I've trusted Kevin for close to 25 years. I was worried that the company would change because it's grown, but the fact is Upscale has grown because he hires incredible people. I was going to make a big purchase recently and the salesperson explained clearly (technically) I was making a mistake. And he was right. Kevin had done that many years ago and it never left me. A dealer that truly thinks of my best interest and not their pocketbook. A real rarity nowadays.
Thanks Bill. I'm trying to jog my old brain cells but I think you were hell-bent on buying a Cary CAD-300SEI from me, and you had hard-to-drive speakers with a low impedance and it would have sucked. My salespeople work on hourly/salary and that lets them be honest. Glad to see we are still doing the right thing.
I have listened to Kevin for quite a while now. I feel he honestly cares about my system. As soon as I can I will purchase the Prima Lunas and it will be my showcase system. I really appreciate a person who understands that the sound system not only has to have power but it also has to have quality sound! Thank you Kevin...I'm a customer for life!
@@upscaleaudio I am sincere about it. Listening to my sound system growing up was my first real connection in getting out and exploring the world. I know it sounds crazy! :) It's just that I have always found that people who are into audio equipment are some of the coolest people alive. You can just feel it when a person talks and they know what they are talking about. I really appreciate your dedication on this subject and I am and will be a customer for life. Thank you so much Kevin and the crew!
Thank you Kevin and your Team. I have been watching your Genuine Passion for Years. I Truly Appreciate your Love for Quality Audi's and People. Kindest Regards from Mark UK.
I love PrimaLuna and own an Evo300 Amp. What a great amp. This will likely be more forever amp. And such special thanks to Kevin for introducing me to this quality brand. Thanks Kevin. Cheers Tony
Thank YOU Tony. I know we lose business because people get off the merry-go-round, but when people tell me years later how happy they are, there's nothing better.
I had a shit day at work, but watching Kevin talk about ANYTHING he sells always is refreshing, informative and fun....his obsession with this hobby is almost palpable. Between Kevin , Andrew Robinson (AND Kristi!), and the Randy, the cheapaudioman, my love for this hobby will NEVER wane.
I've been patiently waiting for you to get this little puppy in. I'm so excited it finally arrived. Got to get my grubby mittens on one a.s.a.p. Thanks Kevin!
Thank you so much Kevin. That was a very interesting and enlightening video! I love your passion. You are such a straight shooter. No bs. Thanks again.
Whatever this guy is selling I would buy! He is so engaging and so passionate. I love my evo300 integrated but eventually will try and get a listen to this.
I was waiting for this video. I subscribe to Absolute Sound Magazine and saw in the previous issue the PrimaLuna Evo 300 was going to be review in this upcoming issue. This amp will power some of those hard to drive speakers. 👍🏾 Now for something funny. Living in NYC all my life, I remember when our neighbors wireless phone came through loud and clear on the stereo system. I mean the whole conversation.
This really might be the right integrated for me. I had the chance to hear the evo 400, my only concern with that model is the heat it puts off. I have a spacious cabinet that would house my eventual purchase. My system include a Dual TT with Chord phonostage, Blumenhofer minis + REL T/9x Sub. It would be tied to an Anthem MRX740 HT system. Thoughts of this with my speakers? Also considering some solid state with HT bypass (Hegel, Naim, McIntosh).
I’ve owned a couple of Pathos amps (Logos mk II, and Heritage). Those amps are beautifully engineered works of art, and I couldn’t be more pleased with their sound. This move by Prima Luna will undoubtedly compel a few die hard tube afficionados to take a second look at hybrids. Thanks for the information Upscale!
@@upscaleaudio Thanks for the reply. I have no doubt that the performance of the amp is stellar without balanced inputs. Nonetheless I prefer the way a Balanced connector attaches better than a single ended. Much easier on equipment than something that pressure fits. So I like it when equipment gives me the option to use them. That is just an expression of my preference and is by no means to be interpreted that I think product is a lesser offering because it does not have them. Be well.
Yes, a balanced input would also be useful for those who site their turntable and phono pre (which have balanced output, of course) away from the line-only integrated (and also the speakers) using long balanced interconnects.
would this be the ultimate tube amp Kevin? is it really giving all the output to the headphones but reduced voltages? I would love to put this up against my Cypher Prautes I reviewed on head-fi -John Massaria
Because it's not a balanced design, and didn't need to be. There's no benefit. We had no room inside for transformers, and were most concerned with sound quality.
Love your enthusiasm. What speakers do you recommend? Curious. I have the martin Logan 60 xti. Where do I go from here? I'm using a Peachtree 300. Bluenote too
Hi Neil please contact the store and tell us about what's up with your system now and in the past so we can help guide you. Don't spend too much on electronics at the expense of speakers.
@@upscaleaudio I just put this system together. Happy with it now. 60xti and Peachtree 300. I was wondering in the he future can I do a tube front end and use the Peachtree as the power amp? Primaluna front end and the Peachtree 300 for the power. I think the 60xti are fine for now. They produce enough bass. Just curious
Kevin is a great communicator and his passion and salesmanship is unmatched. But in one video you dismiss Alps blue velvet as the cheap way and poor way to implement volume control and here you say it preserves the integrity of the signal. Which is it?
@@kmd88412 I meant given the supply chain issues for all electronic parts. These units seem to have parts sourced from all over the globe and shipped to China for assembly. Then there is port congestion in ports on the west coast of the U.S. I am just wondering how this affects production-much like automobile production.
hey Kevin did you ever review any of the Rega amps? i have the Brio and i doubt you can find anything better below 2k. me being a former ARC and Jeff Rowland guy. great products, but you seem to be infatuated with tube gear which is good. but i know of no other company that gives you more bang for your buck
I'll buy this amp just based on how meaty it looks. However, given that the EVO400 gives 70Watts rms already, paying $2k extra for an additional 30Watts for this amp makes me wonder if it is necessary.
Send one to Atkinson in stereophile, Steve Guttenberg the Audiophiliac and also Herb Reichert, Then send one to Audioscience review and have them measure it for you with an autoanalyzer(just kidding ASR doesn't have ears just sine waves at 1 khtz)
@@upscaleaudio btw I love you guys! You had a gorgeous Solid Steel S3-4 rack in stock in walnut I just picked up from you! I was shocked you actually had its but you are the only guys I know of that stock stuff and not just drop ship from a manufacturer and make us wait 3-4 months.
It would be fabulous. It concerns me when you say "wake up". Some things can't be fixed. Call the store and ask to talk to Pete. He was a senior guy at MartinLogan for many years and an expert. Tell him your concerns CLEARLY. Good luck. We're on your side.
ALPS Blue Velvet, well, cheap potentiometer! Takama..., could you simply say, good signal relays?! Put simply a RCA cap on unused inputs! Could you please wear ESD gloves next time, you´re touching JFET´s. Good brand for the output Mosfets. BTW, good sales job.
I've trusted Kevin for close to 25 years. I was worried that the company would change because it's grown, but the fact is Upscale has grown because he hires incredible people. I was going to make a big purchase recently and the salesperson explained clearly (technically) I was making a mistake. And he was right. Kevin had done that many years ago and it never left me. A dealer that truly thinks of my best interest and not their pocketbook. A real rarity nowadays.
Thanks Bill. I'm trying to jog my old brain cells but I think you were hell-bent on buying a Cary CAD-300SEI from me, and you had hard-to-drive speakers with a low impedance and it would have sucked. My salespeople work on hourly/salary and that lets them be honest. Glad to see we are still doing the right thing.
We have just witnessed Kevins' maximum flow of passion, and I love that about him!
I have listened to Kevin for quite a while now. I feel he honestly cares about my system. As soon as I can I will purchase the Prima Lunas and it will be my showcase system. I really appreciate a person who understands that the sound system not only has to have power but it also has to have quality sound! Thank you Kevin...I'm a customer for life!
Timothy, there is no greater compliment than that. I'm so honored for you to say that.
@@upscaleaudio I am sincere about it. Listening to my sound system growing up was my first real connection in getting out and exploring the world. I know it sounds crazy! :) It's just that I have always found that people who are into audio equipment are some of the coolest people alive. You can just feel it when a person talks and they know what they are talking about. I really appreciate your dedication on this subject and I am and will be a customer for life. Thank you so much Kevin and the crew!
Thank you Kevin and your Team. I have been watching your Genuine Passion for Years. I Truly Appreciate your Love for Quality Audi's and People. Kindest Regards from Mark UK.
Kevin you are great at explaining how integrated amps work ! Thank you for your time . Blessings 🙏🏻🎶🎼
I love PrimaLuna and own an Evo300 Amp. What a great amp. This will likely be more forever amp. And such special thanks to Kevin for introducing me to this quality brand. Thanks Kevin. Cheers Tony
Thank YOU Tony. I know we lose business because people get off the merry-go-round, but when people tell me years later how happy they are, there's nothing better.
Exactly the same here! Love it.
I had a shit day at work, but watching Kevin talk about ANYTHING he sells always is refreshing, informative and fun....his obsession with this hobby is almost palpable. Between Kevin , Andrew Robinson (AND Kristi!), and the Randy, the cheapaudioman, my love for this hobby will NEVER wane.
I've been patiently waiting for you to get this little puppy in. I'm so excited it finally arrived. Got to get my grubby mittens on one a.s.a.p. Thanks Kevin!
The thing I like about Kevin, is that he truly believes in everything he sells.
Thank you so much Kevin. That was a very interesting and enlightening video! I love your passion. You are such a straight shooter. No bs. Thanks again.
Whatever this guy is selling I would buy! He is so engaging and so passionate. I love my evo300 integrated but eventually will try and get a listen to this.
Great one Kevin! Enjoyed watching. 🙂
I've got a Primaluna Evo preamp and I love it.
Hell Yea!!!! Thank you!!
I was waiting for this video. I subscribe to Absolute Sound Magazine and saw in the previous issue the PrimaLuna Evo 300 was going to be review in this upcoming issue. This amp will power some of those hard to drive speakers. 👍🏾
Now for something funny. Living in NYC all my life, I remember when our neighbors wireless phone came through loud and clear on the stereo system. I mean the whole conversation.
Hope you heard something interesting!! Grin
he’s so excited lol
prima luna is a terrific company
Very nice one day one day Kevin I will afford one . Thank you for the video.
I have a evo400 and love it
I have one too. In the bedroom. LOVE IT!!!!
This really might be the right integrated for me. I had the chance to hear the evo 400, my only concern with that model is the heat it puts off. I have a spacious cabinet that would house my eventual purchase. My system include a Dual TT with Chord phonostage, Blumenhofer minis + REL T/9x Sub. It would be tied to an Anthem MRX740 HT system. Thoughts of this with my speakers? Also considering some solid state with HT bypass (Hegel, Naim, McIntosh).
hang on, robbing me a bank real quick be right back
Oh please you got the cash, act now and apologize later (to your spouse).
@@HanifBarnwell Ok grandpa, hand over the inheritance so millennials can start enjoying hifi to this level too!! 😂
Have you had any experience with the PrimaLuna Classic CD Player, I can't find one review of it on youtube.
I had NYAL stuff back in the day. Good memories. But PL (and Upscale Audio) rule!
I second the question about how the sound character of this compares with Pathos' hybrids and Inpols?
I’ve owned a couple of Pathos amps (Logos mk II, and Heritage). Those amps are beautifully engineered works of art, and I couldn’t be more pleased with their sound.
This move by Prima Luna will undoubtedly compel a few die hard tube afficionados to take a second look at hybrids.
Thanks for the information Upscale!
Will there be an EVO 400 version with balanced inputs? If it is not to be, still cannot wait to give the EVO 300 Hybrid an audition.
Herman is always working. But honestly, I know my stuff. This amp is incomparable. Balanced means zip.
@@upscaleaudio Thanks for the reply. I have no doubt that the performance of the amp is stellar without balanced inputs. Nonetheless I prefer the way a Balanced connector attaches better than a single ended. Much easier on equipment than something that pressure fits. So I like it when equipment gives me the option to use them. That is just an expression of my preference and is by no means to be interpreted that I think product is a lesser offering because it does not have them. Be well.
Yes, a balanced input would also be useful for those who site their turntable and phono pre (which have balanced output, of course) away from the line-only integrated (and also the speakers) using long balanced interconnects.
wonder how this compares to Vincent hybrid power amp and matching pre amp (which Kevin also carries )
would this be the ultimate tube amp Kevin? is it really giving all the output to the headphones but reduced voltages? I would love to put this up against my Cypher Prautes I reviewed on head-fi -John Massaria
I have a Croft series 7 amp (valve input and mosfet output stage), wonderful synergy
There's a reason why those big amps are covering Kevin's lower half...he is REALLY excited about this Prima Luna amp.
Yea I admit the first time I took it apart I was sportin' wood
I don't understand why you wouldn't add balanced inputs? This should be a standard by now regardless of model level.
Because it's not a balanced design, and didn't need to be. There's no benefit. We had no room inside for transformers, and were most concerned with sound quality.
Love your enthusiasm. What speakers do you recommend? Curious. I have the martin Logan 60 xti. Where do I go from here? I'm using a Peachtree 300. Bluenote too
Hi Neil please contact the store and tell us about what's up with your system now and in the past so we can help guide you. Don't spend too much on electronics at the expense of speakers.
@@upscaleaudio I just put this system together. Happy with it now. 60xti and Peachtree 300. I was wondering in the he future can I do a tube front end and use the Peachtree as the power amp? Primaluna front end and the Peachtree 300 for the power. I think the 60xti are fine for now. They produce enough bass. Just curious
Hi. How will prima luna evo 300 hybrid match klipsch cornwall IV? Is this a good match?🙂
Kevin is a great communicator and his passion and salesmanship is unmatched. But in one video you dismiss Alps blue velvet as the cheap way and poor way to implement volume control and here you say it preserves the integrity of the signal. Which is it?
The video didn’t reveal the price and the release date. Also, will availability be constrained given the supply chain issues the world is facing?
Is available now. It uses tubes that don't come from Russia so supply is good.
@@kmd88412 I meant given the supply chain issues for all electronic parts. These units seem to have parts sourced from all over the globe and shipped to China for assembly. Then there is port congestion in ports on the west coast of the U.S. I am just wondering how this affects production-much like automobile production.
As of now, it looks good. Fortunately.
hey Kevin did you ever review any of the Rega amps? i have the Brio and i doubt you can find anything better below 2k. me being a former ARC and Jeff Rowland guy. great products, but you seem to be infatuated with tube gear which is good. but i know of no other company that gives you more bang for your buck
Nice!
LED’s are less noisy than traditional diodes apparently.
I know you’re not a Magnepan dealer but do you have an idea if this amp would supply enough current to drive the LRS?
ABSOLUTELY!!!!
Will this be enough(a good match) to get the best out of Kanta 2?
I'll buy this amp just based on how meaty it looks. However, given that the EVO400 gives 70Watts rms already, paying $2k extra for an additional 30Watts for this amp makes me wonder if it is necessary.
Time to trade in some of my Mac gear and get me one of these bad boys.
It will run circles around around any Mac piece anywhere near the price.
@@matteiffert4757 if only it had the looks of the Mac gear.
I think everyone should hear a good 5-watt amplifier then decide if they need 100 or 500 watts or whatever.
Something to be said about that. Five watts can do a lot....with proper speaker matching
How does it compare to the PATHOS TT?
Pathos TT is Inpol Class A. Call the store and they will explain
Kevin AMT and Vincent made a hybrid integrated.
it works in Class A ?
I'd buy a ColdSore from this guy
I'm still waiting for a phono from them.
I'm not supposed to say anything....but....
Send one to Atkinson in stereophile, Steve Guttenberg the Audiophiliac and also Herb Reichert, Then send one to Audioscience review and have them measure it for you with an autoanalyzer(just kidding ASR doesn't have ears just sine waves at 1 khtz)
Yea but Audioscience review tore apart a bullsh*t "Made in America" tube amp recently, didn't they? It was funnier than hell.
@@upscaleaudio My freind got that same amp...tried it out a few weeks got it broken in and sent it back! Then he got one from Line Magnetic.
@@upscaleaudio btw I love you guys! You had a gorgeous Solid Steel S3-4 rack in stock in walnut I just picked up from you! I was shocked you actually had its but you are the only guys I know of that stock stuff and not just drop ship from a manufacturer and make us wait 3-4 months.
So this should wake up a pair of thiel cs6 speakers?.
It would be fabulous. It concerns me when you say "wake up". Some things can't be fixed. Call the store and ask to talk to Pete. He was a senior guy at MartinLogan for many years and an expert. Tell him your concerns CLEARLY. Good luck. We're on your side.
ALPS Blue Velvet, well, cheap potentiometer! Takama..., could you simply say, good signal relays?! Put simply a RCA cap on unused inputs! Could you please wear ESD gloves next time, you´re touching JFET´s. Good brand for the output Mosfets. BTW, good sales job.