Pass Labs Amplification & Wilson Speakers

Tommy,

My wife and I have enjoyed Pass amplifiers, Wilson speakers, Meridian digital electronics and MIT cables for many years.

We currently integrated our home theater with our stereo system to allow our entire family to enjoy our investment. Our system is set up with a priority on stereo first and theater second.

We currently have 3 - X-250.5 amplifiers, each driving our Watch II Center / Snell Sub 1800, our Eggleston Rosa sides and our Watch II Rears. We have a pair of XA-200.5 amplifiers driving our Sasha I speakers.

A Meridian 861v6, 800 and HD 621 with an Oppo 93 is our digital front end. MIT MAX-SHD speaker and MA-X2 interconnects are on our main speakers, with mostly MIT Magnum M1 on our theater channels. CH Acoustic X-20 power cables and a Sound Application RLS power conditioner are used to supply power (a VERY significant issue).

While the X-250.5 is a great amplifier, the Pass XA amplifiers sound better - MUCH better. Before we purchased our XA-200.5 mono-blocks, we used an XA-30.5 amplifier for our main speakers for almost 3 years! It sounded much better than the X-250.5. The only thing the X-250.5 amplifier did better was percussion or bass dynamics - otherwise the smallest Pass XA amplifier was better in all other aspects.

I like to listen to intimate jazz music at realistic levels and I drove the heck out of that little Pass XA amplifier and it just kept sounding better and better!

We sold our XA-30.5 amplifier when someone came over to purchase one of our X-250.5 amplifiers and listened to the XA-30.5. He purchased it instead!

Now, there are a few things to mention as qualifiers.

We set up and optimized our system to produce a natural sound stage. It captures the width, depth and ambience of recordings. It presents dimensional images that are "reach out and touch" real.

If you don't have a well set up / optimized system, than you may prefer the 250.5.

Let me know if you have more questions or if I may be able to help you in any way.

Kindest regards, TJF.

I had the Pass Labs X250.5 driving Sasha's and later Duettes. Both were excellent combinations, Pass and Wilson work very well together. I am currently using the X250.8 to drive my Duettes.

Thanks guys for the response. TJ, it seems like you have a near perfect audio system (like to hear that). How big is your room? Do you have wall to wall carpet or area rugs in front of the speakers? Mark, do you notice any major sonic differences between the X250.5 and the X250.8?

Mark, you have a fantastic listening room. What is the sonic advantage to toe in the speakers in the room?

Tommy
The X250.8 has better control of the bass, and is more dynamic with better imaging then the X250.5. The X250.5 has a more liquid mid-range and tube like sound. Overall I prefer the X250.8, but both worked very well with my Sasha's. If you have a very damped listening room the X250.8 would be the better choose as the X250.5 bass is deep but is not as well controlled and can sound a bit soft.

Wilson recommends toeing-in the speakers it provides better imaging and resolution in the mid and upper ranges. You toe them in to you ideal listening position and with the Alexia's you can adjust the tweeter and mid-range to your listening height which makes a difference.

Tommy,
I was "away" for the holidays and just catching up.
Thank you for the compliment about our system - but are we ever satisfied? I think not.
What really matters is the enjoyment we get from listening to music, and the degree our systems can brings us that.
Our room is 16' wide 24' long. We have hard wood floors and an area rug about 1' from the perimeter of the room.
Only good wishes, TJF.