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
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. 

May I suggest you instead try some light mods to the PL amps. what I'm talking about is replacing those cheep balanced connections you mentioned as a start. you can also change the sound by trying different brands of caps and in some cases change the sound significantly. There are other upgrades that could be done as well rather easily and totally reversible. for the cost of a few hundred bucks you could change the PL's sound to something different or better for your system synergy. 

I've recapped many pieces now with excellent results also I've upgraded components on various items many times with excellent results. Do not feel the need to keep it original all manufacturers build to a price point there is no reason you cannot upgrade those parts to better ones.  everything can be reversed as well so don't be stuck in the "got to keep it original" ideology as that's a moot issue in audio as it not going to reduce the resale ( unless you hack it to pieces) and actually may increase it. 

I’m running Primaluna Mono’s driving Martin Logan Summit X’s. Not the easiest load. The mono’s effortlessly drive the Summit’s to sublime levels. I’m kind to my ears, and primarily listen to jazz, classical, and 60’s - 70’s soul. My system has never sounded better.

Those that disparage PL with racist adjectives have never heard them. And that’s unfortunate, for them.