Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier.
Today's Fresh Catch is the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier ($5800 USD).
Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifier.
I am rather excited about the arrival of the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier, not only because of the positive buzz it has created in the review community since its introduction in 2018, but also because now I get try it with the Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo power amplifier (above, reviewed HERE), and the First Watt SIT-3 (below, reviewed HERE), to hear what an almost (no phono pre) full Pass Labs amplification front-end sounds like!
The First Watt SIT-3 stereo power amplifier.
Perusing both the XP-12's web page (HERE) and the owner's manual (HERE) suggests this is a very sophisticated preamplifier, with my only lament being that it lacks a phono stage.
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier.
The Pass Labs web page for the XP-12 preamplifier says:
"The new XP-12 starts with a new power supply. It uses an efficient toroidal design with both an electrostatic and Mu metal shield along with vacuum impregnating and epoxy fill. This gives us a very quiet transformer both electrically and mechanically."
"The power supply circuitry itself is also lower noise and has additional filtering, a little more complicated but worth it."
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier front view.
"The XP-12 uses the single stage volume control borrowed from the XS line preamp. This gives us one hundred 1 dB steps with lower noise and distortion while removing some signal path parts."
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier volume control close-up.
"The gain circuitry continues to use our favorite transistors from Toshiba but has a larger higher biased output stage similar to the XS preamplifier auto bias. This makes longer and multiple cable runs easier to drive and gives us the advantage of simplifying our single ended output circuitry while increasing performance. Overall this makes for a quieter more neutral, musical and versatile control center for your system."
From the owners manual:
"There are a total of five inputs. Two of the five inputs are balanced XLR only. The other three inputs are single-ended only. There are two pairs of outputs available with identical gain structure. One pair Balanced, one pair single-ended."
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier rear view.
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier balanced inputs closeup.
"Balanced inputs and outputs are via XLR connectors. Single ended inputs and outputs are via RCA connectors. On the XLR connectors, pin 1 is grounded, pin 2 is the positive signal, and pin 3 is the negative signal. Left channel RCA connectors are marked with “L”. Right channel RCA connectors are marked with “R”. In a similar fashion balanced XLR inputs and outputs are marked with “L” for left and “R” for right channel."
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier RCA inputs close-up.
"The main outputs are located at the left-hand side (viewed from the rear) of the rear panel, two male XLR connectors, and two RCA connectors, “R” (right) and “L” (left). The RCA connector’s ground is in parallel with pin 1 of the XLR outputs and the RCA hot is fed from an independent summing junction that maximizes the X circuit benefits. The RCA, single-ended, outputs are buffered from the balanced outputs. You may use both the single ended and balanced outputs at the same time. On the XLR, pin 1 is ground, pin 2 is positive, and pin 3 is negative."
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier outputs close-up.
The full feature review of the XP-12 preamplifier for Positive Feedback is quite a ways out into 2020. I'm already fully booked up for reviews in 2020 (more on that in another post), but I'll be doing my usual blog posts along the way, describing the XP-12's performance in multiple system contexts as I go.
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier remote close-up.
Stay tuned, there will be lots more about the Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier to come as I get a chance to roll up my sleeves and give it a workout here at Jeff's Place.
Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier.
Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier.
As always, thanks for stopping by, and may the tone be with you!
