Primare I15 MKII Prisma

Digital Day, Italy, November 2022
I15 Prisma MK2 – Primare I15 Prisma Mk2 and Paradigm Founder 40B, point of arrival?

“I15 Prisma MK2 – Perfect for streaming – We are facing the entry model to the Primare world but already here you can appreciate the high-level of design and the excellent section dedicated to streaming, including the control application which is very simple but well done. The construction is textbook and very rare in this price range while the finish is equally worthy of praise but possibly too minimalist, without even the volume knob. Not bad using the remote control. The price is not negligible but aligned with the best competitors. The I15 Prisma MK2 is therefore particularly recommended for those who use high-resolution streaming as the main source and must drive even demanding loudspeakers in rooms with not too large cubic volumes.”

Sound & Vision, USA, May 2019
I15 Prisma Integrated Amplifier/DAC Review

“Flexible streaming options enhance the appeal of this sleek-looking integrated amplifier/DAC with serious audiophile pedigree and performance.”

Stereo+, Norway, October 2021
Stereo+ I15 Prisma MK2

I15 Prisma MK2: Practical and Sounding (Praktisk og Vellydende)

The sound of the Primare I15 Prisma has impressive control in the bass area providing a very good foundation on which the rest of the sound image can be built. The bass is also deep and powerful, and it cannot really be tipped off balance even on such grandiose speakers as Triangle Number 40th. Given that you do not play loud all the time.

The midrange has something of the same playing style as the bass. It is precise and very controlled, while being detailed and open. The treble can best be described as neutral, and it plays fine and detailed without anything sticking out in the soundscape or becoming synthetic and artificial. The amplifier in combination with the built-in digital converter has an analog character that makes it easy to listen to music and which is nimble and flattering. The amplifier is still suitably detailed and open, and it has more than enough energy in all situations, but you never get it to fall on the bright side of neutral almost regardless of the choice of music.

9 points / 5 Stars / Impressive

HiFi+, UK, October 2021
HiFi+ Innovation Award 2021

Primare have received an Innovation award from HiFi+ with the following citation:

“First founded in 1985 by industrial designer Bo Christensen, Primare’s is perhaps one of the most recognisably Scandinavian brands in audio. Its combination of minimalism and good performance all point to a Swedish brand.

So, when Primare uses a Swedish word to describe its ethos, perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised. That word is ‘Lagom’ (pronounced ‘laah-goam’) and roughly translates to ‘just the right amount.’ In Primare’s world this means keeping everything in balance, harmony and proportion, and that the music – rather than the technology or the box in which it comes – should be the focus of audio.

FWD, The Netherlands, July 2021
Primare I15 and CD15 Prisma – a wonderful duo

“We have experienced the Primare I15 and CD15 Prisma as a wonderful duo. We praise the balance that the manufacturer has managed to find in construction, optics and performance… The Prisma App is one of the best streaming apps on the market and soon all streaming Prisma products will even be ROON certified. When we weigh everything up, this Primare 15 Series reviewed by us is hard to beat. The sound quality is of an amazingly high level and the sound character particularly appeals to us.”

Qobuz Store Magazine, USA, June 2020
I15 Prisma: Primare I15 Prisma: the best streaming amplifier on the market?

“Primare’s integrated network amplifier is decked out to the brim and includes numerous functions within a reduced format and exhaustive connectivity. Such products are made to replace each and every component within an entire HiFi system: nothing more is required than to connect it to your speakers. This is what HiFi in 2020 looks without making any concessions in musical quality… A real catch, a Qobuzissime worthy of the name.”

AVTech, United Kingdom, December 2018
AVTech Media Award 2018/2019: Best Stereo Integrated Amplifier I15 Prisma

“This small-footprint integrated amplifier combines DAC and streaming capabilities with a Class D output stage inside a remarkably clean-looking chassis. It puts out a claimed 2x60W into 8ohm and delivers a sound that is more potent than its three-quarter-width dimensions might suggest. In use, its majestic grace, poise and control is matched by a measured and even tonality. Smooth, couth and sophisticated, Primare’s I15 Prisma proves that you can have the convenience of app control, stylish elegance and musical satisfaction all in one.”

EISA, International, August 2018
EISA AMPLIFIER 2018-2019 Award: Primare I15 Prisma

“Primare’s industrial design speaks volumes in this stylish, slimline amplifier. Despite being just three-quarters the size of conventional separates, it punches way above its weight in sound and features. Alongside conventional analogue inputs, there’s a hi-res PCM/DSD DAC plus Prisma connectivity and control technology that includes Bluetooth, AirPlay, Spotify Connect and Chromecast (with Roon) functionality. It sounds surprisingly good for its size – super-smooth and creamy with detail aplenty and satisfying stage depth. The proven Class D power amplifier is meaty enough to drive most loudspeakers, while the fascia’s crisp OLED display keeps track of source and volume settings. Factor in the svelte alloy casework and the I15 Prisma makes great sense for those seeking something out of the ordinary.”

Stereolife, Poland, July 2019
I15 Prisma: Primare I15 Prisma

“The Swedes have followed a fairly obvious path here – if you can hear more, it means it’s better. It’s hard to disagree with that, because listening to their basic amplifier you get the impression that the music reaches you without artificial barriers and delays.”

Audio Stereo, Poland, April 2020
I15 Prisma: “Toddler” with huge possibilities

“So if you are looking for a small amplifier with virtually unlimited possibilities for the world of digital streaming and a wealth of connections, if you are looking for an immersive sound that consistently reveals subtle shadings and details – the I15 will be the perfect partner for long evenings.”

ON-MAG, February, March 2019
I15 Prisma: A small high-end HiFi amplifier, ultra-square and ultra-connected

“The sound reproduction is particularly clean, pure, square with a notable absence of all forms of coloring. The Primare I15 Prisma is not a demonstrative, exuberant amplifier that imposes its personality. On the contrary, it is very neutral, both soft and precise.”

Stereo +, Norway, May 2018
I15 Prisma: Cool and Compact

“For anyone looking for a complete amplifier for a smaller system, it is near perfect. It plays brilliantly, has a sensible and well-functioning equipment package, and as long as it is not pressed into completely senseless circumstances, it also delivers great and engaging sound with true presence. Five Stars.”

Alpha Audio, The Netherlands, April 2019
I15 Prisma: Primare I15 Prisma amplifier streamer

“The Primare I15 Prisma is a modern all-rounder with high user-friendliness. The sound is balanced, entirely according to the philosophy of this Swedish manufacturer. The amplifier, the DAC and the streamer are all excellent. The small Primare I15 Prisma can be the digital heart of a beautiful set that takes up little space but still plays big. We say: Alpha Approved!”

HiFi News, United Kingdom, October 2018
I15 Prisma: Primare I15 Prisma networked amplifier

“Such is the elegant industrial design of this compact, network-capable integrated amp that its versatility might, on very brief examination, be missed. For alongside its fine sound there’s extensive functionality including Roon and Chromecast. Decidedly not a minimalist product, the Primare I15 Prisma is a lovely listen that packs a wealth of technology into a small box, and does so with great elan. HIGHLY COMMENED.”

HiFi Choice, UK, May 2019
I15 Prisma: Beautiful System – Primare / Falcon Acoustics – Emotional content

“What we have here is a system that consistently shows that character is not a polite excusing of flaws or faults. It is utterly vice-less to live with and has a specification that allows it to perform almost any role you can envisage from an audio system in 2019. Thanks to the materials involved and the care and effort in their construction, the result is an almost perfect physical manifestation of equipment that generates the feeling that has me referencing kung fu movies. Every time I’ve sat down to listen to this system, I’ve ended up happier than when I started… and it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Audio Video, Poland, May 2019
I15 Prisma: Swedish Integration

“I15 behaves like a pure audiophile amplifier with normal dimensions. In the sonic sphere, there is no indication that the housing is half as big as usual. I was surprised by the maturity and richness of the sound – its scale, momentum, and power. And amazingly low compression.”

HiFi Musik, Sweden, April 2019
Effortless streaming – Primare’s new talents

“I have myself never heard a amplifier in this price class that sounds so explosive and powerful in the low end, yet sounding so subtle and detailed with precision.”

On Magazine, France, March 2019
I15 Prisma: Primare I15 Prisma test: a small hi-end amp, ultra solid and ultra connected

“The sound reproduction is particularly clean, pure, solid with a notable absence of all forms of coloration. The Primare I15 Prisma is not a demonstrative, exuberant amplifier that imposes its personality. On the contrary, it has great neutrality, at the same time soft and precise. But that does not stop it from being strong.”