PASS LABS XA25 STEREO AMPLIFIER
The new XA25 offers great sound at slightly lower power, without frills, at a lower price. It embodies new components and innovative circuits coupled with the best elements of the previous generation.
Degeneration, “the other form of feedback”, has been eliminated. The output stage consists of a single pair of 800-watt new generation output transistors operating push-pull Class A. The result is faster, lower distortion, lower noise, higher damping and larger Class A operating envelope into low impedance loudspeakers, all in a simple 3 stage circuit with a total of three pairs of push-pull gain transistors.
This is my Reference solid-state amplifier at Parmenter Sound when matched with high sensitivity loudspeakers.
SPECIFICATIONS
Class: A
Type: Stereo
Gain: (dB)20
Inputs: RCA
Power Output /ch (8 ohm): 25
No Output devices (/ch): 4
Power Consumption (Watts): 240
Standby Power Consumption (Watts): < 1
Number of Chassis: 1
Unit Dimension (W x D x H) (mm): 431.8 x 438.15 x 152.4
Unit Weight (Kg): 22
REVIEWS
“Beyond the inherent sweetness of the XA25’s personality was its ability to transform a listening space into a three-dimensional tableau of images and ambience”
XA25 TAS Editors’ Choice Award – 2021
“As I listened to album after album, I could hear the textures, colors, tones, and harmonics of music in a way that was very moving. The system’s timbre realism with individual instruments and voices was as satisfying with the XA25 as it had been with any amp. All of this added up to enable my system to play music with a wonderful lifelike flow.” Jack Roberts
theaudiobeatnik.com
Recommended Components – 2018
Stereophile
Fidelity HiFi und Musik / Von Cai Brockmann
“Its divine transparency blesses and illuminates every aspect of the music it touches, enhancing the subtlest aspects of tone, texture, microdynamics, space, and atmosphere.”
Stereophile / Herb Reichert
“I thought I would never hear a solid-state amplifier that could create the gorgeous timbres/tonality/color of the finest tube-based amplifiers, yet that’s what you get with the XA25”
hometheaterreview.com / Terry London
“With my audiophile ears standing at full attention I noted that each instrument sounds like it’s in its own “space” on my favorite recordings.”
CNET / Steve Guttenberg
Occasional 2018 Buyers Guide
Part-Time Audiophile
Best of 2018 Award
HomeTheaterReview
Recommended Components – 2019
Stereophile
The Absolute Sound’s 2020 Buyers guide
The Absolute Sound
“I was quite excited when I received notice from Positive Feedback Editor Doc David that there was a Pass Labs XA25 Class A stereo amplifier available for me to write about for Positive Feedback.”
Positive Feedback / Jeff Day