Review: Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 - network player and DAC with preamplifier!

Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 from the famous Swedish company combines several devices at once - a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a streamer (network player), and a preamplifier. "Swiss knife" solutions for sound are not always ideal - well, let's check the talents of this universal component during testing.

Design

Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 is housed in a compact aluminum case of a very stylish design - the width of 330 mm is a quarter less than the width of a standard Hi-Fi component. Aesthetics here goes hand in hand with practicality - the front panel is equipped with an OLED display that displays information about the current track, connection status and playback parameters. At the same time, the main functionality for controlling the player is assigned to the PRISMA mobile app.

Technology

Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 is based on the proprietary “Prisma network platform”, which not only provides access to popular streaming services such as Spotify, TIDAL and Qobuz, but also allows you to integrate Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 into a WiSA-based multiroom. Prisma also supports voice control via built-in Google Assistant and Chromecast services (to use this, you will need an Android smartphone or Google Home speakers - through these devices, Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 will be able to hear your commands to control the main functions of the preamplifier). 

Another interesting feature of the Prisma platform is the automatic sound calibration system for the room. In home cinema receivers (AV-recievers), this option has long been a standard - but in stereo systems, this direction is just making its way (but to activate calibration on the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2, you will have to purchase a Zen wireless microphone). The microphone has a built-in battery and connects to the application on the smartphone or tablet via Wi-Fi, so the calibration process is very convenient. Based on the measurements, the application creates a correcting profile that is loaded into the player's memory, adjusting the sound to the characteristics of a particular listening room.

Digital-to-analog conversion in the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 player is carried out using the well-known ESS Technologies Sabre ES9028Q2M chip. There is also support for Bluetooth, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, Roon certification, which makes the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 extremely convenient to use with mobile devices. You can stream music from literally any source - a smartphone, tablet or laptop.

To integrate the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 into a home computer network, you can use Ethernet or a wireless Wi-Fi network. After that, it becomes possible to play audio files from the network via DLNA and gain access to popular streaming services. The commutation arsenal of the device includes, among other things, two analog inputs. But there is a nuance here - for the full operation of the Prisma platform and the preamplifier volume control, the signals from these inputs are digitized and then processed digitally. In addition, there are three optical and one coaxial digital inputs, as well as a coaxial digital output. There is also a USB-B port for connecting to a computer - it is through this input that you can supply digital PCM streams in a maximum resolution of 32/384 and in DSD256 format.

Test system

Listening to the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 network player was carried out in a system with a pair of IOTAVX PA3 stereo power amplifiers in bridged mode and KEF LS50 acoustics.

Listening

Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 delivers music with volume and depth, from clear drums and rich bass in rock compositions to the airy sound of string instruments in classical works. Neither electronics nor jazz baffle the component - the device is absolutely genre-neutral.

On the first album of Dire Straits - Dire Straits, the player's ability to form a three-dimensional scene is especially noticeable. The depth of the stage, the size and the ability to clearly position instruments and vocalists on it are primarily the merit of the digital part implemented in the player. And in this regard, the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 performed excellently - a large-scale stage with tangible localization unfolded before us, the sound canvas was filled with air and a lot of details.

The abundance of details that the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 presents to the listener is noticeable even on the old recording of Duke Ellington - The Duke Plays Ellington, the amount of musical information is enormous, while the nature of the presentation is distinguished by the naturalness of the vocal transmission and timbre fidelity.

And Madonna - Like A Virgin performed by Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 forms clear midrange frequencies with a fairly rich emotional palette.

Conclusion

Well, the Primare SC15 Prisma MK2 is relatively inexpensive by audiophile standards - but it is quite possible to build a compact high-end digital stereo system on its basis.