Build quality, powerful, fantastic sound quality

remote doesnt live up to the build quality of the amp, only 4 inputs could limit some potential buyers

First impressions of the A20mkII was very good. The build quality is stunning and this is compounded by the sheer weight of the amp. Auditioned the nait 5 and the A85 along with the primare. It was a close call between the nait 5 and the primare but overall the primare offered more impact to me. Current system consists of Arcam Alpha plus (next for the chop), A20mkII, B&W cdm1se's with qed cables. The A20 was a massive leap forward compared to my old amp (arcam alpha 5+)the bass extension is wonderful and the sound is more exciting than before. The A20mk2 should be auditioned - you will be impressed.

Similar Products Used:

naim nait 5, arcam A85

al the connection on the back.sound,picture quality,progessive scan well on pall as on ntsc.

mmmmm,i hope to get an c31 remote control.but this is an option.

primare v25 dvd-player.this is just a bargain.very cheap.lot of joy.very good sound and what a picture.

Similar Products Used:

marantz,thomson,denon,

Great amp, terrific build quality!! I have not compared it to much but i have a d20 cd player to match and i have PMC FB1 speakers with homemade cat3 speaker cables and it sounds very good indeed

Overall tone, looks, build quality.

Remote isn't my favorite but its ok.

I found a good deal on this unit when I was looking to simplify again from separates and the few reviews in the British mags were very positive if that is any indicator to use.

I expected an overall solid performer in the class of the Bryston B60 or Roksan Caspian. What I ended up with remains a special suprise.

The A20MKII to me sounds like all of the best attributes of the above mentioned integrateds with more oomph. The bass is very defined, more so than either the Bryston or Caspian though the Caspains bass is excellent too. The highs are sweet, very sweet yet not diffuse like a tube amp, not as sharp as the B60 but easier to listen to. Compared to the Plinius the low level resoulution is not the same but very good compared to the others.

Imaging and soundstaging is where this amp excels big time. The sound is big and rich but not muddy or untidy. The midrange is right on par with the Bryston and Plinius yet with a larger soundfield. All in all one of the best amps I have heard as far as musicality. Very natural sounding at all levels. No grain whatsoever, no fatigue when paired even with brighter speakers.

The Primare A20MKII is a largely undiscovered gem!!!

Similar Products Used:

Plinius 8150i, Bryston B60, Roksan Caspian, Linn Majik, Creek 4330, NAD C350

very smooth and full of detail

none yet

this amp just has it all in my books. Great imaging, great looks, and simple design. Very 3-d. It's hard to walk away from this amp after you've been listen to it . Great stuff. I think this is a great amp for someone on a tight budget, but wants to get into the really good stuff.

Refinement, style, build, energy

None I can think of

Being the first reviewer of this amplifier, I feel bound to make a small introduction before entering the review.

This is a swedish integrated amplifier, 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 A20 (and this is the MkII version I'm writing about, not the preceding A20) is a dual mono design with 70 wpc (60 for the plain A20), 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.

The MkII version also features larger ventilation grilles (useful, as it runs hot) and three, rather than four feet, which doesn't compromise equilibrium at all. The other differences for the preceding model, e. g. the two large toroidal tranformers, are all under the lid.

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.

My system was a curious one before I bought the Primare: an excellent source - Rega Planet CD player -, a fabulous pair of speakers (ProAc Tablette 50), Kimber 8 TC cables and Hero interconnects, and... a Creek 4330 amp! Obviously the quality of the other components revealed the amp's shortcomings rather cruelly, so even though I could have stuck to my initial plan and upgraded it by adding a power amp (the Creek A43), the fundamentals weren't really there, so I looked in another direction - a new amp was a must.

My Hi-Fi favourite dealer (Luz e Som - olá Francisco!) gently let me borrow a pair of amplifiers: the Primare, which was the amp that was playing when I first auditioned the Rega Planet - needless to say I had been impressed with this combo - and the Rega Mira, which I selected on the strength of Rega's components legendary synergy. (BTW, trying equipment at home is the only valid way to judge it, as demos won't tell you how it will work in your particular environment and system; dealers who realise this are good dealers who have consumer satisfaction, and not sheer profit in mind, which is a welcome attitude.)

The Mira didn't prove the ideal amplifier for my system: it had a "in your face" delivery that failed to please me, though it had a terrific sense of attack and timing that made Les Rythes Digitales' "Darkdancer" sound absolutely delightful. But the Mira was found wanting on refinement, and didn't quite gel with the ProAcs' warm sound, so I packed it back and returned it after three days. It wouldn't make the substantial upgrade I was aiming at.

So enters the Primare. First impressions were quite good as I was hit by freddie Hubbard's trumpet on Herbie Hancock's Cantaloupe Island (a Rudy van Gelder remastering for Blue Note - excellent recording). 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: from the Bach's Cello Suites to Killing Joke's Love Like Blood, 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 A20 MkII 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 Rega Planet's foot-tapping ability, and it can drive the Tablettes 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!

Similar Products Used:

Rega Mira, Creek 4330 R

Dynamic and refined sound, with power to show.
Superlative build quality

None

Setup
-----
Monitor Audio Silver 4i (Rosewood)
Primare A20 MKI amplifier
Primare D20 CD player/NAD CD5425 player
QED QNECT 2 interconnects
QED Silver Anniversary biwired cables
Atacam Nexus 6 sand filled stands

This amplifier was bought to replace my Rotel 931MKII amplifier, because I thought the rotel, good as it was, was lacking something.

Initial impressions of this amp were very good: Striking hi-end looks, simplistic styling coupled with fantastic build quality.

I let the amp burn in for 3 days and then I coupled the amp with my old NAD CD player.

The difference between the primare a20 and the rotel was stunning. There was more control and power on the low-end, music appeared tighter and more focused than before, the sound stage was certainly broader than before.

Boy oh boy, the power and the dynamics in the music was absolutely involving, now my Silver 4i' appears to have a new leash of life.

I really recommend you to go and audition this fine amplifier. You really can't go wrong with the A20.

Natural but subtley rich tonal balance, wide dynamic range, powerful and classy looks

Maximum 4 line inputs

Absolutely concur with the review below: a superb integrated amp, great value at this price range.

The MF X-A2 is a good amp, and tonally, presentation is similar between it and the Primare. But the Primare has more muscle to drive my Dynaudio Audience 50 4ohm speakers, plus remote control, plus looks just as classy as the MF.

If you're in the market for an integrated at this price range, you must audition this amp. It's stonkingly good!

Similar Products Used:

Musical Fidelity X-A2

sound, look

reliability? (don't hope so)

outperformed all others (look, sound). NAD did a good job for its price but looks awfull. Thorens is very SLOW and uninvolving. Myryad was grainy, slow and wasn't able to deliver the bass i wanted (Rock & Blues music). Voices sound naturaly and drums have the right kick.
Myryad Mi120+Primare D20 sounded very good (better than original A20+D20), but I wanted the whole system from one brand. Myryad Mi120+MC100 sounded not as good to me as the A20MkII+D20 combo.

Current setup:
Primare A20 MkII (original A20 is inferior to Myryiad!)
Primare D20 CD-Player
Primare T20 Tuner
System remote (very convenient)
B&W CDM 7SE
Straightwire Stage LS cable (biwiring)
Straightwire Sonata NF cable

Similar Products Used:

myryad Mi120, myryad Mp+Ma120, Thorens TIA2300, NAD C320