Primare R35 MM/MC Phono Preamplifier

Twenty one loading steps, and a balanced way out

The Primare R35 is a full width phono stage for moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, built in the same 35 series chassis as the PRE35 and A35.2. Gain is switchable across three positions for each cartridge type, moving coil loading runs to 21 steps between 10Ω and 47kΩ, and the output is available on balanced XLR as well as RCA.

Why You'll Love It

• Loading you can actually dial in. Twenty one moving coil settings from 10Ω to 47kΩ means matching a cartridge properly rather than accepting the nearest of three guesses.
• Balanced output from a phono stage. A cartridge is a balanced source by nature, and the R35 keeps it that way through to an XLR output at 200Ω, which matters over any run longer than a metre.
• Gain for almost any cartridge. Moving magnet from 36dB to 44dB and moving coil from 62dB to 70dB on RCA, with an extra 6dB available at the balanced output.

Under the Hood

• Switchable gain of 36, 40 or 44dB for moving magnet and 62, 66 or 70dB for moving coil at the RCA output, rising to 42, 46 or 50dB and 68, 72 or 76dB at the XLR output.
• RIAA equalisation accurate to ±0.2dB, with signal to noise of 85dB in moving magnet mode and 76dB in moving coil mode.
• Moving coil input loading adjustable in 21 steps from 10Ω to 47kΩ, with balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs at 200Ω.

CHT Insider Verdict

Phono stages at this level often ask you to accept whatever loading the designer preferred. The R35 does the opposite, and if you own a moving coil cartridge that has never quite sounded settled, that adjustability is where the money goes. Pair it with a PRE35 or I35 over balanced cable and the vinyl input stops being the noisy one.

Pro Tip: Start moving coil loading at roughly ten times the cartridge's internal impedance, then move a few steps either side while listening to something with cymbals. The right setting is the one where the treble stops sounding either glassy or dull.