At over 20 years it don’t owe you much. My tastes changed over the past 20 years, and if it’s in the budget I’d side with upgrading to another amp depending on your tastes. There are some great amps out there from the likes of Octave, Audio Hungary, Audio Research, VAC, Unison Research, etc. so just read reviews and give yourself a well-deserved gift after 20+ years if something looks really interesting. Prima Luna is good for sure, but there are higher levels of performance if you (and your budget) are up for it. Tweaks and changing tubes will only get you so far. Enjoy the journey!
Maximum Upgrade Potential
I have a 20+ year old Prima Luna Dialogue One, and am looking at other tube amps for some unknown time in the future. I recently replaced my power tubes, and a thought occurred to me: When do you get to the limits of an amplifiers ability to be improved, or maximum sound quality? If I got the best available tubes, power conditioner, cables, etc., how much improvement would I expect relative to an amplifier a step or two up the quality chain? Will the best and most expensive tubes improve all amps equally or benefit some more than others? And at what point is one just putting lipstick on a pig?
Thanks,
John Cotner
New Ulm, MN