Tube Preamp Reviews

PrimaLuna EVO 400 preamplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Sources: Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable, Jelco 850L tonearm; AMG Giro G9 turntable & 9W Turbo tonearm; AMG Teatro, EMT TSD 75, Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue, Hana ML, Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum, My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent Ex moving-coil cartridges; Auditorium 23, Dynavector SUT-200. Bob's Devices CineMag1131 SUTs.
Digital Sources: Mac mini computer running Audirvana Plus 3.2; HoloAudio Spring "Kitsuné Tuned Edition" Level 3, Chord Qutest, Schiit Yggdrasil, Mytek Hifi Brooklyn+ and Manhattan II DACs; Integra DPS-7.2 CD player (used as transport).
Preamplification: Tavish Design Adagio, Musical Surroundings Phonomena II+ (with Linear Charging Supply) RIAA phono preamplifiers; Pass Laboratories HPA-1, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium, Rogue RP-7 line-level preamplifiers.
Power Amplifiers: Bel Canto Design e.One REF600M (monoblocks), First Watt J2 & SIT3, Pass Laboratories XA25, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium, Rogue Audio Stereo 100.
Loudspeakers: Magnepan LRS, Falcon Acoustic LS3/5a, DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93, Zu Audio Soul Supreme, Klipsch RP-600M, Harbeth Monitor 30.2 & P3ESR.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Cinnamon (USB), Kimber Kable D60 Data Flex Studio (coax). Interconnect: AudioQuest Cinnamon, Auditorium 23, Triode Wire Labs Spirit, Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7. Speaker: Auditorium 23. AC: AudioQuest Tornado, Triode Wire Labs American Digital & Seven-Plus.
Accessories: AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner; Harmonic Resolution Systems M3X-1719-AMG GR LF isolation platform; Sound Anchor speaker stands; Acoustical Systems SmarTractor, Dr. Feickert Analogue cartridge-alignment protractors; Musical Surroundings Fozgometer azimuth meter.—Herb Reichert

COMPANY INFO
Durob Audio BV
US distributor: PrimaLuna USA
2058 Wright Avenue
La Verne, CA 91750
(909) 931-0219
www.primaluna-usa.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
ok's picture
Submitted by ok on June 27, 2019 - 2:08pm

..a poet and a great reviewer as well.

hrboucher's picture
Submitted by hrboucher on June 27, 2019 - 4:34pm

Hold on, Mr. Reichert. Didn’t you compare the Rogue RP-7 to the Prima Luna with a different amplifier (Rogue Stereo 100) being driven by it? Doesn’t that violate a cardinal rule of equipment reviewing?

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 28, 2019 - 7:33am

Looking forward to the review of the new Magnepan LRS speakers :-) ........

Would be interesting to see the measurements of the LRS, if Magnepan allows it :-) .......

eriks's picture
Submitted by eriks on June 28, 2019 - 7:48am

Since it's using so many output transformers, I wonder if it has DC blocking capacitors in the output.

jmsent's picture
Submitted by jmsent on June 28, 2019 - 11:57am

...is driven by a transformer, but it looks like the single ended output is driven directly from a cathode follower through a coupling cap. My guess is that the transformer primary is directly in parallel with the unbalanced output. So yes, it's probably driven through a dc blocking cap.

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on June 28, 2019 - 12:41pm

... autographing copies of his new book entitled "The Second Harmonic Sauce Diet".

If HR really wants to experience a super-scintillating sounding sense of a recording venue's space and atmosphere, then he should supplement his Harbeth 30.2 speakers with a REL T/7i subwoofer.
https://rel.net/shop/powered-subwoofers/serie-ti/t7i/

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 28, 2019 - 2:37pm

Such a diet would 'fatten up' the midrange :-) ..........

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 29, 2019 - 7:41am

Music needs illumination :-) .......

mrkaic's picture
Submitted by mrkaic on June 28, 2019 - 8:28pm

Primaluna makes some of the worst looking amplifiers in the industry.

They should learn visual design from Luxman or Leben. Or Quad. Or Line Magnetic. No shortage of good examples.

ok's picture
Submitted by ok on June 28, 2019 - 9:28pm

it certainly looks like a bread box.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 29, 2019 - 8:58am

Music is much, much more than skin deep :-) ........

mrkaic's picture
Submitted by mrkaic on June 30, 2019 - 5:37am

...the amplifier here, not music in some platonic sense. :)

And this amplifier looks ridiculous, at least to me.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 30, 2019 - 6:46am

I was just joking :-) .........

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 29, 2019 - 7:29am

Waiting for reviews and measurements of, PrimaLuna EVO tube DAC and clock, tube integrated, tube stereo and mono-block amps, in Stereophile :-) .........

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 29, 2019 - 8:12am

'You haven't heard notin' yet' :-) ........

mememe2's picture
Submitted by mememe2 on June 29, 2019 - 11:52am

"When I squeeze the tube, I notice differences in material density, color saturation". If you believe that you can squeeze a tube of paint and tell the colour saturation (without looking at the brand or price)then you need to go into rehab - but first stop drinking the kool-aid. What a load of horse droppings! And people believe what you write!

johnnythunder's picture
Submitted by johnnythunder on June 29, 2019 - 7:56pm

of a magazine. Especially Stereophile. What HR wrote and what he was implying in the context of an audio review was very clear to me. It must be sad and horribly disappointing to judge everything in the world through the closed lens of absolute objectivism.

Ortofan's picture
Submitted by Ortofan on June 29, 2019 - 9:00pm

... drinking the kool-aid. Exposure to paint thinner vapors, in the absence of adequate ventilation, may induce vivid hallucinations.

mrkaic's picture
Submitted by mrkaic on June 30, 2019 - 5:41am

It’s Reichert and his ideas. Best to ignore and jump straight to measurements.

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 30, 2019 - 6:59am

It has about 8-bit SNR (resolution) ........ Look at Fig.7 :-) .........

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 30, 2019 - 7:07am

Also, look at the frequency response into different loads, Fig.1 :-) ...........

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on June 30, 2019 - 5:38pm

For comparison look at the measurements of recently reviewed Bryston BP-17/3 :-) ...........

grantray's picture
Submitted by grantray on July 2, 2019 - 3:18pm

I can do the same with papers and graphite. If you spend a lifetime mastering a medium through sensorial observation and use, most people who don't will call your learned abilities crazy, even though those abilities took decades to develop. For instance, those who are born blind are quite capable of hearing and smelling at levels of spacial detail the rest of us would consider superhuman, even though their noses and ears are nothing special.

Indydan's picture
Submitted by Indydan on July 1, 2019 - 10:22am

I enjoyed reading this article. Well done Herb!

romath's picture
Submitted by romath on October 20, 2019 - 10:54pm

Herb - I find the meaning of the term "neutral" in audio depends on the user's perspective or tastes. For some, it's what I would consider "cool," while for others its a modest warmth like that I find comes from acoustic instruments. What I'm wondering in reading your Rogue comment at the end, is what you mean by it.

Other question: in your left-right brain metaphor, were you referring to the intellectual vs. emotional divide, however close these two were in that regard?

Jack L's picture
Submitted by Jack L on November 21, 2019 - 6:57pm

... the EVO 400 ($4499), which includes all the aforementioned luxuries plus input and output transformers for balanced XLR connectivity." quoted Herb Reichert.

Hi

As a classical music addict & a DIY audio designer/builder, my last thing to do is to use transformers in the music signal paths in my amps.

Why? Transformer is itself a non-linear device due to its non-linear magnetic characteristics. It rolls off both the low & high ends of the audio frequency bandwidth. It slows down the music: phase distortion, & distorts the audio signal with overloaded due to magnetic saturation.

It is noticeable when placed at the signal path front ends, e.g. input & output terminals of the preamp after magnification, e.g. balanced input/output termination with XLR connectors.

We have to know balanced signal transmission is a standard technical practical practice for recording studios, & outdoor/indoor sound performances where miles & miles long audio interconnects are used to connect the equipment. Balanced transmission using XLR connection is to eliminate noises induced into the signal transmission paths - noise-free
signal throughout.

But, but for home audios where long long run of audio signal cables does not exist, any balanced signal transmission using XLR connection therin is therefore redundant & overKILLING !!!!

As explained above, using transformers to provide balanced input/output termination only compromises the music quality due to the downside of any transformers besides spending extra big bucks to install such redundant devices.

So why BALANCED input/output termination using transformers for home audios ???????? Just to make it commercially more appealing & sellable ?

Listening is believing

Jack L
Canada

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