Synergy between AR Ref 3 and Pass X amps

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I've run the Ref3 with X-600 monoblocs and it sounds wonderful..I have no experience with the X-1000 monos.
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I am going to try to answer several questions all at once. These two tests were conducted at least 2 to 3 years ago. I had heard the X350 and X350.5 compared side-by-side. The speakers were some big Avalons. Front end was a Sony SCD-1 feeding into a Sonic Frontier DAC 3, then into a ARC Ref 2 mk I.

The X350 sounded sterile in that system, had the very typical SS sound that people gripe about. Whem comparing to the X.5, the differences become more prominent. The X.5 had a warmer midrange, but at the same time better rendition of the bass, also deeper. More air on the top, but doesn't not feel so edgy. All the panelists was surprised at the amount of differences we had heard. We thought the differences merits more than a .5 upgrade status.

Some time later, we did a comparison between ARC Ref 2 Mk I and Pass X0.2 with the same set of panelists. At this time, my friend had kept the X350.5 and sent the X350 home. He had these two preamps for a while, so he was deciding which one to let go. We went back and forth. The X0.2 actually had a warmer, more tube like sound than the Ref 2. The Ref 2 was more extended at both ends. (Shouldn't it be the other way around?)

At the end, the Ref 2 won by a slight margin. I was able to convince the others that the Pass remote just sucks. I am fairly quick learner with gadgets, but I cannot figure out how to use the damn remote. Second, I think with a set of good NOS tubes, the Ref 2 would outshine X0.2 in the midrange department. So at the end the Ref 2 Mk I won based on "potential". But we could live with either happily.

FrankC

On a different note, again focusing on the X-1000, I had a chance to do an A/B of the X-1000 vs Krell Evo 1 fed through a krell evo 2 (non-cast on both to keep it fair). The Krell was better mainly on its ability to project images with greater solidity around it. You could literally feel not just hear the wind instruments. Otherwise, the x-1000 were not too far behind, maybe even with better bass impact. But 3D imaging was well behind the krell.

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I had the X0.2 preamp in my system for a short period, the Ref3 totally outclassed it in my system. I was using Pass X-600 amps with both preamps.
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Gundam91,Mitch4t
Ahh, but have you tried the new Pass Labs Preamp XP-10 or XP-20 with the Pass Labs X 350.5 Amp ?