Someone above asked about modifying a Primaluna amp. I have personally done that. This is just my humble opinion so take it just as that.
I owned a PL Dialogue HP Integrated. That was their "high power" offering that could run 8 KT150s. The build quality is excellent. Parts quality is very very good. Compared to many of the legacy brands (you fill in the blank), it's really a higher quality build. It's very hard to beat a PL at its price point for reliability, durability, feature set, etc.
I feel almost dirty offering any criticism of their amps because I think they changed the market--for the better.
I modified my amp by going after all of the film caps. They were of decent quality, but not as good as other caps that I have heard and worked with (VCap, Clarity Cap, Audyn, etc.). My mission was to add a little nuance and finesse to that beast of an amp. And yes, I tube rolled to my heart's content and bank account's dismay. [As I no longer own the PL, I'm sitting on a stockpile of 12au7s--the amp took 6)].
The biggest hurdle in modifications of a PL is space. This is a busy amp inside that chassis. It's packed in there.
I was definitely able to change the sound slightly more to my liking--adding more clarity and air on top, and fleshing out the bass a bit more. I really couldn't seem to get the midrange to make me smile. Overall, a wonderful amp and tweaked it was more so.
PL uses a good hunk of PCBs for discrete purposes--auto bias, some sort of protection circuit, etc. There is a good bit of point to point wiring inside and it was executed perfectly. I nerd out on well assembled gear and it certainly fit the bill.
There are a handful of recommendations for Line Magnetic above. I own a Willsenton R800 805 amp, which is likely built in the same factory as Line Magnetic. For $2800 shipped to my door in 96 hours, including fees/customs, etc., it's an amazing buy. Here's what you get (for good or bad, mostly great):
- A 100lb beast. Anyone who says this is cheap product hasn't lifted, touched, or looked inside--albeit, a 100lb amp is also a downside to me!
- 48 watts of pure Class A single ended topology. To hear midrange like this is divine.
- Tube compliment gives you great options with rolling but makes it expensive: 805 power tubes, 300bs, 6sn7s, and one 12ax7.
- Dead quiet. Decent remote, but not feature packed, which is what I prefer.
If you're on the fence about where to land next, I'd see if you could pick one of these up used for say $1800 - $2200/. This is a statement amp. I, along with others smarter, think it will be difficult for Willsenton to make money in the long run as even with less expensive labor costs this amp is not inexpensive to make regardless of where it is made. If you could find a used Line Magnetic of the same topology that would be a great find too.
I also own an Elekit 300B, maxed out with Lundhaul transformers, high end caps, and resistors. It's very clear sounding. I just need a little more wattage for headroom than a 300B can provide. Nice amp. No remote, which is tough for me.
Great thread and comments. I love when I listen/read and learn here, without the negativity. Keep 'em coming!
