Looking for a pre-amp (Pass, ARC, BAT, Sim, PS Audio)

Thanks @wharfy for your experiences with ARC!

Hi @4425 Thanks you. I imagine this Luxman is a very nice preamp, but it's pushing out of my price range at this time.

@gtsnyder, wow thats an amazing piece:) No wonder your system sounds good. Excellent. Enjoy!

After much reading, i am starting to lean towards the pass labs xp22. Part of the rationale is hopeful synergy with the 250.8, and also because of all the positive feedback on other forum threads.

LOL!  Thanks for sharing and the reassurance @morningstaraudio .  I've been looking at the pairing specs of this Amp - Preamp and it looks like the right move.  Hope you are enjoying your set up!  Wow, with the XP17, you should be set for a while.

Honestly, I think that comparable level preamps  models from the other brands I listed (+ forgot to menton Ayre) would all workout well, but just feel that one can't go wrong with the xp22 based on what people are saying and the amp i am using.

I am hoping that my synergistic research cables will not pose a problem either.  

Thanks everyone for sharing you knowledge and experience helping me deride on the next preamp.  I appreciate it.  Also thank for feeding new ideas regarding future possibilities with Luxman, Levinson, Herron and Atma-Sphere, etc..

When i get the new preamp, i will advise.  

I believe that all the preamps i listed are internally  balanced

Ok update.  As alluded to above, I desided and just recieved the pass labs xp22 and connected it.  On first impression.. and its still cold and sounds somewhat lean but such a sweet sound...  lots of detail.  Looks like these are supposed to stay on for a while to warm up for the first time.  Will be back.

24 hour update:

Pass Labs recommends to have the XP22 warmed-up for 24 hours to get at close to full steady state sound.  It should be left on all the time.

So: After 24 hours of keeping XP22 on and acclimating, the sound of the system is definitely fuller and the soundstage really large. Very neutral sounding preamp with nicely extended, but controlled bass.  The mid range is well apparent and I keep hearing newly recognized nuances (threads) in every song I play.  But it's not so much that I have not heard these before, its more like they were not as prominent in the music before to warrant one to pay much attention to them.  

So, I think that the main benefit of the XP22 compared to the BHK (and It is what I was hoping for) is speed and the level of detail.  The BHK was an excellent preamp and I know that it's not fair to compare these two directly because of the price difference (also one is a hybrid while the other is a SS), but I am glad that I changed to the XP22! 

Thanks again to everyone for your inputs and recommendations!  If anyone has questions or would like more details about this pre, please message me. 

The X250.8 is indeed excellent and its amazing how hard it is to upgrade from it, even by the more expensive Pass amps in the same .8 line up.  Feels like its Pass' sweet-spot in that line.

With regard to the XP22, I got an already broken-in unit, so I don't expect the sound to change much with time.  Again the level of detail that it puts out is remarkable.  Eventual, I'll get around to switching some cables but not for a while.  This is definitely the new centerpiece of my system.

Id also be interested to hear from others if anyone has experience pairing the X250.8 OR the XP22 with other components and what that was like.

Thanks!

Hi @llkmi  
Looks like you have an excellent dilemma!  These are all wonderful instruments.  I have not heard the XP20 in my system so I can not comment but I very much enjoyed the XP22 when I had it :).  Important to use XLR connections though.  Please feel free to pm me direct if you have any questions.   

@llkmi Simaudio Moon P8. Slightly warmer but it edged out. It was very hard to compare..the XP22 was excellent, airy, detailed, full of magical fidelity. The Moon just started whispering to the ear however . It was an unbelievable effect in the room that I could not recreate with any other preamp. Then, once I settled on the P8, I actually got a 850P on loan for a few days to see where this is going to go. It was also incredible in my new set up (i changed some other stuff around). The 850P was ’possibly’ even a tad more detailed....but I did not regret giving the 850p back (yes, mostly because of price). Bottom line, if you can get your hands on a P8 for fair price in decent condition, then IMHO don’t hesitate.

Hi @ddafoe
I don’t doubt the 740P / X250.8 sounds special based on past experience but I actually never heard the 740P in my set up so I can’t definitively comment. .. Still, Sim knows what they are doing when it comes to preamps and I keep saying that the X250.8 is a pass sweet spot.

One thing I do want to mention about the XP22 - if anyone is considering a pass preamp. You cant go wrong with Pass! The XP22 is excellent and Pass Labs customer service, support, concern for their customers and professionalism can not be beat (period) and yes I am referring to the man, Kent English :)

Happy listening..

Interesting @zprr - Could you share your findings?  What did you think?

Excellent, thanks for sharring!  I love the expression aboud "never experienced such lack of fatigue" .. 'fatigue' is such an important consideration. Congrats and Enjoy the preamp, it's awsome.