Audiophilepure

https://www.stereophile.com/content/primare-a358-8-channel-power-amplifier

The Primare A35.8 amplifier surprised me. Its performance in my system corroborated Primare’s claim that they can make a great amplifier from Ncore modules, one that can rival amplifiers based on the newer Purifi technology as well as amplifiers utilizing traditional, nonswitching technology. Its eight channels and bridged gain options endow it with tremendous versatility. To me, the Primare A35.8 is worthy of an audition in any multichannel setup. It is a pleasure to use and to listen to.

Gentle Ben is one of my most favorite albums in my entire high resolution jazz collection. The 866 DAC grabs this digital file and makes it something special. On the first track, “Ben’s Blues,” Ben Webster on saxophone and Tete Montoliu on piano provide the perfect balance of urgency and despair for this beautiful blues ballad. Again, we have the suddenness and dynamic contrast that only the very best components can bring to the table. These musicians and these instruments were now in the room! I also have the outstanding 45 RPM vinyl pressing from Analogue Productions. This was one of the few times that digital was able to really satisfy all that this recording can offer.

Final Thoughts

The Boulder 866 is a star performer and a true standard of excellence. With its superb industrial design and musical presentation, the 866 can easily be the center piece of the very best sound systems. The optional integrated DAC provides tremendous value and performance and competes well with DACs many times it price. Bottom line. The 866 indisputably pushes the envelope for what current integrated amplifiers can now provide—even for the most sophisticated Audiophiles. Highly recommended!

In general, the TA1’s performance is of the crowd-pleasing nature you’d expect from a feature-packed integrated at this price – it plays loud and low, has tangible driving ability, and snaps into detail. Depth of soundstage is also handled well, ensuring The Allman Brothers Band’s At Filmore East [Mercury 0600753270240] comes across like the live recording it is. But the amp doesn’t spread the sound particularly wide, meaning that, on the epic-length ‘Mountain Jam’, there’s a suggestion of the players fighting for the spotlight.

This, and the TA1’s lack of real richness and smoothness in mids and highs are where its sonic aspirations come face to face with its price tag. Yet I’ll end on a high, as the amplifier deserves it – Warren G’s hip-hop hit ‘Regulate’ [Violator Records 523 335-2] sounded as vibrant and bouncy as its producers intended, the TA1 digging up warm, room-filling bass and projecting the soul-inflected vocals right at me. That so much energy was coming from a slim, black box was an eye-opener.