Integrated Amplifiers

It didn't strike me as quieter or more transparent, so I had to listen closely to hear which of the FETs' virtues enhanced the basic all-tube EVO 300's presentation. It was revealed immediately through Dennis Wilson's distinctive drumming on the 'basic track' take of 'Susie Cincinnati' from The Beach Boys' Feel Flows [Universal/Capitol/Brother 02508 80218 CD box set]. The drums are panned across the soundstage, displaying a papery dryness which made me think of old Crickets' recordings, and my Wilson DAWs certainly were called upon to shift a load of air.

Through that track, the EVO 300 Hybrid exhibited a facility for two separate, arguably unconnected types of smooth transitions. In the physical sense, the left-right panning of the sound was flawless, while the other transition, from loud-to-soft, was equally consistent. These contribute to a sense of wholeness, which hit home with The Beach Boys' signature high-ish vocals hovering above the percussion and the rich bass. Nothing sounded disparate, as if to belie any fear that hybrid amps have a split personality.

From the same box set, I couldn't resist my all-time fave 'liquidity' test track, 'Don't Go Near The Water'. There are sounds obviously designed to suggest the presence of H2O, and The Beach Boys achieved this with the facility of Disney's animators in Pinocchio. Let's not mince words: the EVO 300 Hybrid, again dispelling fears of hi-fi hybridisation, has a seamlessness which calls to mind that audio unicorn – the perfect full-range, crossover-less driver.

A Question Of Voice
What this translates to, for those who approach the EVO 300 Hybrid predisposed more toward valves than solid-state (the ideal customer for this amplifier with be resolutely neutral about both technologies), is proof that there are tubes under the lid. I have no problem with all-tranny/FET amps, which always struck me as more tube-like than other solid-state types, so hybrids certainly inspired no trepidation, but I was beginning to suspect that Herman had overruled Jan in the voicing of this amp – the tube front-end most assuredly is not overwhelmed by the FET output.

Going all-analogue, I left CD for open-reel, opting for the exquisitely recorded Dixie Rebels' eponymous album [Command RS4T-801]. If you recognise the label, then you'll know we're in the presence of an early audiophile recording of extreme left-right stage extension, better to demonstrate stereo back when JFK was still a senator and The Beatles had yet to play in Hamburg.

Mardi Gras
It's got everything you want to test a system, including punchy trumpets, sinewy clarinet, and deliciously sleazy, brothel-band drumming – the whole New Orleans shtick. What lifts it to the level of hi-fi showstopper demo tape are smooth, extended bass such as no LP can manage, the attack of the brass, and that disconcerting space in the middle that makes speaker listening seem like headphone usage.

It takes a while to get used to the cavernous extremities of the sound picture, until you realise that there's loads of atmospheric sound in the middle. The EVO 300 Hybrid handled this air with such incredible gracefulness and delicacy that I played the tape through another, all-tube set-up, followed by a hybrid pairing of valve preamp feeding a solid-state D'Agostino Momentum power amp [HFN Jul '11], to reassure myself that I wasn't going soft. The EVO 300 Hybrid nestled somewhere in the middle, with slightly less warmth than the all-tube playback, especially the astounding drum solos in 'Panama', but also with audibly less impact than via the Momentum. But at, what, six times the price?

As for my ultimate vocals test track – Lou Rawls' 'At Last' from the album of the same name [Blue Note CDP 7 91937 2] – the trial of reproducing two contrasting vocals, with textures so dissimilar that they can't even share opposing corners in a Venn diagram, was child's play for the EVO 300 Hybrid. Amusingly, it was as if (and I know this is even less likely than saying 'the little notes go down the little wires, etc') the tubes were dealing with Lou, while the power FETs were taking care of Dianne Reeves. I may be imagining it, but it works for me.

Hi-Fi News Verdict
In a sector packed with superb integrated amps, including others which marry tubes and transistors, PrimaLuna's EVO 300 Hybrid strikes a magical balance that will either confuse or delight you. If you're expecting an irreconcilable sonic conflict in a hybrid, this will baffle you. But if you're open-minded, it proves that you can have your cake, eat it, and have enough cash left over for a good bottle of wine.