I own a Primare P30 pre/pro to go with my 2-channel system which consists of Aerial Acoustic 10T speakers, Sony SCD-1 SACD/cd player, and McCormack DNA-2 LAE amp. In 2-channel by-pass mode (for 100% analog), it is a very transparent and detailed pre.
I've compared the Primare P30 side-by-side to the fairly highly rated Ayre k3-x pre-amp and much preferred the P30's greater transparency and detail to that of the K3-X. For whatever it's worth, the K3 was rated Class A by Stereophile about a year ago. The K3-X is an upgraded and sonically superior version of the original K3 again according to Stereophile mag.
I've also compared the P30 in-home to the Conrad-Johnson PV-14 pre-amp and Electropaniet's pre-amp. There was no comparison. The P30 was clearly superior sonically.
Primare is a little-known Swedish company distributed in the U.S. by Sumiko and the unit retails for about $3500 to $4k depending on who you ask. The P30 is the least expensive component in my system and I have been extremely satisfied with it's performance.
Check out a similar thread. Turns out there is another owner of the P30 (he's the only one I've met) who appears to be equally delighted.
http://www.sumikoaudio.com/Primare.html
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?bhome&1016075329&openusid&zz
I've compared the Primare P30 side-by-side to the fairly highly rated Ayre k3-x pre-amp and much preferred the P30's greater transparency and detail to that of the K3-X. For whatever it's worth, the K3 was rated Class A by Stereophile about a year ago. The K3-X is an upgraded and sonically superior version of the original K3 again according to Stereophile mag.
I've also compared the P30 in-home to the Conrad-Johnson PV-14 pre-amp and Electropaniet's pre-amp. There was no comparison. The P30 was clearly superior sonically.
Primare is a little-known Swedish company distributed in the U.S. by Sumiko and the unit retails for about $3500 to $4k depending on who you ask. The P30 is the least expensive component in my system and I have been extremely satisfied with it's performance.
Check out a similar thread. Turns out there is another owner of the P30 (he's the only one I've met) who appears to be equally delighted.
http://www.sumikoaudio.com/Primare.html
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?bhome&1016075329&openusid&zz