Pass labs upgrade path

I've enjoyed Pass amps with preamps from Pass, ARC, JRDG.  Also enjoyed Pass preamps with numerous other brand amps. I feel the Pass preamps took a big step forward when they went from the X to the XP models (more input from Nelson Pass I'm told)...

@laaudionut That Coda Model 16 looks like one helluva an amplifier.  It's still a beast like the Pass 350.5 I now use but what did you gain going to the Coda and was it worth it?

i have never tried a pass linestage... been a c-j and arc linestage guy since the 90's, they are sublime...  nowadays, streaming mostly all the time, the preamp has been bypassed altogether

but i still won't sell my et7-2 nor my ref 3

Over the years I have owned both ARC (LS-3B, LS-16, Ref 2mkII) and C-J (PV-5) and they have a very different sound.  I actually preferred the C-J sound.  The PV-5 was a great preamp but the ARC preamps might pair better with Pass amps.

@jc4659 I do not want to hijack this Pass thread and muddy it in any way and give the impression that I am not a fan of Pass amplification, which I am indeed. I was hesitant to move away from monos, which I have employed for a very long time. With the Coda what I gained most was space on my rack. I also have a Coda Model 11, so I am familiar with their sound. There are far more similarities than differences between the 160.8's and the Model 16, but if I had to make a statement, I would suggest(to my ears and listening environment) that the Coda has a bit more of that, "tube bloom" and "richness" without compromising on detail and dimensionality.