labs EL 84 which puts out about 15 watch per channel. I’m using this was her best 30.2 XDs. Sometimes a little bit Lacking In power, but they still sound much better than they do with my Bryston 14 B3. I’m using the prime Aluna Evo 400 amp preamp. If you haven’t played with tubes yet, you’re in for a treat.

@dynamiclinearity actually, that’s not correct regarding the wattage of the INT 25.

It is basically the XA25 with gain. The reason it has no pre outs is, it was intended to be single ended only and as simple as possible. This comes from the guys at Pass directly. Regarding the wattage output. Pass rates their amps at .01 THD which is where the 25w comes from. The Int25 puts out nearly 70 watts of Class A power at 1% THD. Which is the typical stat. All the measurements are in Stereophile. It’s quite the little beast and not like anything Pass has created before. 
 

Regarding the comment about the Hegel H590, wow that thing is a monster. Fantastic integrated. I just finished a shoot out between the Gryphon Diablo 120 and the H590, both are still in the house. I ultimately chose the Gryphon after much back to back listening with my wife. Both are EXCELLENT. But the Gryphon has a couple of character differences and it is the one I am going to keep. I could easily live with either one. There truly are some great integrateds out there that really give the separates game a run for the money.