“where to start? i'm old and have owned much equipment. i've had some nice preamps, all with their downsides -- except for the dialogue, whose only downside in my view is the tremendous weight (c'mon, 60+ lbs.??). rather than compare the primaluna to a list of other preamps i've enjoyed (for example, the eastern audio minimax, an incredible bargain, or the venerable audible illusions 3a a good-sounding unit if given a certain amount of attention), i'll just say that it's time to sit back and enjoy some music as presented by the premaluna dialogue preamplifier. i have many amps (audio research model 100.2 high definition stereo power amplifier tonight; a pair of vtl's, mccormack's dna, an original marantz 8, an old sugden, etc.). rather than blather on about its prowess, piquancy, or pungency, i would simply challenge you to somehow audition this piece, and state that it sounds good with each amplifier. it's likely you may be seduced, as i was. it's lovely, especially with a modicum of tube roll (you only benefit from upgrade of a pair of the 12au7's). as another reviewer above stated, it's "plain vanilla" in the sense that it lacks nothing, and everything, at once -- it has all the electronic goods needed to step aside and let the good times roll. no special equipment matching is needed here. my conclusion is that the primaluna dialogue is a very basic and balanced device (except that its circuits are unbalanced; let's argue that one another time). balanced in the sense that, for example, a simple tube roll in one direction or another will push the boat perceptibly and predictibly. like a lot of toobers, i prefer a rich sound, and you can have a little bit of that if you want it; or, flipside, for the clinicians. but it's right down the pipe neutral, as far as my old ears can discern. possibly a classic. not real cheap at $3,200, but some would call it a bargain. listen and enjoy.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

“I purchased a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium Preamplifier from Kevin about a month ago. So, after a burn in of three days or so some initial impressions are beginning to be formed. This unit replaced a vintage Macintosh solid state front end in my system and is coupled with a pair of custom/hybrid â€œCornscallaâ€ 3 way speakers (ALK Extreme Slope crossovers both mid to tweet and base to mid, Fastlane audio mids and tweets, and Eminence Kappa Pro 15â€ base) all driven by a pair of Ampsandsound Casablanca tube mono blocks. Speakers efficient and revealing, tube driven amplification and coloration. Pulling the unit out of the well-packed double box is an impactful experience in itself. As is said about this unit, it is h_e_a_v_y. If you appreciate a well-crafted and machined piece of equipment youâ€:tm:re at this point already impressed with the feel, fit and finish. Beautiful. After a quick and easy setup (well except for the weight !!) the preamp assumed its requisite place as the heartbeat of the system. I listen to 99% vinyl, so the sound source is turntable delivered through a relatively modest Parks Audio tube phono stage. This unit single handedly elevated the performance of my entire system by a clear and unmistakable big step. Soundstage is bigger, more air between audio points (placed against a startling black, quiet background) - the music has â€œslamâ€ to a greater degree, while still maintaining what is still an appealing musicality that makes it really difficult to turn it off and walk away for the evening. . . . .after all I surely have time for one more album side . . .It renders rock with power that hammers and vocals and acoustic with delicate detail and presence. Iâ€:tm:ve heard some well engineered and pressed vocals delivered in such a way late at night in my dimly lit listening room that literally (literally) brought tears to my eyes. Wow, this is wonderful, beautifully crafted audio gear. Iâ€:tm:m a fan of NOS tube rolling and tweaking and have already done a bit of that (the unit utilizes six 12AU7â€:tm:s and a pair of 5AR4 rectifiers - both types are easy to find and the 12AU7â€:tm:s in particular are relatively reasonable in price). I canâ€:tm:t imagine any system that would not be improved by the addition of this preamp. Any system.”

Helpful Report

Posted 9 years ago

Brent Christman

Unverified Reviewer

“I purchased the PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium in Dec. 2013. My very first impression was â€œThis preamp has no soundâ€¦.Itâ€:tm:s just â€œplain vanillaâ€â€¦.All I can hear is the music!â€ I suppose this is what the reviewers are talking about when they say the equipment gets out of the way of the sound. It replaces my beloved McIntosh MX110 in the main system. The Mac is really the only other preamp that I know well. By comparison I can now detect the Macs, desirable to me (I confess), signature sound coloration. Flavored like syrupy caramel. I will never part with it and am using it in my second system. In particular the Prima Luna has more transparency and detail, but there seem to be improvements in all aspects. A very low noise floor, huge soundstage, small and large dynamics, long decays, etc. The more I listen, the better I like it! And I listen for two hours each and every morning before I go to work starting at 5:00am. A tradition Iâ€:tm:ve stuck to for the past 25 years! My main attractions to the PDP were tube rectification and its ultra-low output impedance to push through two 9â€:tm: sections of coax that feed 10K ohm amps built into the ATC SCM50 ASL speakers. I also have a great selection of tubes for it. Among my favorites are the RCA long black plates and RCA 5814 short black plates. Telefunkens are also always a no brainer. Keven Deal turned me on to some Cifteâ€:tm:s for helping out with a study of the PDP. His description of them sounding like a cute, half-drunk 22 year old girl giggling couldnâ€:tm:t be more accurate. Drop dead gorgeous tubes! Swapping out the various tubes in my preamp or phono stage about every three or four months is a refreshing change, and itâ€:tm:s far more affordable than buying different components! My only rant: The passive home theater pass through could easily have been made to function with the PDP turned off. It seems silly that it has to be turned on simply to connect a couple of cables together. (The FM radio in the HT receiver is often on all day!) Iâ€:tm:m still swapping cables to preserve my precious NOS tubes. Hereâ€:tm:s my idea of a better design: When the unit is turned off, then it automatically selects HT mode using a latching relay so the signal will still pass from the HT connectors to the output connectors. The truth of the matter is I really should have my music system separate from all that other junk to begin with. I donâ€:tm:t want to leave the impression that the PrimaLuna has been anything but a good experience. I couldnâ€:tm:t be happier with it! Vanilla is now one of my favorite flavors!”

Helpful Report

Posted 10 years ago

PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium Preamplifier Black Reviews