Amp choice needed,, ready to lay down $$$$$

2bigears · « **on:** 2 Apr 2021, 06:04 am »

hi all good AC peeps. I know less than zero about Pass Labs gear. A guy down the street is selling a 250.5 and X1 combo . Is this a good "last buy" for an old music nut job ? Any words on the matter thank you so much.

morganc · « **Reply #1 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 06:58 am »

Since it's down the street couldn't you just audition it? Nothing beats an in home trial in your room and on your speakers.

JLM · « **Reply #2 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 10:15 am »

Serious stuff. The 250.5 will take help getting it in, a hefty rack, hopefully a good air conditioning unit, and a hefty electrical budget to counteract that big size, 50 kg of weight, and 600 watts of heat.

Big Red Machine · « **Reply #3 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 12:19 pm »

Depends on price. The amp is a good one. Personally, I'd pass on the X1 unless he gives it away. You could do much better for not much money since it has some age to it.

mav52 · « **Reply #4 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 12:37 pm »

Pass , awesome gear.

dpatters · « **Reply #5 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 12:48 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 2 Apr 2021, 12:19 pm

Depends on price. The amp is a good one. Personally, I'd pass on the X1 unless he gives it away. You could do much better for not much money since it has some age to it.

I would agree wholeheartedly. The amp deserves better than an old X1.

Don P

2bigears · « **Reply #6 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 01:01 pm »

D I was wondering about the pre. I just thought it would naturally mate well with the amp being the same manufacturer. The combo is 7500.00 . What newer preamps gel with the class A pwr is then the next question. Hi Jeff. 500W is a lot of juice,,,, dam.

senna1a · « **Reply #7 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 01:32 pm »

Take a look at hifishark history to get an idea on sale prices. I like the X250.5; I have some XA60.5 Monoblocks that output similar to the X250.5 and I’ve used both Modwright and PS Audio preamps that mate well with my Pass Labs gear.

2bigears · « **Reply #8 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 01:39 pm »

thanks very much. I see there is a VAC pre for 4500.00 on AGon . I wonder if that great pre would combine well ?

JakeJ · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 01:41 pm »

Quote from: Big Red Machine on 2 Apr 2021, 12:19 pm

Depends on price. The amp is a good one. Personally, I'd pass on the X1 unless he gives it away. You could do much better for not much money since it has some age to it.

Quote from: dpatters on 2 Apr 2021, 12:48 pm

I would agree wholeheartedly. The amp deserves better than an old X1.

Don P

+3 Put a tube preamp in front of the X250.5 and be amazed, tube goodness combined with an iron grip on the bass. Running an ARC LS-25 MkII into a Pass X350.5 pushing a pair of Acoustat 2+2's in the main room now.

gene9p · « **Reply #10 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 01:52 pm »

I just purchased a Pass Labs xp10 2 weeks ago but have decided to stay with my tube pre amp. Just a tube guy I guess. Cost me 2400 with fees shipping, etc..can sell it for the same 2400 delivered price. Some minor cosmetic blemishes but is complete with packaging remote, etc. Very very detailed sound that requires a Pass Amp or Tube like amp.

2bigears · « **Reply #11 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 02:21 pm »

thanks , that Pass pre is nice and way newer than the one I'm looking at.. I just might be interested in that nice pre.

gene9p · « **Reply #12 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 02:51 pm »

let me know..I have 100% feedback on audiogon and ebay since 1999 as well as the US audiomart where you can see the recent purchase of the Pass from 2 weeks ago.

2bigears · « **Reply #13 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 03:09 pm »

I'm in Canada. West side. The warm side,,ha. Don't tell me , your in Florida ? So how newer is this unit compared to the X1 ?

Bill O'Connell · « **Reply #14 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 07:57 pm »

Be careful, I threw my back out lifting my X250.8. you need two people to lift that 250.5 I'm guessing.

gene9p · « **Reply #15 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 08:19 pm »

I'm in New York..wish I was in Florida..lol

the xp-10 was replaced by the xp-12. I have the serial number if you want to pm me and you can ask Pass Labs directly as to the actual build date.

twitch54 · « **Reply #16 on:** 2 Apr 2021, 09:03 pm »

Quote from: 2bigears on 2 Apr 2021, 01:01 pm

D I was wondering about the pre. I just thought it would naturally mate well with the amp being the same manufacturer. The combo is 7500.00 . What newer preamps gel with the class A pwr is then the next question. Hi Jeff. 500W is a lot of juice,,,, dam.

first off the x250.5 is a Class A/B amp, although there is a fair mount of initial bias into Class A, second it's 250 watts into 8 ohms. As for pre's other than Pass, I'm using and Audio Research LS28 to feed my two X260.8 mono blocks to great satisfaction.

2bigears · « **Reply #17 on:** 3 Apr 2021, 01:53 am »

thanks everyone. The sellers swears by the X1. I always liked VAC preamps. Not sure which way to go. I do have a line on the mighty VAC. The pre is as I think, really really important in the mix.

I.Greyhound Fan · « **Reply #18 on:** 3 Apr 2021, 02:05 am »

I own an X250 and still have it. I owned the X1 preamp and sold it. It is nothing special and sounds good but I felt it was missing something. I bought a BAT VK51se and it blew it out of the water. The Pass XP-10 is a way better preamp.

The X1 may sound better with the 250.5 amp vs my X250. The 250.5 is supposed to be a huge improvement from the X250. It is on my upgrade list.

2bigears · « **Reply #19 on:** 3 Apr 2021, 02:09 am »

thanks, BAT make good preamps. I had a VAC and it was great but the phono was fab. I bid on the Sarasota pre. See what happens. Should mate well. Good lord I wish I knew. 🐰🐰✌️