Primare SP25 Prisma Home Cinema Preamplifier

All of the processing, none of the power amplifiers

The Primare SP25 Prisma is the SPA25 with the amplification left out: eleven channels of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive processing, Dirac Live room correction and the full Prisma streaming platform, in a chassis that expects you to bring your own power amplifier. Conversion is handled by two ESS 9026PRO converters, and the obvious partner is the A35.8, which sits underneath it and covers eight channels in one box.

Why You'll Love It

• You choose the amplification. Eleven processed channels with no output stages inside means the power comes from whatever you specify, and that scales a long way past anything built into a receiver.
• Dirac Live is included. The Limited Bandwidth licence ships with the unit, and Full Bandwidth can be bought directly from Dirac if you want correction across the whole range.
• Music is not an afterthought. Roon Ready certification, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built in and Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz through Prisma, so it earns its place between films as well as during them.

Under the Hood

• Eleven channels of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X immersive audio processing, with digital to analogue conversion by two ESS 9026PRO converters.
• Four HDMI 2.0b inputs and two HDMI outputs, one with eARC and one auxiliary, carrying HDCP 2.2 and 4K dynamic HDR switching.
• Five RCA analogue inputs including a 7.1 multichannel input, coaxial, Toslink and USB-B digital inputs, and dual front left and right analogue outputs for bi-amping.

CHT Insider Verdict

This is the right end of the Primare home cinema range if you already own power amplification, or intend to buy it separately, which most people building a room at this level do. Paired with an A35.8 it turns into a serious multichannel system from two boxes. Choose the SPA25 instead if you want the amplification included in one chassis and nine channels is enough.

Pro Tip: HDMI here is 2.0b rather than 2.1, so 4K with dynamic HDR is covered but 8K and 4K at 120Hz are not. If you game at high frame rates, run the console straight to the television and take the audio back to the SP25 over eARC. Nothing is lost, because the console is not sending Atmos any other way.