Primare out of fashion at What Hi-Fi?

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Hi,

Does anyone have an opinion as to why Primare's i30 and CD31 has fallen out of fashion at What Hi-Fi?

The review for the CD31 has been removed from the site and the I30 no longer gets a look-in in amp comparisons.

Is this purely because of the relative old age of these components? Have they really been superseded by newer makes & models? Or is something else afoot?

I have been saving my pennies for this duo for sometime and now that i'm getting close to a potential purchase date i'd like WHF's opinion on whether or not they still stack up in today's market or if i should consider a re-audition.

Cheers

BCK
 
Nothing 'afoot': merely lack of new review kit forthcoming from Primare (and inability, at present, for us to show our full product archive online, so many older reviews are currently offline; we're working on that).

I had a very interesting meeting with Primare's CEO at the CES show in January (he's got a Meridian Sooloos system, and we talked a lot re music streaming, DACs etc), and we regularly speak to Primare's PR rep, but there just hasn't been kit to consider.

The Primare pairing remains an excellent option, however - i'm sure it would be up there (if not class-leading) with newer rivals for performance, and certainly for build-quality and looks! I'd hear some newer alternatives too, but keep it on your shortlist.
 
Thanks a lot Clare for putting my mind at ease.

Not to put you too much on the spot but in your opinion what newer amp & CD combo in this bracket would you recommend as a must audition?
 
What's your absolute budget, and what speakers do you plan to use? Also, what kind of music do you like - all kinds of genres, or particular styles (classical, rock, etc)?
 
When I went to the Manchester show I was listening to the pro-ac speakers (studio 140's i think). They sounded great and i asked the rep what the amp and source was (as I didn't recognise them). They were the i30 and CD31 and they sounded great. I made a mental note to look them up when i got back home (but never got round to it)
 
For what it's worth, I still run a Primare pre/power combo in my home hi-fi system. It's still going strong after many years and has never missed a beat.
 
I'd have to say 4000 is my combined limit.

Currently I'm using Tannoy DC4T Signature Revolution speakers beefed up in the low-end by a REL T2 subwoofer.

Separate to this budget i would be looking to upgrade my speaker cable to match the new system.

I'm pretty eclectic in my musical tastes - although i rarely listen to classical or jazz, i'm more a singer/songwriter kind of guy; Wilco, Bright Eyes, Cash, Nick Cave, but i'm also quite partial to a bit of Chemical Brothers and the like...

so - that's me 🙂
 
Clare Newsome:(and inability, at present, for us to show our full product archive online, so many older reviews are currently offline; we're working on that)

We've worked on that, and we now can publish those reviews. The only thing I haven't done is identify all those reviews which can be brought back online so i can do it en masse, but if Mr Clough so desires, he can put individual reviews - including the Primare pair - on the web in a trice.

That'll be twenny guineas...
 
Clare Newsome:
I had a very interesting meeting with Primare's CEO at the CES show in January (he's got a Meridian Sooloos system.....

Primare CEO uses a Meridian system.

Ok.
 
JohnDuncan:Clare Newsome:(and inability, at present, for us to show our full product archive online, so many older reviews are currently offline; we're working on that)

We've worked on that, and we now can publish those reviews. The only thing I haven't done is identify all those reviews which can be brought back online so i can do it en masse, but if Mr Clough so desires, he can put individual reviews - including the Primare pair - on the web in a trice.

That'll be twenny guineas...

Thanks John, I'll add that to the list of the other 382,761 things I still have to do!
emotion-4.gif
 
Has Gerald Ratner become Primare's CEO by any chance?

chebby:Clare Newsome:

I had a very interesting meeting with Primare's CEO at the CES show in January (he's got a Meridian Sooloos system.....

Primare CEO uses a Meridian system.

Ok.
 
It's not like that!

a) Meridian only recently bought Sooloos - it was an independent company before that (and certainly when Lars bought his!)

b) The Sooloos requires ampllification etc - all Primare in Lars' case

c) Primare make many things, but this ain't one of them!
 
so with ALL this in mind 🙂 any suggestions on what newer systems to compare the Primare pairing with?

Black Crow King:

I'd have to say 4000 is my combined limit.

Currently I'm using Tannoy DC4T Signature Revolution speakers beefed up in the low-end by a REL T2 subwoofer.

Separate to this budget i would be looking to upgrade my speaker cable to match the new system.

I'm pretty eclectic in my musical tastes - although i rarely listen to classical or jazz, i'm more a singer/songwriter kind of guy; Wilco, Bright Eyes, Cash, Nick Cave, but i'm also quite partial to a bit of Chemical Brothers and the like...

so - that's me 🙂
 
Black Crow King:
so with ALL this in mind 🙂 any suggestions on what newer systems to compare the Primare pairing with?

Black Crow King:

I'd have to say 4000 is my combined limit.

Currently I'm using Tannoy DC4T Signature Revolution speakers beefed up in the low-end by a REL T2 subwoofer.

Separate to this budget i would be looking to upgrade my speaker cable to match the new system.

I'm pretty eclectic in my musical tastes - although i rarely listen to classical or jazz, i'm more a singer/songwriter kind of guy; Wilco, Bright Eyes, Cash, Nick Cave, but i'm also quite partial to a bit of Chemical Brothers and the like...

so - that's me 🙂

Great speakers - and happy partnered with kit well inside your budget (leaving you plenty of cash for that speaker cable upgrade, and load of new CDs!)

All depends how you like you sound -all these sound very different, but excel in different ways: the Cyrus line-up (try CD6SE/CD8SE and 6XP/8XP); Naim XS pairing; Leema (Pulse) . That's just for starters!
 
Thanks Clare,

I was wondering if the Cyrus with the Tannoys might come across a little bright - but i guess that could be calmed with the right cabling.

I will definitely check out your recommendations but the styling off the Primare with the option of balanced inputs is still a mighty plus 🙂
 
if it wasn't for your subwoofer underpinning, i'd be more concerned on the Cyrus/Tannoy system sounding lean, rather than bright (but again, variables there - do you have carpets or wooden floors!)

Personally I'd say the Primare duo outclass your speakers - superb though the Tannoys are, the Primares are capable of driving bigger/better boxes. Hence me suggesting you don't rule out slightly cheaper components, as well as still auditioning the Primares and anything else that takes your fancy.
 
Yes I was wondering that!

I have just been out and bought a nice shiny black Primere i30 and its excellent.

Did worry me a bit that a new amp would suddenly arrive for the Manchester Show but cant wait for ever.

I had a Cyrus 8Vs2 hooked up before and took it with me on the demo to compare.

The i30 is so much better in quantity and quality of sound (i think its called the soundstage?) and the seperation is superb.

It maybe a little bit older than some but it is quality in every respect.

Even makes my aged speakers sound good.

Next stop speakers, possibly?

Cheers
 
Check out ebay right now and you will see an I30 going for the same sort of price as the nait xs' generally go for on there. I would be very interested myself if it were black.
 
Black Crow King:

Hi,

Does anyone have an opinion as to why Primare's i30 and CD31 has fallen out of fashion at What Hi-Fi?

The review for the CD31 has been removed from the site and the I30 no longer gets a look-in in amp comparisons.

Is this purely because of the relative old age of these components? Have they really been superseded by newer makes & models? Or is something else afoot?

I have been saving my pennies for this duo for sometime and now that i'm getting close to a potential purchase date i'd like WHF's opinion on whether or not they still stack up in today's market or if i should consider a re-audition.

Cheers

BCK

Unlike Roksan, Cyrus and others who are serial tweakers, Primare have an awful lot of faith at every product launch and therefore see no reason to "keep up with the Jones's". That something I quite like in a brand, and I wish more manufacturers worked to the same principles.

And no mention of 'flat packs?'
 
plastic penguin:Primare have an awful lot of faith at every product launch and therefore see no reason to "keep up with the Jones's".

JD was certainly keeping up with his "Jones'ing" for those Primare volume knobs.
 
are you looking to replace th speakers with the pro-acs too?

I have the tablette reference signature 8's and when i asked then what they would suggest for electronics they said lots of owners use Naim or Primare. Having said that i went for Moon and love the set up.
 
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