Preamplifier for X260.8 Monoblocks

M

mjs

New member
Joined
Mar 7, 2022
Messages
53
Location
Adelaide, Australia
I have a pair of X260.8 monoblocks arriving later this year and am in a quandary about what to drive these with. I have an Auralic digital front end which also accepts analog that I have been using to drive my power amps. However, when trialling an X250.8 earlier this year felt i needed a bit more oomph than just using the Auralic, hence a preamp. The question is which one.

Do I go for a Pass Labs line stage, or something more Swiss army knife like with DAC like an ML No.5206. The latter would considerably simplify the number of boxes. Right now I have the option of a near new demo XP22, which is actually in the country, so there is no waiting (unlike the X260.8 and the ML No.5206 if I went that route). There is a certain attractiveness of something that is immediately available, but it’s very difficult to demo anything atm in order to be sure. There will no doubt be more single box devices come out in the future like the ML and the Boulder 812, which are both competent preamps and DACs at the same time, which will reduce complexity as well as challenge the notion and benefits of a separate line stage preamp.

I probably know the answer to this question, but would appreciate anyone’s thoughts on the suitability of an XP22 with the X260.8, or any other pre or pre/DAC for that matter in the same league.
 
I would go with XP22. I'm a fan of same brand synergy.

I have not heard the 5206. I used to have a Pass X250, it didn't have good synergy with Levinson but it was the older 326. Nevertheless, I wouldn't purchase without a return option.

Another preamp with good synergy with Pass would be the Coda 07x. It performs beyond it's price. Neither it or Pass would had DAC
 
XP22 gets lots of love on this forum. I heard the Boulder 812 at Mike’s store and it sounded great. Not to mention looks great. And like you said, takes care of streamer/DAC/pre.
 
jmusica said:
I heard the Boulder 812 at Mike’s store and it sounded great. Not to mention looks great.
Click to expand...

Also heard an 812 driving an XA30.8 recently at a local dealer, sounded excellent. There is a definite attraction to a single device that does a number of things, but I would want it to do those things at a very high level. I already have a very good digital front end, don’t really want to go backwards, but as I said, it’s very difficult to demo stuff atm, not to mention have actual supply available. At the risk of more boxes, the XP22 might be the best solution!
 
How easy would it be for you to find a buyer for the XP-22 if you decide to move on later? With a 10-month wait in the USA, it should be easy to "Pass" the preamp on in Australia if you decide to.
 
The XP-22 is a fantastic partner - very low noise floor and great dynamics. Folks tend to also like ARC tube pre’s with Pass amps.
 
Congratulations with your new XP22 , will be interesting to hear your impressions with it.
 
X260.8’s arrived this morning. Have some rearranging to do and still waiting on some Solidsteel plinths to arrive on Wednesday. Will be a test of patience to see if I can wait till then :D:D:D Great stuff!

55-CA5-C0-B-A211-41-BA-8-D81-A6-FF3-BE7-DCBB.jpg
 
Well, blow me down again. The Solidsteel plinths arrived a bit later today, so I have set the amps up. Only a short period listening so far, amps are brand new, so a bit of running in to do, but already I like what I hear. Imaging is spectacular, bass notes are palpable. More soon
 
OK, some further comments. Have now wrangled the 260.8’s in behind the 3.7i’s, both on Solidsteel S3-A plinths, which arrived shortly after the amps, am quite impressed with these plinths btw. Spaced from the walls to provide enough ventilation. Have had them on for a couple of hours so far. A couple of initial observations, apart from the fact that I am very pleased so far.

Soundstage and Imaging
Significant improvement, both in definition of instruments and spatial positioning

Detail
There has been a significant improvement in the amount of detail presented, all making things closer to reality. I could best describe this as an ability to decipher extreme harmonic complexity and to separate and delineate instruments, voices, etc. I’ll give you a couple of examples. I am not a huge (or any sort of) Enya fan, but the start of the track Watermark on the album of the same name presents a wall of sound. The X260.8 is able to separate this “noise” into individual sound sources that make sense, which I haven’t previously experienced. On the Clapton album Unplugged, in the track Tears in Heaven, there’s a lot going on in the background, perhaps not a wall of sound, but a lot of stuff. Now, The X260.8 enables me to clearly hear several female back up singers who are down in the mix, again, something I hadn’t heard before.

All very good so far, more thoughts to come later.

2-DB1-D517-4940-4-EB7-9132-52062-E234112.jpg


36079145-A8-C7-4288-86-AA-D1970-DA2312-D.jpg
 
mjs said:
OK, some further comments. Have now wrangled the 260.8’s in behind the 3.7i’s, both on Solidsteel S3-A plinths, which arrived shortly after the amps, am quite impressed with these plinths btw. Spaced from the walls to provide enough ventilation. Have had them on for a couple of hours so far. A couple of initial observations, apart from the fact that I am very pleased so far.

Soundstage and Imaging
Significant improvement, both in definition of instruments and spatial positioning

Detail
There has been a significant improvement in the amount of detail presented, all making things closer to reality. I co

All very good so far, more thoughts to come later.
Click to expand...

Congrats on your acquisition ! As a fellow X260.8 owner I suspect your long term happiness will be as good as mine !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top