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Pass Labs XP-30 Preamplifier Review

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Pass Labs XP-30 preamplifier

Compared to dogs of the same litter

You should have noted that my list of amps includes the Pass Labs X0.2 and the Pass Labs XP-20, both of which I reviewed previously. Both amps were excellent, but my own personal taste leans towards a more full-bodied musical presentation. I did not realize at the time just how much my room affected the presentation, and the subsequent addition of room correction in the form of the Lyngdorf RP-1 bore this out. Ironically, as mentioned above, the addition of room correction also effectively eliminated the need for a preamp in my main single-source system.)

When I reviewed the XP-20 I found that the soundstage depth and width, performer placement and bass weight was noticeably better than that with the XO.2, the former 3-chassis flagship preamp from Pass Labs. It wasn’t so much that the improvement in each of these individual characteristics was huge, but it was clearly noticeable in each case, and the combined effect of all the little improvements made the XP-20 a great value. I also marveled at the amazing amount of low-level detail and the ability to listen to music at very low levels without losing any musical information or upsetting the tonal balance. My only complaint was that the XP-20 seemed to be a bit on the clinical side in my system.

Well folks, the XP-30 ups the ante in every individual strong point of the XP-20 and produces some of the most natural body and texture you will hear in a high end audio system. I’m not saying that the Pass XP-30 turned my system into the best system I’ve ever heard. However, it does absolutely everything I want a preamp to do, and does so in a superior manner.

Compared to some alpha dogs

Probably the two best comparison preamps on my list are the very expensive MBL 6010D and the Ypsilon PET-100 Mk2, and you may want to read those reviews to get a better sense of the XP-30. These two preamps in many respects represent opposite ends of the high-end preamp spectrum. One is solid state, while the other is tube, and the solid state 6010D actually sounds more like a tube preamp that the tubed Ypsilon. The 6010D has detail, dynamics and bass weight galore, while the Ypsilon has incredible transparency and a bigger and more defined soundstage. So how does the XP-30 compare to these two? Well, much of this is probably just splitting hairs, because all three preamps are outrageously good, but let’s try it anyway.

Soundstage and Performer Placement. A wide, tall and deep soundstage is a must for any preamp that aspires to be identified as a top-tier component. The XP-30 delivers such a soundstage as a matter of course. That soundstage is as wide, tall and deep as that thrown by the Ypsilon. Both of those preamps have a soundstage that is larger than that of the MBL 6010. However, what really sets the XP-30 and Ypsilon apart are their performer separation and placement. These two characteristics of a soundstage contribute mightily to a sense of realism. The XP-30’s ability to deliver these two characteristics was superior to the MBL in every respect, and in my mind as good as that of the Ypsilon, which has been the best I’ve heard. Each performer was in a distinct space, yet the music emanated naturally from the stage to every corner of the room, just the way that it does live, and created a strong sense of integration. This combination of separation and integration makes for a very transparent but realistic soundstage.

Tonality. In my experience, when you combine excellent separation with good tonality you can experience “fool me” moments when you swear that the players are in the room. The Ypsilon has this combination in spades, and the XP-30 is very, very close. The XP-30’s superb tonality is not restricted to the midrange, which several preamps reproduce well, but covers the entire sonic spectrum, as I am fond of saying, “from pipe organs to piccolos”. In this respect, the XP-30 is more natural than the MBL 6010, which despite being among the most accurate preamps you can get, still “prettifies” some instruments when reproducing music. This is a godsend when playing poorly-recorded music, but can sound a tad artificial when listening to the best recordings – such is the trade off.

Bass Extension and Weight. All three of these preamps have outstanding bass extension. The difference is mostly in the balance between bass weight, definition and nimbleness. The MBL has the most bass weight, which accurately reproduces the punch in the chest I feel when listening to live weighty bass. The Ypsilon was a bit lighter, but also a bit more defined. For my taste, and the way I think it’s supposed to be when heard live, the XP-30 provides the perfect balance between bass weight and definition, nicely combining the best of both the MBL and the Ypsilon.

PRaT. I regularly disclose in my reviews that I am a bass freak, but that I also crave top-notch speed, pace, rhythm and timing, and rapidly discard any component that isn’t up to snuff. Moreover, PRaT can’t come with any loss of body or musical weight, which is not easy if you run full-range. I’ve already told you that the Pass Labs XP-30 is a champ at transparency and has excellent bass definition, so it should come as no surprise that its PRaT is perfect – fast music is positively toe-tapping, but without truncating the bloom of developing musical notes. I regularly turn to Robert Palmer’s “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)” to test PRaT throughout the musical spectrum. The kick drum actually lags behind the music in any full-range system that doesn’t have excellent PRaT. The XP-30 does not skimp on the weight of the bass, yet still propels the music the way Robert Palmer sounded live.

Dynamics. Nothing I’ve heard has surpassed the MBL 6010 in reproducing dynamics, but the XP-30 comes oh-so-close. In Holst’s The Planets, the crescendos in “Jupiter” absolutely explode from the speakers, the MBL 6010 makes you jump out of your seat. The Pass XP-30 is the only other preamp I’ve has in my system that does this also, and that’s really something.

The combination of these qualities made me fall in love with the XP-30 from the first listen, even before I tried aftermarket power cords, vibration control or other tweaks. All of these aftermarket devices can be used to tune the XP-30 precisely to your own taste, but none of them are necessary. Important, since this means that the price for the XP-30 is the real price of the product and you don’t need another $2,000 to make it produce fabulous music.

Pass Labs XP-30 preamplifier Rear face view

Testing the XP-30 In a midfi system

After a few weeks of the XP-30 in my main system, I moved it to a midfi system in another room. This system’s sources consisted of either a modded Pioneer Elite DV-38 DVD-A player, a Wadia 171i/iPad combo, or a Direct TV DSS receiver. Their digital outputs fed a Sony EP9ES digital preamp/processor. The Sony’s analog outputs fed the XP-30, which then controlled an NAD 916 power amp, which in turn drove B&W SCM speakers, as well as a pair of powered NHT Sub-2 subwoofers. I set the subwoofers to their maximum output and controlled the relative volume between the B&Ws and NHTs by use of the XP-30’s master/slave outputs.

The Sony EP9ES always surprises listeners when I use it in a system. It is ancient (over 12 years old), and was designed to be an outboard 5.1 channel processor to add to an existing 2-channel system. As it turns out, the EP9ES is quite a good-sounding 2-channel DAC when used in that mode, and if allowed to run at maximum volume you have no loss of bits. It’s digital sound leans to the rich and full-bodied and so is a good match for the relatively lean pre-Diamond tweeter B&W SCMs.

Inserting the XP-30 proved to be a revelation. The bass became more defined without losing any of its body, performer placement clarified, previously missing nuances of instruments and vocals revealed themselves, and spatial cues became more effective in conveying the performance venue. Let me give you a few examples.

“Opus 17.2” from Corky Siegel’s Traveling Chamber Blues Show! is a rollicking live blending of blues harmonica, a string quartet, percussion and bass which easily puts most so-called rockin’ bands to shame with its explosive energy and virtuosic playing. The nuances of all the moans, groans, screeches, string-bends, and other gyrations of the instruments are more clearly discernible through the Pass XP-30, and the excitement of the building crescendos and musical pace are clearly conveyed to the listener.

The Cowboy Junkies’ The Trinity Sessions is a well-know audiophile recording. You can pick any song to demonstrate how it is possible to convey the sound of a cathedral setting using a single microphone. The natural reverb of the cathedral is a central feature of the musical presentation, and it gets lost in many audio systems. Not so with the XP-30 in play. You can hear right through to the performers and also hear the return of the notes from the far reaches of the cathedral, all of which was missing before insertion of the XP-30.

Conclusion

In my opinion, there are very, very few systems which would not benefit from substituting the Pass Labs XP-30 for whatever current preamp is in use. Even if you already have an elite preamp in your system, you might be surprised by what you’re missing. Very highly recommended, and at its current price you might even consider calling it a bargain compared to its competition, some of which are 50-100% more expensive.

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