Change Fatigue? Time to settle down?

Everything Else
1

No, I am very happy and impressed with Snowmass. Thank you.

BUT… there is always a big but in the house…

I honestly don’t remember ever making so many changes to my system as I did this year. I purchased

  1. A PrimaLuna HP integrated (my super-model VTL amps died… good riddance)
  2. Rolled the power tubes twice (more if you count putting old back in),
  3. Rolled the driver tubes 3 times (more if you count putting old back in)
  4. Transparent speaker cable
  5. DirectStream transport
  6. Focal Clear headphones
  7. Swapped interconnects more than a few times (all in my inventory)
  8. A Noise Harvester

My digital piano:

  1. New Roland RD2000 (retired my RD600)
  2. Soldered up a new power supply and installed a three-prong plug for my Adcom amp
  3. Tried to get my ADS speakers to sound good by pulling out my very old Nikko equalizer (retired both)
  4. B&W 805S speakers
  5. Shure mixer

Hell… I am done!!! Done I tellz ya!!! Right now, I can’t tell depth in my soundfield from what’s in my tub.

Can I just sit and listen to some tunes or play some lame-ass tunes on my piano? Can I? Sheeeesh!!!

Peace
Bruce in Philly

2

There can be no healing without admitting you have a problem. Sounds like you are still in denial…
:wink:

Fun stuff.

3

I have bought several items as well. I get what your saying…

  1. Wyred4Sound STP-SE2 preamp
  2. Power Plant P12
  3. Schitt Mjolnir 2 headphone amp
  4. AS Kenzie Encore headphone amp
  5. Hi Fi MAN HE-6se headphones
  6. Wyred4Sound PS-1 LPS multi device
  7. Built Furutech power cords (2)
  8. Added new XLR cables (instead of RCA single ended)
  9. Installed Alto Extremo footers for most components
1 Like
4

It is a fun and rewarding, but expensive, hobby!

5

Picked up a primaluna dialogue preamp myself recently - it’s really something - I love it. Magical with the DS. What 12au7’s did you settle on for drive tubes?

2 Likes
6

First, I mis-wrote, I did not change the driver tubes, I changed the gain tubes… Per Upscale’s recommendation, they said change the center two gain tubes and don’t worry about the driver tubes. For the PrimaLuna, I only purchased tubes from Upscale.

For the two gain tubes, I settles on two Mullard vintage NOS ($250 total).
For the power tubes, I settled on eight Tung-Sol KT150 ($767 total).

There was a journey here… and seriously, I am done rolling now as I got the thing to sound the way I like it.
First, I have Focal speakers with the Beryllium tweeters. I can’t call them bright, but boy are they revealing on the top end. I suspect if I still had my Magnepans, I would have had a different experience.

For the gain tubes, I tried highly respected Brimars from Upscale and they sounded too bright for me… Upscale said I was the first person to call them bright. I sold them to a PSAudio forum member. I also tried Cifte and some no-names I had laying around (Yugoslovian I think). Overall, the Mullards sound VERY similar to what PrimaLuna has already (Chinese I think).

For Power tubes, I first swapped out the Chinese (I think) PrimaLuna EL34s for KT88s I had laying around (JJ Slovakia). I liked the added bass, dynamics, and power but they sounded … I dunno … something wasn’t right on the top. That is when I popped for the KT150s. For anyone reading this with PL amp, you should really consider these. They are not as sweet as the stock EL34s, but the extra power, bass, and dynamics make them really worth it.

Overall, the tubes PrimaLuna chose are really a great set and compliment each other well. They knew what they were doing. But I took it to the next level and complimented my system with the Mullards and KT150s.

BTW, I am in love with this PrimaLuna HP integrated, but my super-model VTL Deluxe 300 monoblocks were more transparent. The PL is more musical, the VTL were more accurate. I am happier with the PL integrated… those VTLs were a temperamental, pain in the a super model… I grew to hate them and was happy when one died.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

https://www.primaluna-usa.com/tube-rolling/

7

Amperex 7316’s are killer in the Dialogue Premium.

8

You are cruel.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

9

I can be a bit crueler stating the hard to come by 1958 7316’s with the long plates and foil D getters are the end game for musical bliss in my PL pre. Just plain superb…

10

New member here but have been trolling for months :face_with_raised_eyebrow:
just to say that ARC Ref 210s were replaced with PL HP monos using KT150s and IMO give a much better palatable SQ without the problems with ARC. BTW those ARCs replaced an earlier generation of mono bloc ARCs. Certainly a pita and PL is a joy to hear and live with.
I follow this forum daily as there is much to be gained from members’ input.

11

Ended up using the Gold Lion KT77 and 2 Brimar Gain tubes with the PL Dialoque HP integrated ;).

Recognize the “Change Fatigue”! Even Snowmass (still waiting, DSJ) and the Bridge update are, a welcome, part of it.

Time to enjoy music again :slight_smile:

ps PL in combination with Martin Logan ESL 13a speakers

12

Suffering from the same disease in Philly as well, not to mention the new music I buy on a regular basis. The only cure for your audiophilia is to move to a place with no electricity or start a local audio support group (relapse heaven):blush:

13

And you think you have a problem?

For me, in the past year:

  1. Esoteric N-01
  2. Esoteric G-02X
  3. Magico M3
  4. CM Center Stage 2 (x 14)
  5. Shunyata Sigma AES-EBU
  6. Shunyata Sigma Clock-50
  7. Crystal Cable Crystal Speak UD.
  8. JVC X9900
  9. Samsung Q7 UHDTV

I don’t want to add up the number, I know it’s more than double what my car cost.

14

Must be a nice car, at that.

1 Like
15

Funny, I don’t change stereo gear all that often, but then there are guitar overdrive and distortion pedals…different story, different obsession :exploding_head:

2 Likes
16

I couldn’t agree more. I have been on the equipment merry go round for almost a year now. It has included the following.

Parasound A21 Amp
Parasound JC 2 BP Preamp
Kef LS-50s with Sound Anchor Stands
Focal 1028Be’s
Bluesound Node 2
Lumin D2 Streamer
Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP Preamp
Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP Amp
McIntosh MC302 Amp
McIntosh C2300 Preamp
McIntosh D1100 DAC
McIntosh MC452 Amp
McIntosh MB50 Streamer
McIntosh MC275 VI
McIntosh MEN220
PSA BHK Preamp
PSA Directstream DAC w/Bridge II
PSA BHK 300 Mono Blocks
PSA P20
Pass Labs X250.8
Focal Sopra 2’s
Furman Elite PFi 15
Richard Gray 1200C
Wireworld Eclipse 8 speaker cables and interconnects
Wireworld Electra 7 power cables
Kimber 8TC speaker cables
Acoustic Zen Satori speaker cables
BJC Interconnects

I’m sure I forgot something!

Current Setup:
Luxman L-509X
Mytek Manhattan DAC II
Rega P8
Wilson Yvette’s
Furman IT-REF20
Roon Core / Tidal
Kenneth Lau Linear Power Supply for Intel NUC 8th Gen and Network Switch

Now that I typed that, I’m sick! My wife has made that comment more than once over the past year. :grinning: She’s convinced my hobby is buying and selling gear; not actually listening to music. I’m extremely happy with my setup now. The only thing on my list is a possible speaker replacement next year.

2 Likes
17

Good stuff. How does the PSA amplification acquit itself compared to the MAC amps you have owned? Shoot me a PM, if you prefer. Cheers.

18

I’m enjoying the BHK 300’s more than any other amp I’ve owned. I really thought Mc was going to be the end game for me, but I just never fell in love with the sound. I didn’t care for the MC275 and quickly bought the 302 followed by the 452. The c2300 tube preamp with the 452 is a great combo but I felt like I was more into the look and the dream of owning Mc than the sound. Once I started looking for a new DAC to replace the D1100 it was a slippery slope to PS Audio :grinning:

One of my favorite amps of the bunch above was the Parasound A21. One of the better amps I’ve heard for the money, great value!

19

Thank you.

1 Like
20

:joy: Hilarious.

1 Like