Well I finally pulled the trigger and bought a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium preamp and matching HP power amp. I would have been happy with the integrated but I wanted to get something that I would not have to replace ever and I contacted many owners here privately to see if they are happy after the newness where's off. I may end up getting some Magicos or Wilsons later and being able to mono bloc the amps, as well at being able to run KT150's seemed to be a good idea.
As to the preamp: I spent a lot of time with different preamps. What's important to me is a natural organic midrange. I use high Rez downloads but have also started streaming using the higher quality Pandora and more recently Tidal. We're it not for tubes streaming would not be listenable. If anyone out there streams I would encourage having a a tube preamp as a minimum and better yet also an amp.
I tried an ARC LS17SE. It was just a no go. I felt it held things back. So I went to the LS27. Now we're talking. Better in every way in comparison, BUT I then tried a Cary SLP05 and the mids were fuller. The LS27 uses the 6h30 tube so there was no way to use a different brand of tube to get the midrange liquidity I wanted. The Cary has 6SN7's and you CAN roll them, but they are expensive and it seemed like using different types may not be great. But still the Cary was my fav.
I also tried a VTL 2.5i. It was less money than the Cary, and uses 12AU7 tubes which is where I wanted to be for tube rolling. I liked it OK.
I also looked into the Conrad Johnson but after seeing the complaints from owners about noise and microphony problems I passed.
So now I was pretty satisfied and looked into the PrimaLuna. The Cary has a 5AR4 rectifier tube in it, and I feel that had an influence on the liquidity in the mids. But I did a side by side with the Primaluna (doing ANY side by side was almost impossible) and BANG there it was. The liquidity I wanted, but more important the noise floor dropped. I didn't realize that there was any noise before until I heard it removed. That's something I have to stress. There is, with many preamps, a very low level hash not even perceptible if you look for it. The only way you know it's there is to have it gone.
The Primaluna uses 12au7 tubes and that's great. I've looked and there are so many types of new old stock its dizzying . The build is impeccable. From another planet compared to the VTL and lower priced ARC.
The store I bought it from put the full court press on me to buy the ARC. They pushed. But after I bought the Primaluna from them the store owner said something funny "I wished they charged more for it". I stinks that they were motivated by higher dollars so much.
But I also wanted a matching amp that is world class and not a hassle to own. Even he admitted Audio Research amps require more hand holding that I'm not willing to do.
If anyone has suggestions about tubes and the Primaluna I would like to hear about it if you can post please. I don't feel a single urge to change a thing but people tell me it's a lot of fun.
