Amplfiers that Sound like Pass 30.8 that are not so heavy

Seriously, keep it... or move to the XA25

Solution Bedini 25/25 Phase II. If you can find one. I used mine to drive Acoustat 2+2s. Now have Von Schweikert VR4 Sig and VR 5/7 and Totem Forest. Must hear to believe this amp. 35 lbs. Also own PrimaLuna EVO 400/KT150s. Actully have two. 70lbs each. Also own Quicksilver V4 and Mono 120s for reference. They will play louder. There is a "fluid" sound to the Bedini not matched by any other amp I have heard. Also have other Bedini amps like 800 series. Good Luck! You might want to keep the PASS until you hear better.

Take a look at the Linear Tube Audio 50 wattamp.  Very eady to move and sounds like music.

I want to thank all of you who took time to answer my post. There were some very interesting suggestions. I liked those who commented and I paraphrase, keep the amp you will be sorry when you see it go!. I am going to call Mark at Reno Hifi and get his take on the  X25 in comparison to the 30.8. Once again thanks to all who took time to answer my post. Best wishes to all...

Charlie

I've just bought the XA25.

http://6moons.com/audioreviews2/passlabs3/3.html

Tonally especially in the vocal band it was slightly fruitier than the XA-30.8. Microdynamically it was clearly more expressive like a faster circuit. This was particularly evident on Mayte’s voice. It scaled more dramatically, hence felt bigger. When bass and drums kick in to suddenly light up the soundstage in its outer quadrants, their contrast ratio relative to the guitar, violin and singer which were already on was higher. With the XA-30.8 in my estimation being slightly dark, bassy and dense, the XA25 stirred in some quicksilver. The mean trick was injecting a quickening agent without diluting the tone density and chunkiness I adore in our stable mate. Typically, so-called fast amps like our 1MHz LinnenberG Allegros lighten the load. It’s as though to go so fast, they have to shed some tone mass or physicality. Decisively, the XA25’s uptick on the accelerator did not.

rather than to actual valve amps, I’ve transitioned to Pass Labs and FirstWatt. Their amps do some of the things I like about tubes without any of the things I really don’t. By now quite certain where to look, the higher orchestral background violins here and there showed just a touch more horse hairs with the XA25 as their metallic/glassy not wooden/creamy personality trait. This led to the impression of elevated image lock or being better separated out from the mix as discrete entities. Still, the overriding takeaway from this session was somehow more focused on how the amps overlapped, not where they diverged. The key word of complete agreement between XA-30.8 and XA25 was sonorous.

If we consult certain synonyms, we circle that sonorous wagon more tightly. "Vibrant, full-bodied, resounding, majestic, lofty, strong, imposing."