PRIMA LUNA AMPLIFIERS

I’ve had a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium pre-amp and HP for a year of heavy listening (8-12 hours per day) everyday. About two months ago I added a second HP to mono-block into ATC SCM-19V2s. I rolled the EL34s to KT150s even though the EL34s sounded great the KT150s sound phenomenal at whatever volume level I am listening. I have had zero service issues. They drive the tubes so gently, Kevin Deal said that the KT150s should last more than two years, the smaller tubes 4-5 years.

You also have so many power tube options. They all provide a different coloration and power. The switch on the side of the amp gives you that flexibility. But with the KT150s I feel like I have reached Nirvana.

Check the forums. You’ll never see anyone complaining about them. And nobody is reselling them. Don’t settle for Chinese counterfeits, they really are not as good but much, much cheaper.

If I change my listening room and speakers I feel confident that the PLs will do fine.
Bottom Line. They sound great. They won’t break. I don’t plan on having to repair or replace these.

Rollin

My Cayin was manufactured in 06' and performs as well as the day it was new. Hasn't needed servicing of any sort despite a couple tube failures. It's been more reliable than my American-made gear. Anyhow, both brands (PL, Cayin) are built like tanks, especially the Cayins.

FYI, I replaced my 25 year old Conrad-Johnson CV-50 integrated with a PL Prologue Premium about a year ago. It's driving a pair of Proac Response D-Two's. Sound is sublime, and certainly no reliability issues thus far. I think you'll be pleased.

I have to throw another vote for the PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premier HP.  I have been hankering to see how a tube amp sounded in my system with Focal Utopia Diablo III's over my SS Class A amp.  The local dealer brought one over and hooked it up.  I am always skeptical of "this X blew me away" but in reality, the PrimaLuna had a better soundstage, more realistic sound and improved imaging.  I was truly surprised at the difference and bought one.  They are built like tanks, with point to point wiring, and various bells and whistles designed to make tube ownership easy.  I had a tube start to fail in the first week, and the "bad tube indicator" immediately showed me which one was failing.  I had a new replacement from Upscale in two days.  It is a truly great amp that punches way above its price.  It drives my Focal's with no problem as well as the Joseph Audio Pulsars that I am checking out in my system.  Having been an SS guy for my whole life, I now love my PrimaLuna.  Think that you need more than 75 watts?  Buy 2 and use them as mono blocks with 145 watts per amp by throwing a switch.

I can't speak to the Cayin, which I have heard is made at the same plant, but the unconfirmed rumors are that Cayin uses differently sourced parts  and is not just a PrimaLuna with a different name slapped on it.

I just picked up a PrimaLuna HP amplifier off a fellow Audiogon member that has been sitting in my car for the last week while I’ve been traveling for work. Although, I have yet to listen to it in my own system, all the reading I have done on the Forums have been glowing which was what drew me into purchase. I’ll be rolling some KT-150s, KT-120s and EL34 winged C SED tubes, paired with a restored McIntosh C20 pre. Interested to hear how it preforms with a more modern amplifier. No reason to believe