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PrimaLuna Dialog 2 User Review

There are not many user reviews for the PrimaLuna Dialog 2 integrated amplifier online so I offer this perspective for those that may be considering this integrated.

First Things First.

My equipment:

- B&W CM9 Full range speakers
- NAD T775 receiver (doing duty as the DAC)
- Samsung BluRay player (nothing special, HDMI output)
- LogiTech Squeezebox (coax output)
- Dialog 2 (Of course)

My taste in music:

Rock and alternative, heavy is preferred. My playlists include the likes of Volbeat, Halestorm, GreenDay, LinkinPark, Offspring, DragonForce, Coheed and Cambria.

What I do not listen to: Classical, Jazz, Easy listening, country.

Source Music Quality:

CD, DVD Audio (Rush-Moving Pictures), MP4A, AIFF, 24/92 from HDTracks.

* I was new to tubes with this amplifier.

Unpacking it:

The first thing you will notice about the Dialog 2 is that it is bloody heavy, it does weigh every bit of that 70+ pound shipping weight. It comes double boxed. Upon opening you will find the "white gloves" at the top layer for tube wrangling later on.

The dialog 2 is built like a tank (see my comment about its weight). PrimaLuna encourages you to open it up and take a look at the workmanship internally, I did, it is very tidy in there.

The remote is built from machined aluminum, it is hefty and in a pinch could be used for home defense. Opening up the remote (as you will have to do to change batteries) reveals cheap Chinese internals, my first remote arrived with the buttons running around inside the remote. The remote has rubber O-rings around each end to save your furniture from being damaged, expect to visit the hardware store yearly to replace these as they degrade quickly, especially if left in a sunny spot.

The Amplifier comes with the tubes (PrimaLuna branded KT-88) installed and all you have to do to get it going is remove the sleeves surrounding the tubes, wrangle the protectors off the single ended RCA style connector for the source of your choice (they are on there tight!), add power and speakers and you are in business.

Operation:

The amplifier is simple enough to use, turn it on, wait for the tubes to warm up and you'll be listening to music in 15-30 seconds. During the warm up period none of the functions work, so you can't select your source until the amplifier is ready to go.

The amplifier offers a Home Theater pass through source selection, this source by-passes the pre-amplifier section (12AX7 and 12AU7 tubes) and feeds straight to the power amplifier section. My thoughts on this feature; as you have to physically turn the amplifier on you will be up there waiting for the amplifier to warm up and listening to the wife complain because it doesn't respond to a remote control. Sure the HT pass through helps it fit in with the home theater but it still needs special attention, some thing the wife will let you hear about.

The sound:

This was my first foray into tube amplifiers, I was left dazed and confused!

From the beginning the Dialog presented very clear and focused vocals and well controlled bass, I kept waiting for the "full midrange" that tubes are said to have to kick in as the tubes burned in, I never found the full sound I was looking for.

I found the high frequencies to be sharp and hash, several songs I listened to, Coheed and Cambria's "welcome home" for example were so harsh I was sent running for the remote to turn down the volume.

Another sensation I experienced with this amplifier was no matter what the volume was set at, I always felt like if I just turned the volume up a little more I might find the sound I was looking for, I never did. In most cases after thirty minutes of listening I felt fatigued and would walk away from it.

I did try EL-34 tubes in it, the EL-34's seemed to move the frequency response up a little bit, I still had harsh high frequencys, the bass response was tight but reduced a little and the mid range seemed to respond a little more but not what I was looking for. Changing out the 12AX7 pre-amp tube did not make a significant difference either.

I did use the Demo download from HDTracks that has a couple of classical tracks included, the amplifier did well with these.

Customer Support:

A quick email to the PrimaLuna-USA website may or may not yield a response. If you complain in the right places you will probably end up talking to either or both of the two main people in the company, Herman in Holland and Kevin in the USA, what other company, hi-fi or otherwise can you say that about?

My dealer was as helpful as they could be but they had no one knowledgeable in tubes, trying to make a decision about which tubes would meet my musical tastes was frustrating to say the least.

Summary:

To be fair, I am not the audiophiles audiophile, both my equipment and music/quality tastes and choices probably did not showcase this amplifier in its best light.

The Dialog 2 is very well built and with care should last a lifetime, although I have my doubts about the longevity of the remotes internals. From my limited experiences the PrimaLuna KT-88 tubes seem to be of similar quality to most of the new manufacture tubes available on the market. One of my KT-88's burned out at about eight months, they are warranted for six months ...

For a heavy rock and roller with average source material I found the sound to be harsh and fatiguing and generally lacking in the fullness (low-mid range?), what it lacked in "fullness" it offset with razor sharp vocals (I don't know what range contributes to this but it was there). The bass is very tight and controlled. I imagine that this amplifier is much better suited to Jazz and Classical.

The home theater pass through lets you use the Dialog 2 as part of a home theater, I found this function to be of limited value as I always had to travel physically to the amplifier to turn it off and on.

If you are a newby to tubes definately take a demo model home before you commit, if the sound is not what you are looking for you will be on your own "tube rolling" to get that sound unless of course your dealer has some very experienced people on staff. Tube rolling my be fun when you are feeling experimental, when you are looking for a certain sound, the lack of information on the sound qualities of various tubes make it just expensive and frustrating.

So how did I finally get the sound I was looking for? My dealer let me trade the Dialog 2 for a SimAudio product and I've never been happier.
aussiejetpilot
audiogabby's avatar
audiogabby
182 posts
 
I used to own the Primaluna Dialogue 2 a few years back. I bought it brand new from Kevin. I paired it with my Legacy Classic which are 4 ohms and it didn't sound right. I changed the speaker wires at the amp end to 8 ohms and it was better. I sold the amp a few mths later.

From what I remember, it threw a huge soundstage and it was very fast and extended at the frequency extremes. I didn't like the fact there was no density to the images. There was some sort of sparkle to the images that was only appreciated at the outer ridge of the soundstage.

To be fair, I never experimented with different tubes. Also, that was my second tube amp and if i'm not mistaken I did not try to tweak my system. Its been five years or more since that experience. I would do things differently now.
sonicbeauty
324 posts
 
Your comment ''This was my first foray into tube amplifiers'' is indicative of many ''first-timer'' experiences with glass. However as you are a non-audiophile and avid lover of compressed music like Greenday and LinkinPark, the Simaudio is a ok choice for this type of music. You would probably also get satisfaction (and probably better sound) from less-expensive amplification.
dramapsycho's avatar
dramapsycho
28 posts
 
I have owned a Primaluna Dialogue II for several years. The stock tubes -- throw them out. Yes, very harsh. I replaced all stock tubes with NOS tubes -- Mazda and Telefunken in the front end and 5992s in the power tubes. I am powering Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors -- very power hungry. Now, the sound stage, bass, mids, highs, all excellent. Just added Kimber Kable Monocle XL speaker cables -- wow. My next integrated amp as a step up will be the Ayon (Orion or Spirit). Anyway, get rid of the stock tubes. Kevin Deal will sell you some nice NOS tubes.
jwglista
206 posts
 
I know this is for a Dialogue 2 review, but I want to chime in here with my experience on the Dialogue Premium power amp, which is connected directly to my PS Audio DirectStream DAC.

First off, we can all agree that my source is not a problem here. I've enjoyed this source with several other amplifiers, with the same speakers in my system. I have successfully ruled out the possibility of undesirable effects from those areas. The DS Dac is an absolutely fantastic DAC that sounds as close to analog as I've ever heard in my system. In fact, so much so, I am literally "getting out of vinyl" because of it.

With that aside, I haven't been able to settle into the sound of the Dialogue Premium. With some super-smooth mullard NOS 12au7's on the input tubes, and using the stock EL34, I find the sound is decent. However, the second I drop in *any* KT88, 6550, or KT120s, the sound becomes extremely harsh, and I experience listening fatigue within 10 minutes. Of course music like classical and acoustic tends to be easier on the ears, but my old amp (Prologue Two) is a much more listenable amp IMO. I like the increased dynamic slam and bass extension of the Dialogue Premium, but the trade offs are too great. It really is a shame because ultimately the components inside the Dialogue are better, and lead to greater transparency, but the overall sound is just too aggressive.
saki70
907 posts
 
Jwglista ;
I don't mean to denigrate your observation and by no means do I intend to disrespect you or your opinion .
But , I have received a new Dialog Premium also . I ordered it with the Tung Sol KT-120's . After initial breakin I do not hear the same results that you do . I am using a Granite CD player and a Music Hall 5.1 turntable with a Hagerman Coronet phono stage and the stock MM cartridge .
While I find the midrange of the 120's lacking the top and bottom are extended & clean , not harsh and do not display any listening fatigue . I have rolled many of the popular small tubes (thanks Bigshutterbug !) and did not find the NOS Mullards to be a nice compliment to the 120's in this amp . However Amperex tubes in the input section were quite nice but this could be just an individual listener preference . I have not settled on the driver substitutes as yet .
I am now breaking in some Black Treasure 6CA7's . Again , I don't hear any of the characteristics that you mention and I am using the stock small tubes for the break in process .
I am listening to classic rock , contemporary blues , and others .
My previous amp was also a Prologue II ! I find the Dialogue Premium to be the Prologue II on steroids !
Have you tried your Dialogue with different sources ? Your turntable perhaps ? I ask this because even my cable box does not sound as you describe . Is it possible that there could be a connection problem or maybe even an equipment mismatch ?

Good Luck
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