It is turned out that the Primare 301 is one of the best integrated amplifier at the price range. Sure there are lots of high-end amps better than this but even it is said this amp is superior to some pre/main separated amplifier at serveralfold price. For all that it's pretty old model of Primare lineup and killed off already, for these reasons it's extremely hard to find and get it in used market. And recently I got one by a happy accident. :)
But there's one necessary thing to do with this amp (but don't want to) is opening the case. I should have done it because the amp has no interface for built-in phono amplifier on it's exterior switching between MC and MM mode. I have two turntables and one of them had installed Sumiko Oyster MM cartridge but I used to play my vinyls on the other Rega P2 turn with DL-103 MC cartridge. At first I was so annoying to do that troublesome work screwing more than ten screws on it's top side and also on the bottom that I only played discs with Sumiko Oyster for a while. But I decided to do in the long run. I must do that cause Primare 301 is also famous for it's phono amplifier module and wanted to have experienced.
Before doing that I tried but could not find any articles or manuals even on the Primare's website. So I want to share it with some pictures. But whoever needed this information, he or she won't need it because they will find instinctively how-to as soon as opening the case as I did.
But there's one necessary thing to do with this amp (but don't want to) is opening the case. I should have done it because the amp has no interface for built-in phono amplifier on it's exterior switching between MC and MM mode. I have two turntables and one of them had installed Sumiko Oyster MM cartridge but I used to play my vinyls on the other Rega P2 turn with DL-103 MC cartridge. At first I was so annoying to do that troublesome work screwing more than ten screws on it's top side and also on the bottom that I only played discs with Sumiko Oyster for a while. But I decided to do in the long run. I must do that cause Primare 301 is also famous for it's phono amplifier module and wanted to have experienced.
Before doing that I tried but could not find any articles or manuals even on the Primare's website. So I want to share it with some pictures. But whoever needed this information, he or she won't need it because they will find instinctively how-to as soon as opening the case as I did.
When you open the case you can find a phono module attached at the rear center on main board. Here are some closed up picture of phono module down below. On it's bottom right corner there's two push buttons.
At the shown direction of last picture, upper button is labeled as SW1 and the other one is SW2. SW2 decides MM or MC and SW1 is for setting output impedence of MC cartridge so it does not effects on it's MM selection. If your turn table has MM cartridge, set up could be simply finished with switching off the lower button. In case of MC selection, output impedence selection is needed also. On the specification of my DL-103 cartridge, this has 40 Ohm of output impd. So I had switched on SW1 to 22 Ohm which is more closer than 100 Ohm. But it's on user's taste and doesn't do any harm to the devices. If the value of out impd. is smaller than a spec. it gives lower gain on volume control so I have pumped up the volume more than usual every time I play my turn.
