Opinions on Primare

[Glen1]

Hi Guys,
I'm from Aus and this is my first post. I've just picked up and nearly run in a new Primare SPA20 integrated home theatre amp. I've had a few other ht and integrated amps along the way including rotel, marantz, denon and rotel separates. I found that as soon as I turned the Primare on with a cd the sound improvement was dramatic, even over the separates. Ht was not such a big improvement but the more I listen the more I notice things sound just a little better and the processing is obviously doing a little more. I was wondering if anybody has any experiences with the Primare SPA20, I would be interested to hear any opinions.

Glen

[Bam!]

Hi Glen1!

Welcome fellow man from Oz!

When you say Rotel...can I ask which one`s ?

Also what are your speakers!

Thank you fine lad!

[Glen1]

Primare opinions

I've had Rotel RSX965 - their first, which was just average, Matrantz SR6200 which was better than the Rotel, Denon 2802 similar to Marantz and Rotel RSP976 with two channel Consonance C1 integrated and C3 three channel amp. The consonance are available in Aus and Chinese domestic market but I don't think in the States. There is Consonance gear available in the States and I believe it would be similar to A100 but with more power.
The Priamre cost me more than the separates but it was worth it.
Speakers have all been Australian being Osborn which use Focal drivers, an 8" two way with kevlar bass driver and titanium tweeter and some cheaper speakers based on standard line SEAS drivers being double 6" and metal dome tweeter.
I'm currently madly saving all of my cash for a pair of Epos M22 which I recently heard. I had my heart set on smaller M15.2 but now that I've heard the bigger ones I can't go back.

[laurens]

Primare Spa20 + Epos M15

Hi...I currently have the SPA20 with the EPOS M15, M8, M5, and I am very happy with it (it sounds fantastic)...I purchased the M15 without known that the M22's were being developed, and I am woundering whether I should upgrade to the M22's...did you find much improvement (obviously you did)...in what way....I am trying to justify the additional outlay $$$$

[David Meek]

Hey down under! Glen, Laurens, welcome to The Guide! :later:

Justify? Justify? Oh dear. . . . Laurens, is that justifying to yourself or a "significant other"? If it's just you, well we've got it made. :B

Seriously though, all I can offer is the same advice you've probably already received. Audition the 22's. That's the only true way to decide if they are worthy of your hard earned money.

[Glen1]

Primare opinions

Hi Guys,
Sorry it's taken me so long to post a further reply. I must admit I forgot that I made the post originally and stumbled across this again when I googled for Epos M22 which is strange as my original post was about Primare gear.
First of all regarding the Primare SPA 20. I am still rediscovering my old cd's and amazed at what this thing can do. I have enquired about how it sounds against a Primare integrated and I'm told it's a completely different amp design and probably superior to some of the Primare integrateds. I will qualify that statement by including that that comment came from the Aus importer of Primare and not my personal experience. I have not compared the 20 with any 2 channel Primare. I have heard the pre power h/t Primare playing sacd of Dark Side of the Moon with Totem speakers and Velodyne sub - now that was good! I just wonder what my spa20 would be like with a Primare power amp for the mains.
Regarding the Epos M22 v's the M15.2. I've not heard the 15.2, only the M15. I have compared the whole Epos range and found that the bigger they got the better they were. I would have been happy with 15.2 but seeing I knew there were better ones out there I couldn't go back. I hope they don't bering out a newer and better model in the meantime.
And for you Laurens, I could always justify spending the extra becuase I knew that if I didn't in the back of my mind I would always wonder how much better the M22's would have been.
I still don't have the M22's yet, a couple of weeks of savings to go. I gave up cigarettes over a year ago and the money I was spending goes to hifi. The wife can't argue with that as she's happy I'm off the 'lung busters' (that's Aussie speak for cigaretes).