The "Reference" designation is thrown around a lot in the world of perfectionist audio. It's most often used to elevate the top of the line to a higher perceived status. Occasionally, as in the case of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/938">VTL TL-7.5</A> line stage that I reviewed in October 2003, it genuinely denominates a component that is clearly superior to its competition in most aspects of performance.

The "Reference" designation is thrown around a lot in the world of perfectionist audio. It's most often used to elevate the top of the line to a higher perceived status. Occasionally, as in the case of the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/938">VTL TL-7.5</A> line stage that I reviewed in October 2003, it genuinely denominates a component that is clearly superior to its competition in most aspects of performance.

The "Reference" designation is thrown around a lot in the world of perfectionist audio. It's most often used to elevate the top of the line to a higher perceived status. Occasionally, as in the case of the VTL TL-7.5 line stage that I reviewed in October 2003, it genuinely denominates a component that is clearly superior to its competition in most aspects of performance.

My first reaction to the Prima Luna Prologue One was based solely on looks: For $1095, I might not have been disappointed had it sounded no better than a Bose Wave Radio. Its casework straddles the breach between vintage and modern in a way that little else does, at any price. The dark gray-blue finish, hand-rubbed to a tactile gloss, wouldn't look out of place on an Alfa GTV (the new one, which resembles a drop of oil). And for the first time in my experience, a high-end audio manufacturer has figured out a way to make a protective tube cage easy to remove and replace: with banana plugs and sockets. Why couldn't one of the high-price American brands have figured that out?

My first reaction to the Prima Luna Prologue One was based solely on looks: For $1095, I might not have been disappointed had it sounded no better than a Bose Wave Radio. Its casework straddles the breach between vintage and modern in a way that little else does, at any price. The dark gray-blue finish, hand-rubbed to a tactile gloss, wouldn't look out of place on an Alfa GTV (the new one, which resembles a drop of oil). And for the first time in my experience, a high-end audio manufacturer has figured out a way to make a protective tube cage easy to remove and replace: with banana plugs and sockets. Why couldn't one of the high-price American brands have figured that out?

My first reaction to the Prima Luna Prologue One was based solely on looks: For $1095, I might not have been disappointed had it sounded no better than a Bose Wave Radio. Its casework straddles the breach between vintage and modern in a way that little else does, at any price. The dark gray-blue finish, hand-rubbed to a tactile gloss, wouldn't look out of place on an Alfa GTV (the new one, which resembles a drop of oil). And for the first time in my experience, a high-end audio manufacturer has figured out a way to make a protective tube cage easy to remove and replace: with banana plugs and sockets. Why couldn't one of the high-price American brands have figured that out?

My first reaction to the Prima Luna Prologue One was based solely on looks: For $1095, I might not have been disappointed had it sounded no better than a Bose Wave Radio. Its casework straddles the breach between vintage and modern in a way that little else does, at any price. The dark gray-blue finish, hand-rubbed to a tactile gloss, wouldn't look out of place on an Alfa GTV (the new one, which resembles a drop of oil). And for the first time in my experience, a high-end audio manufacturer has figured out a way to make a protective tube cage easy to remove and replace: with banana plugs and sockets. Why couldn't one of the high-price American brands have figured that out?

How times have changed. When Krell first debuted its KAV-300i, in 1996, it risked having people question its high-end credibility simply for having <I>considered</I> producing an integrated amplifier, much less an affordable one. After all, Krell was the company best known for massively overbuilt&mdash;and, many claimed, overpriced&mdash;power amplifiers that were uniquely capable of driving speakers of ridiculously low impedance. In Martin Colloms' <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/809">review of the 300i</A> in the July 1996 <I>Stereophile</I>, he asked the question on everyone's minds: "Is Krell risking its reputation?"

How times have changed. When Krell first debuted its KAV-300i, in 1996, it risked having people question its high-end credibility simply for having <I>considered</I> producing an integrated amplifier, much less an affordable one. After all, Krell was the company best known for massively overbuilt&mdash;and, many claimed, overpriced&mdash;power amplifiers that were uniquely capable of driving speakers of ridiculously low impedance. In Martin Colloms' <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/809">review of the 300i</A> in the July 1996 <I>Stereophile</I>, he asked the question on everyone's minds: "Is Krell risking its reputation?"

How times have changed. When Krell first debuted its KAV-300i, in 1996, it risked having people question its high-end credibility simply for having <I>considered</I> producing an integrated amplifier, much less an affordable one. After all, Krell was the company best known for massively overbuilt&mdash;and, many claimed, overpriced&mdash;power amplifiers that were uniquely capable of driving speakers of ridiculously low impedance. In Martin Colloms' <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/amplificationreviews/809">review of the 300i</A> in the July 1996 <I>Stereophile</I>, he asked the question on everyone's minds: "Is Krell risking its reputation?"