I'm on my third Pass preamp, having previously owned an X2 followed by an X1. The XP-20 is simply the most transparent, quiet, dynamic and 'not there' preamp I've ever heard. I've had a few high end preamps in my system at various times, including Krell, BAT, Chord and Croft, but I've never been tempted away from Pass. What I especially like, and that so-called passive preamps (there is no 'amp' in a passive) fail to deliver, is the balanced drive to the power amp that controls it with an iron grip.

The relationship between preamp and power amp is highly symbiotic and I find that my Chord power amp responds to the drive better from the Pass than anything else I have tried, including Chord's own preamp.

I have upgrade my XP-20 with a Revelation Audio 'Passage' silver DC cable to replace the original umbilical.

The Revelation improved the Pass' clarity even further and dropped the apparent noise floor.  I love the XP-20 as the control centre of my system and can't see me ever changing brands, based on Nelson's outstanding circuit.