Totally Tubular: The Tube Thread

Hmmm hmmmm

i learned something I can’t unlearn and now I’m conflicted...

My local hifi store, about 2 miles away, is now carrying prima Luna...

Im so tempted to either see what they’d offer for my quads in p/ex for the 300 power (more likely), or for my ps audio pre and my quads in p/ex for the 300 integrated (less likely). Argh... 😂
 
Joe Mac said:
Hmmm hmmmm

i learned something I can’t unlearn and now I’m conflicted...

My local hifi store, about 2 miles away, is now carrying prima Luna...

Im so tempted to either see what they’d offer for my quads in p/ex for the 300 power (more likely), or for my ps audio pre and my quads in p/ex for the 300 integrated (less likely). Argh... 😂
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Well, there’s good news and bad news:

The good news is the the EVO-300 (either one) match brilliantly with the Lintons.

The bad news is that due to the extremely long break in time, I doubt you’ll actually hear what PL gear is capable of in any shop environment. If you like it at the shop, you’ll love it later at home. I never thought the PL sounded particularly “tubey”. Then at about 8 months it was like someone flipped a switch. My only guess is that it takes that long for the iron in the output transformers to break in.
 
HiFi Guy said:
Well, there’s good news and bad news:

The good news is the the EVO-300 (either one) match brilliantly with the Lintons.

The bad news is that due to the extremely long break in time, I doubt you’ll actually hear what PL gear is capable of in any shop environment. If you like it at the shop, you’ll love it later at home. I never thought the PL sounded particularly “tubey”. Then at about 8 months it was like someone flipped a switch. My only guess is that it takes that long for the iron in the output transformers to break in.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough the guy in the English shop i bought the quads from said the exact same thing. He hated the PLs he stocked (because they didn’t sound like tubes), I’m guessing in the store environment they didn’t reach that “break in” point. That combined with a long delay (he’d sold out of dialogues which were just discontinued and it was 6 months after that before the evos dropped) convinced me to get the quads.

I’ve never considered swapping since because no store in Ireland had stocked PL until now and I need some money for the Quads/PS to make it work.

At this stage if the price difference isn’t huge after trade in I’m tempted just for the POM of the bad tube indicator, the adaptive auto bias and that all you guys are good taste indicators. I’ve some money saved and holidays still seem like a distant dream so...

Equally I do like how the quads sound and it is a bit extravagant...

Also I’ve 4 lovely GL KT88s with only 3-5 months on them that I’d keep for the PL and would trade the Quad with the stock Quad tubes.
 
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Joe Mac said:
Funnily enough the guy in the English shop i bought the quads from said the exact same thing. He hated the PLs he stocked (because they didn’t sound like tubes), I’m guessing in the store environment they didn’t reach that “break in” point. That combined with a long delay (he’d sold out of dialogues and it was 6 months after that before the evos dropped) convinced me to get the quads.

I’ve never considered swapping since because no store in Ireland had stocked PL until now and I need some money for the Quads/PS to make it work.

At this stage if the price difference isn’t huge after trade in I’m tempted just for the POM of the bad tube indicator, the adaptive auto bias and that all you guys are good taste indicators. I’ve some money saved and holidays still seem like a distant dream so...

Equally I do like how the quads sound and it is a bit extravagant...

Also I’ve 4 lovely GL KT88s with only 3-5 months on them that I’d keep for the PL and would trade the Quad with the stock Quad tubes.
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I haven’t heard the Quads/PS or the Lintons, but I can tell you that six months in I’m very happy with my Dialogue Premium.
 
HiFi Guy said:
@Joe Mac

EVO-300 = current Dialogue Premium
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Yeah I know!

Funnily enough I’d been stalking PL long before I joined the old forum, because something felt right about them even if I didn’t have the same knowledge or the experience of you guys to call on. I’d have the same integrated as you right now if it hasn’t been for stock shortages here between the old ones going out and new ones being announced!
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah I know!

Funnily enough I’d been stalking PL long before I joined the old forum, because something felt right about them even if I didn’t have the same knowledge or the experience of you guys to call on. I’d have the same integrated as you right now if it hasn’t been for stock shortages here between the old ones going out and new ones being announced!
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If I hadn’t had Magnepans at the time, I would have purchased the Dialogue Premium instead of the Premium HP. Retubing mine costs double. On the other hand, the HP added headphone capability- the only model at the time that had it at the time. I’ve had mine for nearly 4 years with no regrets.
 
HiFi Guy said:
If I hadn’t had Magnepans at the time, I would have purchased the Dialogue Premium instead of the Premium HP. Retubing mine costs double. On the other hand, the HP added headphone capability- the only model at the time that had it at the time. I’ve had mine for nearly 4 years with no regrets.
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Is it really 4 years! Wow the time flies! I suppose I’m nearly 2 and half with the quads now myself. That’s my thinking. £160 for power tubes is enough, don’t need to be hitting £320!

With the EL34s and the 300 in UL it has the same power as my quad so with the extra from the KT88s there’s more that enough for what I need.
 
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AnthonyI said:
A little over 2 years here and you would be hard pressed to sell me on something else, best of luck with the trade in, keep us posted :)
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We will see, the numbers will have to add up and I might still get cold feet, the quads sounds wonderful so I’d not be sad if they stay but the pl‘s have always been a nagging thought!
 
So I think a deal may have been struck where the Quads are p/ex towards a 300 power, a Hana SL and a balanced interconnect for between the PS and the 300.

He just wants to check the PL in the U.K. that there is available stock. If there is we are in business. If there isn’t we may not be as he is pretty sure that the next batch of PL’s made will have a steep enough price hike.
 
Joe Mac said:
So I think a deal may have been struck where the Quads are p/ex towards a 300 power, a Hana SL and a balanced interconnect for between the PS and the 300.

He just wants to check the PL in the U.K. that there is available stock. If there is we are in business. If there isn’t we may not be as he is pretty sure that the next batch of PL’s made will have a steep enough price hike.
Click to expand...
🤞
 
Also buying from a dealer in the north rather than my local. Where they were snooty and evasive and absolutely didn’t want my Quads he was really sound, spoke through all my options and agreed to take the Quads for 60% of what I paid after I agreed to get the Hana, over the AT OC9XML, and the interconnects from him. To be fair it’s a small island he’s still only a two hour drive away.
 
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