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Optimizing the Prima Luna Premium Integrated amp

Having had the Prima Luna Premium Integrated for about 7 months now its been one of my goals to retire the CJ PV10A I had been using for pre amp. However from the start the preamp section of the Prima Luna never seemed to measure up to the CJ in deep bass. Recently however I decided it was time to retube the 12AU7's in the CJ, sticking with trusted NOS Mullard CV4003's. Now having 2 pairs of Mullards to play with I was able to do some comparison swapping in the Prima Luna. Lo and behold, putting the Mullards in the rear 12AU7 sockets of the Prima Luna brought the low bass up to where it should be and differences become trivial swapping a variety of 12AU7's between the CJ and the front sockets of the Prima Luna

Mullard NOS CV4003 highly recommended for the back 12AU7 sockets of the Prima Luna Premium integrated. Not so recommended for both socket pairs as the combination becomes too forward in the bass. Funkwerkes 12AU7 and Prima Luna 12AU7 are in use now while I seek a quicker more neutral tube than the Mullard for the front pair.
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mechans
3,048 posts
 
Wolf thanks for the tip about a good 7025. I tried a NOS/OS 7025 many years ago. I think it was RCA, that one trial and a confirmatory message from a friend who tried another NOS/OS 7025, turned me against them.
If it's a Chinese tube it shouldn't cost too much. Your description of a clean sound is what I find in current production 12AX7s from Shuagang, very good tubes, but it is only good if it synergizes with the rest of your system.
wolf_garcia
6,704 posts
 
Yeah...it is a gamble so I'm always pleasantly surprised when a tube experiment works out in my rig. None of my tubes have been particularly expensive although I have to not think about the total cost of the "collection" piling up for the Jolida.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
I can't stop buying tubes even though I will certainly not live long enough to use them all. So I decided to call myself a tube "collector", this gives me license to keep a hoard of those things. I can't even imagine what I must have spent. I try to ignore that and keep telling myself I will sell them someday. But buyers can be a royal PITA some of the time. I don't tolerate the aggrivation well. So I trade some and sell others very cheaply at a loss I imagine, if I ever remember what I actually paid.
I am, currently living in exile away from most of my gear but bought a Fisher 400 receiver which is all tube. It needed a 12AX7 so did I put one of my precious 5751s in or a telefunken ? No absolutely not I bought a current production JJ 803! It is ridiculous I must admit but I like tubes so....
davide256's avatar
davide256 OP
399 posts
 
Prima Luna USA posted recently that they now support KT-120 in all their line. I got mine yesterday, the first 2 hours of break in were rocky with distortion and threw 1 bad tube fault but after that they opened up and roared. They (a) remedy the PL's lack of lower bass and bass slam (b)have more percieved dynamic range and openness. I have no desire at this point to put the KT-88's back in.
wolf_garcia
6,704 posts
 
I'm still waiting for the Gold Pin Deluxe version of the KT120...the current version I own is just too inexpensive for its own good.
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