Prima Luna Dialogue 2 or Cayin A100?

Dramapsycho, As indicated in my first post, tubes make a huge difference and I have not cared for OEM tubes in Primaluna products at all! But it is synergy thing and its hard to recommend tube type/brand replacements without having heard your system and understand what you mean when you say 'bright' relatively speaking.

First though I will say that the 12AX7's I have seen are usually EH12AX7A's and I do not like them at all! If you want to help cure the highs try some re-issue Mullards for a bit of warmth, or some EI12AX7's (long grey plates) which are near identical to old Tele's in tone and you can get a clear balanced tone but its not rolled off - works well I think with power tubes that are warmish in nature ( I like them with SED EL34's for example). I also like the JJ12AU7's in the Primaluna's - I find them very clean and they don't seem to add much to the tone of the 12AX7's. The JJ's and Mullards are cheap and easy to find. The EI's are only a bit more expensive but they are discontinued and a bit harder to find. Then of course there are a bunch of NOS candidates out there but I would reserve that experience for later when you are really up to fine tuning, unless of course you have lots of money.

The OEM KT88's are probably contributing to your problem. Very few folks have ever commended them. The problem is identifying a KT88 which is warm in tone. I'd probably rely on Kevin Deal's recommendation for that at least until I had a chance to explore options.

Part of the problem comes from deciding whether to select a linear tube or a colored tube. Most KT88's, like EL34's are not linear (except perhaps the re-issue Gold Lion) and most 6550's and 6L6GC's are linear or at least less colored. But that is about all you can say - from there out its all about synergy and desire.

FWIW tuning a tube amp to match your system is one of the really great things about tube amps. Options abound, just don't let it burn you out. Take your time and read a lot about other folks experiences with tube types/brands and see how much of that might apply to you. Use the Tube Forum at the Audio Asylum. There are some outstanding contributors on that site.

Hope that helps a bit. Have fun!

Another amp for consideration should be the Ming Da EL 34A/B.
These sound very well balanced and can drive most speakers with well above average control.
As good as most amps several times their price.A great example of modern tube amps with no sonic weaknesses or peculiarities.
Also excellent build quality and absolutely silent.

You can buy them direct via Ornec or New York Sound

I am somewhat puzzeled by the report of the Primaluna being bright .
I too have revealing and neutral speakers , DiCapo i's , and I do not have that problem at all . Either before or after rolling the input and output tubes .
However the Primaluna is nicely extended in the top end with good detail and clarity . More so than the Cayin that I owned and directly compared in my system . I would suspect something else as the culpret .

Just my observation .

Saki70 - I also wonder whether there might have been something wrong with the Prima Luna unit I had, such as a faulty component. If so, perhaps Dramapsycho's unit has a similar problem.

My Prima Luna looked so nice, was in minty-new condition, and I bought it for under US$1000, and with all its raving reviews it was hard to return to the shop, but my wife and I both found it unpleasant to listen to and I was too busy to fiddle with blind tube swapping via mail order or room tweaking within the month at-home trial period I had for it.

In retrospect I regret having returned it. At the price I bought it at, I probably should have kept it longer and tried a few things, even taken it to a repair shop for a components check (very expensive here), and then sold it later on eBay or somewhere for a profit later if all tweaks failed to improve the sound.

I have to agree with Saki70. I have used my PL2 with BW 602 s3, Triangle Comete (bright speakers) and just installed De Capo I, and bright is not the word i would use with any of these speakers and the Primaluna. I do have warmer tubes but even with KT88's it was always smooth and non-fatiguing. We listen for hours on the weekends and never want to turn it off.