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PrimaLuna - USA EVO 100 TUBE Phonostage V2
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An external phonostage that is PrimaLuna with a massive power transformer, 5AR4 tube rectification, and with 12AX7 gain for MM, and 6922 gain for MC
It's here at last, a standalone PrimaLuna phonostage built to the same extreme level of engineering as every other PrimaLuna, and every bit as thoughtful and intuitive. The goal with the EVO 100 phonostage was to keep controls and features as simple as possible.
The EVO 100 Phonostage supports both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges. The MM stage offers two capacitance settings, and the MC stage offers three gain, and five input impedance settings. The delicate signals in the MC stage are protected by mechanically decoupling the board.
All PrimaLuna, Inside and Out
At 27.9 lb, you know the EVO 100 Phonostage is all PrimaLuna in its use of a massive custom power transformer, with full protection. The heavy gauge steel chassis sports PrimaLuna's deep, glassy five-coat paint, with each coat hand-rubbed and polished.
Inside, all of the high-quality parts are joined using point-to-point wiring. The parts list is familiar to any PrimaLuna fan: ceramic tube sockets, Nichicon and DuRoch capacitors, and gold-plated connectors.
All-Tube Glory
As you'd expect from PrimaLuna, the EVO 100 Phonostage is tube rectified using two 5AR4 tubes. Two EL34 stabilize the power supply, and four 12AX7 form the gain stage for the MM setting. Gain for MC is from two 6922 tubes.
This makes the EVO 100 Phonostage the perfect match for PrimaLuna gear, bringing all-tube magic into every part of the signal. Or, pair this with a revealing solid-state system and enjoy huge levels of detail without a shred of harshness.
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Professional Reviews 92/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
93/100
Cartridge Compatibility
90/100
Build Quality
91/100
Value for Money
92/100
Rich, liquid midrange and expansive soundstage depth make this all-tube phonostage a standout, with smooth, grain-free vocals and enough drive to handle rock, jazz, and acoustic records alike. hi-fi+, HiFi News, and TONEAudio MAGAZINE all highlight its musical flow, cartridge flexibility, and premium build.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Delivers a warm, organic, and highly musical presentation with strong detail and realism.
Creates a spacious, three-dimensional soundstage that keeps complex music well layered and easy to follow.
Offers flexible MM/MC loading and gain settings that suit a wide range of cartridges.
Feels properly high-end, with heavy-gauge construction, polished finishing, and thoughtful protection circuits.
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Cons
The single input and single output layout is basic for this price, and it omits a second turntable input and balanced outputs.
Heat output is significant, so it needs good ventilation and is less discreet than solid-state alternatives.
Maximum MC gain may be limiting for very low-output cartridges.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 93/100
Reviewers consistently praise this stage for its musicality, warmth, and sense of realism, while also stressing that it keeps good detail and transparency. It is repeatedly described as three-dimensional, fluid, and highly involving, with strong timing and a lively presentation that still handles complex music with ease.
Transparency Noise Floor
92/100
Reviewers describe a very clean, transparent presentation with a strong sense of detail and an absence of grain. Hi-Fi News highlights a lack of artifice and sibilance, while the other reviews praise the way it lets the listener hear deep into recordings without losing musical flow.
Tonal Balance Musicality
94/100
This is a characterful tube phono stage, but the reviews present that character as natural, fluid, and highly engaging rather than overly soft or colored. Writers repeatedly call it warm, organic, lush, smooth, and sweet in the top octaves, yet also note that it remains realistic and unforced.
Dynamics
92/100
The stage is praised for strong timing, punch, and the ability to move confidently between heavy, energetic material and quieter acoustic passages. One review says the tone and dynamics are outstanding, and another notes that it leaves very little on the table compared with respected high-end competition.
Soundstage Imaging
93/100
Spatial rendering is a clear strength, with repeated comments about three-dimensional space, air, and the ability to hear into the recording without losing coherence. Reviewers describe a convincing soundstage that keeps instruments layered and individually intelligible while preserving musical flow.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Cartridge Compatibility
90/100
The EVO 100 offers MM and MC support with selectable MC loading at 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 ohms, plus MM capacitance options of 47 pF and 100 pF. Reviewers explicitly praise the matching of gain and impedance, though the maximum 60 dB MC gain is noted as a limitation for some lower-output cartridges.
Build Quality
91/100
Reviewers describe heavy-gauge steel construction, a fully vented chassis, polished finish options, and generally high-end physical presentation. They also mention the substantial tube complement and soft-start design, though the unit’s heat output is noted and the very simple rear-panel layout is not especially lavish in features.
Value for Money
92/100
Several reviews are strongly positive about value, calling it one of the best deals in its class and worthy of an Exceptional Value Award. At roughly $3,700 to $3,400 in the reviews, it is portrayed as delivering performance associated with much pricier phono stages, which is a major part of its appeal.
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Authorized dealers for PrimaLuna - USA EVO 100 TUBE Phonostage V2
- 110Hz — online and in-store — Kielce, Województwo świętokrzyskie, Poland (website)
- All That Audio — in-store — Anaheim, California, United States (website)
- Analog Matters — online and in-store — Ormond Beach, Florida, United States (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Area 51 Audio Visual Engineering — in-store — Tucson, Arizona, United States (website)
- Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Audio Aktoren — online and in-store — Horten, Vestfold, Norway (website)
- Audio Center (website)
- Audio Evolution — online and in-store — Volla, Campania, Italy (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
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