Shootout-- Primaluna Dialog HP Integrated/Carver Crimson 275/Elekit 300B

And yet no one wants to address the apparent lack of dynamics? Professional reviewers like everything. Any differences between amps never makes them better or worse, it's just a difference in taste. If something is bad, they'll couch it in a positive light (ie, "smooth") or they'll just ignore it. For example: the complete lack of mentioning imaging performance. Just a few words for the soundstage, but nothing about the crucial imaging performance. Mind you, that's probably because he's using digital volume attenuation and so imaging is probably gone, and I doubt there is good soundstage. But, instead calling out those problems he just ignores it.  Pro reviewers do that because no one likes negativity: not the manufacturers and not the readers who for the most part don't actually want to hear anything bad about their purchasing decisions. This psychological issue seems to be mostly present with those with limited finances and so want to be told that their cheap, low-end amp is great.

Not everyone thinks imaging is crucial. When I go to the symphony and close my eyes, I hear a sound that fills the space but I don’t hear pin- point imaging. 

@crouse99 ,  I agree.  I like it but I'm not a junkie for it.  Before I got into horns and tubes, I was down the path of low efficiency, slick modern speaker designs that seemed to specialize in imaging and detail retrieval.  It got to the point, in my system, where it started feeling like a parlor trick or gimmicky--well maybe not that bad, but you get the point.  

jb and crouse

my take on imaging is that the notion of pinpoint, highly 'separated' imaging is definitely and mostly a hifi-manufactured notion... most live music performances don't have highly specific imaging

but that being said, i think good systems have a depth of field -- singer placed in front of drums and acoustic bass, and then, the various instruments (and voices) need to have an appropriate sense of scale, piano vs sax vs guitar etc etc

@jjss49 ,  once again I agree with you.  Put me on your mailing list!  

By the way, the Carver is staying in my listening room.  Since the Elekit is such a specialized piece of equipment it has a place here.  The PL is going! She served me well.