The Absolute Sound magazine presents the gear that their editors and writers have selected as most worthy of your consideration. These are the components they themselves would buy—or recommend to friends and family.
The following PrimaLuna models have received “The Absolute Sound Editor Choice Award 2015″
The vacuum-tube-powered ProLogue 3 preamp makes an ideal companion to PrimaLuna’s ProLogue 5 tube power amp.
Like the power amp, the preamp combines tube warmth and richness with a clear, crisp, precise presentation reminiscent of the best solid-state designs. Bass, too is taut and clear. SR, 156.
The 36Wpc vacuum-tube- powered ProLogue 5 is more authorative than its rating would lead you to expect, and offers a warm, rich presentation, yet really does not sound “tubey” in any traditional sense, producing clean, deep, tight bass and grand soundstaging. A synergistic match with the companion ProLogue 3 preamp. SR, 156
These beautifully built, affordable, and “hassle-free” 70Wpc monoblocks will alter your preconceptions about tube gear. Indeed their transcient quickness and ability to drive difficult loads may fool into thinking you’re listening to a very good hybrid. Yet they still have that wonderful tube magic. JH, 169.
An amazing value! Unique tube-based clock. At its best, with the board upgrade, the Eight closes in on even the most expensive competition. It’s blessed with plenty of boogie factor, superb clarity, sensuous mids, and lovely harmonic bloom. Its portrayal of the soundstage is wonderfully transparent.
Out of the box, upper octaves are a bit grainy and bright. Tube dampers significantly help , as do vintage preamp tubes. DO, 183
PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium
Sonically, the 35Wpc ProLogue Premium does not have the rosy colorations of traditional triode or SET tube varietals. True, there is a glimmer of romance and softness, but tonally it’s a thoroughly contemporary tube amp that walks a mostly neutral line yet still seasons the lowest level details of music with delicacy and resolution. NG, 212
The first product in PrimaLuna’s higher performance line of tube units is a real honey, surpassing the ProLogue Two across the board. Rated at only 38 watts in Ultralinear mode, its sounds much more powerful due to its outstanding transformers, but requires speakers that are at least moderately efficient. JH, 195
The 70W (40W in triode mode) PrimaLuna DiaLogue seven monoblock employs a unique output stage -two discrete amplifier channels are paralleled at the loudspeaker terminals. This technique preserves the purity of a low-powered design while imbuing the amplifier with higher current capability. “No tube amplifier I’ve auditioned comes close to its performance for anywhere near its modest price,” said Jim Hannon. JH, 199
PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium Integrated Amplifier
The Premium version of the DiaLogue incorporates select parts, an all-12AU7-based front end, and an EL34 pentode output stage, but KT88 and even KT120 beam power tubes may be substituted. (DO opined that the KT120 produces the best sonics in either ultralinear or triode modes.) A tube-roller’s delight that, thanks to autobiasing, the DiaLogue Premium can hardly be bettered when it comes to user friendliness and operational flexibility. DO, 233
The coming days we will give you per model all the information you need.