Bryston or Pass Labs

Although there is a house sound, in the pass world there's a substantial difference between the x.5, xa.5, x.8, and xa.5 lines. I've only compared the first two, but preferred the xa.5 by a substantial margin. As others have started, the same is true of the different bryston generations. I think you'll simply have to audition. As everyone always states, renohifi makes that easy for the pass products...

It all depends on your preferences.  Try to listen to both, ideally in your own system and see what YOU like better. All the advice is worthless. One may like Bryston ,  the other Pass and nobody will be right or wrong. Just different tastes ,  different preferences. Important is what you like. 

Absolutely. Thanks to all for your input on this subject.

I went 4b3 but did consider Pass X250.8 and X350.8, one main reason did not go Pass is the class A heat.  As for the sound of the 4b3 its very, very good match with my 20.7s

I am not familiar with most of the gear that you have, but I have had several Nelson Pass products, including the Pass XA100.5, XA60.8, the First Watt M2 and J2.  I also own a pair of Lamm tube amps.  They each have their own character, but I have to say that all have these things in common: accuracy, good dynamics, and most important, they are musically superior to everything else I have listened to over the 15 years I have been an audiophile   I had a Bryson amp, 4bt I believe, several years ago and I found it to be very analytic. It was accurate and it had good dynamic presentation but it was not very musical.  Just my “2 cents” worth.