HIGH-END Sound Using CLASS D - Primare Pre35 Prisma & A35.2 Review
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- Опубликовано: 28 июн 2024
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📌 PRIMARE REVIEW: HIGH-END Sound Using CLASS D - Primare Pre35 Prisma & A35.2 Review
00:00 PRIMARE A35.2 AMPLIFIER + PRIMARE PRE35 PRIMSA PREAMP REVIEW
01:00 PRIMARE PRE35 PRISMA REVIEW - THE ESSENTIAL INFO
02:32 PRIMARE A35.2 POWER AMPLIFIER - THE ESSENTIAL INFO
03:40 SETTING UP THE PRIMARE PRE35 + MY ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
04:53 THE PRE35 DISPLAY - JUST USE THE APP
05:27 PRIMARE SOUND QUALITY (BASS, MIDRANGE, TREBLE)
08:20 SOUNDSTAGE AND DYNAMICS
09:43 AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
11:28 COMPARISONS: PRIMARE vs YAMAHA, ANTHEM and TECHNICS
12:55 MY FINAL THOUGHTS
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I always liked Primare. They are on my short-list if I should need new gear.
When speaking about Class D there is a shared advantage those amps which deserves to be mentioned a little more, their power efficiency as opposed to the class AB amps and even more so the class A amps.
Not saying the the power usage should be the factor that guides one choice of amp, but is a factor to consider none the less. Like for example my ML amp uses almost 100 watt unless in standby, so either I go and switch on and off all the time or, if I just leave it on, it costs me about $1 a day in power (power is expensive here in Denmark). Plus, while in the winter those 100 watt works out as room heating, in the summer time that heat is unneeded and at time certainly unwanted (and those with an AC will use power to get rid of the heat).
@@bzdtempAnother advantage to efficiency is power supply options. Power supplies are costly. Class D potentially leaves more room in a manufacturers budget for more beneficial components. Right now the issue with class D is its complexity in the design and topology. Probably some patent and licensing issues as well. I’m pretty sure 99% of current class D amps are built with off the shelf, mass market and economical components from Texas Instrument’s. Until they or someone else decide to build or license a more high end Class D modules they’ll all mostly have similar performance. Class D is has the potential to perform as good or better than any other type of amplification. It’s just the pioneers of the relatively new Class D technology haven’t focused on the high end market.
Very nice pair but at $6,000 and $7,000 AUD they aren't for me. $5,300 USD for the pair is around ($8,000 AUD currency conversion). At $13,000 AUD local price for the pair goes to show we get ripped off as usual.
Yep, I have great Class A/B (Parasound 2125v2, Arcam AVR5) and shitty Class A/B (Emotiva BasX-A3, Denon x3700H).
I also have great Class D (NAD C298 which is similar to NAD M23, Parasound Zonemaster 2).
Apple Music lossless
Andrew and I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend. Thanks for hanging with us today.
Yes 🎉🎉🎉thank you
I have an ATI Class D amp and it has been terrific. Class D is my first choice now.
Haha "Lagom" one of the best Swedish words there is! I'm glad it made it across the pond. Great video as always.
Excellent review Andrew, I must admit I’ve always had a soft spot for the Primare aesthetics. Strikes me as beautifully put together kit👍👍
I just love how Primare present their Audio lines . Stunning yet unfussy.. Only ever owned 1 amplifier from this brand (expensive) and I still own it .
This was good review. This is a costly D class set up and I always wonder about reviewer bias, but you were honest. The pictures of the amp internal layout indicate there was some thought put into its design. Good D class is difficult to design and easy to manufacture, the converse is true for A class. From a consumer perspective, the major drawback is we are still paying top dollar for D class configuration. Cost aside, this set up would suit my personal audio needs....if the pair were about 20% less costly. Consumer has to draw his line in the sand somewhere.
Yes!!!! You reviewed Primare! Thank you so much. This pre-amp has been around for many years now which is why I think it doesn't have HDMI, it wasn't as popular when it was released.
Hi Andrew,i absolutely LOVEEE the Primare look😍 But i have to say, this combo absolutely deserves to be compared to the NAD M66/M23 combo! Really looking forward to that one 🙂↔️
Kristi requested the M66 a couple of months ago but I'm not sure NAD is sending it or not.
I heard this exact setup on b&w 800d1's. It was an absolute blast! The control over the speakers is absolutely mind-blowing. Thanks for this review Andrew and Kristy!
That Technics is so classy.
Word
Not so "cheap" and in addition you have to get phono and headphones pre amps, and connecting cables, with a further increase in price. No HDMI and no sub out and the latter one means that almost no stand mount speakers can be used. Finally, I am a traditionalist and I'm not that crazy about all of the programing and "app stuff" to be done with a phone. It is for sure very stylish, though! Having said all of the above, this product is not for me, if I were in the market to spend $5-6,000 for amplification I would look elsewhere, Yamaha and McIntosh come to mind. As always, a very competent and complete review.
I wasn’t really interested in this amp, but I’m glad I watched for the entertaining commentaries 😊
I'll admit to appreciating the minimalist aesthetic but I'm not sure I understand who's buying these. There's a lot of options at this price point and I'd take the Technics (R1000 drool) over these on specs and design. Always happy to see a new review from a brand I know nothing about, thanks for bringing us something different (at least for me) this morning.
*If anyone is considering the Primare set, it looks like all Primare are on sale here* bit.ly/3wFHre4
Agree on HDMI for sure. A color screen would have been nice with a better UI. Great review.
Great review as always! Andrew when you described the neutrality it reminded me of your NAD M33 review. I was surprised it was not in the comparison.
Honestly, I forgot, apologies. Thanks for turning in all the same.
That would have been a good one to compare. Noting this one for Friday's Unplugged.
Good Sunday morning Andrew and Kristi. Great review. I don't think you ever had a NAD M23 amp with the Purifi Eigentakt technology in for review but that would be an interesting comparison against the A35.2 as both are in the same power and price range. The M23 has received a lot of praise the past few years. Thanks again and looking forward to Friday's discussion. Thanks again for all these great reviews.
NAD M33 was too colourless for his tastes if I remember correctly.
Great Sunday everyone!
Hey, thanks for tuning in!
Afonso! Good to see you.
@@KristiWright exited for next week's unplugged!
Morning, Andrew and Kristi!
Hello :)
Morning!
Hey there! Happy Sunday!!
Hey! Thanks for tuning in!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews always!
That setup is insane!
You forgot my beloved NAD! My dream M23 & M66! Maybe a bit more expensive but in the same ballpark I think. Plus the M66 had Dirac live bass control, phono stage, HDMI, and MDC expansion slots...plus blueos! I recall you had similar sonic reservations about the M33 back when you reviewed that.
yep.
As much as i love my Parasound 2125v2, i upgraded to the class D NAD c298 (similar to ND m23) and it’s even better.
source =Apple music lossless
"At least it didn't catch on fire". Classic line...
😄
HAHA. The door was wide open. We just walked through it. LOL.
Hope you're enjoying the long weekend.
@@KristiWright my wedding anniversary!
Happy Anniversary!!
Great site here Thank you 🤙🏻
Happy Sunday, good people! Away from hifi and home theater, I follow industrial design. Primare’s gear looks like Arne Jacobsen or Alvar Aalto were on the team. And the fit and finish appears to be top of the tree. Am I wrong to want something that looks this good (and does its primary job) for under a grand?
Winding down a fantastic weekend with the Robinsons!
🤩
Great company. I've been reading about them for 40 years. Very good class ab amps in the 90s
Classy looking gear!
Hi !!
@@KristiWright hey Kristi!! Looking forward to this weeks follw up video w your take. Cheers!
You two make excellence look so easy! Love this episode. Interesting that the g700m2 is mentioned in the same conversation at 1/2 the price.
Now I’m going to catch up and go watch Friday’s episode!
Thanks! That they could handle the 801 sig's is a heck of an endorsement and goes a long way in my book.
6:50 those B&W'S 🤤🤤🤤🤤 one day I've have an all hi-fi setup
They're something else! Going to check out your new video later this afternoon once I get through writing our next review!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews no Rush I know you'll get around to it...
I can only dream of those b&w’s however i do have a pair of 703 s2’s being driven by a primare a32 power amp and the sound is so warm and lush
I personally prefer running all my speakers full-range, which is fine because I'm in a really small room with a dead front and a live back. And the only bookshelves I run these days are the SSCS5s, OG PSB Alphas, and whatever else I happen to pick up from the Goodwill I work at. Now the PSBs can't really take a ton of volume and so I'm gentle with them.
But just in general it seems like bass management would have really been incredibly easy to implement. Even just a couple of options for high-pass filtering since most subs have built-in crossovers. That's just a weird decision to make, especially given the price point.
Dry/Neutral would not be for me. Looks promising though. Great video.
Thanks for watching!
In my book, it’s yet another damn good product, that could’ve been perfect if they just paid attention to the market and focused on the details, rather than just the whole picture. Soooo many brands are doing it right now, it’s so weird. Like the lead designer for a lot of brands is the same dude, who just decided to make these products all different with one or two identical flaws. So weirdly reminiscent of each other.
Either way, lovely review and yes, that food comment was awesome haha.
Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday! Stay cool there Texans!
Thanks for the review! Speaking of amps, have you ever heard, or even plan to review, an Audia Flight amp? Currently thinking about buying one, that's why I'm asking. Have a nice Sunday
In the words of Kristi
: You forgot one…The Crown XLS, I can already hear the typing in the comments. But seriously I’ll love what yall do and the production quality that is put into the videos. (Also can’t wait for the remodel video, I’ve been curious since the first video of the year)
Afternoon Andrew & Kristi👍👍
Morning! Thanks for joining us this fine Sunday. Hope your day is off to a great start.
Kadie's at it again! :)
@@KristiWright costing me a fortune in dog treats, thankfully the txt plan for the mobile is pretty cheap🤣🤣
@@kjbunnyboiler haha
KJ, I have to ask about your handle, specifically the 'boiling of bunnies.' 😂
Great video! I was contemplating the Primare Pre35 DM36 to pair wirelessly (via WiSA) with my Mesanovic active speakers. But the price is a little steep when the Eversolo A8 does the same thing (albeit without the WiSA wireless connection) for half the price. They probably sound the same too since they are both incredibly neutral
I find it to be a product targeted for s small select audience with eclectic tastes that want Class D amplification with sufficient power to drive difficult speakers . Andrew, I applaud the concise way that you described this pair of components. Excellent job, sir. I am looking forward to a colorful variety of opinions to be espoused by Kristi, as I am sure everyone is. Keep up the fantastic work and I hope that your Memorial Weekend was memorable. Thank you!
Can you all PLEASE Review the new Qualio IQ ULTRA Loudspeakers ! THANKS !!
Class D done right can be a very accurate simulation of a real amplifier. Personally I prefer Class AB, which doesn't employ high frequency oscillators in the circuit like Class D but there are some very good implementations of Class D that overcome most of it's faults.
I'll continue to hang with neighboring Viking country highly regarded Hegel Integrated amps. Hegel's don't have a ton of features (no bult in hdmi, no dsp, no bass management, no streaming app just a renderer). However, the Hegel AB power amp section, in all their amps, is fantastic. If you love flavorful bass and neutral, yet full body midrange, a Hegel integrated is the Nordic amp to purchase.
For a while, I tried to get Hegel in-house for a review since so many of you talk so positively about them, but unfortunately, they want us to review their products.
@@KristiWright Thank you Kristi for doing all you can to bring to us a broad band of hifi gear. I suspect that Hegel don't want their products to be compared with similarly priced amps. Many of us like Hegel amps, but similarly to Sony TVs, there is a "Hegel tax". Thank you both.
I bought A35.2 and it's very nice to acoustic music. But somtimes you need warmth for other kinds of music. So my solution was ro get a tube preamp. That combo is good.
What preamp do you use?
@@zachariahadams I use a Musical Paradise mp-701 with exchanged tubes. The result with Primare is more base, fuller midrange and not a dry top.
@@mikaelsjogren6315 I haven't used any of the modern stuff. Just what I've collected off the resell market.
Hi Andrew, Excellent review, as usual. I remember that you listened to the A35.2 with the Eversolo Dmp A8. Were they a good match? If they were, using the Eversolo would supply many of the features that you found lacking in Primare’s own pre-amp. I think the A35.2 is available in a black version which would be a better visual match.
The Anthem STR is a fantastic option from personal experience. I totally agree that the phono pre-amp is very good indeed.
Yep, I have great Class A/B (Parasound 2125v2, Arcam AVR5) and shitty Class A/B (Emotiva BasX-A3, Denon x3700H).
I also have great Class D (NAD C298 which is similar to NAD M23, Parasound Zonemaster 2).
Apple Music lossless
Hi great review of a very good brand! Thanks. How does this dac/amp combi compare to a dac found in e.g. the denon 3800h when you use it with its pre outs to a better more powerfull power amp?
Thanks for review
Thanks so much for watching!
How's your weekend going so far, Craig! Thanks for always joining us.
@@KristiWright up in a mountain resort in California called Big Bear. Great weather so far. Thanks for asking Kristi
@@craigosterberg5045 I"ve never been to Big Bear. I bet the weather is fantastic. Enjoy!
Hi Andrew and Kristi! I was looking forward for this review. Did you "mixed and matched" the pre and power amp with other ones you have in house? Maybe using the Primare pre with the Audiolab 8300XP or the Eversolo with the Primare power amp? Any thoughts on how that would affect the sound or maybe suit different tastes? Any plans to do that type of mix and match video?
Have a great week and once again, huge fan of your channel!
I know you’ve been a fan of the Audiolab 8300XP, how does it compare to the A35.2, and is the A35.2 worth twice the price? I own the 8300XP, no desire to change, but always nice to have an eye on what could be next!!
The Pre lacking any Eq and bass management makes it a miss for me.
Thanks for the review. Look forward to Kristi’s take of course!!
Could you do a review of the HiFi Rose RA280? Would love to see that!
When are y’all reviewing the b&w 800 series? Eagerly awaiting that review!
Dear Andrew, thank you for you elaborated review , but regarding the speakers proposed in you set up , could you also recomment some other options and could you connect a head phone through a head phone amp?
My Kitty Kat also listens ... bur she does seem to like it too. She finally came in from the wild due to a blizzard...she went into hiding for days until i put Fripp and Eno's Evening Star on.
As much as i love my Parasound 2125v2, i upgraded to the class D NAD c298 (similar to ND m23) and it’s even better.
source =Apple music lossless
i also love my class D Parasound zonemaster 2 (class a/b input stage)
Hoping you review the Klipsch RF-7 III speakers soon!
Visually pleasing duo, could not hope for more from the Nordic design language. If bridged could you still drive difficult speaker loads (let's say 3-4 ohms) with a pair of these Primare amplifiers or would you have to watch the speaker impedance closely so not the get in any trouble?
Missing phono might be explained by their $1800 dedicated MM/MC preamp, missing HDMI ARC - by their $6000 AVR - SPA25, which while it has 9 amp channels, Dirac, etc, uses only HDMI 2.0b, so apart from price consideration, it is somewhat outdated already, but still it won EISA award. Their integrated amps also don't have ARC, none of them.
It is an interesting company, probably on par with Anthem and Arcam, but with similar problems, like - wait ages for Roon or that firmware fix.
If say, three different brand amplifiers all have totally neutral sound signatures does that mean all three amps will sound the same? Does that mean only the power output would be different. Because if that’s the case, the deciding factor would only be features, connections and power output. Do I have that right?
Hello there! Can you please do a top 5 stereo integrated amp that are under or around $1k price range?
Thanks in advance! Great review btw.
The description of how the A52.2 sounds sounds just like you'd describe the Benchmark AHB2. I wonder which is better... and what Primare has put into the A52.2. Is it really a newly developed, exclusive to Primare module or is it just IcePower, nCore, Purifi or even a Ti amp in a fancy box?
"Not just the ones you know how to cook."
-Andrew "Throwin' It Down" Robinson
Hello,would be nice to compare to NAD M23 + M66
Was really hoping for a Primare SPA25 review.
Apparently its the most powerful integrated amp they make.
Or even the 35.8 with all channels bridged and connected bi-amp style.
Waiting to see if i can in home demo as i have just tried the Lyngdorf tdai-3400 and definitely wasnt wowed.
Heres hoping the Primare can do better.
Also curious how this compares to the Michi line up?
Oh sure...Now that Pioneer has been taken over by Onkyo and forced to drop the SC line of D3 powered AVR's...Now let's all cheer D3 !!! Their amps put out more power per channel than all those A-B heat stacks. And when playing back compressed content...engaging the Advanced Sound Retriever gave the pioneer an untouchable personality....
LOVE my Pioneer Class D.
hello andrew! What would your top 5 AVR receivers be (onkyo, sony, yamaha, denon)?
Can't wait for you to review more products like the HT-A9 and Bravia. Sony can't be the only manufacturer of Atmos solutions like this.
It's a good looking package, it's way out of my budget. I started using my crown xls that I bought for my subwoofer for my 2 channel listening. It has so much power it drives my speakers with authority and I like the neutral sound of class d. I designed my speakers to have some nice character so I don't need an amp to add to it. I would like to try maybe a purfi or hypex in the future but I am still on the fence with class d . I was thinking about trying buckeye. But I feel class d has some good things and bad things about it.
engaging class d perhaps there hope
I think at this point the solution is to get a Wiim whatever has the feature set you want, then add a high quality pre amp/DAC of your liking and a power amp like the Primare, if you want great sound and great usability. May not look as neat, but it works and sounds great. I mean, even if there is HDMI, is the user experience really as good as with Wiim?
I'm almost 100% with you about Primare. Ever since I listen to I think to myself yeh that's good and the same time… humm…it's missing something. Well not quite my cup of tea
Agree - missing microdynamics perhaps.
See you guys next Friday 👋
OK I cleared my head and I’m back. I love separates but no HDMI and no sub control are major misses especially at this price point.
Morning!
Morning!
What up, Veltman!
You pronounce lagom good enough.
YAY!
I wonder Primare preamp compares to already reviewed Eversolo A8 or a very famous Geshelli J2
I have the Primare i25 integrated (without streamer module). The biggest advantage of Primare is a very clean and detail sound without being bright. You can actually hear and understand lyrics. The dynamics and musicality is similar to class AB at the same price point but the clarity and openness is from $10k + amplifiers.
Neutral is good. One less thing to think about in the chain. And isnt an amp supposed to do the only thing it is supposed to do, amplify? Personally, nothing should be coloured and if anything needs to, it should be the speakers.
Thanks for reading in advance.
At $5000AUD I'm torn between the Onkyo RZ-70 and Yamaha N2000A or even the Yamaha RX-A8A (Note: Sony ES7000 not available in Australia.) Will only be used for 2-channel (and not in a dedicated listening room.)
Having reviewed alll, but not commented/compared them directly. What would you assessment be?
-All use the same ESS Sabre ES9206 DAC
-All use dual mono topology
-All have bass management
-All have room correction (DIRAC vs YPAO)
-You gave both excellent reviews
-All have more than enough grunt to drive the speakers I have/intend-to-use.
-V. Important!!! All have an FM tuner (must have feature that rules out some of the competition like the NAD M 10 V2 for example)
-All have excellent modern connectivity with EARC.
-All are controllable from a phone.
Only reason I'm leaning towards the RZ70 (or A8A) is that I could use it in the upstairs media room and run the down-stairs 2 channel system as 'Speaker-B' (though to be fair, could do that with the existing RZ-50...) But would love to hear your and Kristy's input.
Kind regards
Jordan.
Actually laughed out loud at “At least the primaire didn’t catch on fire.” Thanks for that.
I 100% agree that at this price point, not having HDMI and a solid phono preamp is a big swing and a miss. I can’t imagine those two components being either difficult or expensive to implement for the asking price of this preamp.
Now, as a software engineer and interface designer, I would have omitted that poor excuse for a display entirely and focused more on a vastly improved in-app experience. Design is important, and it doesn’t stop with the industrial design phase. I wish more manufacturers understood this.
Sonos obviously missed the memo on this. It kinda looks like maybe Primaire just read the cliff’s notes. Maybe that’s too harsh? I dunno.
You have to hang on to the A, long A, Laaaaagom!😎🤓
It's a narrow target bit i have to admit I'm in it.
No hdmi, tome controls for personal taste makes the many avr’s a better choice. Need more power? Second party amps. Can’t add hdmi to the the primare
Hi Andrew,
I followed your links to Crutchfield and research from there lead me to conclude that the PRE35 came out in 2019 or 2020, so the lack of HDMI and eArc may be explained from there. Also the PRE35 has Apple AirPlay but not AirPlay 2, so your connection issues might stem from there? The Crutchfield review mentioned a firmware upgrade for AirPlay 2 but had no ETA.
The discount on the preamplifier, and that the amplifier was only available in their scratch and dent shop, lead me to believe that these models are due for retirement / replacement.
Not bad if you don’t mind not having the latest models and wanted high end HiFi.
Primare does include Dirac Live in some of their products. Shame they didn't here. We need that HDMI eARC, dammit.😅
Thanks Very good explanation about the product but they have AVR and AV PRE-PRO also any review plan for that
Personally I was waiting for Arcam products review through your chanel last 2 years any news please update
Arcam is coming.
@@andrewrobinsonreviewslooking forward to that, as a lover of my 2007 AVR300 that’s still going strong and makes my JBL HDI 3800’s sing (both products that Harman has neglected for far too long).
Out of interest, what acoustic treatment has been employed in that room?
Morning!!!
Morning, Leezah!
Morning. So glad to see you!
Good morning Leezah!
Hi Leezah!!
Hopefully you'll get to checkout TEAC gear sometime.
We had some of their gear but decided not to review it. It wasn't quite competitive enough IMO.
@robinsonbrand it's a little out of reach competitive wise...the TEAC competes on that next level...great value in hifi..
Sooo... Class D done right, no skewing towards bright, lean sound at higher volume levels?
Nope. At least not in our observations.
Right on. For that money im looking at ps audio or maybe even McIntosh
I am very curious about PS Audio following this review. As for McIntosh, big fan!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews saw the ps audio room at axpona. Pretty impressive for an installation like that at an over crowded tradeshow. Their smallest towers w no subs produced serious bass. And as a fanboy, i love the look of all their gear in white/silver
@@andrewrobinsonreviews said hello briefly to Paul, and let him be. Everyone wanted to chew his ear off.
I would really like for you to review the Buckeye Class D amp with Purifi ET400A modules and benchmark it with all the other class D amplifiers you have reviewed along with other AB amps.
Yes, and a buckeye with a hypex ncore/ncorex module too. And find an amp with the hypex nilai module, like from VTV or someone. Wish buckeye would offer Nilai modules.
I may buy a Buckeye, but it'll be a hypex ncore one because they're significantly more powerful than the purifi and I don't think the purifi sounds better, and it costs more.
Hi Andrew and Kristi sorry to ask a question that requires an answer from memory. How does this Swedish pair compare to NAD M33 . On both reviews Andrew couldn’t stop mentioning how neutral these units sound like. “M33 is too good “ and “ welcome to what neutral sound like” tells a similar story dare I say.
They're very comparable in that both have the power to do whatever you want, though for the money the M33 from NAD is the better value based on features and user customization.
Now this sounds like my kind of gear. I'm a big fan of speakers that bring me the music the musician intended and when the rest of the equipment does this as well I'm sold. The R11 Metas are one of my Unicorns but I think a set of high end JBLs may be a perfect pairing in neutrality.
Excellent review, thanks guys.
NOTE: Excellent sales point "At least it didn't catch fire..."
Also, Carl would buy it just SO he can complain.
Carl would do that 😂 Total Carl move.
been saying exactly the same to my customer for years "Neutral King" .
Dear Andrew and Kristi, thanks for the reviews, but what I am missing in the class D reviews of Primare and the amp of Eversolo, is how NAD/Bluesound amps compare. In your video about the NAD C700, the bottom line was that it is a better value than the Naim Uniti Atom, it only did not get your foot tapping as much as the Naim (but if you didn’t had already bought the Naim, you said you would probably buy the NAD). I thought that NAD also does Class D ‘right’? Please comment on this in your aftertalk with Kristi. Other reason to request this is that I think most people know the sound of NAD/Bluesound products, so it would make the reviews a lot better. Actually I think this would be the only way to complete this Class D topic in the right way. Thanks!
Nothing inherently bad about class D. It requires a lot less material than A and B and is a lot more efficient. The drawback is the topology is incredibly complex compared to A and A/B. There are only a few companies with the technical resources to design and produce class D. So most class D amps use off the shelf Texas Instruments chips and PCB’s from a handful of suppliers. These are designed to be economical. I’m sure there will be class D OEM options soon that can compete in the mid to high tiers of audio.
Purifi, Hypex, ICEPower, just to name 3. The first two in particular have perfected the technology for audiophile purposes and not just subwoofers. You cannot get a better amp. Forget the subjectivist BS, class D isn't just the future, it's here now (and been here honestly). ncorex, nilai, eigentacht... three of the leading technologies... you literally cannot buy a better amp, it's endgame, period. Only subjectivist old school audiophile BS denies it, because they can't stand the fact that you can get a PERFECT power amplifier that gives you 300-400 watts/ch into 8 ohms for around 700-1500 bucks buying a hypex/purifi amp from the likes of Buckeye amps, or building it yourself. End game... not "good enough"... I mean, there is not an amp that exists that is better, period, and any claims to the contrary are not rooted in objective measurable reality, period.
@@Artcore103 Audiophonics Purifi and Elac Hypex power amps owner here agrees. The manifestations of audiophile-cope vary from amusing to downright pathetic. They're basically apologising for not being able to criticise the amp. Best quote: "it's too revealing". It's also too powerful and too efficient, then? I love my vintage A/B's, but class D is the futere and it's here, now.
@@Bob.martens yeah... I mean in this review he literally said something along the lines of "there's nothing it does right, but there's nothing it does wrong, and that's kind of the point", which makes zero sense. If it does nothing wrong (which is objectively true about quality class d designs), then by definition it is doing everything right .. unless your definition of "right" are certain subjectively pleasing inaccuracies, like how people like tube amps with their higher second order distortion and harmonics. Like, ok fine, I get it, perhaps that has it's place. But to say it does nothing right? Seriously? It's "boring" because it's approaching a wire with gain, a perfect power amplifier. You're hearing the music, the speaker, and potentially your DAC or preamp if they have any "character" to speak of. That's not boring to me, that's what I want.
I run a tripath ta3020 amplifier right now, that's quite good, but I plan on getting a Buckeye amp with either a hypex ncore/ncorex or purifi, or a VTV amp with the hypex Nilai. They are objectively better now than the tripath stuff, even though it was and is still quite good, and don't have the load dependence issues with frequency response variations, and have a lower noise floor, even lower distortion, and more power. I have high efficiency speakers, horns and pro 15"s, so the low noise floor thing is big, and these hypex and purifi type amps have insanely low noise floors, assuming they're built and implemented properly.
I got a crown xli2500 because I wanted to see what 500 watts per channel could do for me, and while the power certainly could be put to use in my case and had it's benefits, the noise floor is too high and the sound quality, while pretty good, didn't match my ta3020, so it failed as a true HiFi solution. Granted that's a cheap line from crown, they do have more expensive ones so maybe they're better, but the xli (class ab) and xls (class d) stuff from what I can tell just isn't good enough for a true HiFi 2 channel music system. For cheap power for home theater it's probably a good solution.
Hi, may I say something. When I was going to buy Primare, I wrote to them, they put me in contact with the distributor in my country, found a demo in a shop etc. Not many brands do that.
Yeah, that's a rarity.
Good to know! You can get them online here as well bit.ly/46M9m7W and A35.2 here bit.ly/3SGqBnG.
Please don’t bury the lead next time, Andrew! I would argue that the lack of HDMI is pretty much a show stopper for a lot of us. At this point, not being able to watch tv in two channel is unacceptable. These manufacturers need to get on board.
We all know it's a problem. No more vocal than on this channel. welcome to the club brother.
Then you'd have missed the amp section of the review. Yeah, no HDMI is a big issue. For me a show stopper.
@@kadajawi2for me also,technics SU-GX70 has one,Denon ceol N12 has one,marantz 70s stereo has one,marantz 40n has one and probably more of them has hdmi arc
100% showstopper. Me and friends agree. HDMI and CEC are here to stay. Not playing along is not being a player.
At this price you can just get a streamer and plug it in