2. amps-preamps
  3. 131501-88991

PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium Preamplifier. DESTROYS SPEAKERS!!


A few months ago, bought TWO of the above mentioned preamps. ( I have 2 stereo systems)
Within 6 weeks of the purchase, the power supply of my speakers burns out!
I purchase and replace the power supply.
Three days later, the second newly replaced power supply is burnt out!
After much investigative work and heartache, I discover that the Pre amp is the problem.
It is defective and puts out DC. which burns out speakers.
After, testing the second unit, I find that it is defective as well, EXACTLY the same problem.
I return the units to my dealer, who returns them to Prima Lune.

I received a phone call from a Mr. Kevin Deal, big cheese at PrimaLuna.
Told me that the capacitors, on BOTH units had failed and the units were putting out DC.
He even THANKED me, for being a guinea pig, and discovering the flaw in his units.

He offered me a pair of tubes, as "compensation" for my troubles!! What a joker!!

WOW, a pair of tubes for blowing my $30,000. speakers!!

The height of arrogance and total disregard for the consumer of his product.
To all audiophiles, do yourself a favour, STAY AWAY for this brand, unless you want your speakers cooked.

TOTAL lack of quality control, MADE IN CHINA junk, what more needs to be said.


Mr. Deal, WAKE UP, and STOP selling defective products!!


If, you are using PrimaLuna, and your speakers fail, check the amp or pre amp.

George


Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
thorloki
fsonicsmith's avatar
fsonicsmith
931 posts
 
I find the OP suspicious too. A grand total of two posts, both of which are the same. Why does a guy buy a $2500 preamp to match with 30,000 speakers. What speakers are they that cost that much and have "power supplies"? What the heck is a speaker power supply? Does he mean the amp portion of self-powered speakers? Perhaps a power supply for some type of planars? I realize this is fairly inconsequential, but between the lack of posting history, equipment disparity, and odd nomenclature, I am suspicious. There are thousands of PL owners out there and this guy just so happens to be the first to report not just one but two defective PL preamps. 
Mr. Deal is bound to chime in any moment. If the output caps were truly defective and passed DC, I would be surprised if he did not offer to do something more to assist including offering to pay the cost of the "power supply", whatever it might be-I doubt it was $30,000. 
I will give the OP one thing-he gave me reason to sit back and eat some popcorn. 
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,933 posts
 
I'd like to hear the other side of the story.  I've known Kevin for over 30 years.  He can be a little abrupt with some people, but he's a really good guy.

To semi-quote Paul Harvey, "Now for the rest of the story"...
larryi
3,715 posts
 
Whether it is a self-powered speaker or an amp connected to a speaker, it is a bit troubling that the amp would allow dc at its input to cause high level dc at its output which would destroy the speaker.  
stevecham
3,340 posts
 
If you have $30,000 speakers, it is incumbent upon you to do the diligence required to match upstream components BEFORE putting them in system.

And why are you using PrimaLuna components with $30,000 speakers may I ask? That does not seem like a well balanced system i.e. budget preamp paired with premium speakers. Also, the manufacturer of such powered speakers would WARN against any DC in the system that would damage them.

I don’t see how Kevin Deal is at "fault" in this case, unless he misrepresented that the preamp, or amp, had "0 DC" and it in fact had some.

And, the preamp doesn't provide DC to the speaker, that would be the amp.

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,567 posts
 
I don't think this event happened. If you look at the original post, you will see that the poster said that the power supply for the speaker failed- not the speaker itself.

If we presume for a minute that the preamp was putting out DC, and that also somehow this got by the amplifier without blowing up the amp and/or tripping its protection circuitry, then it would be the woofer of the speaker that would be at risk, not the 'power supply' (which suggests an ESL, but even then the power supply would be untouched).

So without further information, I'm calling this one a massive troll- and an attack on Kevin Deal. Kevin is a competitor on mine (we make amps and preamps) but he's always been straight with me.
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