PASS Labs has two new preamp offerings to tempt you with – the XP-12 line-level and XP-17 phono, each build on a single chassis.
The XP-12 features a new power supply, that uses “an efficient toroidal design with both an electrostatic and Mu metal shield, along with vacuum impregnating and epoxy fill.” This, says the company, allows for a very quiet transformer, both electrically and mechanically. The power supply circuitry itself is also lower noise and has additional filtering.
The single-stage volume control comes from the Xs line preamp, featuring 100 1dB steps with lower noise and distortion, while removing some signal path parts.
The gain circuitry uses Toshiba transistors, but has a larger, higher biased output stage like the Xs preamplifier’s auto bias – “This makes longer and multiple cable runs easier to drive and provides the advantage of simplifying our single-ended output circuitry while increasing performance.”
Pass Labs claims all these “makes for a quieter, more neutral, musical and versatile control centre for your system.”
Meanwhile, the XP-17 uses the new-shielded low noise toroidal and input filter module, like the XP-12. The power supply has an extra stage of RC filtering, allowing for lower radiated and mechanical noise.
“The XP-17 has an all new input circuit that is symmetrical and lower in noise and distortion, with greater drive capability. Noise being the most prominent part of THD+N in the first section of a phono stage; by lowering noise we get better resolution and dynamics.
“It was designed with a split EQ network, like the XP-25 and XI Phono, that is more accurate and can handle greater signal levels. The secondary stage runs a higher bias output stage with auto bias,” according to the company.
The numerous loading options from the XP-15 are all still available, plus three gain settings to accommodate low output MC to MM cartridges.
The XP-12 will retail for US$5,800 and the XP-17 for US$4,300.
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