Brian Snowden

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Upscale Audio

Summary:
The Prologue 5 is a compact but heavy and elegantly-styled power amp that is extremely well designed and built. It offers 36 watts per channel, something that I had to think carefully about when making my purchase decision. This amp replaced a 200 watt solid state piece in my system, and I was driving a pair of Thiel CS2.4 speakers. The Thiels are pretty big and heavy, but are considered reasonably efficient. Still, I wondered about 36 watts. Well, the results have been outstanding. The Prologue drives those Thiels without a problem. I listen primarily to classical, so there are times when I want to reproduce the sound of a big symphony orchestra playing a huge piece of music and have it sound as if I were hearing it live (adjusted for my listening room, of course). The Prologue does it beautifully. What I really like also is the warm sound of natural instruments, such as strings and piano, since I listen to a lot of chamber music. When I change pace occasionally, and listen to jazz, I have no loss of enjoyment whatsoever. Jazz vocal music is a favorite, and again I can close my eyes and imagine being in a club with the musicians right there before me. If you want excellent value for the money and think it is time to try tubes, this is an amp you must consider. By the way, the tubes heat up, but they don't radiate heat. I have detected no hum - 0 - even when I put my ear up close to the speakers. My congratulations to PrimaLuna and the US distributor, Upscale Audio.

Strengths:
Heavy-duty build in a compact unit; plenty of power for most typical home applications, even if you have big speakers; affordable tube sound; simple, elegant design.

Weaknesses:
I have not found any so far.

Similar Products Used:
Formerly used several solid state power amps, such as Rotel, Harmon Kardon, Adcom and Acurus. I currently run this amp with a Proceed PRE pre-amp, the Thiel CS2.4 speakers, a Rotel RCD-1070 HDCD player, and a Rotel RDD-980 CD disc drive and RDP-980 D/A Converter. (If you have never tried HDCDs, you are missing something special - I consider it the most significant technological development since the introduction of the CD.)

mbuc

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
After owning this amp for 11 months I've sold it again. I powered a pair of Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors (preamp EAR 864) with it and although at first I was seduced by the sound, the huge soundstage, the strong bass and emotional mids, in the end the treble wasn't smooth enough for my taste. It's very forward sounding and has an astonishing presence. In my small listening room (approx 16 m²) treble became harsh at times. Too harsh on the long run.

I now listen with great satisfaction to the same system with a Luxman L-505f integrated. The tubes had a deeper soundstage and overal sounded a tiny little bit more natural but only now I notice the lack of speaker control the PL5 had.

It may match better with other speakers.

Strengths:
strong bass (not very precise with my speakers)
lively and natural sounding
huge 3d soundstage
built quality
easy tube rolling

Weaknesses:
treble too forward

Similar Products Used:
Luxman, Electrocompaniet, NAD

View Comments (1)

Would you like to Comment?
Join audioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

Chris Sherman

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.50 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1200.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
I was heavy into mosfet amps and built 4 Musical Concepts PA3B DH200/220's with all the goodies Black Gates , 27,000uf 80v power supply caps, the works as well as two similiarly modified B&K ST140's paired with Parasound preamps and Monitor Audio Speakers . I then got the itch to try tubes after a few miscues with Jolida, Antique Audio, I purchased a Prologue II, which has been replaced with the Prologue 5 and a Rogue 66 Magnum, giving me remote volume control. I love the Prologue 5. The only thing better would be a pair of Prologue 7 monoblocks. In my second system I went through a similiar plethora of amps, Jolida, Cayin TA30 modded, to an AE25 standard then Signature also paired with another Rogue 66 Magnum tube preamp. After realizing I never use the remote as I can reach the rack from my chair, I sold the AE signature Super amp and rogue preamp and replaced them with a Prologue I. I guess I've come full circle. I highly recommend saving yourself some aggravation and just deciding or better yet calling Kevin at Upscale and asking him what Prima Luna Prologue to fit your needs/system.They are the best tube amps for the money I have ever heard.

Strengths:
Power, soundstage, autobias.

Weaknesses:
None, never had a hiccup from any of them.

Similar Products Used:
Jolida, ASL, Cayin TA30 Bizzy Bee(excellent but bias pots drift ) If not for Upscale and Hermann, this chassis would never have been taken to it's current level.

Price Paid:  $1200.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
I was heavy into mosfet amps and built 4 Musical Concepts PA3B DH200/220's with all the goodies Black Gates , 27,000uf 80v power supply caps, the works as well as two similiarly modified B&K ST140's paired with Parasound preamps and Monitor Audio Speakers . I then got the itch to try tubes after a few miscues with Jolida, Antique Audio, I purchased a Prologue II, which has been replaced with the Prologue 5 and a Rogue 66 Magnum, giving me remote volume control. I love the Prologue 5. The only thing better would be a pair of Prologue 7 monoblocks. In my second system I went through a similiar plethora of amps, Jolida, Cayin TA30 modded, to an AE25 standard then Signature also paired with another Rogue 66 Magnum tube preamp. After realizing I never use the remote as I can reach the rack from my chair, I sold the AE signature Super amp and rogue preamp and replaced them with a Prologue I. I guess I've come full circle. I highly recommend saving yourself some aggravation and just deciding or better yet calling Kevin at Upscale and asking him what Prima Luna Prologue to fit your needs/system.They are the best tube amps for the money I have ever heard.

Strengths:
Power, soundstage, autobias.

Weaknesses:
None, never had a hiccup from any of them.

Similar Products Used:
Jolida, ASL, Cayin TA30 Bizzy Bee(excellent but bias pots drift ) If not for Upscale and Hermann, this chassis would never have been taken to it's current level.

sfmittels

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1295.00 from Upscale Audio

Summary:
Wow, were the reviews on this beauty ever right. This amplifier simply sounds sweet. I had it running a pair of Triangle Titus monitors - wonderful sound. Then I just acquired a pair of Opera Callas monitors, and this pairing has me in listener heaven! I've only put 15-20 hours on the amp so far, and the sound already is opening up. Other reviewers have said it requires about a 40-hour break-in, and I'm anxious to see if it can get even better than it is now. For the money, this is a fantastic piece of equipment. Hell, it's fantastic price-independent.

Strengths:
Full, rich sound. Mids and bass to die for.

Weaknesses:
Highs are a bit too pronounced at high SPLs, but that could be room acoustics - I'm still experimenting with taming that beast.

Similar Products Used:
Creek 4330SE B&K Ref 4420