2. amps-preamps
  3. 1262224414

Pass X1??

I am using a Pass X1/X250 combo with nice results but am wondering if the x1 is one of those preamps to hang onto or is it so far obsolete that it could be easily beaten with a less expensive new preamp. My X1 sounds fine but have there been advances in preamps that make the X1 obsolete or is it a piece to hang onto for a long time. Mine is sounding good but as it is now the oldest component in my system I thought I'd ask. I recently got new digital which is indescribably better than I was used to and the digital I was used to was pretty good. I'm thinking the x1 may be a keeper because of it's simplistic design. I think if something goes wrong with the X1 that it will come across as obvious and not just degraded sound. I would consider the XP-10 but it does not have a tape out which is essential for my headamp. The X20 is simply far beyond reality due to price point. I guess my question more to the point is that if I sell my X1 for $2000 then what would far better it at the $2000 price point? I'm still thinking the X1 may be a keeper. It will require replaced chips as they are bound to go throughout the years but this is normal.
128x128mitchb
peterayer
1,382 posts
 
I agree with Raquel's assessment of the X-1, but to imply that high-end two channel amps and pre amps have not improved much since the mid to late 90's is a stretch. One need only to look at Pass Labs. The XA.5 and XP series are clearly better than the older Aleph series. I've owned them both and they have gotten much better. The market may be smaller and the prices are outrageous, but the sonics have indeed improved, at least in terms of noise and transparency. Build quality and reliability, on the other hand, have always been quite good. I don't know as much about other high-end brands, but I'd think the same could be said for ARC, VTL and Spectral.
raquel
841 posts
 
Peterayer: I did not "imply" that high-end two channel gear has not improved much since the mid 1990's - I clearly stated it, and as a general proposition, I stand by the statement. But your point about the Pass gear is well taken, and on a very resolving high-end system, I have no doubt that you can hear and enjoy the improvements. Again to your point, is my darTZeel better than my Rowland Model 6's from the mid 90's? Sure. But as you point out, current gear is very, very expensive.

To my point, I will put my Rowland Coherence II with battery power supply up against any current production solid-state preamp short of the darTZeel. These days, the odds of finding Vishay-level quality parts in gear is slim - in the mid/late 90's, this level of parts quality was almost standard in statement designs. Aside from Atma-Sphere, you will be hard-pressed to find a current maker of high-end gear that hand-wires its gear - everyone went to boards because there isn't enough business volume to employ techs to do it. Alas, there are few companies like Pass Labs that have the resources and market presence to bring meaningful improvements to this type of gear (many high-end two-channel brands are in fact one-to-five person operations, often operated out of homes).

Happy New Year to the Audiogon community.
swanny76109
382 posts
 
I've tried a bunch of preamps over the past couple years and have found the X1 to be an incredible value. The sound is really great. I do wish the volume control had more steps. I think I will be very happy with this unit for a while.
grateful's avatar
grateful
104 posts
 
Sadly, society today has been so programmed by propaganda to be "good consumers" -- if you can brake out of "the Matrix" you will see that "the latest" does NOT always equal "the greatest." Infact, rarely does it equal -- this is true in music, audio, video, computers, cars, pharmacy, politics, and on and on...

Having said that, the only true way for you to tell which preamp you enjoy best is by comparing them in your own system!
bobheinatz
725 posts
 
There has been some good advice in the above answers. It really depends if you want to spend the extra money or not and if your system is revealing enough to hear the difference between the two preamps. I have heard both your current and X20 but in different systems and it does appear the Pass has made the improvements that Peterayers mentions. Both preamps are extremely good. I will also mention that I upgraded from a very respectable CJ preamp to the Joule Electra 300ME and cannot believe how much more revealing and musical the JE is. The best upgrade I have made in over 30 years however it did cost alot. If you are dying to spend the money than get the X20 but both preamps are very good.
More to discover