I have never owned a Raven amp but I had two Primaluna amps loaned to me by my dealer for a weekly home audition. I liked what I heard but was not overly impressed. Well, anyway, the year has started and it seems competition between tube amp manufacturers is fierce. This video was just posted by Upscale Audio where Kevin compares the EVO 300 and the Raven Osprey 3.1 Clash of the Titans! What Kevin Deal says makes sense but on the other hand he cannot be an objective judge. What people here think?
I owned two Raven Audio amps. They sounded excellent, the Osprey sounded as good as any amp I have ever heard- period. I have heard various PrimaLuna amps and while they sounded very good, none sounded as good as the Osprey. Apparently the competition is getting to them . Me thinks he protests too much. Should the amount of content in an amplifier psychologically influence us to believe it sounds better when it actually does not?
I'd like to make a case for Chi-Fi tube amplification as a alternative to the high priced, high end amps like Prima Luna, Raven and others. I have a Chi-Fi preamp that does probably just as well as the high priced ones the difference being is that it does not have the bells and whistles of the others such as adjustable bias and not as pretty aesthetically speaking
Kevin Deal is a blowhard like Mike Fremer. Both guys talk a big game and routinely spout total nonsense so I wouldn't be so quick to accept what's being said in the video.
Except that the "fight" is about everything but the reason for the amplifier's existence- how they sound. It's like comparing car tires but not mentioning how they handle. ride quality, noise and vibration, fuel economy, snow and ice traction, wet traction and warranty miles.
I have no experience with PL gear so won't comment on that, but I've watched enough of Uncle Kev's videos to develop a hefty skepticism of anything he has to say about anything.
Not saying PL gear is bad. But Kevin has a bit of the sales flair going for him. He had a smoking deal on some Musical Fidelity M2SI amps a year ago. He sold it so hard I didn't trust it and passed on them. Turn out they are pretty good amps, but he oversold it in the video for my taste. I have bought many tubes from his companynn
You have to watch the video. Kevin makes a good argument and it seems that Raven picked this fight. But as to how they sound, that's what counts. I've never heard PL but I have heard Raven at RMAF where they were paired with Legacy speakers and they sounded pretty damn good.
Honestly, who does a video like this? Pathetic....Rule #1 - never disparage the competition. Kevin comes across as desperate and pathetic. The motivation for this video was purely emotional, not intellectual.
Isn't he responding to the video that Raven made? If so, I think they are at fault and gave Kevin a great opportunity to make his web commercial for PL.
I like Kevin Deal and I like his videos for the most part. Perhaps it's my 16 years in corporate sales background that helps me like him. That said of course he has an angle and has his opinions. He has a preferred sound. I think it's important to understand if the sound you prefer is the same as his. I've found this true for taking audio gear advice from regulars in the hardware forum as well as our host etc. Mastering engineers have a preferred sound too. I wonder about people who quickly flip these tube amps. Were they diligent in tube rolling? It's remarkable how much difference it can make.
Don't really care since I don't use tube amps and would never spend a cent with either company. That said some funny moments in that vid for sure.
I thought the video was well done, it has a sense of humor, any claims he makes seem like they should be easily verifiable looking at the circuit boards. And Raven apparently started the fight and to the point Kevin imports and sells Primaluna it's not like he's hiding that fact here, and Raven does play that made in America card to death. I found it pretty devastating overall having never heard either brand myself.
I have not heard anything by Raven. The products look really nice. However, the Logo needs to be toned down quite a bit IMO. A bit cheesy looking
The (current) last post there - points to SE’s company (2014 ‘copyright’) - he was the original designer of Raven but that partnership split up. I do not believe his company designs nor manufactures anything for Raven (for the past several years). I wonder if there are ‘cease-and-desist’ laws that can reach over to S. Korea for current misrepresentation of the relationship? Regardless, Kevin is attempting to leverage which is not new/current news. L'Aurora Sound
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the that PL has a higher build quality. Tube sockets soldered directly to a giant PCB. Come on man. Recipe for disaster right there. I cannot comment on how the Raven sounds, but I wish people would care more about how their gear is built.
I watched the video again for a second time because it is so much fun. Man…Kevin Deal can sell ice to an Eskimo! I know that the ultimate test is to listen to each amp and make up your own mind on the sound quality but Kevin Deal makes some interesting objective points. The point to point wiring vs pcb circuit board argument is very valid imo. A tube sitting next to a capacitor? Not a good idea. Also the whole reference to L’Aurora Sound….wow….these amps they look identical on the outside! L'Aurora Sound
I'm also a fan of Chi-Fi having ordered in General Tso's several times while I was wiring up my mono blocks.
