I've been thinking of trying a pair of Klipsch Heritage Heresy IIIs (I have a pair of RELs so the 60hz low point bothers me not) which cost less than 2 grand a pair new (1500 or something "open box" shipped), they're made in the USA, and should be a great match for my Dennis Had Fire Bottle SEP "HO" (a HO...it's a HO) which has turned out to be the best sounding amp I've owned in 5 decades…a hand wired gem of an amp that cost around 1200 clams (actual clams, which I thought was a little strange), and is utterly a hand wired masterpiece of unobtainium (really…gotta grab 'em on Ebay when they show up, snooze you lose).
Considering switching from Audio Research to PrimaLuna, troube with VS115 amp
Hello everyone, I have question that I hope some of you either can answer or have an opinion on. Ever since I was 17, I have always wanted to own Audio Research equipment. I’m 56 now, and finally was able to fulfill my life long dream. My first acquisition was an ARC LS15 pre-amp bought here used in mint condition. I paired it with a Vincent 331MK hybrid amp also bought here used in mint condition. The resulting sound was impressive. After that, I started looking for an ARC amp I could afford. The resulting search found me an ARC VS115 amp also here in used, awesome condition. This is where my problems and my doubts started. Upon hooking up the amp to my system, a tube in the left channel arced and blew a resistor. I had to take the amp to an ARC dealer and he installed a new resistor and suggested I buy all new tubes from ARC for the amp. I did and when I got back home, I again hooked up the amp and immediately upon turning the amp on, I started to hear thumping sounds coming from my left speaker, then, two left channel output tubes started to glow a very bright orange, and then white smoke started to rise from one of the tube sockets. I immediately turned the amp off. I called the dealer and he suggested I mail the unit back to ARC. I did and I am now waiting to see what they say.
During this time, I started to search out other brands and came across one called PrimaLuna. I have watched their videos and seen them compared to ARC equipment. Their build quality seems to be superior to ARC and the reviews are over the top. I am looking at their Dialogue Premium HP amp and their Dialogue Premium pre-amp. For what they cost, considering how they are built and supposedly sound compared to units costing 3 to 4 times their price, they almost seem too good to be true. Anyway, my bubble has been burst, and in simple terms, I am considering jumping ship and going with another company instead of ARC, despite all those years of drooling and waiting.
My main question is this, is there anyone out there that either owns PrimaLuna or has had experience with the equipment and can give me their opinion on owning and using it. Then, my second question is how does PrimaLuna really compare to other high end equipment such as ARC. Kevin Deal in his videos on PrimaLuna makes a very compelling case for the equipment. In one video, he compares an ARC LS17SE to the PrimaLuna pre-amp.
My last question is in regards to my ARC VS115 amp problems. Anyone have an opinion on what is going on with my amp or a VS115 in general. For those of you who want to know what else is in my system, I am using KEF 104ab speakers, a Cambridge Azur 752BD Blu-ray player as my CD player, Morrow Audio Cables and I am considering getting the Sony HAP-Z1ES music player for my digital files.
I greatly appreciate all who take the time to comment and give their opinions. I will be glad to answer any questions you may ask or provide additional. Thanks for your help. Steve.
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our suggestion to customers to use Google images before dropping a dime on ANY HiFi purchase.With nothing but respect, I humbly disagree. Let me throw out two extremes. Back in the heyday of BAT, consumers IMHO were looking at the fancy round-cased transformers and impossibly complex circuits filled edge to edge with various parts and buying/perceiving based on the visual more than the audible. I don’t mean to comment that BAT was bad or overrated but instead on consumer behavior. The other extreme is this; https://www.stereophile.com/content/croft-acoustics-phono-integrated-integrated-amplifier It looks humble/ugly, it has a paucity of parts, it does not measure well. But good heads/ears love the sound. I can’t think of a single other hobby in which-to such a large degree- the consumers buy with their eyes and not their ears/brains. Particularly with loudspeakers. I too am guilty. You can’t judge with your eyes. Period. |
I just heard from Kevin & company after they evaluated my PrimaLuna Prologue Premium integrated amp. They have judged it to be working perfectly. I sent it to them as my Klipsch La Scalla II speakers were making hum which is audible from 12 feet. These same speakers make no hum when connected to my BAT 300SE integrated. I'll conclude that the PL integrated is incompatible with the Klipsch (I'd like to hear from any Klipsch owners driving their classics with PL and no hum). Anyone interested in my PL integrated can drop me a line and I'll post it on Audiogon ASAP. Got my eye on a Pass XA30.8... |
Allan: The DAC is finished in prototyping. No ETA or any other info as yet. If anybody is looking for a PS Audio Directstream I had a brand new one that was purchased by a customer that two weeks later got transferred to Europe and we could not get the voltage switched in time and he had to buy a 230v. His unit is for sale I think but perhaps it got sold. He also had the new transport. Incredible opportunity. Thom_mackris : I like your thinking. What’s your take on Rogers then? Cathode bias, and I suspect they run the tubes hot. Yet they say this on their website. It's all true, except I've not seen a cathode bias amp with "the longest tube life". :
fsonicsmith: BAT makes some incredible products. The VK33SE, at $9995, is shockingly good. Look at the way they make their volume control with actual laddered resistors, dual-mono, toroidal transformers, transformer coupling, tube regulation, you name it. If you look at it and listen to it you will truly see how amazing it is. The problem BAT had was being "in vogue" as well as giving dealers a true safe haven to sell at retail, which others do real well. And the dealer margins weren’t that great in the first place. The behavior of dealers to that is what creates being "in vogue" Trust me on this folks. I’ve done this as a living for 40 years. Stripping away all that, the VK33SE at $9995 is amazing. No qualifications. But the original poster said it here in his original post. ARC was his dream. That always plays a part, and that’s fine. When I get back from my trip, I’d be down with doing another comparison. Somebody mentioned VAC. I know how the DiaLogue Premium compares to the Sigma 160i. But I don’t have one. I have the flagship Alpha Phi that we took on trade but it’s not current. Can somebody find a way to get one? Or a preamp/poweramp combo that is current? |
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