NuPrime PRA-9X Preamplifier

Fully Balanced, Without the Flagship Price

In a fully balanced preamp the signal runs as mirrored pairs from input to output. Noise picked up along the way cancels itself at the far end. That layout usually lives in audio's upper tiers. The PRA-9X brings it down to earth, and keeps the phono stage.

Four of NuPrime's ultra-low-distortion output modules run that path, each built on the MUSES8820 op-amp. Distortion measures 0.0004% and signal-to-noise sits above 115dB. Response is flat from 0Hz to 50kHz within 0.2dB. What you hear is a quiet background at any volume, and a long cable to the amp that stays quiet.

Volume is handled the clever way. It is digitally controlled but analog in the signal path, moving in 0.5dB steps across four channels. So you get exact, repeatable levels with none of the sonic penalty. The preamp also remembers the setting for each input, so switching from a quiet turntable to a loud streamer never blindsides you.

A Phono Stage You Can Actually Tune

Most built-in phono stages give you one fixed loading and wish you luck. The PRA-9X invites adjustment. Its moving-magnet input offers 32k, 47k or 100k ohms, and 100, 220 or 320pF. So you load a cartridge to the figure its maker asks for, rather than settle for close enough.

Gain is a healthy 50dB with 4.0mV sensitivity, and the RIAA stage uses the same MUSES8820 op-amp as the line path. A 6.3mm headphone output delivers 560mW into 32 ohms and 110mW into 600 ohms, which covers most headphones on the shelf.

Connections are complete. There is one balanced XLR input, two RCA line pairs and the phono input, with XLR and RCA outputs to your power amp. Input and output triggers switch the rest of the rack on with it. All of it fits a half-width box of 6.6 pounds, in black or silver.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Totally Wired, NuPrime's longtime New Zealand specialist, ran the PRA-9X with a Consonance turntable and the matching STA-9X. "From the first notes I've been struck by the clarity, verve and agility of the presentation", they wrote, calling it "a simply awesome preamplifier at a highly competitive price."

The phono stage drew particular attention. Rebuilt and focused on moving magnet, "the turntable input now competes with any serious separate phono stage, many costing as much as the entire PRA-9X itself." Adding it, they note, means the preamp "gives very little away" against a separates system.

Who Is This Preamplifier Best For?

• You want balanced architecture on a budget — the mirrored path cancels noise a single-ended design would pass along, so a long run to the power amp costs you nothing in hiss.
• You play vinyl and like to tinker — three resistance settings and three capacitance settings let you match a cartridge to its maker's figure, which is the difference between flat treble and a lift you never asked for.
• You listen on headphones too — 560mW into 32 ohms drives most headphones properly from the front panel, so a separate headphone amp is one box you do not have to buy.
• Your rack space is tight — a half-width chassis at 6.6 pounds stacks with NuPrime's STA-9X, and the input and output triggers bring the whole stack up together on one button.
• You play moving-coil records — the phono stage is moving magnet, at 50dB and 4.0mV. A low-output coil needs an outboard stage from our phono preamplifiers, running into either RCA line input.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the balanced XLR or RCA outputs to your power amplifier, and use the trigger jacks so both wake together. Your turntable joins the phono input, with the loading switches set to match your cartridge before you play the first side.

Line sources fill the XLR and RCA inputs, headphones plug into the front panel, and the remote handles volume in half-decibel steps from the couch.

Pairs Well With

Building around the PRA-9X? Here are some great companions:

• Turntable: Put that tunable phono stage to work — see our Turntables.
• Headphones: The front-panel output invites a good pair — see our Headphones.
• Power Amplifier: The STA-9X is the natural partner — see our Amplifiers.
• Interconnects: Quality XLR cables feed your power amp — see our Interconnect Cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does fully balanced actually mean?

The signal runs as mirrored positive and negative halves through the whole preamp. Noise picked up on the way hits both halves equally, and cancels at the output.

Can I connect a turntable?

Yes. The moving-magnet input offers 50dB of gain at 4.0mV, with selectable resistance of 32k, 47k or 100k ohms and capacitance of 100, 220 or 320pF.

Does it have a headphone output?

Yes, a 6.3mm jack delivering 560mW into 32 ohms and 110mW into 600 ohms.

How does the volume control work?

It is digitally controlled but analog in the signal path, in 0.5dB steps across four channels, and it remembers the level for each input.

What finishes are available?

Black or silver, in a half-width chassis sized to stack with the STA-9X power amplifier.

What warranty does it carry?

NuPrime covers the PRA-9X with a 1-year warranty.

See It in Action

nowakAudio walks through the PRA-9X alongside its 9X series siblings (in Polish, with the hardware on full display):

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Learn More

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