Coda #8, Pass XA25, or Schiit Tyr to replace PS Audio M700

FWIW, I have owned both the Pass XA25 (two of them) and the Coda No.8 (V1). In my system the Coda was wholly superior to the XA25, especially in dynamic capability.

However, that said, I ultimately preferred the original Parasound A21 (not Plus which is actually inferior) to both of those amps. The Coda manages a little more detail and refinement than the A21, but the latter manages to drive my mid-efficiency speakers more effortlessly. There is level of dynamic ease and breadth to the A21 that I couldn’t get from the Coda. I did reach out to Doug about having the No.8 boosted to a V2 or V3 for the higher wattage (apparently the V1 outputs the most current of them), but he didn’t think I’d notice a difference unless my speakers were an 8-ohm nominal load. So I sold the Coda and bought an original Parasound A21 for the second time. I’ve been very pleased with the decision, especially when I am powering my Magnepan .7s.

My main speakers are Philharmonic BMR Towers and my front end is the Eversolo DMP-A8 streamer. The Eversolo helps to make up for the lack of treble energy the Parasound otherwise has with less transparent preamps/streamers. I consider myself a picky listener, yet I am very pleased with the synergy of this combo.

P.S. I felt the Pass and Coda also leaned warm, so they too benefit from a very transparent front end.

If decay is what you’re seeking and didn’t feel the Coda you auditioned managed enough decay, you might want to consider the Yamaha M-5000. It’s capable of exceptional decay IME, which I believe is largely attributable to its MOSFET transistors.

Check out the Musical Fidelity M6si500.

Class A/B and 500W @8 ohms

Dual mono configure weighing in at 30KGS.

Fantastic bang for the buck IMHO

The Haflers that are modified by Musical Concepts may be a good option to try. I have an XL-280 with PA-7 boards running the mids and highs on the main system. A DH-200 with PA-4? Boards running mids and highs on a second system. Shrill free. The nails on a chalkboard thing is not something I enjoy….

@thriftyaudio Enjoy the Tyrs! I hope they are as satisfying for you as I have found them in my system. One important thing though - they take a good 1-2 weeks to fully settle in. For the first few days they were bass pussycats. The Aegir was thunderous in comparison bass-wise. Though honestly all the Schitt gear I've bought has gone through a break-in process, and things don't sound great all the time throughout it. But the bass (and all other freqs) did come in fully and wonderfully within a week or two. 

@sid-hoff-frenchman THE SHRILL IS GONE

Well the Tyrs are in place and so far so great.  Out of the box the sound stage expanded slightly (hoping for more), the instrument placing and detail improved nicely.  The high end shrill disappeared even at very high volume levels (won't be able to test completely at high volume for a few days).  There was a slight dip in bass, but I hardly noticed.  All of this is compared to the M700s. 

One thing that fooled me initially is the how loud they played.  I thought something was wrong because the volume was so much lower than with the M700.  The gain on the M700 is 30.5 and only 22 for the Tyr.  Once I adjusted for this then the comparison became clear.

I am letting the Tyr run continuously for a few days before getting more detailed.  I will also try out the higher end power cords I had to purchase for the M700 (their stock ones made my coffee maker cord look stout).  The Tyr folks say don't worry about the cord (The stock Tyr cords are heavy duty and well above most stock cords I have experienced).  

I have 15 days with the Tyr, but I believe they will be staying.  Just want to put them through the wringer right away.