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Considering switching from Audio Research to PrimaLuna, troube with VS115 amp

Hello everyone, I have question that I hope some of you either can answer or have an opinion on. Ever since I was 17, I have always wanted to own Audio Research equipment. I’m 56 now, and finally was able to fulfill my life long dream. My first acquisition was an ARC LS15 pre-amp bought here used in mint condition. I paired it with a Vincent 331MK hybrid amp also bought here used in mint condition. The resulting sound was impressive. After that, I started looking for an ARC amp I could afford. The resulting search found me an ARC VS115 amp also here in used, awesome condition. This is where my problems and my doubts started. Upon hooking up the amp to my system, a tube in the left channel arced and blew a resistor. I had to take the amp to an ARC dealer and he installed a new resistor and suggested I buy all new tubes from ARC for the amp. I did and when I got back home, I again hooked up the amp and immediately upon turning the amp on, I started to hear thumping sounds coming from my left speaker, then, two left channel output tubes started to glow a very bright orange, and then white smoke started to rise from one of the tube sockets. I immediately turned the amp off. I called the dealer and he suggested I mail the unit back to ARC. I did and I am now waiting to see what they say.

During this time, I started to search out other brands and came across one called PrimaLuna. I have watched their videos and seen them compared to ARC equipment. Their build quality seems to be superior to ARC and the reviews are over the top. I am looking at their Dialogue Premium HP amp and their Dialogue Premium pre-amp. For what they cost, considering how they are built and supposedly sound compared to units costing 3 to 4 times their price, they almost seem too good to be true. Anyway, my bubble has been burst, and in simple terms, I am considering jumping ship and going with another company instead of ARC, despite all those years of drooling and waiting.

My main question is this, is there anyone out there that either owns PrimaLuna or has had experience with the equipment and can give me their opinion on owning and using it. Then, my second question is how does PrimaLuna really compare to other high end equipment such as ARC. Kevin Deal in his videos on PrimaLuna makes a very compelling case for the equipment. In one video, he compares an ARC LS17SE to the PrimaLuna pre-amp.

My last question is in regards to my ARC VS115 amp problems. Anyone have an opinion on what is going on with my amp or a VS115 in general. For those of you who want to know what else is in my system, I am using KEF 104ab speakers, a Cambridge Azur 752BD Blu-ray player as my CD player, Morrow Audio Cables and I am considering getting the Sony HAP-Z1ES music player for my digital files.

I greatly appreciate all who take the time to comment and give their opinions. I will be glad to answer any questions you may ask or provide additional. Thanks for your help. Steve.


128x128skyhawk51
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upscaleaudio
258 posts
 
who was the first to show experimentally that volume was so important?

was it some dude with a big lab at Harmon?

Here's some links.  Some of this is kind of propeller head.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fletcher%E2%80%93Munson_curves
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinson%E2%80%93Dadson_curves

This sums it all up well below

http://www.lindos.co.uk/cgi-bin/FlexiData.cgi?SOURCE=Articles&VIEW=full&id=17

Hence the importance of exact same volume and conditions.  




sqlsavior
46 posts
 
I can't tell much beyond tonal balance differences in an A/B test unless other differences are rather gross.

I'm a believer in bringing a new one home, after you haven't changed your home setup in a month or more. Improvements should register fairly quickly. Sideways moves and downgrades are trickier, and should be assumed in the absence of improvements, unless you have a month to get used to the new candidate before switching back.
dchang1981
66 posts
 
of course your customer went for the primaluna...........the used car salesman schtick is getting old 
andysf
268 posts
 

Since no one answered my question about exactly who is manufacturing Prima Luna in China, I did a little research.

From what I was able to find, it seems that Prima Luna is made in the Cayin/Spark factory. Cayin/Spark is a subsidiary of Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co, LTD. which is owned by China National Aero-technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC). CATIC is owned by the Chinese government. CATIC is a major manufacturer of military aviation products and supplies both China and abroad.  Consumer electronics seems to be a small part of its portfolio.

How important this might be to to US consumers, is, of course, personal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_National_Aero-Technology_Import_%26_Export_Corporation



jhills
612 posts
 
I read some incredible reviews, and talked to audio enthusiasts who rave about the sound of ARCs new Reference series amps. Hopefully their  reliability and delight of ownership, aside from bragging rights, is on par with their sonic bliss. Previous ARC models seem to have more than their share of biasing problems and melt downs from a bad tube. It seems that, when someone spends many thousands of dollars on a piece of equipment, he shouldn't have to spend thousands more to keep it operational and spend weeks, even months with the old stand-by unit back in service while waiting for repairs.
I'm not a fan of Chinese cheep labor, but there are many very good American made components out there - some on the pricey side and others, like Rouge and Raven a bit more on the affordable side - that sound very good and don't melt down when a tube goes bad.
Jim 
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