In my most recent Today's Fresh Catch post (HERE) I told you about the arrival of  the much anticipated Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier.

Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier.

This Saturday morning I installed the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier ($5800 USD) into my vintage Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers based bedroom system to get some run-in time on it, along with the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier ($4900 USD) (review HERE), which is a popular match for the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier.

Pass Labs XP-12 & XA25 in the vintage Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers based system.

So here's what is in my bedroom system at the moment:

Starting at the loudspeakers, the loudspeakers are my beloved vintage Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers with Glenn of California cabinets that are designed for room corners, which makes them a wonderful choice for any listening room that allows for corner placement, and making them a great choice for smaller rooms where space is at a premium.

1957-1958 vintage Altec Corona 832A loudspeakers.

My master bedroom - somewhat unusually - is the second largest room in my modestly sized nuevo-bungalow home, with my living room being the largest.

Altec N800E crossovers set to attenuate the HF by 1.5dB.

The vintage Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers also work great in my larger master bedroom, and like most Altec's, once you dial in the crossovers to blend the high-frequency compression driver & horn's (802D compression drivers & 811B HF horns) balance with the low frequency driver (803A bass drivers) you can get some impressive sound quality.  

The Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers use a truly superb combination of Altec components in their Glenn of California corner cabinets, with the much desired 803A bass drivers for the low-frequencies (considered by quite a few Altec aficionados to be the ultimate vintage Altec bass driver), the 802D compression drivers & 811B HF horns combination for the high-frequencies, and the Altec N800E crossovers.

Unlike the pro-series vintage Altec A7's or A5's, which really need a custom pair of Hiraga-style crossovers to sound their considerable best, as long as you use the Corona's as intended in room corners, the stock N800E crossovers sound really good, and I've had no desire to replace them.

Spec RSP-AZ9EX Real Sound Processors

On top of my vintage Altec 832A Corona corner loudspeakers you can see the custom Spec RSP-AZ9EX Real Sound Processors that Yazaki-san made specifically for them (thank you Yazaki-san!), which are connected to the binding posts with vintage Western Electric WE16GA tinned-copper wire.

Spec RSP-AZ9EX Real Sound Processors with WE16GA wire.

Speaker cables from the Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers to the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifier is the new 600V Duelund DCA16GA tinned-copper wire. 

Pass Labs XA25 Class A Stereo Amplifier

Pass Labs XA25 Class A Stereo Amplifier wire connections.

Given the Altec 832A Corona loudspeakers are 16 Ohms, that means the Pass Labs XA25's 25 watts into 8 Ohms drops to 12.5 watts with the vintage Altec's, which is still way more than enough power to driver the sensitive Altec's to live-like volumes easily.

Connecting the Pass Labs XA25 Class stereo power amplifier to the AC is the Sablon Audio "Robusto" power cords (above) by Mark Coles, one of my all-time favorite power cords. 

Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier.

Interconnects between the the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier and the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier are the superb RCA Belden 8402 microphone cable interconnects, and between between the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier and the Mhdt Labs "Paradisea" USB DAC are a shielded pair of Duelund DCA20GA interconnects.

Sablon Audio Gran Corona power cable.

The power cord used to connect the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier is the Sablon Audio Gran Corona (above), another favorite of mine.

Mhdt Paradisea USB DAC

Interconnect between the Mhdt Paradisea USB DAC and the aging iMac I use as a source is the Locus Design Group "Polestar" USB interconnect.

Locus Design Group "Polestar" USB interconnect.

The Mhdt Paradisea USB DAC is connected to AC via an Acoustic Revive Power Reference AC power cord.

Pass Labs amplification in vintage Altec Corona 832A loudspeakers based system.

All of the system electronics plug into an Acoustic Revive RPT-4  Ultimate Power Distributor, which in turn plugs into the wall AC with a Sablon Audio Petit Corona.

Acoustic Revive RPD-4 Ultimate Power Distributor.

Sablon Audio Petit Corona AC cable.

The room is too wide to get a photo of the complete system in one photo, so here's a couple of photos for you to see it from two perspectives.

Corona 832A system photo with Pass Labs amplification.

Corona 832A system photo with Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier.

Ok, so that's the system context for you.

Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier

Now lets talk about my first listen of the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier using Jazz24 streamed from my iMac to the Mhdt Labs Paradisea USB DAC.

Keep in mind this is with the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier having zero run-in time on it. All I did was setup the system, turn it on and let it play while I was writing the post.

I have to say that this combination of the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier with the Pass Labs XP25 Class A stereo amplifier sounds really nice in this system. Smooth, natural, transparent, and very musical.

Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier

For example, when I first placed the Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifier (above) into this system with no run-in time on it, it actually sounded a little brash and forward sounding.

The Oto smoothed out as it accumulated run-in time, and now in my "Stokowski" Altec loudspeakers based system - I'm writing its feature review for Positive Feedback now - the Oto sounds incredibly good.

Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifier.

The Pass Labs XA25 power amplifier (above) is completely run-in, over course, after completing its feature review for Positive Feedback (HERE), but the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier has zero run-in time on it. 

Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier.

The overall performance of this Pass combination could easily pass for being fully run-in, as it sounds smooth, natural, nuanced, has beautifully balanced overall tone, gorgeous tone color, musicality that captures the essence of beat, melodies, dynamics, tempo, and timbre, as well as having impressive visuospatial performance (e.g. imaging, resolution, soundstage, soundspace, etc.).

I'm impressed with the naturalness, overall musicality and visuospatial performance of the Pass Labs combination of the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier with the Pass Labs XP25 Class A stereo amplifier, it sounds really nice in my vintage Altec 832A Corona loudspeaker based bedroom system.

The First Watt SIT-3 stereo power amplifier.

I'm going to let this combination play music for a while so the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier accumulates some run-in time, give it another listen, then I'll exchange the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier for the First Watt SIT-3 stereo amplifier for some additional impressions (above, review HERE). 

Leben CS600 integrated amplifier

Then for some more listening fun I'll pair the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier with my Leben CS600 integrated amplifier running in stereo power amplifier mode (the Leben CS600 has a special set of preamp inputs, that when they are used it allows the CS600 to function as a power amplifier).

Well, it is always nice to be impressed with something from the get-go, and the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier did just that - impressed me immediately.

Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier.

The Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier's provides natural sound, superb musicality, and excellent visuospatial performance when combined with the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifier.

I'll have much more to say about the Pass Labs XP-12 line-level preamplifier in the coming months, so stay tuned for much more to come!

It's really been a sweet time here at Jeff's Place, as I keep getting these incredible components to write about. It's been really nice to get in components that match well with my personal tastes for what is important in music reproduction, and whether powered by vacuum tubes (the Leben CS600X and Audio Note UK Oto Phono SE Signature integrated amplifiers) or powered by solid-state devices (Pass Labs and First Watt), I can tell you that whether your thing is solid-state or vacuum tube audio components, there are some wonderful choices today.

I have to say that I am a fan of both solid-state and vacuum tube audio components that score high on both musicality and visuospatial performance, like the audio equipment mentioned above, and there are some wonderful choices today from both genres that I could easily live with forever.

These are all "forever" components that one could build a system out of, just jump off the hifi equipment merry-go-round, and just focus on building your music collection.

The "guitar room".

Ok, now it is time to take a break from writing about and listening to hifi kit, and pick up the guitar for a little music-making!

As always, thanks for stopping by, and may the tone be with you!