[Csericks]

Anyone have any experience with this integrated as a headphone amp? What, if any, dedicated headphone amps have you compared this amps headphone section with? Thanks for any input.

 

[PaganDL]

@Csericks,

Which model are you referring to, the only real difference between the models aside from tube complement is overall power, especially for driving lower impedance speakers.
Speaker impedence is reserved compared to headphone impedence, where the lower the number becomes the harder to drive though with speakers, it more about current & overall power than actual impedance.
Otherwise for head gear, as far as I'm aware & been told, all the head amp sections on the Prima Luna Evo are pretty much the same though for budget & interest, I am only looking at the Evo 100 but have heard up to the 400 in speaker out, just not head out...

Comparable head amp sections will depend on your personal preferences, I like both tube & solid state at various price points though overall I have more solid state than tube as subjectively & personally, there are few good afforable tube amps I can get hold of, let alone demo, where I am...
Also, as far as sound quality is concerned, I don't tend to equate price to how good gear should sound so there is more affordable gear I not only own or have demo extensively which are either as good or potentially better, the latter depending on source quality & recording quality more than cost...

Head Amps in a similar price range in no particular order :

PS Audio Stellar Gain DAC
Musical Fidelity M6

Other Head Amps at a lower price in no particular order :

RME ADI 2 Pro FS
March Audio HPA-1
Presonus HP 4
Loxjie P20
SMSL SP200
Ray Samuels Shadow
Drop Cavalli Tube Hybrid (Tube Dependant)
Drop Cavalli Liquid Carbon X
Musical Fidelity MX HPA

Hope this makes sense.

Hope you have a great day !

 

[Csericks]

Thanks for the reply. My upcoming move and retirement will necessitate a change from having separate speaker and headphone systems to an all in one. One consideration is the EVO, probably just the 100. Since I posted this thread, I had a chance to spend an hour or so with a EVO 200 at a nearby dealer and my impressions were pretty positive - I would, of course, make some tube changes. I am searching for impressions from Headfiers who have had more time with any of these units.
Unfortunately, this upcoming move will require the sale of my beloved, Black Gate upgraded, Woo WA2 and the assorted NOS tubes that I've acquired over the years. Thanks again.

 

[PaganDL]

Thanks for the reply. My upcoming move and retirement will necessitate a change from having separate speaker and headphone systems to an all in one. One consideration is the EVO, probably just the 100. Since I posted this thread, I had a chance to spend an hour or so with a EVO 200 at a nearby dealer and my impressions were pretty positive - I would, of course, make some tube changes. I am searching for impressions from Headfiers who have had more time with any of these units.
Unfortunately, this upcoming move will require the sale of my beloved, Black Gate upgraded, Woo WA2 and the assorted NOS tubes that I've acquired over the years. Thanks again.

Hi @Csericks,

No problem, happy to help.

As stated in my previous post, which seems to be in line with what you're going for, unless you need more power, particularly current, for your speaker setup, I suggest not looking past the Evo 100 as subjectively & personally, the 200 won't add more to the headphone side of things.
Also, unless you're really fussed to change out the tubes sooner rather than later on the 100, I just stick with the stock ones for at least a year.

Feel free to ask more when you need.

Hope you have a great day !

 

[Strayngs]

I will be receiving a EVO 300 integrated Friday. I will let you know what I think after I’ve had a little time on it. PS I don’t have any speakers so I will be using it only has a headphone out for now.

 

[PaganDL]

I will be receiving a EVO 300 integrated Friday. I will let you know what I think after I’ve had a little time on it. PS I don’t have any speakers so I will be using it only has a headphone out for now.

@Strayngs,

Look forward to hearing...no pun intended...how you find the EVO 300 after you had some decent time with them (Min 1 Week) though there is no rush so really take as long as you like before providing feedback...

As a final note, if you ever decide to get speakers, hard to go wrong with DB1 Gold.

Hope you have a great day !

 

[bsphong]

Dear all

Are there a significantly difference in headphone output of Evo 100 vs 300 & 400? How is evo 100 with Abyss Phi 1266?
Tks

 

[Strayngs]

Dear all

Are there a significantly difference in headphone output of Evo 100 vs 300 & 400? How is evo 100 with Abyss Phi 1266?
Tks

The one thing I can tell you is that the 300 and 400 have triode and ultra linear. So if you want the ability to have a more versatile amp you need to get either one of those. There is a large sound difference between those two modes and I do use both.

 

[bsphong]

The one thing I can tell you is that the 300 and 400 have triode and ultra linear. So if you want the ability to have a more versatile amp you need to get either one of those. There is a large sound difference between those two modes and I do use both.

I am listening Abyss Phi 1266 with my local powerful tube headamp, it is great combo. But I have intention to upgrade another headamp for new taste. And Primaluna 100-400 is one of my interests.
There is a large difference in various versions
Thank you very much for your helpful information

 

[Csericks]

The one thing I can tell you is that the 300 and 400 have triode and ultra linear. So if you want the ability to have a more versatile amp you need to get either one of those. There is a large sound difference between those two modes and I do use both.

Now that you have spent some time listening with your Evo 300 I would love to hear your impressions.

 

[Strayngs]

I have beenextremely busy at work but give me a week or so and all put my thoughts together. Thx

 

[Strayngs]

Sorry about the delay of this mini review of the Primaluna Evo 300 Integrated. I had broken the yokes on my Kennerton Thridi and I have been waiting for them to be sent to me from Russia because I wanted them to be included in my evaluation. I received the yokes on Thursday and had a weekend to evaluate. Now I have time to spell out my thoughts on this beautiful amp.

I was nervous about the purchase of my Primaluna because I sold my Wells Audio Milo to fund the purchase. The Wells Audio famously has a big power output with pleanty of power for my Audeze LCD-4. I once had a ampsandsound SE-84 which was magical, dead quiet and packed a big punch for what it was, but when I had plans to purchase the LCD4. 1/ I needed to sell it to buy the LCD-4 and 2/ I also knew that it would not be enough power to drive it. And so I purchased the Milo shortly there after. My fear is would the Primaluna have enough power.

The Milo is a respectable amp, but I had a magical amp in the ampsandsound and for 6 months I listened to what I considered a good sound, but it didnt have that 3d, remarkably separated sound that I had grown to love. I decided that I needed to get a tube amp again.

I went to the RMAF in September of last year where I first saw the Primaluna in person. I thought to myself that this might be the most beautiful tube amp that I have ever scene. I didnt look any further because I had purchased the Milo and I was concentrating on getting a DAC at the show. I also assumed that the Primaluna was for speakers and I have an all headphone setup.

When I decided to hunt for a tube amp, I discovered the Primaluna and found that they indeed do power headphones. The problem is that there isnt any published specs for the Evo series. I called Upscale Audio with the intent of maybe getting the Dialogue Premium HP as the specs are there and looked very promising that they would power my headphones well. I spoke with a guy named Evan and he told me that the Dialogue Premium HP has had some problems in headphone mode where it can lose transformers and that the Evo series had fixed this problem. I asked about the power output of the 300 as it is not specified. He told me that at 200 ohms the Evo 300 has a 1.5w output. I pulled the trigger.

The reason for this long introduction is that I am not sure that the power stated to me is indeed this 1.5w at 200 ohms. I acquired a used Trafomatic Head 2 the same week that I recieved the Primaluna. The Head 2 does specify that it drives 2w at 50 ohms. Theoretically, the Primaluna should be more powerful. Using the tape out from the Primaluna to the Trafomatic so that the 2 amps receive the same DAC signal, the Primaluna does need to be at a higher volume position to get the same volume out of my headphones as the Trafomatic. I dont have the equipment or know how to test the exact output, but I am doubting the claimed Evo output told to me in an email from Upscale Audio. This might annoy me, however, the LCD-4 does not seem to be underpowered at all. I am happy with the sound and that is all that counts. But I do believe that those purchasing this amp and wanted to use my thoughts as a tool in deciding needed to know this side note.

Now the comparison of sound. First of all in comparison to the Milo, it is no contest. Primaluna stomps the Milo to the ground and rubs its face in the mud. The Milo is dull and not exciting at all. It does have a warm sound for solid state but I didnt have a lot of wow moments even in my $4000 headphones. My Pathos Aurium sounded superior imo.

I am going to concentrate this comparison on the Trafomatic and the Primaluna as the Milo just couldnt keep up.

The Trafomatic is sooo quiet. Dead silent with all my headphones that I compared Including the LCD-4 but also with my Kennerton Thridi, Klipsh HP-3 and the Hylands Jupiter 1 that I have on loan. The Bass is good. Well polished and very tight. Very lovely on all the headphones. The mids are more present and upfront than the Evo. It is very fast, dynamic with great PRAT. Probably the best I have ever heard in a tube amp. It honestly does not feel like a tube amp. The treble is not offensive. I would describe this amp as very neutral. It really is a great amp. Is it better than the Primaluna? Well no...it is just different. I count myself lucky to have 2 amps of this quality that have such a different sound signature.

The Primaluna needed to be burned in. No doubt about it. It was a little dry and not as exciting as I had hoped out of the box. I played unattended about 4 hours a night for 2 weeks to help break it in and I had 2 days of maybe 8 hours of play which is when I actually listed to the music during this time.

The sound warmed up. The treble tamed down and the bass bloomed. The sonic quality that I loved about my ampsandsound is found in the Primaluna. It definately sounds like a tubeamp. It is more polite that the Trafomatic but in a authorative way. The bass is actually better in the Evo but it is not overpowering in any way. The sound stage and imaging is definately better in the Primaluna. The mids are further away than the Head 2 but it helps with the music separation. The instruments are separated as much as you would want without making the music sound artificial. The sound comes from everywhere in my head. The Trafomatic is intimate by comparison. The treble is a little more polite than the Trafomatic. This is especially true in triode mode. I believe that this is why the Trafomatic has the edge in detail. The only headphone that I did not like in the Primaluna was the Hylands (which is not mine anyways). I have never been a big fan of my Klipsh (but my wife loves the way they look and that is why I have them) but they actually sound really, really good in the Evo. By far the best I have heard them. I actually am beginning to love them too.

Triode vs Ultra Linear is cool too. I find myself swiching almost every song to hear the difference and decide which way I want to hear the given song. Triode makes the tube sound come out more polite. Ultra Linear gives that edge back to the music. It is more aggressive. I find myself in Ultra Linear about 70 percent of the time.

In closing the Primaluna is a great tube amp that does justify the price even as "just" a headphone amp. I am happy with my purchase.

 

[Csericks]

A couple of weeks ago I made my decision and today I picked up my EVO 300. My initial impression is very positive!

 

[Strayngs]

Sweet, congrats!

 

[Strayngs]

I don’t know if the headphone part is same in the evo lineup for sound as well as power output? I’m considering replacing my Audiovalve Solaris with PrimaLuma for my susvara, but I’m not sure primaluna has enough power for it.

I would pick up a different amp honestly for a Susvara. I had some issues with it driving my LCD4. It would sometimes lose most of the sound and sound terrible. It only ever happened with the LCD4. I never have had any issue with any other headphones I tried on it. None of my other headphones are power hungry like the Audeze was.