Freshly in at signals towers we have the Pre 60 preamp and A60 power. Both are now designed AND built in Sweden. Suddenly, we are all over them like a rash! The pre 60 is a full bells and whistles affair with an in-built (and very good) streamer / DAC with wired and wireless ethernet and even the option of Bluetooth.
Both have impressed us immediately with their sonic ability. The casework is all alloy and somehow manages to look better in the metal than in the publicity shots. Looks are a subjective thing, mind you. Build quality is excellent and the stripped back iPad control interface for the streamer is fast, concise and clean, taking charge of the preamplifier volume control when the media input is selected. Unlike other Primare products, the casework is all alloy. This, coupled with the Class D power and switch mode supplies means that these are physically quite light.
It is time we stopped equating mass with quality and these are a fine example of very high quality design and execution. Best of all, they are musical and engaging with sufficient grip and power to make speaker choice a relaxed affair.
Still figuring out the best cables for them but a bundle of Chord Co’s finest didn’t do badly!
These represent very welcome additions to our burgeoning collection of terrifyingly capable music making machinery.
Alastair