It's amazing we got 2 pages of replies without someone recommending either a Lab12, Line Magnetic, or Leben. The Lab12 Integre4 MK2 is as good as the review says and is my next amp purchase. IMO probably is the best amp purchase below $10K and even beyond. Very musical with no compromise in PRAT. Leben CS600 is a stalwart and gives a perhaps a more romantic presentation. The waiting list for this is very long though unless you can get it used. |
OP If you haven't rolled some different tubes, especially in the Atlantic, you should. There's so much more waiting for you when changing out the stock supplied tubes. As for the PrimaLuna, I have no experience in tube rolling with that but almost invariably you have a whole lot of positive change going to some NOS compared to current production stock supplied tubes. |
gkr7007Thanks for the thoughts. I think the issue is not having a clue what tubes would add a significant improvement. If tubes were, say, $10 each, I could burn through all kinds of configurations and have fun exploring the sound variations. I did read a blurb by the Lampi designer stating that many tubes sounded great in the Atlantic--a very all-encompassing but noncommitted statement. In forums, others have said they couldn't find any tubes radically better than those chosen to be issued from factory. But I haven't found anything that has expressed replacing "a" with exactly "b" will render a whole new world of music. In reviews by mag writers, several noted that they changed out the tubes but returned to the originals and found them more balanced. So it doesn't inspire confidence to tube roll. If anything, particularly in the PL case, it makes one want to a/b the entire unit with others... I'll end this by saying it does make a lot of sense as the tube influences the sound so much. |
