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Pass Labs XP-15 Phono Preamp
Pass Labs has several very attractive solid state phono preamps. I am curious about the XP-15 phono preamplifier. It offers a wide range of capacitive loading, resistance loading, and gain settings that I find appealing, particularly the XP-15’s adjustable gain from 46dB to 76dB. I would like to hear any impressions from those using or having experience with the Pass Labs XP-15.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A |
#2
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Dan, go tubes. Even the best SS phono may give you sharper transients, crisper dynamic contrast but will have a hard time matching the harmonic bloom and three dimensionality of a tubed phono. Tubes and vinyl just sound so right!
Just get the Manley Steelhead phono stage/preamp and be done with it. Mikey Fremer has been using it for years. Manley_Steelhead_phono_stage |
#3
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Quote:
The Manley Steelhead doesn't appeal to me, not to mention it is hard to look at.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A Last edited by jdandy; 09-22-2011 at 09:32 PM. |
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Just to be clear, I am not talking about depth of soundstage, it's the illusion of the musical instruments/vocalists being "fleshed out" on the stage and the feeling that they occupy the space on your soundstage in three dimensional way. You can reach out and touch them but also feel their presence and can almost appreciate the "physical space" and dimension they occupy in the room, recording dependent of course. SS is great at depth of instrument separation but it is almost always much more two dimensional and cardboard like. Shindo my friend, rams this home like no other gear I've heard before. Even the ARC reference stack I have now doesn't quite match it. No SS I've owned before came even close. Perhaps I've never experienced the SS you are talking about?
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Quote:
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A |
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Very true. Good luck with your phono stage hunt.
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I would have to disagree with you on that comparison. I used to own the Pass Xono and demoed the Steelhead at home twice. In comparison the Steelhead sounded SS , leading edge and threadbare - yes it had bloom, however it had that forward upper mid/lower treble forwardness/ brightness than can effect some tube equipment trying to sound fast. BTW, If you grow detached from the ARC ref2, I will get better use out of it than Dan I can afford a used one. Dan If the XP-15 is better sounding than the Xono ( which is supposedly is), it will be a very good sounding phono indeed. see if you can get a demo, or I think I saw one on gon. But, like anything - if your system is leaning towards neutral, it may not be the best choice. the ARC ref2 is in another league of goodness thou. |
#8
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#9
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cheers Last edited by turntable; 09-23-2011 at 03:04 AM. |
#10
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A few nice photos of the Pass XP-15.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A Last edited by jdandy; 09-24-2011 at 07:28 PM. |
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