The PrimaLuna Evo 400 Integrated Amplifier Explained
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 เม.ย. 2020
- Welcome to LENC Shorts. Our new series where we bring our products to you!
To find out more about the PrimaLuna Evo 400 Integrated Amplifier check out the link below:
www.lenc.com.au/products/prim...
Dare to Compare
Compare PrimaLuna construction to any other brand, at any price. You'll be amazed.
HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER
One of the best headphone amps in the world. And the only amp that lets you listen with either the warmth of Triode or the wide-bandwidth of Ultra-linear operation at the push of a button! Most tube integrated amps and preamps use a solid state op-amp chip for running headphones. Stand alone tube headphone amps will vary in quality like any other tube amp. Headphones are simply small speakers that require less power. Some amps will use smaller output tubes that groan to have enough dissipation to run power-hungry planar headphones. Other brands, including those costing $5,000 or more like Mal Valve, will use larger output tubes, then use a voltage divider network to drop the power down to an acceptable level for headphones. This is how we do it. We simply took advantage of the fact that we make the best tube integrated amplifiers. Now you don't have to pay for a separate state of the art headphone amp. PrimaLuna integrated are the favorite of owners who use everything from Audeze to Hifiman to Sennheiser!
REMOTE CONTROLLED TRIODE/ULTRA-LINEAR SWITCHING
Do you have some classic rock albums you used to love so much that have now ended up left on the shelf, un-played for years? How about jazz or classical recordings from the 60’s? Every audiophile has albums that they used to play, but stopped because they are harsh, brittle, or bright. There is a solution.
Triode and Single Ended Triode (SET) amps are popular for their warmer, fuller, and easy to settle into sound. But triode amps have limitations! Ultra-linear has more extension on the top and bottom, not to mention greater power. They have greater “pop” with a bigger difference between light and dark, and loud and soft. Having triode only is VERY limiting.
The best option is to have both triode and ultra-linear. PrimaLuna engineers in Holland designed an ingenious circuit that lets you change from triode to ultra-linear with a push of a button on the supplied remote control. No need to get up and stop the music. Make an instant comparison while you listen and choose what you like best for that song or album.
BAD TUBE INDICATOR
PrimaLuna engineers wanted to make owning a tube amp so simple you would have no excuse not to have your tube dreams come true.
If a tube fails, Adaptive AutoBias will instantly put the amplifier into protection mode so no parts can get damaged. A red LED will light up in front of the tube that needs replacing. Simply plug in another tube, and listen. No guesswork. No smoking amp. No getting out the soldering iron or dropping your amp off at UPS.
CUSTOM TOROIDAL POWER TRANSFORMER
Power transformers generate two types of noise, magnetic and acoustic. That's why toroidal power transformers are used in the very best audio products. Compared to standard transformers, toroids radiate about 1/10 the magnetic field that pollutes music and obscures detail. Additionally, the absence of an air gap typically means toroids have an 8:1 reduction of acoustic noise. As transformers are the most expensive components in any audio product, manufacturers will even house cheaper C-core and EI-core transformers in an outboard power supply box with an umbilical cable rather than upgrade to an expensive toroid. The increased cost is significant, but PrimaLuna doesn’t cut corners. All PrimaLuna products use massive, potted toroidal transformers. PrimaLuna transformers are enclosed in a metal housing and then potted in a non-microphonic resin to further reduce noise and to protect the windings from moisture and deterioration forever.
USTOM SUPER-WIDE-BANDWIDTH OUTPUT TRANSFORMERS
Output transformers are the most important part of any tube amp. They determine how low the bass will reach and how high the top end goes. 250 watts of power will have no top and bottom extension if the output transformers don't have the bandwidth. We use lower power to extend tube life, and bandwidth to give you slam. Transformers are the most expensive components in an amplifier, so manufacturers save money by using ‘off the shelf’ units available on the market. PrimaLuna output transformers are custom-designed, wound in-house, and massive. One reason why no other brand sounds like a PrimaLuna. "The flat tops and bottoms of these squarewaves correlate with the amplifier's extended low-frequency response; PrimaLuna's output transformers are of excellent quality." -John Atkinson, Stereophile Magazine
For all of your hi-fi, stereo, multiroom audio, and home theatre needs visit our website: www.lenc.com.au/ - เพลง
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Dude....great video!
Thanks guys! Got nothing on an OG like you though!
I owned an EVO 200 for 8 months. I fell totally in love with it totally it sounded incredible. Looked at my Bank Balance so after some negotiations, I now own the EVO 400. It is just stunning driving my Martin Logan ESL’s . Even in Triode mode there is no way the volume nob goes any more than half way . At that level I can lift the roof off my house.
Looking around the reviews, everybody buying a decent amp should audition one of the PrimaLuna Amplifiers & just don’t be put off by the power ratings. They are that good believe me . I am from Melbourne in Australia.
Very nice video! Thank you!
We are glad you found it helpful!
Excellent review on Prima 🙏🙏
Thanks for the advice, I will get this one over the Pathos
Enjoy!
Nice informative run down on this model. I have the EVO 300 Power Amp at home for evaluation and having had a number of valve amps in the past I have to say I like the EVO 300 a lot. I like my solid state amp too and have been swapping back and forth. Each has its pluses and minuses and it is very difficult to decide. I guess it depends on the mood at the time.
Graf comment. So I’m not the only indecisive one :) How would you describe the sound between SS and these tube things?
What do you think are the biggest pluses and minuses of your PrimaLuna amplifier?
I have the EVO 400 Integrated but weighing that against a hybrid integrated that has a tube driven preamp stage with a solid state power amplifier output stage. Any thoughts on this from your experience?
Thanks!
so true
Great review! I have Focal Kanta 1 and it sound a little bright. Will Prima Luna Evo 400 make the speakers sound warmer and holographic?. I'm using Eversolo DMP A6 as streamer.
Informative review. You guys have any opinion on the Luxman SQ-N150?
Unfortunately we have no had the opportunity to listen to it, so i'm afraid not.
Great video...educational & very well explained.
I have a question on the EVO Series.
I currently own a used PrimaLuna DiaLogue Two.
I am thinking about upgrading.
I learned that the EVO 100 is the 3rd generation of my unit.
IDK for an extra $1,000.
If it's worth it.
The EVO 200, is $1,600.
more than my used unit.
I am confident that the EVO 200 will be a better overall performer than my current model.
But I'm wondering if the new EVO 100 will provide an 'appreciable difference' in sound performance
Both the new EVO 100
& 200 come with an amazing headphone amp which my current model doesn't have & that costs money.
Any thoughts regarding the costs of these products vs their
Performances?
Thanks!
Thanks for the great review.
Do you have to switch over to Triode mode to get the most out of the bass sound?
Most of the time, but not always. It will very much depend on your speakers.
Thanks @@living_entertainment
This is my first tube amp. I'm trying to hook a REL T/7i sub (via HL/Speakon) to my new PrimaLuna EVO 400 Integrated. For purposed of REL hookup instructions, Is the EVO 400 Integrated considered Type A? B? Or A/B? Thanks very much.
Many thanks for your informative video. I notice you are B & W dealers. Is the PL a good match for the B&W 805s? Thanks in advance
Unfortunately we don't have the B&W805's to test so at the moment we don't know but maybe will get the opportunity to try them together in the future.
What a lovely store. I can see Dynaudio stuff in the back. Where is this?
Thank you! We are based out of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.
Honest man❤ I spoke to you today about hegel h390 and Kanta2 Bass.
Thanks for your advice🙏❤
Thanks for reaching out, we are just glad we could help!
I saw my speakers there sp40, in last 6 month I try to match them with amp, does sp40 match with evo 400? Can You tell me that electric guitar will be not so sharp!?
How good is it with the power hungry Magnepan LRS?
Hi , do you think these would be able to drive dynaudio heritage specials and would they be a good match ?
Thats a very good question, we have used the Evo 400 on the Evoke and Special 40 ranges and they sound absolutely fantastic when paired together, but unfortunately we dont access to the Heritage specials for testing. :(
How does this compare to the Dialogue HP integrated?
Unfortunately we haven't had the opportunity to listen and compare so we couldn't say.
With regards to heat coming off the amp, how does the 400 compare to the 300. I sit around 5 feet away from my stand and man, I sweat when a light bulb is on lol.
Thanks
The 400 has more valves and power, so yeah, generates more heat, though we haven't put a thermometer on them. If you are sitting nearfield (or in an unairconditioned room) it's pretty hard to recommend valve amps in general, unfortunately.
@@living_entertainment Thanks so much for your reply.
Cheers!
I see you have the Dynaudio Special Forty's in the back ground which are 6 Ohm speakers can this amp be used with them? If so how only a 4 or 8 selection on back? Thanks I have also been looking at the PREAMP 400 as well and use my Yamaha AS3000 as the output amp with my Dynaudio SP Forty's. Your thoughts?
Hi, will Evo 400 suite Wharfedale Evo 4.4 ?
We haven't personally been huge fans of the Evo range on PrimaLuna to this point but it might suit your tastes.
You can all stick with vintage, you can be sure of quality there,
It's a class ab push-pull tube preamp with solid state rectification that sounds... Solid state. Might as well just buy a good solid state amp for all the compromises and high price you get with this. It'll sound smooth but it's not good or tube-y and I've read the bass is muddy.
and you know this... how?
@@flemingcourt class ab amps have a transconductance issue that's fundamental in there design. Engineers have been trying to fix the transconductance droop for decades with all kinds of topologies. A push pull tube amp is just a basic class ab with tubes. It sounds tube-y and costs thousands but does nothing to deserves its cost. I prefer tubes but a solid state amp with a superior topology that's not being pushed to death will sound better. Also everyone agrees the bass is muddy from what I read. Even the people who bought it and like it still say that but love the amp because of its ease of use and smooth sound.
@@V1ralB1ack How dose the I/50 Integrated amp from Audio Research compare against the PL 400 int?
@@Andy-xn9zn The i50 is not that good. It will sound ok but not worth a quarter of its price and I will explain a few reasons why.
1) it is a compact design. This is ok for other designs but never good for tube designs. Tubes depend heavily on transformers and even in class ab they can run usually half of their power in class a. This saturates the transformers with heat and power. this is why tube amps are expensive except this one is compact and still 5-6k so doesn't make sense
2) 6550 tubes on it are running hot to make 50 watts in push pull.
3) it is balanced and that's ok but it's not truly balanced, it's just for convenience. This is not bad but isn't necessary.
4) the weight is too low. my 300b weighs almost 60lbs which is almost 20 pounds more and produces 8 clean watts. Why? because it's transformers are big and high quality
The primaluna on the other hand is not perfect but it is as practical as a tube amp can be. It is heavy, has good transformers, low maintenence as it tells you when a tube is bad, can handle el34 to kt150 because good transformers, ac offset killer to fix chance of ac noise leakage which is a problem that can happen in toroidal transformers and the primaluna runs the preamp tubes with low bias so longer life and less money spent on more tubes and you can save the money and buy tubes to tube roll. I hope this helps.
A little more enthusiasm unless you really don't like the product. Get excited about the product.
This is an older video and Nat was still learning how to carry himself accross on camera. He has come a long way.
Their is a very good reason why PrimaLuna supply a set of gloves when you purchase there products, so you do not put your greasy finger prints all over the tubes. Let's cook my greasy finger prints which may result in cracking the tube/s, Great.