FAQ

Click here to read a technical explanation about Adaptive AutoBias written by Marcel Croese, the engineer who designed Adaptive AutoBias.

All PrimaLuna amplifiers come equipped with either EL-34 or KT88 power tubes. However, you can substitute in any 6550, KT66, 6L6GC, 7581, KT90, EL37, or even a 6V6GT into any amplifier.

The ProLogue One, Four, Six, and DiaLogue One amplifiers can use 6550 and KT88 tube types without any issues . The tubes will be running slightly cooler, but many customers have been using these higher dissipation tubes with great success.

Each tube will have a different effect on the sound. Adaptive AutoBias will adjust itself to the new tube type, making experimenting with different power tubes very easy. In fact, the Adaptive AutoBias circuitry is so advanced you could even plug in one 6550, one EL34, one 6L6GC, one 6V6GT, and Adaptive AutoBias would recognize the differences, make the appropriate adjustments, and the amp would function perfectly. Now... it may not sound very good, but it's just nice to know you could .

Yes, that is normal for power tubes. That blue glow is just stray electrons bouncing off the glass. Some tubes will have a more noticeable glow than others, even amongst a matched set of tubes. Sometimes the glow will burn off, that is also normal. What is NOT normal is a bright blue or purple glow or flash coming from inside the plate structure of the power tube. If you see a bright blue or purple glow coming from inside the plates, or if you ever notice a bright flash from a power tube, turn your amp off immediately and replace the tube.

It happens rarely, but a tube can lose its vacuum. This problem is usually caused by a high, unintended mechanical force applied to the tube or the tube pins. In any case, the tube should be replaced. If it happens again, check if the tube socket isn’t bending a pin of the tube, causing a crack, which causes the loss of vacuum. In that case, also replace the tube socket. Be careful with using so-called tube pin straighteners. They might cause a crack. Usually, a good-quality tube socket does enough of the job.   

No, this can be a characteristic of the tube. Different brands of so-said same models can still react differently. 

It may be better to ask the question differently. For example, can I replace the standard PrimaLuna tubes supplied with the amp with tubes from another brand or even with another type of tube? 

In principle, all tubes in a PrimaLuna amplifier (or in an amplifier of any other brand) can be replaced by tubes of another brand or even by another type as long as they are equivalent tubes! The contact pins of the tube to be replaced must match the new tube, and the electrical properties must match. There are plenty of reliable tables on the Internet that provide information on this. Sometimes, an (almost) equivalent tube draws more current than the initially used tube. Then you have to find out if the power transformer can handle that. 

Power tubes and the corresponding tube socket are often equipped with a "slot" to ensure the tube is placed correctly in the socket. Pay attention to that! Replacing a tube will go smoothly if you do this cautiously.

You may have a bad power tube that blew the plate fuse. Read your owner's manual for detailed instructions on how to check the plate fuse. You can also download the owner's manual from this site.

You may have blown the mains fuse. Many different factors could cause this, including a power surge or spike. Replace the fuse and turn the amp back on. Read your owner's manual for detailed instructions on how to check the mains fuse and to find the appropriate value. You can also download the owner's manual from this site.

All PrimaLuna equipment comes with a two year warranty that covers parts and labor. Tubes are guaranteed for six months. This warranty is for the original purchaser only and is not transferable to subsequent owners under any circumstances.

The Home Theater input on the DiaLogue Series is a direct-line pass-thru circuit. If you plug in a component that does not have its own volume control, you may seriously damage your speakers. It is very important to make sure you only plug a home theater processor or receiver into that input! PrimaLuna, your distributor and it's Partners are not liable for any damage caused by plugging an inappropriate component into the Home Theater input. If you are unsure of what can and cannot be used, consult your PrimaLuna Partner or contact your distributor directly.

Increasingly people that were into two channel have bought surround systems and find them wanting for pure music enjoyment. If you want to improve performance and get the groove back consider getting a superb integrated and using it as a power amp too. Most integrated amps will function just fine in this manner.

It works like this. The integrated amp hooks up to your main speakers and you take either a CD or the left/right analog out from your DVD player and use it as normal for music listening. Nothing special to know for this part. Just use it.

For surround, take the left/right main output from your processor or surround receiver and plug it in to the AUX 1 or some other line level in on the integrated amp. All you have to do is switch to that input, and consider the integrated amp now as a power amp except for one simple thing: You have set the volume knob to a place and keep it there every time you watch a movie.

The volume control on the integrated has to be set at some mid position and set to the same position every time you use it. Pick a spot on the volume knob that is easy to remember later (typically 9 to 12 o'clock on the dial) and use the test tone function on the surround processor to set speaker levels.

People sometimes make more of this concept than there is, or think there is more to do. Nope. It's that easy.

With so many people having home theater systems, they are used to preamps that have a subwoofer out. In a regular stereo amp that has no surround processing, if you see something marked subwoofer out it typically means it is a preamp out. In essence nothing more than voltage signal coming from the preamp, fed to the woofer's amp that is then amplified.

So what happens if you don't have a preamp out? Most every subwoofer made in history is designed to handle that. They have a high-level-in that is hooked up to the speaker taps of your amp. Works the same way. It takes the voltage from the amp as the signal and amplifies it.

This does not cause a power draw on the amp you hook up to. It is using the signal, not the power of the amp to make sound. So there is no "draw" or sapping of power. No negative effect to the sound of the main speakers.

In fact, the most prestigious subwoofers in the industry are made by REL of England. They are the "Gold Standard" of the industry and priced accordingly, topping out at $9,000! Though they can be installed either with line level or speaker level, most REL woofers are hooked to systems with speaker leads of amps.

One snippet of information: Often times subwoofers will allow you to hook them up to the speaker taps of the amp and to cross-over the main speakers, restricting how much low information they get. Don't assume this is a benefit. It may allow the mains to play louder as they are not having to move as much air, but the downside is you can lose some clarity. Experiment as different products work different ways.

The PhonoLogue Chassis is a dedicated cabinet for the optional PhonoLogue MM Board. Phono circuits are susceptible to all kinds of outside interference influences. That's why the better phono stages always come in a separate, shielded chassis. Your PrimaLuna automatically comes with such a dedicated chassis. You must only add our optional Phono board (MM only) to own a "stand-alone" phono stage. 

If you own any of our older Integrated amplifiers or Preamplifiers, you can attach the belly-mounted chassis under the amplifier, but it needs a little extra work. Special instructions are available.

Our PhonoLogue Stage can be installed anytime by your dealer or any qualified technical person. Some soldering is required.

The PhonoLogue MM phono stage with RIAA equalization takes the place of the AUX2 input.

As a manufacturer, we have almost always all models in stock (or in production) in our Asia warehouse. Most of our distributors also try to hold all models in stock, but, as you will understand, they don't stock our quantities. Next, goods can always be "on the way" to them. You can find a dedicated "Stock- Status" page on our website (Stock Status) showing which products are in stock in our Asia warehouse and / or in production. For local supply, please get in touch with the local distributor (Distributors) for more information. The stock at the distributors and dealers can vary.

Please check the switch on the right side of the amplifier and make sure the button is on HP (Headphone) instead of LS (Loudspeakers). Only use this switch with the volume off. If this switch is correctly selected and there is still no sound, please contact your dealer.