Pinned Comment, Corrections* user @grahamjohnsparks kindly pointed out a mistake I made in this video: Prima Luna is not an American brand and is NOT made in USA, I'm not sure where I got that information from but I have confirmed Prima Luna is designed in the Netherlands and manufactured in China. Sorry for the confusion guys.
I bought the Brunoco Terra 6L6 amp and have it paired with Heresy IV’s. Sources are Teac turntable with Nagaoka MP-110H and an Eversolo DMP-A8. Both were great, airy & detailed, controlled bass. John Lee Hooker on the turntable had slightly warmer presentation and both were very detailed with great separation. Both came across effortlessly. When playing jazz the richness of the double bass was incredible and horns were heavenly. The Heresy IV’s were great at low volume, but when turning them up they scaled like no tomorrow. Wow! Best I have ever heard them, period! 17:40
Love the tube amp reviews. I have a Willsenton R8. It’s 4 years old and caused me no problems. I’ve tube rolled extensively with it. I think something like the Bronco would be a nice next step in the tube amp realm for me. Would love to get your thoughts on Black Ice Audio and Rogue tube integrated amps.
oh man, I really misspoke, I will add a pinned comment to correct that, thank you for pointing that out, I'm not sure where my confusion was but I was very much under the impression they were manufactured in the USA.
Someday I may try tubes or a class A but happy with my current amp. Some class D is purportedly sounding tubey/class A but those are also at a higher price but would be less heavy and no heat as an advantage. Lots of toys today from which to choose.
I was like you. Sat on the fence with tube amps. I own several high end amps ie. Mark Levinson 104lb amp. Let’s say I listen to my 6wpc tube amp 95% of the time. It actually runs my custom Paul Carmody speakers (tribute to Wilson Audio Watt/Puppy gen 7 speakers). I am bummed I wasted so many years not buying a tube amp.
Thanks Nemo. Informative and descriptive as usual. I have no problems with off shore made products. It's all competition and who makes the best stuff. I draw the line at China. In spite the fact that the manufacturers are just audio guys in the business of making good sounding gear, The taxes paid by them and their employees go to a government that makes hypersonic inter-ballistic missiles with the money. I choose not to support that. If you have to have something made in China buy it used. All the money stays here.
Unrelated but question about "dark" to "bright" scale of my speakers: I bought my KEF R3 (not meta) for $1200 when they were discontinued. I do really like them but I think I might enjoy something that is less "bright" or "forward" in the mid range. If you have heard them, do you think the R3 (non meta) is towards the bright end of the scale? I haven't heard enough hifi to know. I was wondering where on the dark bright scale they are compared to that Spendor Classic 3/1. That review had me thinking I would really enjoy a speaker like that. I know it's not the same price range but I'd love to hear a dark to bright comparison of the two speakers just so I know if my R3's actually are more bright in the mids or treble compared to other stuff. Big thanks for all the reviews.
Hi bro, I have only heard the meta version and no I would not consider it bright at all, maybe setup in a really bad room with a lot of echo it could sound forward but the midrange of R3 Meta leans very slightly warm. Your taste may perhaps be for much warmer, around the same price that would be the S400 MK2, even warmer is Dynaudio Evoke 20. If you want an upgrade that the $2.5k category that would be the Spendor Classic 3/1.
@@NemoPropaganda Thanks a lot man. I have heard that the R3 metas are warmer than the non metas but I don't know for sure. Thanks for the recommendations.
I see that they make an 8 watt SE 300B for the same price which I expect is a killer of this killer Appreciate any tube content from you and taking a hit on your UA-cam analytics I have a small fleet of made in USA low power SE tube amplifiers You can stack too much tube and component warmth I have heard it
@NemoPropaganda JJs are very much on the lower end.. In my tube amp it's way too much travel and bass. There are better ones out there for sure. You might experiment with upgrading tubes.
It is all about priorities and compromise. I need LOUD and CLEAR. Sound stage and holography aren't as vital as is balanced. Did I mention I like it LOUD? Two 15" woofers can struggle which is why I use 4. I just use a couple subs to fill in the very bottom. Class A won't work for me. I run around 1000 watts total.
nothing wrong with that, it seems you already know a vital bit of information that many people miss in this hobby, listening habits & personal taste matter tremendously more than if product X is better than product Y.
I don't tube roll so I can't really say much about any particular tube, I prefer to review the entire unit as a complete package. I will leave the tube conversation for those with more expeirence with such things.
Related to this particular is my comment regarding the B2 Plus emotiva you are right the B1 plus is an excellent speaker but the B2 Plus piece of junk and I returned it but let me tell you that B1 plus is fantastic
@NemoPropaganda thank you Nemo. I have the b1plus with cambridge audio axa35 and marantz cd6006. 12 gauge crutchfield spkr wire. Emotiva RCA. Small room. The sound is gorgeous. Tried to better it w marantz cd60 and cd6006. Both inferior. The b1plus is ar articulate. Instruments sound genuine.
yes, it worked fine but in my opinion it's a case of "just because you can it doesn't mean you should". I do not recommend tube amps, even powerful ones like the Brunoco be intentionally paired with hard to drive loads like the 1528. The 1528 is a speaker that was desgined to work best when fed loads of power.
I couldn't really speak to that, it really depends how handy you are and if you enjoy that process or not and what those parts cost, etc... Keep in mind modded gear often times does not carry much resale value so that's something to consider also.
TS120SE is a different sound, and has a lot more features like tone controls, a nice remote, and subwoofer outputs. Galion TS120SE gives you more wattage and a more muscular sound overall with treble that has a little sharpness to its attack and bass control that is more on par with solid state. TS120SE is like solid state treble & bass with tube midrange, easy way to think about it :) Both amps are fantastic, the Brunoco is still more expansive and has more separation while the TS120SE can drive speakers to much louder volumes and has a more muscular sound overall including a more weighty midrange. Neither of these amps are super warm, both have really good clarity & resolution.
WTH? Is it Class A or pushpull? You normally forward bias the push and the pull to cover crossover, which makes it class AB. Just get a good digital and put an audio transformer on the output to give you the distortion you think is somehow better than accurate reproduction. Spend your money on speakers.
oh you're one of those guys, why did you even watch the review then? Hobbies are supposed to be fun, if the topic of the video is a product you do not enjoy then you should not watch that video. Trust me nobody cares to interact with someone that has a chip on their shoulder.
@@NemoPropaganda Sorry, throwing out class D was a bit trollish, I don't really like class D, it has it's own problems, but it is great for LOUD systems. It was the ridiculous faux-tech jargon that caught my eye. I am a retired engineer that grew up with tube amps. Those circuit description is some of the worst jumble of meaningless jargon I have seen in a while. They have been designing tube amps for over half a century. There isn't much new. I built one back when you could go to the drug store and pick up a couple of 6L6s. All push-pull output audio amplifiers (now called class B) use a little forward bias on at rest (class A) on both halves to cover the crossover distortion. The dominant source of inaccuracy of a tube amp is the output transformer. Instead of exotic topology, did they use Nickel/Iron cored transformers? People seem to like the way this amp sounds. If you have that much money, go for it. Do you do double blind tests on this equipment?
brother just say you can't afford it, it's okay, but counting another mans money because you don't have enough of your own is a very bad habit. Please change yourself brother, this is not good. This is one of the most toxic habits a man can have. To question others moral character because of your own insecurity is in very poor taste.
Maybe you could try the willsenton r800i, probably a better comparison price wise. The 805 tube can drive my q acoustics concept 50's speakers, really well. I'm going on 4 years with no problems so far. Thanks for the work.
I mentioned the willsenton as an example of what people can expect coming from a much more affordable tube amp, not really as a comparison of the two brands.
Pinned Comment, Corrections*
user @grahamjohnsparks kindly pointed out a mistake I made in this video: Prima Luna is not an American brand and is NOT made in USA, I'm not sure where I got that information from but I have confirmed Prima Luna is designed in the Netherlands and manufactured in China. Sorry for the confusion guys.
I was just about to mention that
I was going to mention that. It was a great review anyway. I'd never heard of this brand, so it's new to me. Thanks.
New subscriber. Your reviews are great. I put them right next to New Record Day, and that is a big compliment.
aye! welcome aboard, glad you enjoy it!! I always say, I make content for the people who enjoy it!
Hey, thanks man! I was looking for a solid review on this I.A. - Aside from Jay's. I appreciate both of your reviews, as I have purchased the amp...
oh nice dude!! what do you think so far? what speakers are you using with it?
Thanks for you reviews, always learn a lot.
I realized just now I have geeked out on tubes too much because I looked at this and knew it was a 6L6 push-pull before seeing the title 😅
Great review. Thanks for sharing.
I bought the Brunoco Terra 6L6 amp and have it paired with Heresy IV’s. Sources are Teac turntable with Nagaoka MP-110H and an Eversolo DMP-A8.
Both were great, airy & detailed, controlled bass.
John Lee Hooker on the turntable had slightly warmer presentation and both were very detailed with great separation. Both came across effortlessly. When playing jazz the richness of the double bass was incredible and horns were heavenly.
The Heresy IV’s were great at low volume, but when turning them up they scaled like no tomorrow. Wow!
Best I have ever heard them, period! 17:40
nice! thank you for sharing your experience.
You are slowly becoming a tube guy, love it!
Love the tube amp reviews. I have a Willsenton R8. It’s 4 years old and caused me no problems. I’ve tube rolled extensively with it.
I think something like the Bronco would be a nice next step in the tube amp realm for me.
Would love to get your thoughts on Black Ice Audio and Rogue tube integrated amps.
sorry bro I have not heard those ones and I'm about done with tube amps for now :) maybe in the future.
Primaluna is based in The Netherlands, manufactured in China.
oh man, I really misspoke, I will add a pinned comment to correct that, thank you for pointing that out, I'm not sure where my confusion was but I was very much under the impression they were manufactured in the USA.
Based on how you described those Totem stand mounts a while ago, I bet combined with this the staging would be insane.
100% yes!!
Someday I may try tubes or a class A but happy with my current amp. Some class D is purportedly sounding tubey/class A but those are also at a higher price but would be less heavy and no heat as an advantage. Lots of toys today from which to choose.
I was like you. Sat on the fence with tube amps. I own several high end amps ie. Mark Levinson 104lb amp. Let’s say I listen to my 6wpc tube amp 95% of the time. It actually runs my custom Paul Carmody speakers (tribute to Wilson Audio Watt/Puppy gen 7 speakers). I am bummed I wasted so many years not buying a tube amp.
Nemo ! Another great video ! Are you coming to Axpona this year?
unless I get hit by a car I will be there!
Thanks Nemo. Informative and descriptive as usual. I have no problems with off shore made products. It's all competition and who makes the best stuff. I draw the line at China. In spite the fact that the manufacturers are just audio guys in the business of making good sounding gear, The taxes paid by them and their employees go to a government that makes hypersonic inter-ballistic missiles with the money. I choose not to support that. If you have to have something made in China buy it used. All the money stays here.
I understand what you mean, I guess prima luna is actually made in china so I added a pinned comment clarifying that.
Galion el34 all day very good sounding amplifier
Unrelated but question about "dark" to "bright" scale of my speakers: I bought my KEF R3 (not meta) for $1200 when they were discontinued. I do really like them but I think I might enjoy something that is less "bright" or "forward" in the mid range. If you have heard them, do you think the R3 (non meta) is towards the bright end of the scale? I haven't heard enough hifi to know. I was wondering where on the dark bright scale they are compared to that Spendor Classic 3/1. That review had me thinking I would really enjoy a speaker like that. I know it's not the same price range but I'd love to hear a dark to bright comparison of the two speakers just so I know if my R3's actually are more bright in the mids or treble compared to other stuff. Big thanks for all the reviews.
Hi bro, I have only heard the meta version and no I would not consider it bright at all, maybe setup in a really bad room with a lot of echo it could sound forward but the midrange of R3 Meta leans very slightly warm. Your taste may perhaps be for much warmer, around the same price that would be the S400 MK2, even warmer is Dynaudio Evoke 20. If you want an upgrade that the $2.5k category that would be the Spendor Classic 3/1.
@@NemoPropaganda Thanks a lot man. I have heard that the R3 metas are warmer than the non metas but I don't know for sure. Thanks for the recommendations.
I see that they make an 8 watt SE 300B for the same price which I expect is a killer of this killer
Appreciate any tube content from you and taking a hit on your UA-cam analytics
I have a small fleet of made in USA low power SE tube amplifiers
You can stack too much tube and component warmth I have heard it
5:09 Ah, Nemo has morphed into CappuccEmo Propaganda. Be careful though. Two espresso shots will turn you into CornholEmo!
was that a great cornholio reference? you just unlocked some old memories in my brain lol
Jay's Iyagi is made in Korea but his quality is hit or miss depending on who dresses him that day.
we might need to send him in for warranty repair lolololol
Is this is Jay’s Mom talking?
@@terryhu57 that just took me back to the dissapointed asian father meme.
@ I’m married to a beautiful yet very much focused Korean woman.
@@terryhu57 god bless!
With JJ tubes too? Jheez, I beet it will sound alot better with some good tubes.
i will 100% admit that I know nothing of individual tubes but this amp sounded absolutely amazing with the tubes it shipped with.
@NemoPropaganda JJs are very much on the lower end.. In my tube amp it's way too much travel and bass. There are better ones out there for sure. You might experiment with upgrading tubes.
That's actually a bounes they sound great with cheap tubes. Not a hassle to replace them
I dont recall if you done anything on the Black ice amps
I have not.
It is all about priorities and compromise. I need LOUD and CLEAR. Sound stage and holography aren't as vital as is balanced. Did I mention I like it LOUD? Two 15" woofers can struggle which is why I use 4. I just use a couple subs to fill in the very bottom. Class A won't work for me. I run around 1000 watts total.
nothing wrong with that, it seems you already know a vital bit of information that many people miss in this hobby, listening habits & personal taste matter tremendously more than if product X is better than product Y.
How would you compare the sound of the 6L6
I don't tube roll so I can't really say much about any particular tube, I prefer to review the entire unit as a complete package. I will leave the tube conversation for those with more expeirence with such things.
Related to this particular is my comment regarding the B2 Plus emotiva you are right the B1 plus is an excellent speaker but the B2 Plus piece of junk and I returned it but let me tell you that B1 plus is fantastic
I also liked B1+ better, I would not say B2 was junk though, just a different sound that was not for my taste.
@NemoPropaganda thank you Nemo. I have the b1plus with cambridge audio axa35 and marantz cd6006. 12 gauge crutchfield spkr wire. Emotiva RCA. Small room. The sound is gorgeous. Tried to better it w marantz cd60 and cd6006. Both inferior. The b1plus is ar articulate. Instruments sound genuine.
I agree about country of origin being unimportant. I have had junk made in USA products as other nations.
yup, that's my thinking exactly!
By any chance did you play the Arendal 1528s with the 6L6 ?
yes, it worked fine but in my opinion it's a case of "just because you can it doesn't mean you should". I do not recommend tube amps, even powerful ones like the Brunoco be intentionally paired with hard to drive loads like the 1528. The 1528 is a speaker that was desgined to work best when fed loads of power.
@ thank you for your thoughts and experiences
The Willsentons purportedly can be upgraded for better sound so if someone is into modding their gear it is a good option?
I couldn't really speak to that, it really depends how handy you are and if you enjoy that process or not and what those parts cost, etc... Keep in mind modded gear often times does not carry much resale value so that's something to consider also.
Tubes are the way
How does this compare to Galion TS120SE?
TS120SE is a different sound, and has a lot more features like tone controls, a nice remote, and subwoofer outputs. Galion TS120SE gives you more wattage and a more muscular sound overall with treble that has a little sharpness to its attack and bass control that is more on par with solid state. TS120SE is like solid state treble & bass with tube midrange, easy way to think about it :) Both amps are fantastic, the Brunoco is still more expansive and has more separation while the TS120SE can drive speakers to much louder volumes and has a more muscular sound overall including a more weighty midrange. Neither of these amps are super warm, both have really good clarity & resolution.
@@NemoPropaganda Thank you
Anyone tried this one with Elac Vela FS407?
WTH? Is it Class A or pushpull? You normally forward bias the push and the pull to cover crossover, which makes it class AB. Just get a good digital and put an audio transformer on the output to give you the distortion you think is somehow better than accurate reproduction. Spend your money on speakers.
oh you're one of those guys, why did you even watch the review then? Hobbies are supposed to be fun, if the topic of the video is a product you do not enjoy then you should not watch that video. Trust me nobody cares to interact with someone that has a chip on their shoulder.
@@NemoPropaganda Sorry, throwing out class D was a bit trollish, I don't really like class D, it has it's own problems, but it is great for LOUD systems. It was the ridiculous faux-tech jargon that caught my eye.
I am a retired engineer that grew up with tube amps. Those circuit description is some of the worst jumble of meaningless jargon I have seen in a while. They have been designing tube amps for over half a century. There isn't much new. I built one back when you could go to the drug store and pick up a couple of 6L6s. All push-pull output audio amplifiers (now called class B) use a little forward bias on at rest (class A) on both halves to cover the crossover distortion.
The dominant source of inaccuracy of a tube amp is the output transformer. Instead of exotic topology, did they use Nickel/Iron cored transformers?
People seem to like the way this amp sounds. If you have that much money, go for it.
Do you do double blind tests on this equipment?
Paid review?
brother just say you can't afford it, it's okay, but counting another mans money because you don't have enough of your own is a very bad habit. Please change yourself brother, this is not good. This is one of the most toxic habits a man can have. To question others moral character because of your own insecurity is in very poor taste.
Maybe you could try the willsenton r800i, probably a better comparison price wise. The 805 tube can drive my q acoustics concept 50's speakers, really well. I'm going on 4 years with no problems so far. Thanks for the work.
I mentioned the willsenton as an example of what people can expect coming from a much more affordable tube amp, not really as a comparison of the two brands.
No included remote, no pre outs, low wattage no go for me.
yeah, purist tube amps are not for everyone :) but the sound is really great!
sorry , Primaluna is made in China ( no problem though )
I just learned that today, another person mentioned it too, I added a pinned comment clarifying that a few hours ago. I appreciate the correction.
No remote thanks 200 us $ its joke ....
Galion ts34 all day
I understand, purist tube amps are not for everyone, great thing we have so many alternatives & options :)