Sean, could you precise precise plus the reference of the Gold Lion tube? i would like to change it.

you should try it with nos tubes they are much better than modern russian tubes. vintage mullards rca brimars or ge's are amazing ide start with mullards for smoothness ,brimars or rca's for warmth or ge's for clarity

@@yaniv-nos-tubes considering this amp, do you think I can get less wormth, (shift towards bright) from it than from cambridge cxa81?

Thanks for sharing. Currently running hawks with Hegel h160. Maybe will try primo unico someday

Wow, never knew you are also into Hi-fi stuff.

Hey Dawid. Yeah, the price of these integrateds on the used market is awesome. I could even see people preferring the OG Unico, as the treble is more tame and the overall sound is slightly more romantic than what you get outta the Primo. I'm not sure if you still have it, but if ya do, enjoy!

@@ZeroFidelity Hey! Thanks for the reply. Yeah I still have it and really enjoy it. I prefer a more relaxed treble presentation, so it does work brilliantly for me. Great video by the way. 👍

@@sonang7721 Oh yeah! I have always loved HiFi.

Had to double take when i saw this comment haha, i knew you had the 650’s (i think) but didnt think you were into 2 channel

Yes like sugden stuff

Guarantee of quality.

Thank YOU man! I didn't expect the 12AT7 to do much, and while it doesn't radically change the sound, it did improve things for the better.

@@ZeroFidelity Thats great Sean , I had a feeling the lower gain and quality of the tube would make a difference , I have already spent a grand buying tube/valves I been rolling tubes like crazy both Power/Pre tubes , And one thing i have heard for the 'MOST' part is that one tube doesn't sound better than the other tube, its the Synergy pairing with Speaker/Front end. Example My Elac ub52s sound best with the Golden lions Imho. While my 🔺 40th Comete sound best with my Psvane classic tubes 😆 (quality does matter also) Hope that made since. But me loving the Doge 😆 Thanks again Sean for the shoutout think i done gained like 40 subscriber's 😃

Thanks @Zero Fidelity for the hint. @@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120 I loved a couple of videos I have watched from your channel. I'll stay tuned. Keep it up.

@@javierartimemuniz7044 Thank you !!

Zero I got some more pretubes on order may take about 2 weeks but would like you to try out the Psvane classic 12at7 actually 'seems' to have lower gain than the Golden lions 12at7 and much smoother but the lions have very good clarity ! Sean i am having so much fun tube rolling ! Can't wait to review the Doge but i was asked to wait until Sept 😥

No man you did the right thing buying Parasound products John Curl the designer did the right thing just because this thing is from Italy doesn't mean is exceptional I own Technics class AA amplifier with my C 19 Carver vacuum tube preamp and I love the sound

@@OscarSanchez-tk3hx No one here is saying that it is good because it is from Italia. But obiouvsly it is pretty good and more obiouvsly it comes from Italia.

Simplicity is the way to go. Always.

haha Thanks for the tip!

Exactly, I fully agree, I have the same well matched couple near 1.5 years. But now I replaced Mojo with Mojo 2! And now it is even better - imaging, instrument separation, depth, bass control. It is pretty fresh setup (2 weeks) but the differences are very obvious. And also I'm not going for anything else :)

@@tunio14ify Very nice and glad to hear that. What kind of speakers are you utilizing? I currently have Sonus Faber Venere 2.5 that I enjoy. They do well with a variety of music but shine with Classical , Jazz, some soft rock. Hard rock not so much.

Vincent SV 237 MK is on my list, is it bad compare to this unico primo? Can we the noob change the tube in the unico primo?

@@wilsentwins The Vincent may be designed in Germany but as I recall made in China and the build quality of the Primo appears to be superior. The Primo is a powerful amp for it''s size. I have a 15x17 room and it drives my Dynaudio Special 40s and JBL 1600 HDI speakers to mid 80s db level at 3 to 4 out of 10 increments on the volume knob. The sound is round, nuanced, full, and tonally pleasing with lots of detail and "space". In comparison, the Vincent which I had for 30 days even after breaking, never matched the Primo for nuance, air and sound stage detail and scale. It was one of those products that just kind of presented the music with detail and good balance but it didn't "breathe" like the Primo. It sounded more solid-state while the Primo definitely gives you more tube flavor. With the Primo, changing the single tube has a marked impact on the sound. I have tested about eight different tubes in mine and it revealed each tubes character. (NOS RCA, PSVANE and Gold Lion Genelex being best in my opinion) Changing the tube in the Vincent seemed to yield little change. Vincent puts the tube up front in a little glass viewing space with a reflector behind it and a colored light. This arrangement make it difficult to get your fingers in there and change the tube. Seems like an audiophile version of a blue light on your back porch to attract flies. I also have a Schiit Freya+ and an Aegir amp. With a good cable these will run you $2000. Add a second Aegir and you are at $2800 all in with dual mono amps. This setup would be far superior to the Vincent for the same cost. In comparison, The Schiit setup is be a bit better than the Primo but they are very close and I listen to both. The Schiit setup also is three pieces and takes up more real estate. I never feel at all slighted listening to the Primo in comparison. I use a Bluesound streamer into a Schiit Gungnir DAC or an Audio Lab CRT transport for CDs.

@@fletchermunson6225 thanks for sharing all the details bro, appreciate it. I also keep an eye on schiit, i thought schiit was worse than vincent. in my country it is not easy to ab testing hifi.

@@wilsentwins This is just an opinion. I'd give a listen to the Vincent. It does offer lots of features and if you like it, well, who is to say what you will be satisfied with.

@@fletchermunson6225 bro, I just read it again, are you saying we can use aegir + vidar together?

I owned that one, too... the original with the solid block wood remote with only volume up and down. I wish I hadn't sold that amp... It was gorgeous, and sounded beautiful.

My favorite components usually come from the more obscure companies! Thanks for watching!

Sounds like a nice match. Which speakers? And how does the amp sound at 90-95db?

@@JPWinters KLH Concords which are like 94dB efficient, so the amp hits dynamic peaks over 100dB no problem. I normally listen at like 70-85dB average.I wouldn't know for 90dB average as it would hurt my ears too much.

I got ya , Thomas I will email you on me lunch break today , pulling those 12hr shifts shhhhweee !

I've got some killer 5751's that I'd love to hear in this unit. Paired with my Goldenear BRX I can imagine what the sonics overall would be like. Both are holo/spacial specialists, hang on baby.

@@stevensullivan5287 I have a GE 5751 in mine and it works wonders. The secret with this amp is to change the stock tube as soon as you can. It became such a better amp after the tube swap.

@@danielblais5047 Thanks for the insight, was pretty sure it would make a difference.

@@stevensullivan5287 tried a Gold Lion B759 yesterday. Wow, this is even better than the 5751. A little darker, more spacious presentation and deeper bass!

Thanks for sharing! I confess to purposefully omitting a fact from this review: I owned the original Unico. :D. I decided to say nothing as I know tons of people would expect me to recall an experience I had with a product from over 10 years ago as though it were yesterday. That said, what I do recall matches your experience. The original had a softer top-end and more of a romantic sound. It was extremely pleasant to the ears! Most of the time anyway. The problem was that the original homogenized the sound and wouldn't be happy with certain genres of music, like say, rock or electronic. The Primo seems more resolute and happy to play any form of music, with the tradeoff being that boost to the HF. I could see it not playing well with those Rainmakers or most speakers with metal domes.

@@ZeroFidelity Still have the original with two tubes. Was warmer, more organic, soulful and funky. As far as volume and Rock? I dare you to listen to the Allman's "At Fillmore East" through that amp. The Kevin gray rendition will knock you down with tone and color! And that's through a speaker rated at 86 sensitivity. Sound did remain warm at volume and sounded robust. Still running original military grade Phillips tubes!

It's a great time to love music and the gear that makes it sound awesome!

What ? ! Only if it is a volume knob operation that is reset to no volume each time it is turned off, othewise it is a speaker's killer

Seriously?

yes!

yes! @@fetaface1203

It really would be.

I was thinking how it would be great with my Denton 80th Anniversary, which is even more rolled off then those Lintons, or the Denton 85th Anniversary editions. But yea, it would be great with anything from that line, and probably the Diamond line too. Which I also love. Wharfedale speakers definitely don't get enough love IMHO. ✌️

Did you buy the Unico for the Lintons?

Dang! A missed opportunity.

@@ZeroFidelity hi, I want to buy this amp , please tell me that KLH MODEL 5 is appropriate with this amp

Look at this, read the reviews avahifi.com/collections/solid-state-power-amplifiers/products/set-120-control-amplifier

@@jamescox4823 Honestly James. Having owned AVA products before, and not being very impressed at all. I seriously doubt that's anywhere near the SQ of this amp. I mean we're talking an actual tube preamp, with actual gain. Versus just adding more gain to an amp, and calling it a passive preamp. I'll take the two separate gain stages myself. All day, every day, and twice on Tuesdays. Thank you very much. Besides, it's a completely different sound signature anyway. Not to mention it's not made in Italy by a company that also makes $50,000 integrated tube amps. Sorry, but it's just on a lower rung. And while sure, many people will like it. How many will honestly like it better then the Unico? Besides Frank Van Alstine I mean. 🤣🤣🤣

@@amb3cog You are wrong, you need to listen to this amp. I have many amps including pure tube ultra valves and this one is categorically better. Do a little research, read all the reviews on this. My guess is you think B&W speakers sound good?

@@jamescox4823 Whatever you say Troll! ✌️

@@amb3cog So I call BS on your OPINION and the name calling starts! So now that we have established you are an opiniated snob we also know your political affiliation. Again I have several tube components and this amp is really good, esp paired with my Dennifrips DAC.

What the heck is a " wild interiors"

No biggie! Opened cover’s more than enough! Who cares about the other interior? 😆

Specs ate their website say 1 subwoofer out so I think that may be L/R sub out.

The original Unico had a softer sound. The tradeoff is that the sound was a bit more rough around the edges - in that budget kinda way.

@@ZeroFidelity A lifetime of life has wrecked my memory of how it sounded. I just remember liking it at the time.

@@2ridiculous41 - It was and still is a very easy integrated amplifier to like. Glad it was a part of your journey!

@@ZeroFidelity YIKES!!! You said "part of your journey"!!! Just when I thought you had avoided the language conformity pandemic amongst hifi reviewers. "Holographic", "your journey"...

PS I hate you guys a little bit, this amp is more expensive here in Italy than in the USA. Brutti stronzi!!!

Hello. What speakers do use with this amp? I have the same and I'm looking for bookshelves that will be the best match. Thank you.

Surprisingly enough - it's a very good match. So long as the treble switch on the KLH is on the minimum setting.

@@ZeroFidelity: preference: Unico Primo or Yamaha A-S1200 to pair with the KHL Model 5?

There is no DAC inside the Unico Primo.

Very similar in terms of ideal speaker matching, yep.

I had 3 integrated amps: Naim Supernait 3, M6si & Unico Primo (with the stock tube replaced by a GE 5751). Tried all 3 with my Harbeth M30.1. I sold the M6si as I found it had too much grit in the trebble and the soundstage was too forward. The Supernait 3 is now paired with my Martin Logan Montis in another system while the Primo is happy driving the Harbeths. This is one of the most underestimated integrated amps out there... if you replace the stock tube...

@@danielblais5047 do you think the primo has better sound quality then the supernait 3 ?

@@enjoyunreality That is a tough question. I think if you factor in price: yes. In absolute terms where price is not factored in, I think the Naim is more revealing and has more drive, especially with harder to drive speakers like my Martin Logan Montis. I now have a Gold Lion tube in the Primo and I think it makes sweeter with small jazz ensembles or vocal music. At more than 2X the price, you have to realy dedicated to go for the Naim instead of the Primo...

Thanks for watching Scott! The Primo is a great amp for sure, and a very solid value at its current asking price.

I don't doubt a 40watts amp can sound loud but... a 100 watts, 150 watts, 200 watts amp will keep its composure at high levels, as in all the frequencies are carried together with the same balance

@@claudionesdebologna2533 It's not that simple at all. It depends on the speakers, and the amps. And the room, and the max volume you listen at. There's plenty of 200 watt amps that can't drive a pair of Magnepan LRS speakers, but a 70 watt Hegel, or a 60 watt Naim will drive them all day. That's why I said to give it a try. And besides it's not a 40 watt amp. It's an 80 watt per channel @ 8ohms amp. And it will power most speakers to reasonable listening volumes in most rooms. But no it's not going to play at 100db happily, unless you have very efficient speakers. I own about 20 pairs of speakers, and this amp will drive them all in my room just fine. Same as that 40 watt Marantz did. Watts is probably the most misleading spec out there. Every single new audiophile spends way too much time concentrating on watts, and many other basically meaningless specs. Watts does not tell you the amount of current the amp has, and that's what really matters in most cases. You, and everyone else out there should do themselves a huge favor, and stop looking at specs. And start concentrating on the equipments abilities in the real world, and on who designed it. Some of the best amps you'll ever hear are low wattage.

Still a good ways out. I appreciate your enthusiasm!

Did you get the unison? How was it