Primare NP5 Prisma MK2 Network Player

Streaming added to whatever you already own

The Primare NP5 Prisma MK2 is a network transport that adds Primare's Prisma streaming platform to any system with a digital input, in a box 143mm wide weighing half a kilogram. It has no converter and no analogue outputs, so it feeds a coaxial or optical input on your existing amplifier or DAC and lets that handle the conversion. It is Roon Ready, which is worth noting because not every Prisma product is.

Why You'll Love It

• Modernises a system you like. If the amplifier and speakers are right and only the source is dated, this adds streaming without replacing anything else in the rack.
• Roon Ready, and the rest. Roon Ready certification alongside AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect and Bluetooth covers essentially every way people play music now.
• Small enough to hide. 143 x 36 x 125mm and 0.5kg, so it tucks behind or beside the existing gear rather than needing its own shelf.

Under the Hood

• Prisma network platform over Ethernet or dual band Wi-Fi, with Roon Ready, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth and UPnP.
• Coaxial RCA and optical digital outputs with a selectable output rate of 44.1, 48, 96 or 192kHz at 24-bit, plus a USB-A input for local storage.
• Supports PCM to 192kHz and 24-bit and DSD to DSD128, with MQA passthrough for Tidal Masters and DSD over PCM output for Roon Ready converters.

CHT Insider Verdict

For the money this is the cleanest way to bring a good older system up to date, and the Roon Ready certification puts it ahead of a lot of cheap streaming boxes. Be clear that it is a transport: the sound quality is set by whatever converter you feed, so a mediocre DAC downstream will limit it. It is also black only, which matters if the rest of your rack is titanium.

Pro Tip: Set the output rate to match what your DAC actually handles rather than leaving it on the highest setting. If the receiving converter tops out at 96kHz, sending it 192kHz means something in the chain resamples anyway, and you have less control over where that happens.