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Choice between two different integrated tube amps (SET & PP)

I'm interested in two different integrated amps that I can get locally.

One is the Primaluna Dialogue HP and the other is the Willsenton R800i.

The Primaluna is a PP setup with EL34's and the Willsenton is a SET amp with 805 tubes.  The Primaluna has upgraded pre-amp tubes but stock EL34's, the Willsenton has all stock tubes and the chifi tubes are trash, so would need to be upgraded.  The Primaluna is $3k and the Willsenton is $2k but will need quite a bit spent on new tubes, so they are pretty much the same price.

Anybody have experience with either?  Have read great reviews of each of them.  I'll take other recommendations too but the requirements are a tube integrated under $3k that has home theater bypass.

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Showing 1 response by jbhiller

jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller
1,446 posts
 

Great comments above!

I think SET is something to experience. It can be intoxicating, but as mentioned speaker pairing is key and they can be a bit fickle. What speakers are you using? 

PL does just about everything really well--design, build, service, reliability, and so on.  However, if I had a sonic bone to pick it might be headroom.  Everything seemed a bit jammed together sound wise and even though I had the opportunity over 4 years to run it with all types of speakers, everything seemed a bit compressed.  Great product though. 

Let us know what speakers you have when you have a moment.

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