Primare A35.2 power amplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog sources: Dr. Feickert Analogue Blackbird turntable with Jelco TK-850L tonearm and Koetsu Rosewood Signature Platinum moving-coil cartridge. Digital sources: Apple Mac mini computer running Audirvana+, Chord Qutest DAC; Integra DPS 7.2 CD player (as transport).
Preamplification: EMIA Phono step-up transformer, Musical Surroundings Phonomena II+ phono preamplifier; Rogue Audio RP-7 line-level preamplifier.
Power amplifiers: Bel Canto REF600M, Mytek Hifi Brooklyn, Pass Labs XA25, Rogue Stereo 100, Schiit Audio Aegir, Line Magnetic LM-518 IA (used as a basic amp).
Loudspeakers: Magnepan .7, Harbeth Monitor 30.2, Zu Audio Soul Supreme.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Diamond, Cardas Clear HS USB, Kimber Kable D60 Data Flex Studio (coax). Interconnect: Triode Wire Labs Spirit, Black Cat Coppertone. Speaker: Cardas. AC: AudioQuest Tornado, manufacturers' own.
Accessories: AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner; Harmonic Resolution Systems M3X-1719-AMG GR LF isolation platform; Sound Anchor Reference speaker stands.—Herb Reichert

COMPANY INFO
Primare AB
US distributor: MoFi Distribution
1811 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Chicago, IL 60660
(312) 738-5025
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
JRT's picture

Herb (Cc: JA2 & JA1), Within this review you mentioned your Magnepan 0.7 planar loudspeakers and linked to a partial review (no measurements) from 06 August 2015. You have had a long time with these, and I think a follow up review addendum to that article could be an interesting read, and very much more so if JA1 includes a set of measurements.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

If you deliver free pizza to JA1's home for next couple of months, JA1 may consider doing the measurements of Magnepan .7 speakers ....... Just kidding :-) .......

Bogolu Haranath's picture

Take a look at the measurements of Magnepan LRS ...... .7 measurements could be similar :-) ......

avanti1960's picture

with the 4-ohm terminals on the Harbeths I suggest you again try the 8-ohm terminals.
Doing so should greatly improve the dynamics and impact of the bottom six octaves.

georgehifi's picture

"All measurements were taken with Audio Precision's auxiliary AUX-0025 passive low-pass filter, which eliminates noise above 200kHz. Without the filter, there was 433mV of ultrasonic noise present at the loudspeaker terminals."

Of course they had to be other wise it would have looked like this.
https://www.stereophile.com/images/1212AM1fig02.jpg

When is Stereophile going to bench test a Class-D that get rid of this because of the use of 1.5mhz switching used with the appropriate output filter like on the Technics SE-R1 Class-D that won't need the Audio Precision's auxiliary AUX-0025 passive low-pass filter, which eliminates noise above 200kHz to be used to see it 1 or 10k square wave.

Cheers George

SNI's picture

There really is no reason to enclude a carrier wave into the measurements. If you could hear the switch frequency the yes, but i guess you can´t.
Typically the switch frequency is placed arround 5-600 KHz where there is a sweet spot, providing the best compromise between, losses, EMC and distortion in higher order modulated amps.
The only reason for Technics to include filtering is EMC approval.
Ripple in the output of an amp, cannot be accepted almost anywhere in the world. That is nogo.
Therefore you often se inductors applied to the output of class D amps, especially those from OEM manufacturers.
This because often OEM modules are used in active speakers, where no such EMC regulations apply.
No speaker in the world can replay those frequencies, and they are way to inductive, to cause any problem at all.
The same goes for passive speakers, but EMC rules goes for anything. Even your hairdryer has to comply with the same rules.
No ripple allowed.
Because of this you can see a variety of solutions to this problem in class D amps. Some use a ferrite core with output wires twisted arround. Some even uses transformer coupling and so on.
Anyways the best audiosolution is no filtering. No speaker reacts on HF ripple at all, and if doesn´t make your mobilephone unusable, one shouldn´t really care about it.

Bogolu Haranath's picture

May be HR could review the comparably priced ($3,995), Rogue audio DragoN tube/class-D hybrid amp, 300/500 WPC 8/4 Ohms ........ DragoN may provide that high frequency 'bloom' HR is looking for :-) ........

Briandrumzilla's picture

No thanks.

tonykaz's picture

Mr.HR is certainly describing & revealing High performance levels for the Reviled Class D.

The top Pro guys like Bob Katz have already embraced the enhanced capabilities of this new design, what increase in perfection is offered by Amp Companies presenting similar product at the $150,000 price level ?

Schiit make ( in California of all places ) far more complex products at far lower prices. Why do these Primare people feel compelled to have unknown sub-contractors building their gear ( our gear ) ?

I ask for fair priced, quality gear designed and built by Proud & loyal employees. Shopping out Asian Labor to make a fast-buck is Taboo.

Put a : Proudly made in Sweeden sticker on each unit and watch sales double.

Tony in Venice

ps. what is the point of three chassis feet?

David Harper's picture

instead of listening to your equipment with music why don't you guys try listening to music with your equipment?

zalimci's picture

Out of sheer wanton extravagance and curiosity I bought a slightly used A35.2 contrary to my gut feeling. The key lever was the reference to the way this review praised its ability to deal with the Magneplanars due to the possibly unprecedented high damping factor, I have both .7s and 20.7s. I have amps which quote damping factors as low as 10 and as high as 250, but I'm led to believe that the A35.2 value is greatly higher, inherent to class D technology.

Well it made a very good initial impression, sounding as clean and fast as expected. As with the .7s in the review the lower end of the sound picture was very quick and tight. Some familiar recordings sounded different, a couple possibly slightly better than previously. Some less pleasing...

Then back to ones that pleased, and they didn't please as well second or third time around. I had possibly been overkind to this amp in that for the week or so prior to arrival I had been using an elderly solid state amp by the name of Dawn Audio Command 2, a small Britsh enterprise based in Sussex. Plenty of power and grip etc, not overly refined and a gift from an older friend whose hearing has become impaired to the extent that listening is no longer a pleasure. So, this morning it was time to try a few of the discs that I keep for the performance not the recording quality, and they were the killers!

Class D may be the future, but for me that future is yet to happen. The A35.2 is definitely worlds ahead of my previous Class D experience, also Primare - their CD10 all in one system of a few years ago. The A35.2 is certainly a good amp, I would guess a huge leap forward for class D, but for all the grip it may have on the likes of my Maggies, it has little of the depth and body and presence of my valve (tube) amps. Looks like I shall continue to line the pockets of my electricity supplier for the forseeable....

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