Pass labs upgrade path

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.

@jc4659

arc has, in recent (the last 10-15) years continued to make their sound more extended into far reaching treble and bass, providing a greater sense of speed, while maintaining the lovely midrange and soundstaging magic

c-j has as well ... especially from art to act to gat... i have personally gone from pv-14 to prem 17ls2 to prem 16ls2 to et-5 and now to et7-ii -- each step offered decidely more transparency, bass solidity and slam, with an attendant reduction in the old 'rose-colored glasses' presentation...just like audio research, the tube magic is still there in the critical midrange and for spatial presentation, but at the same time, allowing the listener to hear into the music much more than before

its my opinion, one shared with other owners of higher level arc and c-j units, is that the sound of these two companies have been converging for some time into their version of a ’more modern sound’

@jjss49 Thanks for that analysis! I really should get out and listen to the newer versions of preamps from both companies. It's been awhile!