Raven Audio Nighthawk MK3

Prima Luna was on my list for a while. Design and features look real good on paper. Reviews say it sounds real good too. But they are made in China. And not to pick on China, but last I looked it is not the USA. Neither is the UK. Or Japan. Texas, on the other hand, could not be more American. 

I've been doing this a long time now. Used to be I could care less who made it or where. Time goes by, stuff happens. Gradually over the years you come to realize being made right here in the USA by Americans is better. Better customer service, better diagnostics and repair, way better quality and reliability. This is nothing to do with being a patriotic American. Which for the record is a good thing to be. But that has nothing to do with it.

Its simply that after 30 years I look around and see Ted Denney at Synergistic Research in California, Keith Herron at Herron Audio, Eric Alexander at Tekton, Graham Engineering, Peter Ledermann at Soundsmith, and more that's just off the top of my head, all legends or on their way to becoming. More to the point, all making total world class performance products. In many cases, best in class. That to me is all the reason I need. The rest is icing on the cake . It doesn't completely rule out Prima Luna. But it does make Raven a slam dunk.

Addressing your question of hum and/or noise with Raven Nighthawk. Yes, at first noisy. Realized with Klipsch Lascalas sensitivity and Raven tube combo I needed to really isolate everything. We all know not to lace AC cords with speaker cables, etc. but with a Klipsch /Tube combo all that needs micro attention. Almost sent Raven back...then I moved the modem and wifi router further away from those amazing transformers at rear of the Nighthawk. SUCCESS! And wow...quiet, lush, warm, deep, organic....The modem and router were about 2 feet behind Raven...I should have known better. And may I add, YOU'VE NEVER KNOWN CUSTOMER SERVICE TIL YOU'VE DEALT WITH RAVEN AUDIO! Bryant W. put me in direct contact with their engineer James C. They all say call me anytime day or night. (I believe they mean it) If you have tube phobia like I had, fear no more. Tubes really do sound way better in realism. No....really better...

@dweller,  I did read one post a few years back about one member who owned either a Nighthawk or Blackhawk and  did have have a slight humm that he could not fix.  Not sure of the details on that.  He moved on to Aric Audio gear.  Suspect that was a fluke.  In any event, there is a trial period to ensure your satisfaction.

One of the downsides of being an audiophile is the tendency to OCD focus on the slightest flaws in reproduction quality. Yet that also is one of the upsides of this hobby. Refining the sound to meet one's expectations can be extremely satisfying. The fun of ordering upgrades with the expectation of delivery, adjusting gear, tweeking everything. This is the greatest, most rewarding hobby. IMO When I bought my  Klipsch LaScalas I said I now had legs, when I bought my Yamaha S2100 CD player I said I had a brain, now with my Raven Nighthawk I have heart. Adding top interconnects and speaker wires has been done. Brothers, this combo simply blows my ears off. No incremental upgrade here. Tubes rule....