Amplifier considerations, PrmaLuna EVO 400 versus ARC Reference 160 S. Is ARC worth it?


Greetings all. I own a pair of PrimaLuna EVO 400’s paired with an a first generation ARC Ref 6 and Ref 3 Phono. This was done because I could not afford a pair of 160 M’s and wanted something to tie me over until I could afford them or another option came along. I have been taking a hard look at the Reference 160 S, However, the performance of the EVO 400 is so damn good. I am not sure I would gain anything. In fact, I would lose a lot of customizability and am not a fan of how the ARC amps are built with mounting the sockets for those big ass kT-150 onto the circuit board.

Here is an overview of how I set up the EVO 400’s. They are set up as Mono-bocks. and retubed with KT-150s. The preamp section are retubed with BLACK SABLE JJ ECC82 / 12AU7. A less colored and cleaner sounding tube over the stock Chinese made one. With this configuration I get a sonic signature that has a bit of bite on the top and tight controlled bass that is snappy and authoritative. Specifications change from 140 watts to 192 watts. The music I listen to is a lot of Classical, Gothic Metal, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Pop, and EDM. A lot of my favorite recording are bass heavy with heavy dynamics. Speaker used are 4 Ohm - 95 db efficient - with a frequency response of 18HZ-30KHZ.

The 160s I am considering is $24K has power rating of 140 watts. It is a cleaner sounding amp that does not have much voicing. Offering a more accurate presentation, with more inner detail. That may prove to have better sysnergy with the ARC gear I already own. Also, the case work and overall appearance of the product is top notch. Hence the interest in it.,

Contrasted to PL what I lose is... some musicality, the EVO 400 has more richness in the mids and vocals are more pronounced and have a greater sense of presence within the listening room. Again, the tube sockets are bolted onto the chassis. They do not use a cooling assist fan. I have the advantage of a Monoblock solution, that is easier to handle weight wise and offers better isolation of the signal between the two channels.

Where the PL Cheaps out, is the finish and the balanced inputs. I am not a fan of the battleship grey paint and hodgepodge just slapped together Chi-Fi look that the components have. Nor do I like the cheap ass balanced connectors they use. There is a big difference in quality between them and the ones on my Ref 6.

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome.

Many thanks for your time and trouble.

walkertm

Showing 5 responses by walkertm

@ tablejockey If the blunt expression of my feeling on the PL fit and finish offends, my apologies. It is a given the PL product is more budget conscience. Sadly, your post does not offer much that is of use or has much thought behind it. Setting the PL build compromises and looks aside. It is still every bit a premium product performance wise. I think asking about a 24K upgrade is still worth exploring, to blindly waste money on something because it is considered more upscale? I consider dopey, especially if you already have the pleasant surprise of owning a product that gives the same level of performance for little over half the asking price. Spending more does not mean you get more. So, I see this as a fair question to ask.

@ Mazian I own a pair of Legacy Audio Focus SE | Legacy Audio

They are a large tower that need a larger room and careful placement. Although they are easy to drive. Amplification is an equal consideration with them. I found out the hard way. Place these to close to a wall or use an amp that overdrives them and the bass response becomes exceedingly boomy. They like the PL, Zesto, and Anthem tube amps. I p[layed around with. In SS they mated well with Classe products. They did not get on well with the BAT VK-500 or later the VK-255 Monoblock’s I had also did not work well.

@ football I have owned VTL and Zesto amps in the past. Both are premium brands based in California and built in the US. Neither are with me today because as good as they sounded. They could not hold up to the demands I placed on them. Which is about 6 - 8 hours of use per day. I have had the PrimaLuna amps for 3 years now. They sound just as good as the VTL ever did and once retubed nearly as good sounding as the Class A Zesto Eros 300. Which to my ear was the best sounding amp I ever owned, regardless I traded them. Unlike the Zesto the Prima Luna's not being a class A design does not get nearly as hot, nor have I ever had to send them into for repair once. I cannot say that about the MB-450's (Biggest mistake made reliability wise.) or Eros 300's. From my experience of actually owning PrimaLuna products, being American made does not mean squat as far as being able to run trouble free. If one does not care for how they sound, I cannot fault that. Not everything made can suit everyone's taste. I would advise anyone interested in owning a EVO 400 be sure to give it a listen first. 

@ bolong: Sorry I missed your question. I started with one EVO 400. I used at first the stock tubes and ran the unit in stereo. It was really impressive, especially in the mids and lower highs. Vocal were lush, full, and natural. Nonetheless, the bass slam was not there. I then moved to KT-88, I liked the sound of that too, the bass became tighter and faster. However, the top end did not have the bite I liked. I then moved onto the KT-150 which suited my tastes the best, Tight, fast, clean, with a top and bottom end that had authority, However, I could tell that the grip on the bass response was not as iron clad as it could be. I then saved up and purchased a second EVO 400 and retubed it with another set of KT-150s. That is when the late night to early morning listening sessions started. The change is subtle, but what you get when you run them in mono is better damping and current delivery, On the lowend the PL will make my Legacy Focus SE beg for mercy, These are a boomy speaker and you need an amp that is merciless in its abiltity to control those dual 12-inch woofers, Mids? I did not hear much of change. They are already outstanding in the stock stereo configuration, In upper mids and treble, I hear more sparkle and bite. Overall, running them in mono versus stereo, the EVO 400 become a more accurate versus a syrupy sounding amp. To my ear, the mono configuration brings out what is on the recording to a sharper focus. Has more detail, better delineation of the instruments, and the transients start and stop on a dime. The drawback for me is the top end gained more bite. That is due more to the KT-150 than running them in Mono. If i stuck with an EL34 from Gold Lion or Mullard that may not be the case.  Nonetheless, if you have a good local dealer. I suggest you ask if you can audition a second one at you home and see what you think. Given my tastes, I like the sound of the EVO in mono better than stereo. My speakers love the additional current delivery. That may not be the case for you, and I would hate for you to spend another $5300 on something that you feel did not do much to improve things, Wish you the best. 

vinylvalet: Owned a pair of Eros 300's the Bia would be going backward. I love the sound of Zesto gear. The 300's were the best sounding amp I ever owned. However, being a full-on Class A design, they run too hot to work in the space I have for them. Perhaps one day if I move to a house that has a larger room where I can let them breathe. The PL also run hot but being push-pull, they do not get nearly as warm as the Zesto.