Предусилители — PrimaLuna EVO 200-3

Also listed as the EVO 200-3, this is the EVO 200 valve line preamplifier from PrimaLuna, the line stage of the second tier in the company's four-level EVO range. It carried a US price of USD 3,795 and uses a dual-mono layout, which PrimaLuna describes as two complete preamplifiers sharing one chassis. The valve complement is four 12AU7 gain tubes and two 5AR4 rectifier tubes, one rectifier per channel.

Key specs that matter

Rated output is 2 V per channel with a gain of 10 dB, and 620 mV at the input drives the preamplifier to that level at full volume. Input impedance is 220 kohm and output impedance is 2,800 ohm. The frequency range is 28 Hz to 43 kHz within 1 dB and 14 Hz to 92 kHz within 3 dB. PrimaLuna quotes the signal-to-noise ratio as 93 dB unweighted or 100 dB with A-weighting, and THD under 0.5% at 2 V. Power consumption is 51 W. The case measures 405 x 365 x 205 mm, the net weight is 18 kg and the boxed weight 22 kg.

Engineering and use context

Rectification is done by valves rather than silicon diodes, which PrimaLuna links to a lower noise floor. Each channel has its own custom-wound power transformer, potted and enclosed in a metal housing to limit magnetic radiation and interference. The whole signal path, resistors and capacitors included, runs point to point on hand-soldered Swiss silver wire, and the tubes sit in ceramic sockets next to gold-plated connectors. An ALPS Blue Velvet volume pot fitted with a motor responds to the front knob or a slim metal remote. Input switching uses sealed relays located at the rear sockets, avoiding noise from switches on the front panel. A SoftStart circuit brings the valves up gently at power-on, a PTP thermal circuit protects the power transformer, and the AC Offset Killer further lowers transformer noise. Inside the case a fully shielded compartment is reserved for the optional PhonoLogue EVO moving-magnet phono stage.

Pairing

Four stereo RCA line inputs serve CD players, streamers and DACs, and a fifth pair acts as a home theatre bypass for an AV processor. Two pairs of RCA main outputs let a power amplifier and a powered sub, or two separate power amplifiers, be connected together, and a separate tape output feeds a recorder. Because the valve output stage has a relatively high source impedance, power amplifiers with a high input impedance present the easiest load.

Alternatives

PrimaLuna's next tier offers the EVO 300 Tube Preamplifier as the larger line stage in the same range.