For what it's worth, I had one of the ealier Prima Luna 35-watt KT 88 tube amps for about 5 years and loved it. Very reliable, and I really liked the auto bias feature. I used it alternatively with an Audio Research tube amp with my Verity Audio Parsifal Encores. It had more of the traditional "tube" presentation than the ARC, with lots of "bloom" and sweetness without being overly thick or mushy. The Parsifals seemed to want a little more power than the Prima Luna had on tap, but at reasonable volume levels it was very musical. I wish I still had that amp to try with my Devore 9s, which do much better with lower-powered tubes. I have never heard an Ayon amp but the reviews have all been very positive. This is an interesting thread to me because I am considering both brands right now. I don't know why someone would make the statement that Prima Luna has reliability issues without presenting facts to back it up. "I know a lot of people who have reliability issues with prima luna" is quite a claim to be making without something more solid to back it up. I don't think Upscale Audio would continue to promote and sell these amps if they had reliability issues.
Ayon Orion 2 or Prima Luna Dialogue Premium Int.?
I was wondering if anyone has auditioned both of these amps? I was dead set on the Prima Luna Dialogue Premium Integrated amp, until I saw Absolute Sound's review of Ayon Orion 2. They are comparably priced, but I would like opinions on which sounds better. I like the fact that the Ayon is made in Europe, (as opposed to PL, which is assembled in China). Which model will have better build quality? What differences would there be in the sound of these two amps? Thank you for taking the time to give your expert input.
Dave
Dave