Valve Specialist PrimaLuna Launches first Hybrid Amp

PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid: a perfect sonic fusion

Dutch firm PrimaLuna was founded in 2003 with a clear mission: to deliver high-performance valve-based audio components at affordable prices, resolving the reliability issues that had often dissuaded people from investing in the sonic beauty of valves. The company’s current, much-acclaimed EvoLution range spans 12 valve amplifiers – integrated amps, preamps and power amps across four price tiers – as well as a valve-based DAC

 

This autumn, a new amplifier joins the range – and for the first time in PrimaLuna’s history it’s not a valve amp! Or at least, it’s not entirely a valve amp. The PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier is the result of a collaboration between PrimaLuna and Floyd Design – the solid-state design arm of Durob Audio, PrimaLuna’s parent company. PrimaLuna has designed the amp’s valve-based preamp stage; Floyd Design has created the solid-state power stage; and the two have worked together to mould a hybrid amp of such synergistic quality, it really does deliver the best of both worlds.

 

Combining valve and solid-state amplification in a single chassis to capture the respective qualities of both – the warmth and fluidity of valves, the power and grip of solid-state circuitry – is something audio designers have attempted for decades, to varying degrees of success. The difficulty is in engineering these two different technological forms with their contrasting characteristics so that they meld to create a seamless sonic whole that genuinely delivers the best of both. Too often, hybrid amps turn out to be less than the sum of their parts – a mismatch, both technically and sonically.

 

Here, the respective expertise of PrimaLuna and Floyd Design, empowered by their close working relationship under common ownership, has enabled the creation of a hybrid amplifier that works in perfect concert from input to output. MOSFETs, used in the power stage, share similar characteristics to valves and Jan de Groot, the head of Floyd Design, has been creating amps with MOSFETs for 26 years. The result of this fusion of valve and solid-state excellence is an amp that delivers generous dynamic range, deep and broad stereo imaging, smoothly expressive middle and high frequencies, taught and tuneful bass, and fast, punchy control.

Key features

 

• The perfect coupling of valve and solid-state amplification took two years for PrimaLuna and Floyd Design to perfect.
• The preamp stage uses six hand-selected 12AU7 valves (2x input, 4x driver) – not a vague nod to valves in the signal path like some hybrid amps but a properly engineered valve stage.

 

• The dual-mono solid-state power section incorporates paired JFETs from Linear Systems and specially manufactured MOSFETs, delivering 2x 100W into 8 ohms.
• Hardwiring is used extensively throughout the circuit design. Where PCBs are required, they are of the highest quality – 2.5mm thick with 105 µm gold-plated copper tracks.

 

• The valve preamp stage includes two power supplies with separate transformers; the solid-state power stage uses a dedicated 500VA transformer.
• All power supplies benefit from PrimaLuna’s AC Offset Killer circuit, ensuring that ‘DC on the mains’ never causes transformer hum.
• Incorporates circuit components of the highest quality, sourced from all over the world from manufacturers such as Takman, DuRoch, Nichicon, Alps, Linear Systems, Rubycon and Kemet.
• Six inputs (5x line-level RCA, 1x home cinema bypass) are provided. Other facilities include subwoofer and ‘tape’ outputs, a built-in headphone amp and an optional phono stage that attaches to the amp’s underside in a fully shielded sub-chassis.

 

Price and availability

 

The PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier is available to order from October, with a choice of black or silver front panel. Stock will be limited until production ramps up towards the end of the 2021. The UK RRP is £6,198 inc. VAT.

Absolute Sounds – sole UK distributor of PrimaLuna products

W: absolutesounds.com