Vinyl Asylum: REVIEW: Pass Laboratories X-Ono Phono Preamp by Barry

Model:	X-Ono
Category:	Phono Preamp
Suggested Retail Price:	$4400
Description:	MC / MM High Gain Phono Preamp
Manufacturer URL:	Pass Laboratories
Model Picture:	View

Review by Barry on December 09, 2007 at 07:40:16
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for the X-Ono

The Xono is an exceptionally well-built phono preamp with very good but maybe not great sound depending on what you're used to. It's VERY quiet and has high gain for even the lowest output MCs. Input selectivity options are second to none - very flexible. It's got balanced outputs.

The sound with a .4 mV moving coil (have not tried MM)is very balanced with no part of the frequency range highlighted or recessed. It's got a nice big sound stage and instruments have good placement neither being to forward or recessed. Dynamics are fine (the power supply is huge).

My reservations center mainly on transparency & tonal color. This unit is not grainy, far from it, but there's a light opacity like very low background noise that disrupts the purity and see-through quality. Tonal color seems deficient and bothers me the most. I don't like the tube-like technicolor some people prefer - I'm talking about a natural instrumental or vocal sound and I'm not talking about warmth, that's fine. Taken together, the sound from records reminds me of a good ... CD player!!!!

The reason for this I think has to do with the 2 electrolytic capacitors in the signal path for the MC section, and perhaps other caps, and the diode bridge (versus hexfreds). All this is fixable with better parts but most people are not going to buy this unit and mod it considering the price they're paying. Again note I'm talking about the sound with MC cartridges not moving magnets.

I'm comparing this primarily to a Classe Audio DR-6 which has a fabulous phon stage (but has other problems), sound run through the phono stage from a tuner and inverse RIAA network (not a very resolving source).

In summary, very well built, very good sound but not the very last word in phono sections. This would however be an excellent value used in the $1,800 price range.

Product Weakness:	Not the last word in transparency using MCs and lacks a bit of tonal color.
Product Strengths:	Very good sound - balanced.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: na
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): na
Sources (CDP/Turntable): na
Speakers: na
Cables/Interconnects: na
Music Used (Genre/Selections): na
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): na
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition): na

Amplifier:	na
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	na
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	na
Speakers:	na
Cables/Interconnects:	na
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	na
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	na
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	na