PrimaLuna Dialogue Preamp = emotionless?


After years of running a PS Audio Direcstream dac directly into ATC active floorstanders, I decided to take everyone’s advice and add a preamp into the mix. I picked up a used PrimaLuna Dialogue with highly regarded Mullard CV4003’s and Phillips 5R4GYS’s, the tubes purchased by the original owner five years ago from Upscale Audio, a terrific source. My correspondents were correct about adding a good preamp: it transforms everything in a very big way. That’s the good news -- and bad. The latter is the reason for posting.

Before the preamp, this was a modestly warm system, for which the Directstream is known. It was one in which it was not hard to find myself drawn into the music and performance. Since adding the PrimaLuna however, I find myself watching -- or listening to -- emotion but not feeling a thing. That is, beyond marveling at the other characteristics of the presentation. After that, I’m left perfectly cold - 100%. This is not at all what I expected -- or desire.

So what to do... Is there anything I should look at with the preamp? What about other preamps, preferably tube ones? The skinny these days is that tube gear developers are trying to imitate the "neutrality" of solid state, the so-called modern tube sound some call it. With the PrimaLuna, I was expecting to find a point in between the classic tube sound and the common solid state one, but what I’m hearing is more than a little distant from that.

(Other than adding the PrimaLuna and not having Ultimate beeswax fuses in the DS and PL currently for other reasons, nothing else in my system has changed: modified Oppo 203 w/ digital output only, PS Audio P15 Regenerator and AC-12 power cords, and MG Audio Design AG2 ICs,)
highstream
Simple solution. The OP just hasn’t found the good preamp for his tastes.
What he is seeking is ENERGY in the sound, along to go with the euphonia that the PL is giving him. The PL is just not the one.
Preamps with energy I know of:
Naim, Simaudio Moon.


An interesting item of note is TIMING. When I use my DAC>amp pathway in the system, there is a purity, openness and (maybe most importantly) a cohesive-timing aspect that is a big plus... When using my $$$ preamp, all sorts of ‘audiophile’ aspects, like bass, textures, width, depth, separation, in room presence, all get “better.” BUT that simpler signal path of open flowing music all tied together, with seemingly slightly better timing, is way easier to connect to the musical intent of the musician. It might not have all the fullness and tone of the pre but my mind doesn’t care... until I’m ready switch to the pre for a week or two. 
My take on "emotionless" is different than johnss. 
being emotionless, am assuming you want more of that CJ warmth from the earlier CJ gear.

If you are looking for warmth, then keep the Mullards and use rectifiers that are more lively and provide more clarity. A change in coupling caps could also help.
I assumed you needed a more engaging experience; more dynamic, more transparent and 3 dimensional. It's easy to have these characteristics and maintain some warmth.
 I still maintain it's a mistake to use the same style of tube throughout all the stages. 

Can you provide a more precise description of the sonics you seek from your system?

johnss said....”would also suggest you swap out your DAC for a Denafrips. Even the cheapest version will out perform your current dac”

Hmmm....would you have first hand knowledge of this or are you relying on reviews and speculation?
first hand experience. bought their cheapest dac; around 660-690.... won't mention any names but compared it to dacs in 2k to 3k range. the little denafrips was much more organic sounding, better imaging, better sound stage depth. so took the plunge and also bought the next model up, called Pontus. did everything the smaller DAC did only better.