Congratulations. Your experience demonstrates the well known fact that there are many variables in play to predict an outcome with any degree of certainty. Instead of trying to find the shortcomings of the tube circuit, I think you should listen to familiar music and decide for yourself if you can hear anything missing. If anything, you “might” hear a slight roll-off at extreme high frequencies due to the inherent very low impedance of the ESL panel. Enjoy.
Looking for great tube integrated for Martin Logan Summit X speakers
I've had upgrade fever every since I added bass traps and acoustic panels to my listening room and wondered why I didn't do that years ago. So I've decided to change my Plinius Hautonga integrated and make the plunge to tubes. I want that sound, and the thought of tube rolling appeals to me. I was leaning toward the Primaluna Dialogue HP integrated, but after doing more reading, I'm concerned that it won't have adequate power due to the Summit's impedance needs. I'm admittedly a novice with tubes, so seeking help from the forum. My room is about 12x15, with the area behind my listening position open for an additional eight feet. I don't listen at high volumes at all, and my favorite music is female jazz, smooth jazz, Nora Jones type vocals. Music comes from SACDs and Tidal exclusively - I have no analogue gear.
The rest of my gear:
Appreciate your opinions!
Steve
The rest of my gear:
- Gustard x20u DAC modified by Rick Schultz
- Oppo 103D for SACDs modified by Rick Schultz
- Bryston BDP-1 music streamer
Appreciate your opinions!
Steve
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- 62 posts total
I have owned a Primaluns Dialouge 1 Intergrated in the past . It drove my KingSound King Electrostatic pretty good in a smaller room . My speakers should be harder to drive than you ML . I now own a Primaluna Premium HP amp . It works great with Electrostats . Have no idea what graph would indicate a poor match with stats . Enjoy the amp ! |
I have owned a Primaluns Dialouge 1 Intergrated No sorry it’s the other way around. ML’s https://hometheaterhifi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/martin-logan-summit-x-impedance-phase-graph.g... King sound https://www.stereonet.co.nz/wp/wp-content/uploads/attachments/118797=3977-KS3000%20Measurements.jpg Cheers George |
"George and others, what should I listen for that will show me the limitations of tubes with my speakers? Is there specific music that will make this apparent to me? I want to make sure I grasp the effect of the impedance shortfall of tubes before I listen to the Sanders." smills59- It's great, having the experience/wisdom of SOME qualified members here, but trust your own ears. As mentioned earlier, white papers with graphs and specs certainly are necessary to establish a baseline "good," but it ain't gonna ensure what YOUR ears like. Your favorite music will sound more convincing on one of the two. Happy listening! |
"George and others, what should I listen for that will show me the limitations of tubes with my speakers? As I said above a tube amp that’s a good design, but doing it hard into this load of the Summits. The hard load is at: At 5khz to 20khz may show a distant subdued high frequency. And again at 3.5khz this may soften the presence area of the mids You may "characterize" this as sweet and euphonic at first listen. Then after a while, even a week or two you may understand that it’s not what it should be, and that "the life" is missing from the music, detail, attack, presence and harmonic decay are waning. Saying all this is with a tube amp that behaves itself in the top end. But the Prima Luna has an odd peak up there, that says to me output transformers are ringing (oscillating). This "could" counter to a degree the statements I make above but in a very crude way. https://www.stereophile.com/images/1214PLDPIfig01.jpg Cheers George |
- 62 posts total