Primare R32 Phono Stage

k90tour2 posted:

nicnaim posted:

k90tour2 posted:

I have a Leema Agena.  Brilliant, detailed but not too bright and can be configured to suit.  Quiet expensive.  I bought mine used for about £1500.

You did well there on the headline price!  £2k discount.  Which system are you using it with?  Not in your profile.  What does it bring to the party?

Bought from a nice chap on the Fishy Forum.  It's currently hooked up to an Audio Research Reference 3 and Reference 75 Poweramp.  Just got the Ref 3 so I don't know yet.  Previously I was using an Audio Research SP20 as a preamp with the intention of streamlining the kit as the SP20 has both a phono and a headphone amp.  It was amazing on digital but I found I was listening to less and less vinyl.  I hooked up the Leema and instantly the body of the music that I was missing was restored.  I think the SP20 is cartridge fussy.  Loads of detail but thin with my Audio Technica OC9iii catridge.  The Leema + SP20 line input into Reference 75 was the best thing I've ever heard. There are lots of phono stages I could try but I think the Leema has enough potential for the time being.  Maybe an Audio Research Ref2 phono stage one day.  To be honest, I don't have a track record with these things, bit I think I know a good sound when I hear it, especially as I've has the SP20, and a 52/135 before that.

k90tor2,

All sounds good.  The most obvious benefit being that you are enjoying your vinyl.  Thanks for your feedback.

Regards

Nic

nicnaim posted:

Noted.  All points well made.  More to ponder.

Never mind pondering. Get over to the Lingo3 dealer and ask for a Kore dem :-)

C.

What's the Aria latest?

C.

Ok gents, some feedback.  After extended demos of the Primare, Aria, Stageline, and Cyrus Signature, I eventually ordered the Primare.

My thoughts individually were:

Primare - Took a while to come on song, but really got my feet tapping when it did.  Built like a brick outhouse and no nonsense.  Mitrovitch rather than Gayle in football terms.

Aria - Sounded good straight out of the box, nice sound, but ultimately  a bit too polite.

Stageline - No real improvement over the XLP although not heard with separate power supply, just fed from 52.

Cyrus Signature - Really like what this did with some musical styles particularly vocals and acoustic instruments, but I was less impressed with the more full on rock/jazz stuff.  Seemed to lack a bit of grunt and muscle in the bass area.  I'm told I could probably get around this by adjusting the capacitance and resistance settings for individual records, but that seem way too much of a faff.  Sorely tempted by it, but ultimately I did not feel it was worth the extra £400 given the things that I thought let it down.

Time will tell if I have made the right choice, and who knows what will come further down the line.  Prefix/Supercap was not something I was able to listen as not readily available, and Uphorik/Superline/Ulrika/Radikal/Kore/New arm etc will just have to wait until a few more beer tokens have been saved.  

Thanks for all your input.

Regards

Nic

Good for you Nic, enjoy your renewed vinyl collection through the Primare!

Best regards, FT

Nic - glad you made a choice which is right for you! Enjoy.