Keith Yates is a six figure home theater designer. Check out his site: http://www.keithyates.com/ Dealing with cost no object clientele, Keith is always on the look out for the very best audio gear available. Keith has given me permission to reprint a letter he sent me recently:
"I typically specify the speakers, subs and processors that go into my
projects. I'm increasingly being called on to spec the power amps and
source components, too. If Nelson would make his gear rack-friendly I'd
spec it in a heartbeat. In my opinion Nelson Pass is the only real genius circuit
designer in high-end audio. There are a few others whose parts- and
build-quality are at least as good (Burmester and Rowland come first to
mind, and maybe Spectral, Levinson and Boulder, too), but no one
combines execution and sheer circuit-inspiration as completely as
Nelson."
So there you have it. In my own experience, I have found the Pass X will sound like anything you want, as it has no character of it's own. What it will do, is give your music dazzling dynamic range, fatigueless listening like no other ss amp, and perfect clarity that works wonders with instrument tone decay. Your tube pre will be a very good choice. With the Pass, you will learn right away whether you have the right tubes or not. Your front end may or may not do. The Pass is as sweet and liquid as you want it. that's what I like, and I do it with tubes in the front end.
The McCormack is not even in the same league, with or without the revs. I don't see Plinius in Keith's short list either.
"I typically specify the speakers, subs and processors that go into my
projects. I'm increasingly being called on to spec the power amps and
source components, too. If Nelson would make his gear rack-friendly I'd
spec it in a heartbeat. In my opinion Nelson Pass is the only real genius circuit
designer in high-end audio. There are a few others whose parts- and
build-quality are at least as good (Burmester and Rowland come first to
mind, and maybe Spectral, Levinson and Boulder, too), but no one
combines execution and sheer circuit-inspiration as completely as
Nelson."
So there you have it. In my own experience, I have found the Pass X will sound like anything you want, as it has no character of it's own. What it will do, is give your music dazzling dynamic range, fatigueless listening like no other ss amp, and perfect clarity that works wonders with instrument tone decay. Your tube pre will be a very good choice. With the Pass, you will learn right away whether you have the right tubes or not. Your front end may or may not do. The Pass is as sweet and liquid as you want it. that's what I like, and I do it with tubes in the front end.
The McCormack is not even in the same league, with or without the revs. I don't see Plinius in Keith's short list either.