Primare i35 Review

Primare i35 review

In a hit parade of the most beautiful hi-fi components, Primare would certainly always have a candidate among the top ten. The Swedes simply have a wonderfully light hand when it comes to a design that is as clean as it is elegant. One that makes it clear right from the start that quality prevails here. 

But just being beautiful is of course not enough. The Swedes have also succeeded in instilling highly audiophile traits in their UFDP (Ultra Fast Power Device) switching amplifier concept. The i32 integrated amplifier was something like their flagship for a long time: a pretty, powerful integrated amplifier with many features, which was also pleasantly cheap and consequently received a lot of praise from the specialist press. After more than seven years, a successor for this i32 is now announced: the Primare i35,

The curse of the early deed: When we asked Primare Sales for a test sample, there was one, but it only had the primary virtues of an integrated amplifier to offer; the possible expansion stages with DAC and Bluetooth capability were not yet available at the end of February 2018.

What has changed since the 32 series? The new line has a wider display, the control buttons are a bit further apart. This makes the devices look a bit slimmer. Of course, the Primare i35 still looks absolutely classic. And technically, a lot has remained the same. The Swedes are outspoken fans of digital power amp concepts; the UFPD in-house developments were also used again for the i35.

At its core, these are switching amplifiers with a switched-mode power supply that follow analog logic. Primare calls it the "Ultra Fast Power Device". Which can mean anything. The word hides more than it reveals. But: above all, it has to be fast – ultra-fast. With the i35, Primare has now climbed to the level of "UFPD2".

With UFPD2, the Swedes say they achieve significantly better efficiency and lower distortion. This also results in more power and supposedly better sound: if the I32 had 2 x 120 watts at 8 ohms, the Primare I35 has 2 x 150 watts at 8 ohms. Are the 30 watts per channel really decisive for the sound? Probably not.

The UFPD secret lies in a patented form of negative feedback, which is intended to completely eliminate interference such as impedance and frequency dependence in digital circuits. In addition, the concept scores with maximum efficiency: over 90 percent of the supplied energy is converted into sound, the heat development remains extremely modest; the i35 doesn't get hot. And that despite the fact that it can provide up to two times 300 watts at four ohms. And in addition, the new signal paths could be shortened again; this is also beneficial for the pulse accuracy...

Now logic would dictate that such a concept could also get by with a small transformer. In fact: the power processing is intelligent, but not solved with mass. Nevertheless, the Primare i35 weighs a whopping 11 kilograms.

Which is also due to the noble housing. Everything is made of full metal. Sturdy metal sheets form the body, the rotary knobs are milled from aluminum and are a pleasure to touch. If you want, you can also buy the Primare i35 in the freestyle with a built-in streaming converter. As I said, we had to stick to the stripped-down basic version. But even that offers enough reason to be happy. For example, there are two XLR ports in addition to three RCA inputs.

The overall construction rests on three feet - which, in addition to the ideal weight distribution, also guarantees a wobble-free stand.

Mechanically, the Primare i35 makes an excellent impression. In terms of sound, however, he still had to prove himself. We set up various speakers in the listening room – including the wonderful Dynaudio Contour 20 and the very gripping Magnat Signature 1109 . With both, the i35 sounded compelling and engaging. 

The Primare i35 in the listening test

What sound philosophy have the Swedes staged for the i35? We're starting our test run with a brand new remastering: Warner has reissued the legendary recording of Gustav Mahler's "Lieder aus des Knaben Wunderhorn" - available in 24 bit and 96 kilohertz. George Szell conducts the London Symphony Orchestra, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau sing. It doesn't get any better than that. Also in terms of sound. The new master sounds wonderfully fresh and gives no hint that the original tapes were made more than 50 years ago.

An amplifier is already required with the first bars. In the piano there is a deep bass impulse from the bass drum. Since the membranes have to tremble, since lightweights can literally choke under the amplifiers. The Primare i35 took it surprisingly well in our test. Everything was right: the spatial presence of the bass and the robust pop. When using the singing voice, we were happy about the high tempo - the shimmering of the vocal cords was quickly and effectively released from the speaker axis. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau stood in the room: very physical - and very convincing.

For comparison, we used one of our all-time heroes, the Atoll IN300 . A masterpiece in double mono construction and with Mos-FETs that handle up to double 150 watts at eight ohms. The Atoll clearly put the speakers under the stronger, finer pressure and ultimately provides the greater dynamic experience.

But the Primare i35 scored with its elegant silkiness. Nothing seemed difficult for him. Not even the big crescendo in Mahler's "Revelge" - here the orchestra roars in a scary march: the really big, imperious-martial dynamic. The i35 was really happy about this outbreak. This could take the breath away of an unprepared listener. And even at this dynamic high - not a trace of an allegedly typical hardness, as it is said of digital amplifiers. The i35 breaks with all prejudices. It was finely structured and extremely full-bodied.

Can he bring the same values ​​to elegant jazz? Here's our tip: The trumpeter Till Brönner just went to the recording studio together with the double bass player Dieter Ilg. The album is called Nightfall – the finest, spartan jazz comes to life here. The Primare lovingly traced each phrase. The reflections in the recording room are highly informative. The Leonard Cohen adaptation of "A Thousand Kisses Deep" managed to kneel down.

As an endurance test, some more pop. Franz Ferdinand has succeeded in producing wonderfully robust electro-pop on his new album "Always Ascending" . An amp has to deliver stable continuous power. The i35 did it with a light hand. Despite the complex diet, there was never a hint of annoyance.

And of course we also listened to the Primare i35 with its combination partner CD35. I was also really impressed by the CD player in the series, which resulted in a wonderful overall picture: great sound, very finely divided and yet discreet in appearance.

Conclusion Primare i35

The Primare i35 is a special, positive work of art. Primare relies on a new interpretation of the UFPD circuit. That could lure anxious minds into prejudices: don't digital amps sound harsh and uncharming? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. The compact Swede demonstrates how much power and sovereignty can be obtained from the world of switched-mode power supplies.

It sounded wonderfully smooth in Our listening room, silky in the highs and with impressive power in the deepest bass. Admittedly, there are some amplifiers that sound a bit more manageable for the same price. But only a few have mastered its delicacy and airiness. And I think he's really pretty too. In my eyes, This Primare i35 is a big hit.