Looking for advice, recommendations
I am looking to upgrade my amp. Current amp is Primaluna Dialogue Premium Integrated. My speakers are Acoustic Zen Crescendo Mk II.
I am currently considering two possible upgrade paths:
1.) Primaluna EVO 400 Integrated (about $5.5K)
2.) Go separates with a 6SN7 based preamp (such as Sachs) + SS power amp, possibilities would be a GaN Class D, or Benchmark AHB2. (This would be about $6K with a Peachtree or LSA GaN 350 or Benchmark , to as high as $8.5K with Atma-Sphere Class D amps.)
I think my Dialogue Integrated may be marginal for my speakers. I am looking for more power, lower output impedance (better drive). Sonically, I like the sound of tubes. I want a three dimensional sound, with well defined space around each instrument and vocalist. Looking for more detail, without harshness.
Any advice, recommendations would be appreciated.
Thank you everyone for your recommendations. I think I will replace my output tubes first, probably with KT 88s or KT 66s. Next step will probably be preamp. Power amps will come after that. The speakers I have are probably my end game speakers, at least until a have to move into an old folks home. Then I will downsize. |
i am thinking that the original tubes in my Primaluna Integrated amp may be approaching old age. Changing the output tubes would be an interim step to restore some “life” in the system. Changing preamp would be an incremental step to improving the resolving power of the system. I like to do the changes step my step to spread the $ out over time. |
i am thinking that the original tubes in my Primaluna Integrated amp may be approaching old age. Changing the output tubes would be an interim step to restore some “life” in the system. Changing preamp would be an incremental step to improving the resolving power of the system. I like to do the changes step my step to spread the $ out over time. |
@mm1tt77 Yes, the Dialogue Premium Integrated has an HT input which bypasses the preamp section. |
I replaced the output tubes in my Primaluna Dialogue Premium (non-HP) with Gold Lion KT66s. It definitely brought life and dynamics back to my system, so I guess the original EL34s were getting old and tired. This is only a temporary step, as I still plan to go separates long term. I’ll start a new thread on amplifier questions.
Thanks |
