Pass Labs Amp X350.5 or X350.8 anyone compare?

Great information guys, I also thinking about upgrade to the 350.8.

In 5 years of time using many different Pass Labs amps, I did learn one important thing.

With th best powercables and interconnects you can get a superior level out of an Pass amp.

This means it is very easy to loose a lot of the quality an Pass amp can give. So most people spend a lot of money on an Pass amp and don't use a big part of the quality it is capable to give.

You need to understand the properties of Pass Labs. This is including their weakest points. These you need to improve with the right properties of cables ans sources or even with pre-amps.

The best sound possible only will come to the surface when you have created all the properties togheter in a set. Often a set is incomplete. Why it is incomplete? Because most people don't understand what is missing.

07-05-14: Dgarretson
It's an endlessly interesting hobby. This evening I removed an Afghan rug from between the .8 amps(on Stillpoint Ultra SS with coupling bases) and Merlin VSM(on Stillpoint Ultra 5). This redressed the frequency imbalance with a more prominent upper midrange and HF, with improved LF definition. It's now about as perfect as imaginable. Star Sound Apprentice platforms are en route for comparison.

So after all the tweaks and $$ upgrading to .8, now it sounds like .5? LOL!

After 80+ hours of actual music playing time and several hundred hours with the X350.8 turned on, I can honestly say that the .8 Amp does have superior sound quality over the X350 .5 version.

That is; better bass performance, along with dynamics from a blacker background. There is no lack of high frequencies and the midrange is great! I am going to keep the X350.8 and trade in my X350.5.

Comparing this Amp new out of the box to an Amp that has been used for 5+ years was a little tiring. Both of these Amps have different presentations. The .5 has more of an up front sound with the upper midrange being dominate. So, through the years of ownership I have adjusted my room to smoothen out the sound.

The .8 soundstage is deeper but with all of the frequency range being equal. At first, I thought there was a lack of treble, but after listening for all of these hours, what is there, is more blackness between notes. When a cymbal is wacked it is startling.

To those who like using banana’s, finally this Pass Amp can accept them and also bare wire!

Mmmmm.....I like banana's too!!

Joecasey, The .8 monos are my first Pass amps. I've heard .5s only at shows, and too long ago for comparison.