Authorized dealers for Pass Labs XP-22

A 10 Audio Room 4 Music — in-store — Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (website)
Aalen Hifi — in-store — Schwäbisch Gmünd, Baden-Wurtemberg, Germany (website)
Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
Assai Audio — in-store — Centro, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain (website)
Atelier 13 Audio — in-store — Forest Hills, Tennessee, United States (website)
Audio & Video Expressions — in-store — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (website)
Audio Aktoren — online and in-store — Horten, Vestfold, Norway (website)

and 54 more verified dealers

Pass Labs XP-22

Name: Pass Labs XP-22
Brand: Pass Labs
SKU: xp22
Rating: 93 (22 reviews)

The Pass Labs XP-22 pairs an inky-black noise floor with saturated color, effortless treble and muscular dynamic control, making familiar recordings feel newly dimensional. HIFI KNIGHTS heard a grain-free, spacious and nuanced performer, while Future Audiophile praised its exceptional retrieval of fine musical detail. Its dual-chassis, Class A-inspired design is a compelling route to richly resolved, fatigue-free analog playback.

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Specifications 21 reviews & sources

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93/100

Deliciously Crispy

Sound Quality

95/100

Build Quality

96/100

Features Connectivity

89/100

Value for Money

87/100

Pros

Exceptionally quiet, grain-free presentation delivers fine detail, tonal color and fatigue-free smoothness.

Combines substantial tone and low-bass slam with quick, controlled dynamics and accurate spatial scale.

Two-chassis construction and dedicated dual-mono power supply earn high praise for luxurious, robust execution.

Cons

Its near-$10,000 price and additional chassis demand a serious budget and extra rack space.

Purist analog design omits an onboard DAC, phono stage and headphone section.

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What Reviewers Are Saying

"What I really want to say is that this preamp is truly sorted all across the gamut and sonically as brilliant as it’s wholesome."

— HIFI KNIGHTS — HIFI KNIGHTS

"The XP-22 revealed its sophistication gradually and most definitely didn't flaunt any cheap tricks."

— 6 Moons — Dawid Grzyb & Srajan Ebaen

"The XP-22 is a very simple audiophile preamp designed to take the design approach that you see in high-end auto racing and apply it to audio."

— Future Audiophile — Jerry Del Colliano

"According to Pass Labs, this has clearly audible influences: more space, more punch, more control."

— Alpha Audio — Alpha Audio

"That a preamplifier can improve the sound of a system relative to the same system without a preamplifier is mysterious."

— Stereophile — Stereophile

SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 95/100

Reviewers consistently describe an exceptionally quiet, grain-free presentation that combines very high resolution with tonal richness and ease. The XP-22 is praised for revealing more from familiar recordings while retaining powerful dynamics, convincing image solidity and a spacious, dimensional soundfield.

Transparency Resolution

96/100

HiFi Knights and 6 Moons both highlight the XP-22's unusually silent backdrop, absence of grain and ability to reveal fine nuances without spotlighting them unnaturally. Future Audiophile likewise heard deeper resolution, newly audible guitar effects and a notably clearer view into familiar recordings than with competing preamps.

Tonal Balance Musicality

95/100

The XP-22 is repeatedly characterized as sweet, saturated, voluptuous and texturally rich, yet it avoids sounding slow, woolly or excessively warm. Reviewers admired its colorful, substantial tone, natural vocal presence and smooth, fatigue-free treble, alongside enough speed and accuracy to keep its presentation balanced.

Dynamics

94/100

Reviews describe broad dynamic range, greater control and heightened microdynamic expression arising from the unit's very low noise floor. It can sound calm and composed on gentle material, then deliver hard, sharply contoured attacks, strong low-bass impact and genuine slam when the recording calls for it.

Soundstage Imaging

94/100

The XP-22 is credited with adding oxygen and expansion to the soundstage while maintaining focused, accurate images. Future Audiophile found instruments and voices more three-dimensional and palpable, while HiFi Knights and 6 Moons heard generous space in all directions, stronger image pop and persuasive depth.

Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.

Build Quality

96/100

The two-chassis construction, dual-mono power supply and robust locking umbilical receive unusually strong praise. Future Audiophile calls the execution second to none, citing the carefully finished remote, controls and input buttons, while Stereophile and 6 Moons note the substantial, purpose-built power-supply architecture.

Features Connectivity

89/100

Connectivity is comprehensive for a high-end analog line stage: two XLR and three RCA inputs, simultaneous balanced and single-ended outputs, a tape loop, trigger and remote control. Input 5 can be assigned to home-theater bypass, and the 99-step dual-mono volume control includes a unity-gain setting; there is no onboard DAC, phono stage or headphone section.

Value for Money

87/100

At roughly $10,000 and above depending on market and period, the XP-22 is plainly a major investment, and Alpha Audio questions whether its additional cost and shelf space over the XP-12 will suit every buyer. Still, Future Audiophile regards the upgraded power supply as a meaningful benefit and expects the Pass Labs component to retain its value, while 6 Moons considers it a thoroughly satisfying high-end proposition.

Reviews & Sources

Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.

Forum Mentions

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Specifications

Overall Gain: 9.3dB Balanced
Remote: yes
Inputs: 5
Outputs: 2
Input Impedance: 22K Ohms
Power Consumption: 40 watts
Number of chassis: 2
Dimensions, Each Chassis: 17”W x 12”D x 4”H
Weight (LBS): 40

Balanced Output

Remote Control

Display

Manufacturer's Description — Pass Labs

The XP-22 is the quiet power behind a great system—low noise, high resolution, and the kind of transparency that doesn’t feel clinical. It doesn’t add excitement; it reveals it, letting your sources and amplifiers perform at their best.

With a two-chassis layout and a straightforward, performance-first design, the XP-22 delivers a wide, stable soundstage and exceptional low-level detail—so music feels more present and more real.

That separation of duties pays off in calm, black backgrounds and a more effortless sense of space. You’ll hear clearer outlines around images, more believable depth, and a more natural decay of notes—especially on acoustic instruments. If you’re building a truly revealing system and want the preamp to disappear, the XP-22 is designed for exactly that.

SPECS AT A GLANCE

Overall gain: 9.3 dB (Balanced)
Inputs / Outputs: 5 in / 2 out | Remote: Yes
Input impedance: 22 kΩ
Power consumption: 40 W | Chassis: 2 | Weight: 40 lbs

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Authorized dealers for Pass Labs XP-22

A 10 Audio Room 4 Music — in-store — Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (website)
Aalen Hifi — in-store — Schwäbisch Gmünd, Baden-Wurtemberg, Germany (website)
Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
Alpha High End — online and in-store — Brasschaat, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium (website)
Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
Assai Audio — in-store — Centro, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain (website)
Atelier 13 Audio — in-store — Forest Hills, Tennessee, United States (website)
Audio & Video Expressions — in-store — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (website)
Audio Aktoren — online and in-store — Horten, Vestfold, Norway (website)

and 54 more verified dealers

Authorized dealers for Pass Labs XP-22

Pass Labs XP-22

Reviews & Sources

Forum Mentions

Specifications

Manufacturer's Description — Pass Labs

Authorized dealers for Pass Labs XP-22

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