Should I Sell My ARC REF 6 and Get A Pass Labs XP-32


So here's the question.  I love my ARC REF 6.  It's a great piece of equipment.  But  lately, I have been thinking that maybe I should switch from tubes to a Pass Labs XP-32, as I don't want to worry about replacing tubes in the future (like 5-10 years from now -- I know that there is plenty of stock now and I have a spare set anyway) as I approach retirement age.  Of course, other than buying a Pass Labs XP-32 and putting it into my system to see how it sounds, I am at the mercy of professional reviewers. The rest of my system: I have a Pass Labs 250.8 (so I think that there would be great synergy with the XP-32), MSB Discrete DAC with Premier Power Base and Wilson Sabrina X speakers, and a full loom of Shunyata cables.  Will the XP-32 be an improvement over the REF 6 for my system?  Should I sell the REF 6 and get an XP-32?

moto_man

@johnlnyc, LOL! so true.  Always looking for better.  I like the way my system is right now, but I want a deeper soundstage.  It may be a function of the size of my dedicated room (11x11x11), but I would like one more preamp upgrade before I retire or semi-retire and get flack for spending so much money on components, LOL!  And if I get a new preamp, it's going to be solid state.  The XP-32 seems to fit the bill and there is the fact that it is paired with a Pass Labs 250.8, so it seems like the obvious choice.  the only question is whether it will be a step up and it looks like the only way I will figure it out is by getting one and putting it into the system for a while and selling the one that isn't better.  in an ideal world, someone would have had both and can articulate the pros and cons of the switch . . .

Listen to Ayre and Luxman before making the transition.   I find them excellent counter points to Pass, especially if coming from tubes.

@moto_man 

There is no substitute for trying a component in your system. I just glanced at used market…there appears to be couple of listings under 12K here at Audiogon. Go for it! 

I had the ARC Ref 6 in my systems for almost a month, courtesy of my buddy who let me audition it on its own and against my XP22. The amps are X260.8 mono blocks.

The Ref 6 is an amazing preamp. It throws a big, holographic soundstage with images that are slightly larger than life (this is both a Pro and a Con). Great combo with Pass amps. Natural sound, really nice.
With the XP22 in place of Ref 6, I get a more realistic presentation with soundstage nearly as big as Ref 6 but with images that are more lifelike. Better bass speed and definition (Ref 6 is a bit sloppy and wooly in the bass). Mids are, believe or not, slightly clearer with the XP22 and the highs are a bit sweeter/more extended. Volume control on XP22 with the X260.8 is more granular than on the higher gain Ref 6. With ARC you get bigger jumps in volume with each click. The XP22 has blacker, quieter background than the Ref 6.
I spent a good amount of time evaluating the Ref and comparing it to my XP22 to reveal these differences. Both preamps are excellent. In the end, I thought I would miss the Ref 6 but I really don’t.

To conclude, if I was to make the move up the preamp ladder, the XP32 would be at the top of my list.