[器評] 瑞典PRIMARE Audio Grade:SC15 Prisma「數位串流前級擴大機」2022年最佳產品

As our recent reviews have attested, quality hifi is no longer just a metaphor for industrially sized separates and traditional passive speakers. Often our real world homes and listening preferences mean our systems need to blend into our surroundings, rather than compete with them.

Some manufacturers get this more than others, which has had us cherry pick a system that minimises box count and shelf real estate without compromising on sound and features. Step forward Primare, with its solid reputation for style, quality and user experience in a typically Swedish understated way.

Minimal front panel controls for standby, selection and menu plus elegant customisable screen are pure Scandi minimalist


Petite package

The SC15 Prisma preamp at the heart of our chosen package is drawn from the brand’s more compact cased 15 Series, which also includes a CD/network player at £1,650 and the I15 MK2 integrated amp/network player at £1,700. The SC15 is essentially the same as the latter model, but with its 60W Hypex internal power amp section removed and an AKM DAC chip in place of the integrated’s ESS flavour, bringing the price tag down to.

Also available in titanium silver finish, note Primare’s trademark extruded front panel. The included remote in shot for scale highlights the SC15’s reduced dimensions at 350x330mm (WxD)

What you get is a unit built around Primare’s versatile Prisma streaming module that we reviewed in the NP5 Prisma Mk2 streamer last month, married to an AKM AK4490 DAC chip catering for data up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM on paper (although it can actually handle up to 768kHz) and DSD5.6/128 over USB-B with 192kHz and DSD128 over optical and USB-A.

Streaming provision is on hand for AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Qobuz and Bluetooth. Crucially, a WiSa wifi transmitter is also part of the package, allowing the unit to link up with other WiSa equipped kit over wifi, including speakers, eradicating the need for speaker cables. Analogue inputs and outputs are line-level only (via RCAs), but at this price it’s fair to not expect balanced connections, which also frees up rear panel space demands, helping keep the unit compact.

A remote control is part of the package although with Primare’s Prisma app calling the shots, it’s more likely to be a back up option than your go to means of operation.

Inputs include a pair of analogue RCAs, four optical (one shared as a 3.5mm analogue), one coaxial, USB-A/B and ethernet plus Bluetooth and wifi antennas. Outputs are limited to a digital coaxial socket and single set of analogue RCAs. Note the WiSa module and pairing button to the left of the mains input.

了解更多:Audio Grade 2022年最佳產品 查看全文


The only way is up?

Being able to run the SC15 in variable or fixed output mode means its ripe for preamp duties and continuing the minimalist theme, active speakers are its ideal lifestyle partners as built in power amps means less boxes, while also ensuring their drive units are being controlled exactly as their manufacturer intended.

Hailing from Roskilde in Denmark, System Audio speakers are ideal Nordic bedfellows for Primare, offering a range of award-winning active and wireless models. The SA Legend 7.2 Silverback may sound like a 23rd Century Grand National winner, but it’s actually an active version of the standard Legend 7.2 with an internal WiSa receiver and a trio of combined DSP/DAC amps, which SA refers to as ‘power DACS’, delivering a combined 225W.

The speakers’ twin 5.5in (140mm) mid/bass units are formed from carbon fibre membranes while the accompanying 1in (25mm) tweeter is a soft dome type, that’s recessed within a chamfered DXT acoustic lens to provide more even high frequency distribution across a listening environment.

Versatility is the name of the Legend’s game, as they can be mounted vertically or horizontally on walls, shelves or even ceilings, with alternate grilles included to match

What these speakers major on is user flexibility, with recessed wall mounts built into their rear panels and two sets of grilles included should you want to mount them ‘landscape’ or ‘portrait’ orientation, meaning their all important logos will be the right way up.

While we opted for a two of these speakers to configure them in stereo mode, as the 7.2 moniker suggests, you can also add more and configure them all the way up to a 7.1 home theatre set-up. Supplied individually, each speaker costs , giving the system an overall price tag of.

Although their cabinets aren’t perhaps the most stylish looking in the window, they’re solidly made from 25mm MDF sections for their front and rear panels with 18mm MDF for their surrounding surfaces. They’re also chamfered, with the back panel being slightly larger than the front, making them appear smaller than their 47 x 27 x 16cm dimensions (WHD) would suggest.

Sturdy recessed rear brackets highlight a range of mounting options, with cable channels for every option

Good to go

With two different brands’ kit and a set up that’s mostly virtual, my fears for hours of head scratching and being bewildered in configuration apps are quickly dashed as getting the system up and running is thankfully easy. Starting with the Primare, you select either cable (as I did) or wifi from the front panel intro screen, with the latter just requiring you to use the Google Home app initially to get the Primare onto your local network, before the Prisma app sees it. Hardwired via ethernet is even simpler, as Primare’s Prisma app finds the unit automatically.

And what an app this is. Compared to Primare’s apps of old, the Prisma feels so next century. Syncing to your streaming accounts is a doddle with further settings for naming inputs, auto volume levels and front panel brightness controls should you wish to customise to your heart’s desire.

Inside the Prisma app, showing main menu (left) with integrated streaming services and play screen (right)

The SA speakers also have their own app (SA Cockpit), which offers configuration and tuning options although it’s not essential to get them working. Simply power them up and use the back panel button to select each one’s position within a stereo or surround setup and hold for pairing. Now hit the pairing button on the back of the Primare and bingo, the SC15’s front screen confirms connection and you’re good to go.

To save drilling my freshly plastered 7x4m listening room, I mounted the speakers on stands with their rear panels flush to the wall, positioned horizontally, 1.8m apart and firing down the longer axis.

SA Legend’s rear panel controls includes a balanced analogue input and power. The speaker’s position is selected from eight options (boxed out section) using the central pairing button. There are also three sensitivity settings for -6dB/OdB/+6dB

Performance

It’s clear from the opening bars of Elton John’s Rocket Man streamed over Tidal at 16-bit/44kHz that this system’s size doesn’t hold back its sonics. The scale of the music and the soundstage the SA speakers can conjure immediately dispels any preconceptions of these being mere satellite boxes. The bass delivery is exceptional for a speaker of this size, denoted by how the walking bass guitar hits its stride as the chorus kicks in, showing they have no issues not only extending down to their claimed 35Hz (at +/-1.5dB) but also ensuring the lower frequencies they generate are presented with more weight and presence than their modest drivers and cabinets would suggest.

Tweaking the speakers’ sensitivity options gives you further options. In my listening room, the rear sensitivity setting at 0dB provides the best balance with -6dB making the low end a bit too prominent in the soundstage and +6dB a little too lean.

Playing to the current musical zeitgeist with a 24-bit/44kHz remaster of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) via Qobuz highlights how this song should be heard, in contrast to the amount of airplay it is currently getting via every teenager’s smartphone with a Netflix account.

Sonic synergy

The Primare and SA combination’s synergy really comes to the fore, capturing the percussion’s timing with vanishingly low levels of overhang, despite the intentionally echoey nature of how the drums are recorded. What this system also demonstrates with this track is the depth of soundstage it can muster, with the percussion pounding from way behind my wall, like it’s in another dimension.

While this is a largely digitally based system, its musical character is richly analogue with a warmth to the music that’s almost vinyl like. With Nick Drake’s Three Hours from his Five Leaves Left album streamed via Qobuz at 24/96 PCM, little is lost in its atmospherics in comparison to how I’m used to hearing this via my VPI vinyl front end. The guitar work is thick with detail, affording me a window into how it’s played, not just the resulting sound. Each drawn out guitar string stretch as Drake plucks harder for emphasis it effortlessly laid forth, while sibilance is kept well at bay during the passages that typically invite it. Overall, the impression is that of a convincingly natural sounding recreation of the original, not an inferior digital interpretation.

In summary

What this system highlights is how hifi’s boundaries have rightly evolved to meet real world needs. When combined, Primare’s SC15 front end and SA’s Silverback speakers will easily give traditional two channel systems at a similar price point a run for their money in terms of sonics and usability, because the underpinning quality of both products hasn’t been compromised.

Leave your preconceptions at the door, as the Primare and SA combination warrants your attention should you be in the market for a flexible solution without the big box count.

技術服務諮詢

M&K Sound台灣總代理 愷銳音響 台北總公司

地址:台北市信義區信義路六段22號2樓 | 電話:02-2726-1286

台中展示中心

地址:台中市西屯區台灣大道三段709號 | 電話:04-2258-1918

相關文章

[器評] 多聲道兩聲道均宜 Primare A35.8 八聲道後級

Primare的A35.8本身是一台8聲道後級,用家可拿來搭配多聲道使用,還可根據自己的需求進行橋接成功率更大的擴大機,使用彈性相當高。

[知識] 超低音懶人包! Perlisten R系列、D系列到底差在哪?

Perlisten的超低音產品主要分為兩個系列:R系列以及D系列。本文將從單體材質、衝程、輸出、獲得過的成就和尺寸等五個方向來完整介紹兩系列的差異。而除了比較兩者差異,文中也會提及兩者的共通點,如果您對於Perlisten產品線還有些陌生,相信閱讀完這篇文章能讓您更加了解Perlisten的產品細節!

[音展] 2024 台北圓山TAA音響展 – 503金展房特點回顧,PERLISTEN- 「創極限,未來電影院」

如果你有玩多聲道系統,那麼503愷銳音響的展房可說是這次音響展的一大焦點,因為它不僅採用了獲得THX最高級別Dominus認證的Perlisten Audio喇叭組成多聲道系統,而且還首度結合了Trinnov Audio的環繞處理前級,展示台灣首度的Wave Forming技術。

[音展] 2024 台北圓山TAA音響展 – 354水展房特點回顧,Torus Power – 「夠電,才夠勁」

如果您喝的水,經過煮沸與消毒,那音響系統當然也需要Torus Power超過40年的專業技術把關,採用環形隔離變壓器多項專利,隔離噪訊的同時仍大力供應電流300安培以上,以水來比喻,是全然純化的蒸餾水,而非會消減水壓的過濾水。

[快報] Perlisten、Trinnov、Barco、madVR聯手打造CEDIA有史以來最豪華家庭劇院

CEDIA是「美國智能家居與視聽電子展」,是非常值得高階家庭劇院玩家關注的一個展覽,因為這個展會上常會匯集各種頂級定制安裝的系統及周邊產品,而今年的CEDIA展覽剛剛結束,有外媒報導指出,這次展覽上出現了CEDIA有史以來最豪華的家庭劇院系統,我們就來看看它是怎麼規劃的。

[案例] 上帝到我家!見證Perlisten Audio D12s,如何全面升級兩聲道、劇院音效品質

過去我們雜誌很多家訪案例,不是領著大家的好奇心一睹豪宅頂級劇院系統色香味兼具的風采,就是帶大家導覽專業視聽空間火力齊全的高規格影音效果,對追求極致美聲以及殿堂級劇院音效的朋友來說,這些都是構建頂級音響系統的最佳參考指標。但對更多玩音響的朋友而言,這些夢想中的音響空間、視聽環境是超乎現實的,畢竟現代人礙於居家空間的限制,普遍都會將系統規劃坪數不大的客廳裡,謹慎利用有限的空間規劃器材,若透過得宜的搭配以及精挑合適的音響品牌,豪宅中音響系統所呈現的色、香、味,在小客廳裡想要留色、留香,也留味,絕對也可以辦到。

[案例] 上帝到我家!用Perlisten Audio享受頂級天空聲道劇院效果

今年七月,我再次受伊諾特國際的熱情邀請,拜訪台中一個Perlisten Audio喇叭的用家,並在他家體驗全套Perlisten Audio喇叭建構的天空聲道家庭劇院系統。這套系統是由威德音響規劃、調校,系統除了用上Perlisten Audio多款劇院喇叭,還罕見地採用「.4」配置,四顆超低音喇叭中也有兩顆是Perlisten Audio製品,這種超頂級的搭配,也讓我身歷其境感受到「上帝之聲」帶來的劇院震撼。

[音展] 2024 台北圓山TAA音響展 – 308土展房特點回顧,PRIMARE – 「剛剛好,最好」

愷銳這次展出標榜金、木、水、火、土的「音響五行之旅」,五間展房中308土展房的主角 是他們今年剛代理來自瑞典的Primare CD15 CD唱盤兼串播放機,搭配Primare Pre35前 級和A35.2後級擴大機,喇叭則是被音響迷譽為「上帝之聲」的Perlisten落地喇叭做聲音示 範。

[器評] 瑞典PRIMARE Audio Grade:SC15 Prisma「數位串流前級擴大機」2022年最佳產品

As our recent reviews have attested, quality hifi is no longer just a metaphor for industrially sized separates and traditional passive speakers. Often our real world homes and listening preferences mean our systems need to blend into our surroundings, rather than compete with them.