Amplifier for Volti Lucerna Speakers

I've only heard my Rivals with 1 amp + Voltis at the Tampa show for the past 3 years.

My amp is a lowly Primaluna Evo 300 integrated with the following tubes:

Power: 2 KT-150 & 2 GE 6L6's - amp switch on high bias.

Pre: Up front: 1950s CBS Hytrons flanked by a set of Radiotechnique on one side and a pair of Mullards on the other.

The 2 150s give the low end some wallop and the 6L6s have a very well defined midrange. 

The CBS Hytron's gave more midrange definition and a bit more 3D.

I've had some "hifi friends" over with more listening experience and all of them are impressed with one stating it is the closest he has heard to live music.

I do have my Rivals on Townshend Podiums as well as some other good components (not super high end) in the chain which of course help.

On paper, the Primaluna is the weak spot of my system but it sounds so damn good I just don't see a reason to upgrade. 

I also just move my speakers from about a third into the room to stuffed back in the corners (wider) which made a significant improvement to the bass and enlarged the soundstage - which is now huge, but not fake sounding. Pinpoint imaging suffered from that change but the improved bass and SS are worth the tradoff IMO.

@laynes Hello, I had the PrimaLuna EVO 400 pre and amp, there is no comparison to the Sit-4 to the Lucera speakers. Tried about all the different tubes possible and went down that endless rabbit hole lol..I even tried the PrimaLuna Dac so all PrimaLuna …don’t miss it…just a little food for thought…

Hi Charles, I don't doubt that for one second but I do wonder if you were using the stock tubes or not? The difference between the stock tubes and what I have rolled is enormous and I think why my amp sounds so good - knowing that there is still a lot better out there.

And you may have rolled them - but I'll say that my system sounds as good as Greg's did at the show with the $25k Border Patrol amp - also knowing that he was in a hotel room and my room is treated - plus the front end and other differences.

At some point, the next thing for me to upgrade will be my amp but I'm pretty sure it will be something tubed and I have no idea what yet because I don't have a price range yet. So the Evo 300i serves me well for now... 

@laynes I had problems with the stock tubes, keep getting the red light off and on after a year and blowing fuses with the amp. I tried a lot of different tubes from all the old stock dealers, a matched set of EL34 Mullards from the 60s for the power amp very expensive…on and on with tubes…life really improved when I got off the tube deal…I have a friend who is exploring LTA gear with great results..he has Crowe speakers..where and what are the Rivals sitting on in your system?

That's a bummer. I've only seen that red light once over the past 4.5 years.

I have read more issues with Evo400s than 300s over the years - just what I have read it seems. That may not be the case but seems like it. I'm in Tampa now so good to have fewer tubes in the summer anyway.

I need to update my system pics here, but they are on Townshend Podiums (which made an LOL difference, as I call them) which are on a concrete slab. Here is pic of my room it if this works here. Curtains are closed when listening and I have some diffusion panels I put up behind the plants. Sorry for the detour OP.  I will add that I listen mostly to rock music and usually loud so I feel that my next amp will likely need at least what I have now which is about 45 per channel - but not 100% sure about that. I don't even know enough to be dangerous, but have somehow managed to put together a really good sounding system /room. I do think that getting the right tubes working together really helped - and took some experimenting to get there.