Prima Luna dialogue 2 or Cary audio SLP 80 for summits?

I am contemplating either the Prima Luna Dialogue 2 or the Cary audio slp 80 integrated amp to drive my pair of martin logan summit. Has anyone done a A-B or any impression or opinion on the merits of either integrated amp to share with me. Would be grateful for your thoughts.

Neither. Get the Dialog monoblocks, they have a 2 ohm tap. That will work much better with the Summits....

unfortunately i need to get an integrated amp and need one with a remote... i like KT 88 tubes and that is why i have narrowed down this two

murphys33 said:

unfortunately i need to get an integrated amp and need one with a remote... i like KT 88 tubes and that is why i have narrowed down this two

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I've tried the DiaLogue 2's little brother, the DiaLogue 1, with a pair of Spires and with the DiaLogue 1's EL34s replaced with KT88s. I thought the sound was great, but with some dynamic limitations (which, given the DL 1's modest output, isn't too surprising). So it's definately worth a try.

Sorry, I have no experience with the Cary SLP80, so I can't help you there.

Good luck!

thanks - i thought the cary may do a little better since it has some 80 watt of power...

murphys33 said:

thanks - i thought the cary may do a little better since it has some 80 watt of power...

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I'm sure I recal reading somewhere that 80watts was wildly optomistic when measured (I think it was a HiFi world review in the uk).

sound wise, has anyone experience with either?

Have used both. Unless you want really soft highs and not much dynamics to speak of ( or you have a small room and listen at low volume) you will ultimately be very disappointed with this combiation. I've heard precious few tube amplifiers that deliver the goods with current ML speakers.

tonepub said:

Have used both. Unless you want really soft highs and not much dynamics to speak of ( or you have a small room and listen at low volume) you will ultimately be very disappointed with this combiation. I've heard precious few tube amplifiers that deliver the goods with current ML speakers.

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Too true. Same goes for amplifiers that use output transformers since they require a fairly uniform impedence curve across the frequency range. A two ohm tap would help where the Summit drops below one ohm but I found that the mid-range was much better on the eight ohm tap. The high frequencies disappeared though. Even though the woofers have their own amp more power really helps control the bass. Counter-inituitive but true. A quality direct-coupled 200+ watt power amp fed by a tube pre-amp really brings out the best in this speaker.