|
Post by pedrocols on Dec 10, 2016 14:59:23 GMT -5
Stop playing around...Give your Maggies what they deserve...MonoBlock Tube Powaaa...Do it once, do it right...
|
|
novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,222
|
Post by novisnick on Dec 10, 2016 15:18:21 GMT -5
Tubes warming up for a test drive. More later. Mark Where are the chestnuts? Geezzzzz! I gotta think of everything??
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,740
|
Post by klinemj on Dec 10, 2016 16:12:53 GMT -5
Where are the chestnuts? Geezzzzz! I gotta think of everything?? Chuckie's Nuts? Roasting on an open fire, of course! (With the tubes...) Mark
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,740
|
Post by klinemj on Dec 10, 2016 16:49:01 GMT -5
I picked up the Prima Luna Premium ProLogue Integrated Amp today. Just to be clear, at this stage - it's a loaner. Let's get clear on some other things also right out of the chute: 1) It's all y'all's fault I did this. Darn you audiobill, novisnick, bluemeanies, monkumonku, simpleman68, boomzilla, my friend Thomas (who is not a Lounge Lizard), and a few others. You made me think about trying tubes...I've not had tubes since the 60's! And here you go, planting a seed in my mind... 2) Yeah, it's a loaner, but...it's not likely to go back. The unit I am demo-testing in my home was a demo model at a local dealer. The remote walked away while being a demo but it's otherwise in perfect shape, and the dealer and I reached an agreement on how to handle the remote replacement that is OK with me. At this point the only holdup is whether I like it or not (see #3) and what arrangement we can make on warranty or lack thereof. 3) This thing is amazing...sound-stage/imaging - Check, depth of notes (esp. on challenging instruments and vocals) - Check, punch/power/impact of notes - Check. 4) Nice features...cage to guard the tubes from my cats, Bad Tube Indicator, Auto-biasing, can choose from 4 or 8 ohm speaker outs, looks great!, has a unity gain input so I can run it as an integrated amp or use the XMC-1 to control it. So, what have I listened to and why do I say it's not going back and is amazing? Grateful Dead "American Beauty": struggled to stop listening despite wanting to hear more from others. Why? Depth of notes on everything. Imaging - I could hear Bob Weir feebly chiming in to Jerry's left (yeah - he's usually to Jerry's right on stage, but that's how it came out) with his rich, low voice adding texture. And, someone was to Jerry's right...think it was Phil Lesh. Each note on Ripple sounded like a real instrument right there in front of me...tons of depth and spot on tone. Oscar Peterson "We Get Requests": The strings and piano on "You Look Good to Me" were so real. The keys reminded me of listening to my Dad play his concert grand as I sat a few feet away. The low notes resonated with power and accuracy - just as I would expect live. "Girl from Ipanema" and "D&E" were also spot on. I could hear Oscar making little verbal sounds I'd not heard before chanting along with the music. Miles Davis "Kind of Blue": "So What"? Oh yeah...so what...so nice...so perfect. Ditto with Freddie Freeloader. Carole King "Tapestry": Frankly, I LOVE Carole's music, but I have always been disappointed in how her vocal sound on a high end system. Until now. With the PL, her voice is rich and complete vs. more than a bit hollow on everything I have ever had. And, when James Taylor comes in backing up on "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"? "get outta here...was Carole sitting next to me?" Linda Ronstadt "Greatest Hits": Similar to what I said about Carole...Linda's vocals seem hard to reproduce with most gear. But, Blue Bayou and Poor Poor Pitiful Me sounded great...like Linda was right there with me. Beck's Album "Morning Phase": such subtle details, it all comes across so well. Beck did a great job with this album, and the amp brings it to life. In all the music, there is NO lack of power or dynamics. There is plenty of power for my Maggies to sing at full song for my desired listening levels...which is not ear-bleeding loud, but far from a whisper, for sure. So, on to how I listened... I went with the simplest setup. Music sources were FLAC files on my NAS or via Tidal HD. Player was my Sonos Connect wired to my LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity DAC with RCA outs to the Prima Luna amp used as an integrated amp. From the PL amp, I'm running Emotiva speaker wires to my Maggie 1.7's. The Maggies are plugged into the 4 ohm outputs of the PL. There is no XMC-1/Dirac in the way and no sub. Tubes in the PL are EL34's for output tubes and 12au7 driver tubes (driver tubes and outputs tubes each fairly new). I have a set of KT88 output tubes I can also try on loan from the dealer...more on those later. But for now, more listening! That's all for now...I will try it with the XMC-1 and sub in the picture, as well as with the KT88 tubes. At this point, I am not missing the sub at all. It drives the Maggies quite well. Mark
|
|
|
Post by milsap195 on Dec 10, 2016 17:15:21 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by creimes on Dec 10, 2016 17:16:58 GMT -5
Happy to hear you are in musical bliss today Chad
|
|
|
Post by audiobill on Dec 10, 2016 17:30:25 GMT -5
Welcome to the bright side!!
You are experiencing what so many of us love about tubular sound!!!
|
|
|
Post by kauai82 on Dec 10, 2016 17:49:51 GMT -5
So glad that you like the PL. Like I said I love my old PL Prologue One. I would love to hear your review of the difference between the EL34 and KT88 output tubes. I have been hesitant to upgrade from the EL34 to the KT88 because I have heard that you get more bass, but you lose some of the mid range bloom of the EL34. Looking forward to your review of the difference in the two output tubes. What is the brand of the KT88 tubes ? Matt
|
|
|
Post by bitsandbytes on Dec 10, 2016 17:59:40 GMT -5
Great review, Mark. Very descriptive, detailed and well written. Glad you love the sound as much as you do
|
|
|
Post by yeeeha17 on Dec 10, 2016 18:27:48 GMT -5
I really need to stop reading all these tube schiit threads. Damn you guys!!! 😡 Nice review tho
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,740
|
Post by klinemj on Dec 10, 2016 19:13:03 GMT -5
I really need to stop reading all these tube schiit threads. Damn you guys!!! 😡 Nice review tho LOL! That's how it started for me! Beware... Mark
|
|
novisnick
EmoPhile
CEO Secret Monoblock Society
Posts: 27,222
|
Post by novisnick on Dec 10, 2016 19:43:20 GMT -5
Mark? Is that you?
|
|
|
Post by audiobill on Dec 10, 2016 20:40:42 GMT -5
Hey Mark, Are you hearing all that hum, noise, hiss and distortion some guys attribute to tubes?
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,740
|
Post by klinemj on Dec 10, 2016 22:17:53 GMT -5
Hey Mark, Are you hearing all that hum, noise, hiss and distortion some guys attribute to tubes? Not hearing anything I would call noise or hum. I would say there's a depth to the sound that I would call harmonics...and I would say they are ones that should be there. Mark
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,740
|
Post by klinemj on Dec 10, 2016 22:19:32 GMT -5
So glad that you like the PL. Like I said I love my old PL Prologue One. I would love to hear your review of the difference between the EL34 and KT88 output tubes. I have been hesitant to upgrade from the EL34 to the KT88 because I have heard that you get more bass, but you lose some of the mid range bloom of the EL34. Looking forward to your review of the difference in the two output tubes. What is the brand of the KT88 tubes ? Matt The EL34's are just J-J's. The KT88's are Electro-harmonix. Hopefully tomorrow I will get a chance to try the KT88's. If not then, by Tuesday at the latest. Mark
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Dec 10, 2016 22:28:25 GMT -5
If you let it warm up, say, for a year straight - how does it sound?
Does it sound warmer? Or smoother? Or?
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,740
|
Post by klinemj on Dec 10, 2016 22:50:54 GMT -5
If you let it warm up, say, for a year straight - how does it sound? Does it sound warmer? Or smoother? Or? I'll keep toasting it up and let you know! Mark
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Dec 10, 2016 22:52:09 GMT -5
If you let it warm up, say, for a year straight - how does it sound? Does it sound warmer? Or smoother? Or? I'll keep toasting it up and let you know! Mark Just remember, if you lose power 8 months in, you have to start all over.
|
|
klinemj
Emo VIPs
Honorary Emofest Scribe
Posts: 14,740
|
Post by klinemj on Dec 10, 2016 22:57:27 GMT -5
Went out for dinner and got back for more listening. This time, I went a little louder and rocked out Dire Straits "Switchblade Knife", "Private Investigations", and "Sultans of Swing". Then on to Steely Dan "Black Cow".
This little amp does pack a punch. It really seems to bring the Maggies to life even down in the bass, and the LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity is a crystal clear and dead black DAC. It makes a great combo.
More tomorrow!
Mark
|
|
|
Post by monkumonku on Dec 10, 2016 23:28:53 GMT -5
Went out for dinner and got back for more listening. This time, I went a little louder and rocked out Dire Straits "Switchblade Knife", "Private Investigations", and "Sultans of Swing". Then on to Steely Dan "Black Cow". This little amp does pack a punch. It really seems to bring the Maggies to life even down in the bass, and the LH Labs Geek Pulse X Infinity is a crystal clear and dead black DAC. It makes a great combo. More tomorrow! Mark Well now just think how it will sound once it warms up!
|
|