PRIMARY CONTROL, “German engineering made in the Netherlands”

Bernd Hemmen is the visionary behind Netherlands based Primary Control. It represents for us a new powerful option for Vinyl playback; beautifully high end but still offering good value for money when one’s eye is cast across the industry. I am always the first to admit that everything we sell is expensive in isolation, but relative to rivals and the status quo, many or even most of our products do possess genuine value for money.

Bernd is first and foremost a designer of tonearms and his creations have been generating a lot of attention lately. On offer are no less than four 2 point bearing, quasi-unipivot models ranging from £3850 to £26,850. At the low end the Arrow tonearm offers exceptional build and ability for it’s more modest price and at the flagship end, the FCL Tonearm with its unique field coil loaded frictionless bearing has been hailed by some of the world’s most prolific ultra high end turntable collectors as the best in the world. All tonearm properties are fully and easily adjustable, working with these arms is a complete joy. They are beautifully made and finished, and brilliant in their engineering design.

The Kinea is Primary Control’s first turntable. It’s inherent technologies and superb build position it just above the Thrax and Brinkmann decks we sell. It is a large footprint direct drive design with extensive use of Panzeholz and adjustable torque for fine tuning of the sound. Whilst its pricing of under £17,000 saves you tens of thousands over many of today’s ‘uber’ decks, it can be furnished with any of the 4 tonearms to suit your final budget. When we first trialled the Kinea, it was shod with the second from top £13,950 Gravity Tonearm. As a £31,000 package we found it to have exceptional performance and startling levels of resolution and organisation. Alternatively, dress the Kinea with the one of a kind FCL tonearm and you have a last ever Vinyl source that wants for nothing.

Primary Control are in an interesting place right now. Bernd is a man full of ingenuity and there are more goodies to come from this outfit very soon. We are really excited about beginning our journey with them and proud to have such a beautiful new piece in the demo room. Please do come for a listen if it suits your brief.

Further Reading

“Given the numerous bespoke customizable configurations available, combined with the precise adjustability of the Primary Control, it is a tonearm which offers limitless potential –– and you can be sure it will never be the bottleneck of any analog setup.”

Richard Mak, Tone Publications

“If you prioritise blackness – above effects that make other turntables seem superficially attractive, if you appreciate this ideally balanced equilibrium between calmness and liveliness, then you will understand me. Bernd Hemmen has dared a seeming simplification, behind which is hidden everything you will ever need to play records at the highest level.”

Christsian Bayer, Image Hifi

“A new level for this price group has definitely been taken. Primary Control Kinea is a true, state-of-the-art, direct drive High End.”

Anatoly Maksimenko, Hifi.RU

“After listening more to the FCL these last 2 weeks i would have to say that the FCL is at a level of musical expression beyond any other arm i have heard. I’m not saying it does this or that the best. because what it seems to do is to improve the realism of whatever the music is doing. I can’t really break it down into pieces. None of my tonearms are slouches. The FCL is that little bit less reproduced and more real at everything.”

Mike Lavigne, Whatsbestforum