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Review 2 of 2
Price Paid:
$450.00 Summary:
This is a swedish integrated amplifier,which I bought in London UK, featuring four line-level inputs, a preout and a low-level output which can be used for record output (no tape monitoring). Two wonderfully finished pairs of gold-plated binding posts allow all kinds of cable terminations. All input and output sockets are gold-plated, as the Primare is one of the best finished amplifiers I've ever seen. As for aesthetics, the picture above says a lot, but you really need to see it to realise how good looking it is.
Technically, the Primare A10 50wpc with huge torodial transformer, with a remote that controls volume, mute and source selecting and dims the display (yes, it has a display, which tells you about the volume and the selected input). Switching is via relays, with a very sensitive output protection that sends the amp into stand-by whenever current peaks or shortings occur. There is a stand-by button on the fascia and a switch under the left side, which means the preamp circuits are to be left on all the time, so there's no need for warm-up.
Build is top quality: the alloy fascia is semi-detached, the aim being to reduce interference from the display electronics. The chassis is made with two interlocked U-shaped sections in order to increase rigidity, and the lid is made of steel (BTW, this is a heavy beast; if you judge quality by the weight you'll love this amp). Controls are all chrome-plated, including the step-by-step digital attenuator that controls the volume, which adds to the perceived quality and makes this amp one of the most beautiful pieces of hi-fi equipment I know.
First impressions were quite good. As the burn in went on I was getting more and more impressed by this swedish beauty's abilities: never had I heard an amplifier that could handle well so many kinds of music, with classical, it manages to sound warm and delicate one minute and authoritative and ballsy the next.
Treble benefits from the amp's extreme refinement, sounding smooth and pleasant but with outstanding detail retrieval and extension, while bass is taut, organic and terrifically musical, but capable of a huge slam when needed. The midrange is transparent and natural, the dual mono specification assuring fantastic separation and extremely good focus. Vocals and solo instruments are projected resolutely into the middle of a very wide and deep soundstage, and percussions are almost palpable and delivered with tremendous energy. There's always a sense of naturalness and credibility that's pretty tasty.
But, despite all its refinement, the Primare A10 is not a thin-sounding or analytical amplifier: its smooth nature hides a powerful and explosive character, which reveals when playing rock or dance material. Its accurate sense of timing makes the most of the foot-tapping ability, and it can drive my speaker to sing like I had never heard them before.
The scale and three-dimensionality brought to my system by the Primare amaze me so much I can't really point any shortcomings. Sometimes it sounds a tad dark and dense, but it all goes away when I feed it with fresher music, so it's really a sort of irrelevant detail, not a real problem.
As you might have guessed, I really like this amp. The Primare is a terrific amplifier, both sonically and aesthetically. It has everything anyone has a right to expect at its price-tag, looks good and sounds superb. It is all about musicality, but does not overgloss detail. It is powerful yet refined. Cultured, yet funky and foot-tapping. Whatever else can we expect from an amp at this price?
Five stars - in the impossibility of giving it six. Go buy it! Strengths:
Musicality, naturalnes, EXCELLENT BUILD LIKE A TANK, neutral sound,charming! Weaknesses:
Remote is a bit on a plastic side! Similar Products Used:
Krell, Parasound, Levinson, Rotel, Audio research, Musical Fidelity, Cyrus!
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