Primavera

Reviewer: Simon Ragionieri
Source: Generic 5G router into Taiko Audio network switch (both powered by an Uptone LPS1.2); Taiko Extreme Server; LampizatOr Horizon DAC
Headphone amplifier: Riviera Audio Labs AIC-10
Headphones: Spirit Torino Valkyria, Raal 1995 Immanis
Cables: Digital – Sablon Ethernet 2002 & USB Evo, Taiko DAC cable; Analog – Acrolink 7N-2090 Special Anniversary
Power delivery: Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Hurricane power cords, Shunyata Alpha HC power cord, Furutech NCF AC wall plugs on a dedicated spur
Review component retail: €12'999

This review came about because Fabio Di Vittorio and his Headphones & Co graciously loaned Simone their Primavera demonstrator sample. In Italy Fabio's firm also represents Raal 1995. Ed.

Pristine springwater from Serbia. The first time I noticed Trafomatic's Primavera was during my 'endgame' amplifier quest for the Abyss AB-1266 headphones. It was 2019 and took me a year or so including a few trips across Europe. I eventually settled on the Riviera Labs AIC-10 I still own. Primavera was one of the first examples of an all-out assault on tube-based headphone amplification which barred no holds on design, cost or size. It tempted me immensely but at the time I was unprepared to host a 30kg hot beast in my headfi corner. But I kept following the Serbian brand and made a promise to myself that I'd learn more about this rather unusual amplifier and try it once I got my chance. Fast forward to the present day when, thanks to the cooperation between Trafomatic and their Italian distributor, I was able to obtain a unit for audition and review. The amp delivered in a reassuring wooden crate equipped with very welcome handles on the sides when we're talking about ~50kg total. Once you unscrew the top cover, the carton containing the amp itself shows up and there's no point denying the satisfying rush of endorphins when you peek inside. When seen in the metal and felt in the back during installation, size and weight will make a strong impression before the physical and logistic efforts of placing it within the system are rewarded by one of the most stunningly gorgeous and imposing pieces of hifi I have been in the presence of – especially once you switch it on and the glow of tubes and VU meter salute you to enjoy some form of mysterious but surely carnal pleasure.

Trafomatic's Primavera with Raal 1995 Immanis headphones at the 2024 Headphone Expo Shanghai in the Hiend Panda exhibit.

That glow—actually more a searchlight illumination—mainly spills forth from the direct-heated output triodes, a pair of SV572-10 driven by a pair of Sovtek 6S45P-E triodes. They deliver around 9wpc into all output Ω settings. It makes Primavera capable of driving even the toughest headphones like Susvara which was one of the main references during R&D. Most the weight comes from a massive quartet of transformers whose design and manufacture are proprietary to the house as their name Trafomatic would suggest. The double C-core output transformers are built with harmonically sized sections for minimum inductance and highest bandwidth. Primavera features direct coupling between gain stages, complete separation between power supplies of stereo channels and a special C-L-C anode voltage filter of Mundorf MLytic HV electrolytics and high-induction choke by Trafomatic Audio. It is a purist single-ended zero feedback design, a topology I have come to love during the course of my audiophile journey. The drawback of class A is power consumption, here close to 280W at idle or full bore which means copious heat generation when 75% of the power generated dissipates thermally.

Hence Trafomatic Audio did not leave dissipation unattended. Au contraire. Finned heatsinks are present around the sides where two densely populated capacitor banks of the power supply sit. More proper ventilation builds in with the footers elevating the unit ~20mm above our support. A protective tube cage is standard. Trafomatic recommend leaving enough room for the tubes to breathe. That translates to at least 20cm of unobstructed clearance above. Tube life is expected to be 5'000 hours and we're advised to switch the amp off when not in use. The 30-second soft-start feature too is in the service of long-life glass. Originally Primavera used SV811-10 outputs which Svetlana since discontinued to be replaced by SV572-10. These are rare sights in our sector but Saša Cokic prefers them to the more commonly found 300B, 845 and 211 because "they are highly demanding but in the right mode and environment provide exceptional results". Knowing first hand how deep that rabbit hole can be, these are the only two compatible power tube types to limit tube rolling temptations to just a few options, none too expensive. The obvious one is to try sourcing a 811-10 whereas for the 6S45P-E driver we have more alternatives like the WE437. For my review I stuck to the provided valves but with tube rolling you can try to fine-tune the sonic balance to your preferences.

Trafomatic at this year's Munich show with Tune Audio Marvel speakers and Rockna digital.

Primavera has a knob for selecting its output impedance to your headphone specification from 25-600Ω. The recommendation is to avoid setting impedance much below the headphones' own to avoid distortion. I used 25Ω for Immanis on its 16Ω interface and preferred 50Ω over 100Ω on my 64Ω Spirit Torino dynamic isobaric Valkyria. The front panel sports the typical headphone sockets where I used XLR4, the volume knob and that hypnotic VU meter in orange. The rear panel reflects the minimalist/purist approach with RCA/XLR inputs, the latter not true balanced given the circuit's single-ended nature. When Primavera launched in 2018, there were just a few cost-no-object dedicated tube amplifiers for headphones. Such a big expensive amp was a bold pioneering move for Trafomatic. So I asked Saša what motivated him to undertake this project.

"My story with headphone amps started in 2008 when I made the Head One still in production. From that time I properly remember only the Yamamoto amp which I heard at Srajan's place in Chardonne, Switzerland. I thought I could do better since I design output transformers for a living which are so important in such designs. If you ask me whether I needed to do it, certainly not. But I love a challenge and over time, the 2wpc Head 2 encountered loads which warranted still more power so I began thinking about a new drive-anything amplifier. That's how Primavera was born. That was a challenge too considering how I place high demands on myself. But in the end there was nothing more to it than my love of tubes and designing circuits with them." I can attest that love and dedication for a quality build and design certainly exude big time from Primavera.