PrimaLuna ProLogue 3 As Good As The Hype?

[CDLehner]

So...after spending quite a bit of time, with tube and class-A IAs; I've gone 180-degrees, and decided to try the mega-watt Emotiva XPA-2 Gen II. My take...real quick: the Emo is a great value, in that it offers a lot of clean power for the money. For the 'phile, who looks for the power-amp, to be lean and clean...and simply convey the signal it's fed; it might be a good fit. I think...as always...it's probably very speaker-dependent too; and will depend on your taste in tone. If you like things really warm, sweet, and fat; well then...you probably need a tubed front-end, and something to round things out in the power section. Therefore, the Emo wouldn't be your thing.

For me...I think I'll be happy enough, to get a little sweetness and round-sound from a good, tubed pre-amp. I wanted to try an ARC SP-16L; still do. But I missed-out on a Black one, at a great price. While I wait...I picked up an E.A.R. 834L for a song

I like it well enough, so far; but was hesitant, as I thought I couldn't live without a remote. Well...while it's not quite as convenient; I simply set the 834L at my "max" preferred volume...and ease my Mytek DAC back, by remote control, as needed (and never enough, to compromise bit integrity).

Got me to thinking; I've read really good things, about the PL PL3. At its current ~$1300 sale price, it might be an absolute steal. Again...I never gave it serious consideration, because no remote. But...if I'm living with the E.A.R., I suppose I could live with the PL3...if it were that much better.

So...what do you guys think; is that unit a bang-for-buck champion? Stick with the E.A.R., or wait for the "right" SP-16L?

Thanks,
CD

 

[NorthStar]

I agree, Emotiva amps are a great value (even more so when on sale). I still have the first generation XPA-2 and XPA-5 amps.

* Kal Rubinson (Stereophile) did review the XPA-5 in his column before. ... http://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-51

** Sorry, can't help you out with the PrimaLuna ProLogue 3 preamp.

Meanwhile you might want to read these, if you already did not:

- http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/amp/messages/18/188088.html
- http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/primaluna/primaluna.html
- http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/prea...um-stereo-tube-preamplifier166/all-pages.html

 

[KLH007]

A few of my friends and I compared the PL to a Musical Designs Chameleon pre, quickly the PL owner was asking where did you get that pre?

 

[Threshold]

I had a Dialogue 3 preamp. I did not like the stock tubes. Rolled in some NOS 1962 military grade RCA blackplates and the sound improved. But eventually I sold it and went w/a Audio Research SP-16. I'm much happier w/the sound.

 

[CDLehner]

I had a Dialogue 3 preamp. I did not like the stock tubes. Rolled in some NOS 1962 military grade RCA blackplates and the sound improved. But eventually I sold it and went w/a Audio Research SP-16. I'm much happier w/the sound.

Thanks Threshold. Looks like, I need to keep my eyes peeled for an SP-16L

 

[Mike]

I heard the new PrimaLuna amps at CES (they are coming out in a couple of months). Very nice. Lots of EL34's. . The name was something like signature? Sorry, I forget. But I did sit and listen for a while at Kevin Deal's insistence.


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[Glareskin]

I heard the new PrimaLuna amps at CES (they are coming out in a couple of months). Very nice. Lots of EL34's. . The name was something like signature? Sorry, I forget. But I did sit and listen for a while at Kevin Deal's insistence.


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I guess that was on the new SF Olympica 3? How were these? I heard that Sonus Faber had a change in sound signature like B&W had with the transition from the D to the Diamond. Less polite and more forward sounding.

 

[Mike]

I heard the Olympica III more extensively in the ARC room. I thought they sounded terrific. More forward indeed - but not bright. Great bass control too.