upgrade #2 Pass Labs XP-15 phono pre

[Jim Pittsburgh]

Well, I can't say that the PL XP-15 has made as much of a difference as the Krell amplifier, but it is pretty significant.

I just got it into the system this evening, I literally had to let it thaw for hours after it rode around in the UPS truck since early this morning, and I'm still playing with the loading a bit....  but two observations so far: it is MUCH quieter... much much much quieter. Really takes advantage of the Krell with black around each note.   Second, it is much more detailed and realistic sounding than the Jolida. Piano notes ring more correctly, as do cymbals and drum strikes. Tomorrow it gets tested with voices lol   I've heard things in a few of the albums I've played so far that I didn't know were there! Pretty cool. Looking forward to it settling in a bit more... but not having to move things around on the rack once I get it dialed in. It's also a beautifully made piece of equipment...

The other upside is that I moved the Jolida JD9 to the garage system. Huge improvement over the built in phono section in the receiver. Should have replaced / bypassed that a long time ago.

[RnR]

NICE -- its always a win-win when you can hold on to a piece and use it in your 2nd system.. double upgrade!   What kind of cartridge do you use on your Clearaudio again?

any pics of the new additions ??

[Jim Pittsburgh]

Talisman V2 gold cartridge..... no pictures until I get everything organized .... The Xp is sitting sideways in the rack so I can easily access the switches.... looks a mess, but it sure sounds awesome! Really happy with the investments/  upgrades ... speakers sound so darn good I'm seriously thinking of delaying that part of the upgrade.

[bearjew]

I would expect nothing less than excellence from our lord and savior Nelson Pass.  I need to come check out your upgrades next time I'm in town.

[Jim Pittsburgh]

You and the group are always welcome..... 

Seriously, the system is sounding so good it's surprised the heck out of me. Imaging is off the charts and I love the quiet around each note, and how the notes/ strikes ring so true. That damn Sunfire amp was really holding things back... lesson learned.The imaging is off the chart for a trio of conventional speakers. Sounds like your in the tenth row instead of first or last.... perfect lol  Might have to play with the speaker lean angle a bit since the tweeter/mids are so "alive"now,  sound seems to have literally moved upward/ higher in the room a bit.... that's the fun!

 The XP-15 keeps settling in, sounding better and better. Surprised at how articulate and quiet it is, yet lacks the "solid state" sound. Really letting the cartridge freely do its thing!

[Jim Pittsburgh]

The Pass Labs XP-15 is really settling in nicely, per PL, it takes about four days to warm up due to it's class A operation. Unplug it and let it cool down, and the four days starts all over... OK now?  Learning a lot about "loading" with the PL.... never had a phono pre with this many possible settings. Sure as heck even a load change of 25 to 50 ohms makes a pretty significant difference, especially in the sound stage....easy to hear.  my system, your results may vary lol

Very interesting to me... since I've heard turntables/ cartridges that I didn't enjoy but never thought that it might have been the phono pre holding them back or shaping the sound. Live and learn :-)   I'm loving this phono pre and now my cartridge more than ever.