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Seller's Description

Angeboten wird „PASS LABS XS PREAMPLIFIER“ von Pass als Gebrauchtgerät aus der Kategorie „Vorverstärker / Prozessor“ bei audio-markt.de - dem Online-Marktplatz für High-End. Das Inserat mit der Nummer 410228337 endet am 25.06.2026 um 10:27 Uhr.

Our Thoughts RADAR AI

Timing matters here because this is an older Pass Labs reference-style preamp, and with high-end analog gear the key question is whether you want this generation or would rather wait for a newer implementation. At €18,900, it sits far above the recent comparable market: that’s well over the €9,782 75th percentile and roughly 3.5× the €5,290 median, so this is ambitious, not a bargain.

What still makes it interesting is the model itself: Pass Labs preamps are prized for their low-noise, effortless drive, and big, natural, unforced presentation, which is exactly why these stay sought after on the used market. If the condition is genuinely clean and the unit is complete, you’re paying for rarity and cachet as much as sound quality; that can be fine for a must-have piece, but I’d want strong proof of service history, original accessories, and flawless operation at this level.

Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.

About Pass Labs

Pass Labs, an American high-end audio powerhouse, traces its origins to 1991 when legendary designer Nelson Pass founded the company in his California home workshop. Emerging from his earlier venture with Threshold Electronics, Pass pioneered prototypes of single-ended Class A amplifiers, enlisting collaborator Mike Burley to build custom CNC machines for production. The debut Aleph 0 model shipped in 1992, marking the start of a legacy rooted in pure, innovative solid-state amplification.

The brand focuses intently on a select range of components, excelling in power amplifiers, preamplifiers, integrated amplifiers, and phono stages, all hand-built in Auburn, California. Renowned for minimalist circuits and pure Class A topologies—often blending into Class A/B for efficiency—Pass Labs delivers exceptional warmth, detail, and realism. While they ventured briefly into headphone amplifiers like the HPA-1, their core strength lies in amplification, eschewing speakers, turntables, DACs, headphones, or cables.

Positioned firmly in the ultra-high-end market, Pass Labs commands reverence among discerning audiophiles and professionals for its uncompromising engineering, industrial aesthetic, and emotional musicality. Products embody technical precision with timeless simplicity, sustaining a reputation for quality and innovation that has endured over three decades, making them a benchmark for those seeking transcendent sound reproduction.

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