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Cameron Oatley
ExtremeHiFi
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi

Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.

What reviewers think

Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.

What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.

Manufacturer details

  • Type: Line preamplifier with separated power supply
  • Gain line: 24dB
  • CD input: 18dB
  • Input type: 5 line, 2 output, 1 tape monitoring
  • Bandwidth: 20Hz to 74kHz @-3dB
  • Tubes: ECC82 x 1, ECC83 x 3, EF86 x 1, EL84 x 1
  • Dimensions: 430 x 345 x 175 mm each
  • Weight: 31Kg
  • Power Consumption: 50 VA
The Jadis JPS2 is a line preamplifier which uses three ECC83 for the line function and ECC82 to adapt the impedance on the CD entry.
Manufacturer Site

Brand highlights

Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:

  • Jadis amplifiers are characterized by their signature aesthetic, featuring polished stainless steel chassis with brass-colored accents, creating a distinctive and luxurious appearance.
  • They meticulously hand-wind and resin-pot their own output transformers, considered central to the brand's sonic signature and speaker-matching capabilities, and offer a lifetime warranty on them.
  • The brand prioritizes a natural and engaging musical presentation, focusing on harmonic richness, tonal color, and conveying the emotion and intent behind recordings.
  • Jadis maintains a Class A push-pull design philosophy across its amplifier range, emphasizing low distortion and maximizing musicality, with a limited use of negative feedback.

SE300B

  • Positioning: The entry-level high-fidelity amplifier in the Jadis lineup.
  • Description: Brings music to life with its 10W pure class A single-ended design. Features automatic bias and a tube power supply, offering unique warmth and transparency compared to the more powerful PA100, which is better suited for larger rooms and higher power needs.

PA70

  • Positioning: The mid-range stereo power amplifier in the Jadis lineup.
  • Description: Offers a compact design with 50W per channel in class A. Its automatic bias and use of KT170 tubes provide a balanced tonal quality, distinguishing it from the SE300B's more intimate sound and the PA100's higher power output.

SE845 NEC

  • Positioning: The high-end monoblock amplifier in the Jadis lineup.
  • Description: Delivers 40W per channel in pure class A, offering detailed and musical sound with its push/pull configuration. Provides more power and a broader soundstage than the SE300B.

JA500 MKII

  • Positioning: The flagship amplifier in the Jadis lineup.
  • Description: Delivers a groundbreaking 300W per channel with a separate power supply, providing unmatched power and control. It is ideal for the most demanding audio setups and large spaces, offering more power and sophistication than any other model in the lineup, including the JA80 MKII.
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Avg. Product Price
$10,001-$20,000
Used For Sale
31
 Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
157
 of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
34
Founding Year
1983

Our take on the brand

Jadis Electronics is renowned for their meticulous handcrafting of tube amplifiers, with a unique process of hand-winding output transformers that's integral to their signature sound. Their tube amplifiers deliver unusually high power outputs without distortion even at maximum levels, setting them apart in the tube amplifier market.

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Our interview with the brand

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From our interview with
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What if you spend more?

Product image
Weiss
Helios
21995
21995
/
5
Reviews
Weiss Engineering is a Swiss hifi brand known for its DACs that incorporate advanced DSP features like room correction and vinyl emulation, which are uncommon in other high-end DACs. Their products are praised for their precision and clarity in sound reproduction, with users noting their ability to make every track sound natural and balanced.
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Expand Details

Product Strengths

  • Exceptional clarity, resolution, transparency, and natural sound, allowing the recording itself to provide resolution, depth, warmth, and dynamics
  • High level of detail retrieval with excellent depth and layering of the soundstage
  • Versatile, functioning as a top-class D/A converter, preamplifier, headphone amplifier, and streamer with Roon Ready and JPLAY certification
  • Offers extensive digital signal processing (DSP) capabilities with algorithms used in professional audio products for mixing and mastering
  • Impeccable build quality with a robust double chassis design featuring a stainless-steel frame and thick aluminum paneling

Product Considerations

  • Lacks a conventional front-mounted headphone jack, requiring an adapter cable connected to the rear outputs for headphone use
  • The many DSP features carry a learning curve and may not be straightforward for audiophiles without a recording studio background
  • Some reviewers found the initial sonic presentation slightly aggressive or studio-like out of the box
  • A larger display screen would be beneficial
  • Some audiophiles seeking a particularly flavorful or additive listening experience might find it too neutral

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Weiss Helios excels in retrieval of detail, excellent bass management, and highly specific placement of images on the soundstage, while the Bricasti M21 Platinum Edition DAC had wider linear image presentation
  • Helios offers an upgraded digital-to-analog stage and analog output section for enhanced clarity and involvement with the music, compared to the Weiss DAC502
  • Helios is claimed to have many of the same qualities as the Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference Series 3–great timbral awareness, high levels of clarity, excellent retrieval of detail, superb bass, and highly specific image placement
  • Helios has superior detail retrieval and sense of depth, whereas the Weiss MEDUS Reference DAC is a bit more forgiving and a bit more generous in the bass

Takeaway: The Weiss Helios is a top-tier DAC that delivers exceptional sound quality with a high level of detail and clarity, while also offering a wide range of customizable features for both speaker and headphone setups. It is a great choice for audiophiles seeking a versatile and high-performing digital audio solution.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Weiss Engineering is a Swiss hifi brand known for its DACs that incorporate advanced DSP features like room correction and vinyl emulation, which are uncommon in other high-end DACs. Their products are praised for their precision and clarity in sound reproduction, with users noting their ability to make every track sound natural and balanced.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Product image
Dan D'Agostino
Progression
25950
25950
/
4
Reviews
Dan D'Agostino is an ultra-premium hifi brand distinguished by its unique copper heat sinks with holes and distinctive circular green-lit VU meters that give their amplifiers a steampunk aesthetic. Their amplifiers feature proprietary "Super Rail" technology that maintains high voltage for front-end transistors, while their three-chassis Relentless Preamplifier uses 30-pin interlocking connectors to eliminate wiring anomalies.
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Expand Details

Product Strengths

  • The D'Agostino Progression Preamplifier delivers warmth like tubes without the headaches
  • The Progression Preamplifier has a lower audible noise floor
  • The Progression Stereo amplifier provides a sense of authority, dynamism, energy, and slam
  • The Progression offers exceptional life, dynamic detail, and apparent power
  • The Progression Stereo Amplifier runs surprisingly cool due to its innovative heatsink design
  • The Progression Preamplifier has a limited number of inputs, especially single-ended, which may be problematic for larger systems

Product Considerations

  • The Progression Preamplifier has a limited number of inputs, especially single-ended, which may be problematic for larger systems
  • The Progression Preamplifier's DAC set-up instructions are basic and may require expert help
  • The progression preamplifier has a slight bit more midrange liveliness and detail than usual, and just a touch of added energy in the upper midrange

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs Ayre Acoustics KX-R Twenty: The Ayre is a highly regarded solid-state preamplifier with a fully balanced, no feedback topology, but unlike the Progression, it does not have a DAC option
  • Vs Mark Levinson N° 526: The Mark Levinson is also a fully balanced, solid-state preamplifier, but adds a phono stage in addition to the built-in DAC
  • Vs Pass Labs XP-30 preamplifier: Like the Progression, it is a fully balanced, solid-state, multiple-chassis design, but it is scalable up to six channels
  • Vs D'Agostino Momentum: The Progression Stereo delivers more power than its more upmarket Momentum Stereo counterpart
  • Vs D'Agostino Momentum: The Progression looks like the more flexible option, rather than a 'discount design'
  • Vs D'Agostino Momentum: The Progression is a more uncompromising design—balanced operation only, without a built-in optional DAC or Bluetooth operation for the remote

Takeaway: The Progression is a set of very well-engineered audio components offering great sound and power. They are a good option for people who appreciate high-quality audio.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Dan D'Agostino is an ultra-premium hifi brand distinguished by its unique copper heat sinks with holes and distinctive circular green-lit VU meters that give their amplifiers a steampunk aesthetic. Their amplifiers feature proprietary "Super Rail" technology that maintains high voltage for front-end transistors, while their three-chassis Relentless Preamplifier uses 30-pin interlocking connectors to eliminate wiring anomalies.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Product image
Meitner
PRE
25000
25000
/
4
Reviews

Ed Meitner recognizes that the analog preamplifier is at the heart of every music system and warrants the utmost care and precision. This recognition motivates him to consistently push the boundaries of performance in his designs. Starting with the Meitner PA6i and progressing to the multi-award winning EMM Labs PRE2, he has never failed to push the state-of-the-art in the industry.

Ed Meitner's latest design, the reference PRE, embodies this drive for perfection and culminates in his most significant statement in the preamplifier category to date. Stunning transparency is achieved via fully discrete dual-balanced signal paths, sophisticated contactless switching solutions and precision software-driven analog volume control.

Using custom, aerospace-grade, composite laminate circuit boards in the PRE provides several advantages over conventional boards: Microscopically smooth copper traces resulting in a reduction in skin effect issues Superior strength and vibration resistance Lower dielectric losses and superior heat conduction ensuring uniform temperature distribution, increasing stability and longevity

With six sets of stereo analog inputs and three sets of stereo analog outputs, the PRE allows the option of bi-amplification and tri-amplification setups. Three sets of user programmable volume presets per input allows the user to easily recall their favourite volume settings for different types of music.

Result… the most sophisticated and musically accurate preamplifier from EMM Labs. Capable of controlling everything, except your enthusiasm.

Meitner Audio's MA3 DAC uses a unique one-bit circuit that upconverts all audio to 16xDSD, with proprietary MFAST and MDAT2 technologies for jitter removal and upsampling. The MA3 features a VControl digital volume system that maintains signal integrity without requantization, while offering network streaming and Roon Ready capability.
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Expand Details

Our summary

Product Strengths

  • Noted for its neutrality, accuracy, and uncolored sound, providing a truthful representation of recordings
  • Remarkably quiet in operation, with no pops or noise when switching inputs or muting
  • Beautifully crafted chassis and a large, easy-to-read display
  • Offers useful features like volume presets for each input and a balance control
  • Detailed and relaxed sound
  • Offers two RCA inputs, one XLR input, one RCA output, and one XLR output

Product Considerations

  • Minimalist design results in a limited number of inputs and outputs
  • Volume knob doesn't have a silky smooth feel
  • Dynamic range could be wider on challenging recordings
  • Sound might be too smooth at times, which slightly dulled the thrilling edge of some works

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • The Meitner PRE exhibited better edge definition, speed, transients, and treble airiness, as well as improved bass definition and clarity, than the Linear Tube Audio preamplifier
  • The Pass Labs XP30 had more fullness in the bottom end and more dynamic kick than the Meitner PRE
  • The Meitner PRE was considered more detailed and more relaxed than the EMM Labs PRE2
  • The EMM Labs DV2 DAC offered a broader image and a greater ease of presentation than the Meitner PRE

Takeaway: The Meitner PRE preamplifier is a beautifully built and easy-to-use piece of equipment with a neutral and accurate sound signature that lets the music pass through with clarity. It is an exceptional preamp that is worth considering for those seeking high-quality analog sound reproduction.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Meitner Audio's MA3 DAC uses a unique one-bit circuit that upconverts all audio to 16xDSD, with proprietary MFAST and MDAT2 technologies for jitter removal and upsampling. The MA3 features a VControl digital volume system that maintains signal integrity without requantization, while offering network streaming and Roon Ready capability.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Product image
Burmester
100
27000
27000
/
4
Reviews
Burmester, a high-end audio brand renowned for its German craftsmanship, designs and handcrafts its components in Berlin. Known for its distinctive industrial aesthetic with chrome finishes, the brand supplies premium sound systems for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
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Expand Details

Product Strengths

  • Wide-ranging gain and impedance adjustments
  • Superb build quality, with rigid and immaculately crafted casework and beautifully finished panels
  • Ultra low noise, massive weight, and lightning-quick dynamics
  • A tonal richness that is usually associated with vacuum tubes, yet has an equal helping of dynamic contrast and weight that normally can only be achieved with the best solid-state gear
  • An auto-balance feature to equalize the two channels to compensate for imbalanced cartridges

Product Considerations

  • For those with lots of very old records, the lack of choice in equalization may be an issue
  • The cable was perhaps a bit too revealing for one reviewer's taste
  • The instructions for the ADC module are fairly cryptic
  • It sounded slightly flat out of the box, but opens up dramatically after a few days of constant play
  • The guitars lost some of their top-end resolution and sounded more edgy, and Ann Wilson's voice sounded squeaky and got lost in the mix, throwing off the delicate balance of the track

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs Audio Research REF Phono 2: The Burmester was definitely an order of magnitude quieter, but the Audio Research offered a bit larger musical image
  • Vs Boulder 1008: The Boulder offered slightly more bass grunt
  • Vs Cyrus Phono Signature/PSX-R2: Compared to the Burmester, the Cyrus sounds quite flat, cluttered, and mechanical
  • Vs EAR Yoshino 324: The EAR Yoshino 324 provides a better-balanced sound

Takeaway: The Burmester 100 Phono is a high-quality phono stage that offers flexibility and excellent build quality. It is a great option for audiophiles looking for a long-term investment in their vinyl setup.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Burmester, a high-end audio brand renowned for its German craftsmanship, designs and handcrafts its components in Berlin. Known for its distinctive industrial aesthetic with chrome finishes, the brand supplies premium sound systems for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page

What competes at this price?

Gold Note
PH-1000
11999
/
Released
2021
The PH-1000 is simply the best phono stage ever created by Gold Note: a unique piece of audio engineering, innovative in every aspect and completely made in Italy. It features exclusive Class A components such as a headphone output, infinite EQ curves including 4 customisable presets, plus 36 EQ curves and a Class A line preamplifier (optional).
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Gold Note is an Italian hifi brand that manufactures all components in-house, with their DS-10 DAC offering 192 setup options to adapt to different music genres and listener preferences. Their products, including the IS-10 and IS-1000 integrated amplifiers, combine multiple functions like streaming, DAC, and phono stages in single units, delivering a rich, tube-like sound signature.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Unparalleled cartridge matching capabilities with adjustable gain levels and load options
  • Features a multitude of equalization options, including preset EQ options alongside the option to set up custom curves
  • Exceptional build quality with a chassis precision-machined from solid aluminum, offering superior electromagnetic shielding and aesthetic elegance
  • Intuitive operation is ensured by the clear display and the Single Knob Control (SKC) system, despite the unit's complexity
  • Class A circuitry throughout delivers a warmth and naturalness that brings vinyl playback to life, while maintaining exceptional detail and clarity

Product Considerations

  • Premium price point makes it a high-end investment
  • Complex feature set may require a learning curve for full usage
  • Large form factor requires adequate rack space
  • The remote control has a mute function that requires two clicks to unmute, which can be slightly annoying
  • The Owners' Manual could be improved and is not very informative

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs Gold Note PH-10: PH-1000 has more cartridge loading possibilities
  • Vs Gold Note PSU-1250 & TUBE-1012: PH-1000 lacks a warm tube sound, but if you add the PSU-1250 & TUBE-1012, details are brought out with added sharpness and the music becomes more cohesive—reaching a new level of harmonic wholeness

Takeaway: The Gold Note PH-1000 is a sophisticated phono preamplifier with a wide range of features and exceptional sound quality, perfect for vinyl enthusiasts seeking to get the best out of their collections. Its flexibility and upgradeability make it a worthwhile investment for those serious about analog audio.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Gold Note is an Italian hifi brand that manufactures all components in-house, with their DS-10 DAC offering 192 setup options to adapt to different music genres and listener preferences. Their products, including the IS-10 and IS-1000 integrated amplifiers, combine multiple functions like streaming, DAC, and phono stages in single units, delivering a rich, tube-like sound signature.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
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Pass Labs
XP-27
12075
/
Released
2021
The twin chassis XP-27 eclipses the already exceptional performance of the well-reviewed and well-received XP-15, XP-25 & XP-17: delivering enhanced RIAA performance at a fraction of the previous distortion. The new design uses double shielded low noise toroidal transformers in external supply connected via aviation grade circular connectors using silver over oxygen free copper.
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Pass Labs Class A amplifiers are celebrated for their distinctive sonic character, delivering a rich, full-bodied sound with a notably lush midrange. They imbue a unique sense of "plumpness" and warmth to the music, an intentional coloration that many enthusiasts find highly engaging. The pure Class A design ensures smooth, beautiful sound but comes with the trade-off of generating significant heat, which can warm up a room.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Separate chassis for the power supply and signal circuitry minimizes noise, improving low-level detail retrieval
  • Front panel controls for gain, resistive loading, and capacitive loading, provide flexibility for cartridge matching
  • Two RCA inputs accommodate two turntables or tonearms, simplifying analog setups
  • Superb detail, clarity, and a clean sound, leads to a musically involving experience
  • A high-pass filter reduces low-frequency noise, helpful for systems with subwoofers

Product Considerations

  • The two-chassis design may be problematic for audiophiles with limited space, as the power supply is ideally placed separate from the main unit
  • No remote control is included, requiring manual adjustments at the unit itself
  • Settings are not automatically remembered when switching between tonearm inputs, requiring manual readjustment
  • Some reviewers would have liked to see larger LED indicators and labels for easier visibility

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • The XP-27 offers a host of useful features and operates with a great deal of attention paid to lower distortion, even RIAA performance is accomplished at much lower distortion levels than previous versions in the same price class
  • Vs Pass Labs XP-25, the XP-27 offers incremental improvements including lower noise and better bass performance due to dual transformers—vs single in the XP-25—lower noise resistors, upgraded rectifiers and improved power filtering and regulation
  • Vs Pass Labs XP-17, the XP-27 offers superior dynamics, clarity, imaging and musicality
  • Vs Pass Labs XP-22, the XP-27 is the star of the two-component show: XP-22-line preamplifier and XP-27 phono preamplifier

Takeaway: The Pass Labs XP-27 is a versatile and high-performing phono preamplifier that extracts remarkable detail and clarity from vinyl recordings. Its flexible loading options and dual inputs make it a great choice for vinyl enthusiasts seeking exceptional sound quality.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Pass Labs Class A amplifiers are celebrated for their distinctive sonic character, delivering a rich, full-bodied sound with a notably lush midrange. They imbue a unique sense of "plumpness" and warmth to the music, an intentional coloration that many enthusiasts find highly engaging. The pure Class A design ensures smooth, beautiful sound but comes with the trade-off of generating significant heat, which can warm up a room.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
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CANOR
Hyperion P1
14055
/
Released
2022
Hyperion P1 is a brand new vacuum tube preamplifier of pure A-class with zero feedback designed and produced by CANOR. It is considered a reference preamplifier of the CANOR brand.
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Canor Audio is a hifi brand that uses proprietary CMT circuit board technology to match the performance of point-to-point wiring while maintaining consistency in manufacturing. Their tube-based designs include unique features like a tube output stage in their DACs and custom-made output transformers with Permalloy cores in their amplifiers, setting them apart in the high-end audio market.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Delivers a natural, spacious, and clean sound
  • Attenuator is located in a special aluminum box (10 mm thick walls) which provides perfect shielding and absorbs the vibrations
  • Is a Class-A preamplifier and was designed to avoid ANY global feedback
  • Analogue part is separated from the power part by a solid aluminium wall (10 mm thick) which contributes to the elimination of interference

Product Considerations

  • The tubes require a lengthy break-in period of several hundred hours
  • The system remote control could be bigger

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • The Hyperion and Virtus combo's sovereignty brings the acoustic events to 'life' more convincingly

Takeaway: The Hyperion P1 is made to provide high signal quality sound. It has excellent workmanship to ensure amazing sound quality.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Canor Audio is a hifi brand that uses proprietary CMT circuit board technology to match the performance of point-to-point wiring while maintaining consistency in manufacturing. Their tube-based designs include unique features like a tube output stage in their DACs and custom-made output transformers with Permalloy cores in their amplifiers, setting them apart in the high-end audio market.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
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Pass Labs
XP-32
18375
/
Released
2021
The XP-32 is a three-piece modular preamplifier consisting of one control/power supply chassis and two additional gain chassis each containing analog signals of a single channel. The XP-32 generates less noise, crosstalk and distortion while delivering greater dynamic range, gain, output voltage and output current.
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Pass Labs Class A amplifiers are celebrated for their distinctive sonic character, delivering a rich, full-bodied sound with a notably lush midrange. They imbue a unique sense of "plumpness" and warmth to the music, an intentional coloration that many enthusiasts find highly engaging. The pure Class A design ensures smooth, beautiful sound but comes with the trade-off of generating significant heat, which can warm up a room.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Tonally, the XP-32 is a more beautiful, engaging preamplifier with a beautiful class A sound that presents fatigue-free
  • Exceptional build quality
  • Supreme clarity of sound lends a feeling of speed, precision, and vivacity in music across various genres, from jazz to opera, symphonic to rock
  • Brings forth a feeling of speed, precision, and vivacity in various genres of music, from jazz to opera, symphonic to rock
  • The metaphor of the veil being lifted—or ripped away—is applicable here

Product Considerations

  • Not the most neutral or transparent unit
  • Needed a lot of volume for it to get a Griffin amplifier moving
  • Takes up a lot of space, especially if not stacked
  • Missing was a touch of body to Netrebko's voice and a sense of air around it

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Compared to PASLabs XB30, the XP-32 is a better line stage
  • Compared to the XS preamplifier, the XP-32 uses a single-stage volume control as used in the XS preamplifier and has more range, with 0.5dB steps; it is quieter and more accurate
  • Compared to the XP-30, the XP-32's inputs are DC-coupled and a servo is used after trimming
  • Compared to the XP-22, it was just slightly more explicit

Takeaway: The XP-32 is a well-built preamplifier that gives a clean and clear sound, bringing more excitement to music. If you want to hear everything in music, the XP-32 might be what you are looking for.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Pass Labs Class A amplifiers are celebrated for their distinctive sonic character, delivering a rich, full-bodied sound with a notably lush midrange. They imbue a unique sense of "plumpness" and warmth to the music, an intentional coloration that many enthusiasts find highly engaging. The pure Class A design ensures smooth, beautiful sound but comes with the trade-off of generating significant heat, which can warm up a room.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
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EAR Yoshino
EAR 868
10484
/
Released
Handling a variety of analogue sources, the EAR 868 is designed to be the most capable of analogue pre-amps. With 5 analogue inputs, connect your Hi-Fi to the latest devices, like the EAR Dac 4.
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EAR Yoshino is a British hifi brand where each product is handmade from start to finish by a single engineer, with their amplifiers featuring a unique balanced bridge mode output stage design that assigns separate windings to each electrode on the output transformer. Their tube-based equipment, inspired by founder Tim de Paravicini's professional recording studio experience, is used by renowned artists like Pink Floyd and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Transparent and neutral sound signature with a richness that gives music life and texture without coloration
  • Top-notch fit and finish with a thick chrome faceplate that exudes quality
  • The tube phono stage sends the signal to a third stage of amplification and dedicated moving coil step-up transformers, which provides dead quiet amplification—plus serves as the resistive load seen by the cartridge
  • Offers balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs
  • The EAR 868 is a versatile preamplifier that can drive both tube and solid-state amplifiers without issue

Product Considerations

  • The user manual is sparse and lacks information on setting up the phono stage, requiring either expertise or dealer assistance
  • The manual recommends 60 seconds of warmup to reach operating temperature—it took 30-40 minutes to reach its fullness of sound and best resolution
  • The 868 is not fully balanced, but a conventional unbalanced design in which input and output transformers interface with XLR cables to reject common-mode interference

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Compared to the Primare Pre30, the EAR 868 was noticeably more transparent
  • Compared to the Herron VTPH-2 phono stage, the Mercury-plus-Herron's tone on mono pop recordings such as Nat King Cole's Unforgettable was more open—leaner, more contemporary-sounding—while the 868's sound was dense and eerily saturated on Cole's baritone

Takeaway: The EAR 868 is a well-regarded preamplifier known for its transparent, neutral sound, and high-quality build, making it a great addition to a high-end audio system. With its versatility and ability to enhance the musicality of various recordings, the EAR 868 is a valuable component for audiophiles.

Video review

Our take on the brand

EAR Yoshino is a British hifi brand where each product is handmade from start to finish by a single engineer, with their amplifiers featuring a unique balanced bridge mode output stage design that assigns separate windings to each electrode on the output transformer. Their tube-based equipment, inspired by founder Tim de Paravicini's professional recording studio experience, is used by renowned artists like Pink Floyd and Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
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