I have been lucky enough to have a brand new Primare R32 Phono Preamplifier to audition over the last few weeks and I wanted to share my experiences in this review.
The Primare R32 phono preamplifier is designed in Sweden and is a fully discrete, solid-state, DC-coupled, class-A phono preamplifier. The Primare R32 has three gain settings, allowing it to work with the vast majority of cartridges. You can read a nice review of the R32 from HiFi News.
Gain Options
The R32 features very convenient externally switchable resistive loading for your moving coil cartridges. The load impedance can be set anywhere between 10 Ohms and 47 kOhms, with a broad range of steps in between. This allows owners the freedom to explore the subtle and not-so-subtle changes one can make to the sound of an MC cart, by varying the resistive loading.
In addition, there are two external gain settings, for MM and MC cartridges. The gain is a good 40 dB in the MM operation (internally, you can switch to 46 dB). There is 62 dB of gain available for MC cartridges, enough for nearly all but the very lowest output moving coil devices.
Load impedance knobs and gain selector switch, flanked by gold-plated Teflon-insulated RCA sockets – very nice!
A clearer view of the configuration options on the rear panel of the R32. This sort of ease of set-up makes the R32 a winner already.
Design
Being a discrete design, there are only a few transistors in the signal path and no op amps. There is a DC servo, implemented with feedback by an op-amp, but this lies outside the signal path. To clarify, really everything is in the signal path, but the DC servo essentially lies to one side of the signal path and acts to correct any DC voltages that might make their way to the output.
DC-coupling means that the frequency response of the Primare R32 phono preamplifier is ruler-flat down to a few tenths above 0Hz, almost guaranteeing excellent bass performance. The standard RIAA EQ curve is only really applicable to the 20Hz to 20kHz frequency range, but the electronics in the are flat to well below this 20Hz bass cut-off point.
Sound Quality
The R32 doesn’t disappoint, the bass is taught, tuneful and powerful, as good as I have heard at this price point. The chassis is gorgeous too, I almost forgot to mention this, blown away as I was by the sound!
You can do better of course, but for me, that meant swapping back in my Fidelity Research XF-1 step-up transformer and using the Primare as a moving magnet gain stage. Adding in the FR transformer and taking away a bunch of transistors added air and ambience to the sound, without changing it tonally. You really can’t do better than a Fidelity Research transformer if you have a moving coil cartridge.
The Bottom Line
Overall, the Primare R32 is an excellent phono preamplifier. It smokes the Cambridge Audio 651P and is a class act, at around AUD$1000. Bass is deep and taught, the midrange is more fluid than lesser phono preamps and the treble, smoother and airier.
The R32 punches up at the top of its price class. It’s nowhere near as transparent or airy as the Fidelity Research XF-1 for example, but then nothing is! It’s smooth, powerful, extended, never fatiguing and you can always upgrade it by adding a transformer later. I highly recommend the Primare R32!
Primare R32 phono stage offers an extremely high quality, highly versatile phono stage for those truly committed to vinyl as their source of choice.
Swedish Hi-Fi company, Primare, are noted for their high-end audio products which blend clean modern aesthetics with high-end audio designs. Proving that they’re very much a company for every Hi-Fi enthusiast, Primare offers the R32 phono preamplifier; a design which has much to offer the dedicated vinyl lover.
Let’s take a look at the R32 and see if it promises sonic Nirvana for dedicated fans of the black circle…
The importance of good phono pre-amplification
A good “front end” phono stage is of vital importance for extracting the very best from one’s phono cartridge and vinyl playback system. The signal coming from a phono cartridge is low level and delicate in nature; correct amplification of that signal and the subsequent processing makes a huge impact on the resulting sound.
A phono amplifier is expected to perform a number of tasks: firstly amplifying the signal from either a moving coil or a moving magnet pickup faithfully and cleanly, and secondly, enacting the necessary RIAA equalisation faithfully and without distortion.
Additionally, a really top-flight phono preamplifier should allow some degree of adjustment in the impedance matching, and gain levels presented to the phono cartridge. As every cartridge is uniquely different, a “one size fits all” approach will never allow for true playback optimisation.
The Primare R32
Enter, the Primare R32; a very high-quality phono preamplifier designed with the discerning vinyl enthusiast firmly in mind. Capable of optimised operation with either moving magnet or moving coil phono cartridges, and with a number of user adjustments available, the R32 could be exactly what the doctor ordered!
Taking a look at the Primare R32, we’re greeted with the familiar Primare minimalist styling, in a full-size Hi-Fi component format. Unlike many half, quarter or even smaller sized phono preamplifiers, Primare have endowed the R32 with a full-size enclosure.
This in itself provides benefits: a high quality, internal power supply ensures low noise and fuss-free operation without unsightly “wall warts”; the extra internal space of the R32 also allows the internal components sufficient spacing for shielding from potential power supply induced noise, too.
A tweakers delight
Heading around the back of the R32, we’re presented with phono inputs and outputs, grouped together on a channel by channel basis. This is due to the R32’s dual-mono circuit design, which has been employed to offer greater isolation and with it, cleaner sound and greater fidelity.
Situated next to each input, is an adjustable control which allows the user to set the input impedance of each channel to match that of their phono cartridge. Input impedance matching is an important factor, often overlooked, which has a bearing upon the frequency response of the phono cartridge employed.
Preset gain positions for moving magnet and moving coil cartridges are provided via a two position switch on the rear of the Primare R32. For particularly low outputs cartridges, an additional gain stage can be engaged via an internally set jumper on the R32’s main board.
An “Effortlessly involving” sound
That’s exactly how Hi-Fi Choice magazine described the Primare R32 Phono Preamplifier in their phono pre-amp shootout. Amongst pre-amplifiers ranging in price up to £1500, the Primare was awarded the title of overall winner, achieving a coveted “outstanding product” award representing “The pinnacle of quality within its group”.
If you’re serious about the quality and presentation of your vinyl playback, then a high-quality phono preamplifier is a solid investment. The Primare R32 phono preamplifier must surely represent one of the best currently on the market.
Signal to Noise: 20Hz – 20kHz unweighted, MM -70dB, MC -60dB
THD+N: MM <0.02%, MC <0.05%
Power consumption Operation: 11.5W
Dimensions (W x D x H): 430 x 380 x 95mm
Weight: 8.5 kg
Colour options: Black or Titanium
The full sized casework is matched by the large and lively sound. ‘Uncomplicated Scandinavian design’ is how Primare defines its ethos and a quick glance at the R32’s front panel tells you that this phono stage is truly living Primare’s ‘brand values’. Since it measures 430x95x380mm (whd) and weighs a substantial 8.5kg, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve been sold a power amp in the wrong box. Of course much of this weight can be attributed to the R32’s case, with its 8mm-thick front plate and solid feet.According to Primare this large chassis makes it easier to keep sensitive signal circuits away from the PSU in a bid to reduce noise. Also justifying the R32’s weight is its R-core type transformer with separate windings for each channel. There are no capacitors in the signal path and a shield-plate inside the unit further isolates the signal circuits from the PSU.
For MC cartridges, the R32 offers seven load resistance settings between 10ohm-47kohm, with gain set at 62dB. For MM types, gain is factory set at 41.4dB [see Lab Report] and there’s also a 5dB boost setting which is accessed from inside the casework. (Although given that the rest of the settings are on the back panel, and removing the top panel means undoing ten screws, this seems a bit of a design flaw. Why couldn’t this setting be accessed via jumpers on the underside or the back panel?)
SPACE TO BREATHE
Beginning with Harvest, I was immediately pulled into the album by the soundstage’s depth which the R32 lays out in front of you. Each instrument had plenty of space to breathe and none fought to dominate a song. Young’s slide guitar was full of detail and I noticed its fading reverb far more through the Primare than the other phono amps, which gave it a natural edge.
The R32 has a mellow, unfazed personality which marries rhythm and emotion with a balanced sound that is easy to live with. ‘Spiralling’ flowed forth at an unforced pace, allowing the song the space to grow, and while the piano sounded laid-back it gelled with the bass guitar in a way that none of the other phono stages had been able to capture. The higher horns within the Respighi piece were deeper in the mix, and while the R32 might have lacked the last word in power compared to the MF, for example, it had just the right amount of attack to keep me engaged. Indeed, it was this inherently ‘natural’ and well-ordered perspective that won the day for the R32. Finally, more than with any other phono stage, the Primare’s sound continued to improve with each cartridge upgrade. The R32 just gets better!
Primare R32 Phono Preamplifier
R24,000.00Original price was: R24,000.00.R9,000.00Current price is: R9,000.00.
