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Mc 240 vs. Prima Luna

Good morning all, hope everyone is well and ready for the holidays. 

I may need someone to talk me away from the ledge. (fairly normal state for me these days).

Story is this. I have been saving to add a second McIntosh 240 to my system. I have one now that does a fine job powering my Klipsch Heresy IV's. It was recently refurbished by Audio Classics in Vestal NY. (by the way, can't reccmomend them highly enough, especially Ryan).

Anyway, I'm getting close to being able to pony up for the second 240. Plan is to bridge them in mono and have 80 WPC effectivly. 

However.... I have been reading much about the Prima Luna's. Modern.. Warm... ability to roll several tube types.. sweet mid, good low end..

Do I stick with my original plan, get the second 240, (built in the US, tank like construction, known sound and cool factor).

Or do I chase the neat new shiny Prima Luna's ?

Any thoughts are welcome..

Doug

 

 

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jerryg123's avatar
jerryg123
3,429 posts
 

Don’t think the Mac has the build quality of the PL also you see a ton of Mac gear for sale every day PL not so much. This would indicate to me the people who buy PL stay with them and the Mac people move on to something else. I don’t agree with the Person that said Mac hold more value than PL the Mac can be 2-3 times the price.

Could it be that 10 times more Mac gear is sold than PL?

Bet that's the case.

Also Mac gear stands the test of time and a lot of the gear on the market is over 50 years old.

PL not so much that is gear that get binned or trashed.

So you are validating your purchase and you like the sound well good for you.

I personally do not like PL or MAC just not my thing.

But from an investment standpoint I would buy a 30 year old MAC at 2 times the PL price new.

 

 

 

limomangus's avatar
limomangus
1,477 posts
 

Check out Cayin tube amps...they are made in same factory as Prima Luna.Same quality......and you will have alot of money to buy New Vinyl ...

lous's avatar
lous
207 posts
 

Don Sachs used to do mods to Macintosh gear. He now builds amps which he says are far better sounding than any Citation or Macintosh amp ever built. Prima Luna is okay, I have one of their amps, but if I wasn't building my own amplifier which is nearly a dead ringer for Don's amp, I'd buy one of Don's amps. I do have his preamp.

andysf's avatar
andysf
269 posts
 

Check out Cayin tube amps...they are made in same factory as Prima Luna.Same quality......and you will have alot of money to buy New Vinyl ...

That "same factory" (Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co., Ltd)  is owned by the Chinese government.  Is that where you enjoy seeing your money going to these days?  Deal breaker for me!

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,109 posts
 

my MC240 is a 1961 and was a store demo at Music Unlimited in Cleveland, OH before my Parents got it in 1965. Reliable, you bet….easy on tubes you bet.

There is a bone stock 240 w tube cage $2k at Stereo Unlimited in San Diego, very nice shape….won’t last long….

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