PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube Phono Preamplifier £3398 Review

https://www.hifinews.com/content/primaluna-evo-100-tube-phono-preamplifier

Let’s get one thing clear from the outset. With the exception of (London) Decca cartridges, which are out there in their own space, the EVO 100 Tube Phono excels with moving-coils, as these are more simpatico with the overall nature of the unit. That said, if you find it too warm, moving-magnets from Ortofon and others add a touch of coolness or even restraint.

Having ascertained that the Ortofon MMs – three different colours of 2M – were sounding of their best and even benefitting from the very tubes that they corralled, I moved onto MCs, including an aged Tsurugi (which sired Lyra), the EAT Jo No8 [HFN Dec ’19], and the reborn Kiseki [HFN Jul ’18]. It was here that I began to appreciate the phono stage’s two-pronged approach of matching gain and impedance. To my delight, none of the settings were best at the manufacturers’ recommended values, the EVO 100 reinforcing my belief that you need to set your cartridges by ear.