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Wells Audio / AVA Synergy / PrimaLuna DiaLouge Premium HP

Hi all,

I am looking to upgrade my amplifier to power my Salk Audio HT2-TL’s. I’m hoping that with your help, I can decide between there potential options. Here’s a couple bullet points which may help your appreciated guidance:

  • My signal chain is Mac mini > Chord Hugo TT > Cambridge Audio 840A V2 > Salk HT2-TL]
  • I’m running the speakers without a subwoofer, so I would like something that doesn’t skimp on the low end.
  • I’m looking for the silk, buttery, in the room sound, with three dimensionality.
  • I listen at low level late night listening around 40% of the time, medium level 40% of the time, loud "reference" levels 20% of the time.
  • The speakers offer bi-wiring, but I have never taken advantage of it.

Right now I believe I’ve settled on three options:

  1. Wells Audio Majestic Intergraded w/ Internal Upgrades. The upgrades will make the unit sound like the Innamorata according to Jeff Wells.
  2. AVA Synergy 450 Power Amp w/ AVA Tube Preamp
  3. PrimaLuna DiaLouge Premium HP Intergraded

Does anyone have any experience or thoughts between these options?
avdweeb
schubert
7,386 posts
 
I use an Eastern Electric Avant 8 tube  pre with  my Snergy 450 and find
it has more "air" and bigger soundstage than my Bryston BP-6 which is a well-reviewed SS pre . Not by all that much though. If I listened to rock I
would just use a SS . Modern tube gear does not sound as warm and tubey as vintage stuff which rolled off highs and lows to made the "ol
EL-34 sound .
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,910 posts
 
Schubert of course you know that we all tend to loose ability to hear highest frequencies out to 20Khz or so like most can when younger, so the gap between old rolled off tube gear and more full range gear heard back then was larger than what we would hear now.

I used to hear test frequencies of test records in my system up to 20kzh when a young adult. Nowadays I’d be lucky to get too much past 12Khz (I’m 56). "Air" ain’t what it used to be. That’s pretty much all one hears with music at those frequencies.  Its a mixed blessing.   "Air" is great but noise common at higher frequencies unless managed always drove me out of the room.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
True map, but current research shows brain can compensate .
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,910 posts
 
current research shows brain can compensate

Interesting.  How?
avdweeb OP
11 posts
 
I use an Eastern Electric Avant 8 tube pre with my Snergy 450 and find
it has more "air" and bigger soundstage than my Bryston BP-6 which is a well-reviewed SS pre . Not by all that much though. If I listened to rock I would just use a SS . Modern tube gear does not sound as warm and tubey as vintage stuff which rolled off highs and lows to made the "ol
EL-34 sound .

So from this it sounds like the tube pre-amp will certainly give some of the benefits, but it's not worthwhile as just getting a single better piece of integrated equipment.
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