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Review: Plinius 8200 Amplifier

Category: Amplifiers

Trying to simplify my life (and audio system) I decided to try an integrated amp. This was prompted by numerous equipment failures that left me without the ability to listen to music for weeks. I got really tired of sending equipment in for repair, waiting for it to return, only to have another component fail.

Looking around I had heard good things about Jeff Rowlands but that was a little pricey. I auditioned a Gryphon Callisto 2100 and liked it as well but also out of my range. The Plinius was highly rated and had the right pedigree and fairly reasonable at $3000 so I went for it.

Mine arrived in silver and had the impressive Plinius quality with low key good looks. The power switch leaves a little to be desired but there you go. The remote, thankfully, is simple with only three buttons for a change: MUTE, and VOLUME UP & DOWN.

The 8200 has plenty of inputs (all RCA) and two sets of speakers binding posts. The speaker outputs are very good quality, substantial, gold plated metal. I used a 13mm wrench to tighten down my Empirical Audio Clarity7 spaded cables, connected Empirical Ics to the Cary and let her warm up for a few hours.

When I came back, man my rack looked empty! All that was there now was my Cary 306/200 and the 8200. The Plinius (like everything else these days) has a blue led for a power indicator that flashed briefly when it's first turned on and another blue led indicating whether the 8200 is muted or not.

My first listen was with Keiko Matsui's "Deep Blue". I have listened to this CD so many times I know it very well. It is soothing yet dynamic, restrained yet thrilling. She plays piano and keyboard for those that don't know her. Within the first few notes I knew the Plinius was something special.

The mid range came alive with lush fullness I had never heard before from my Muse monoblocks or Bryston 4B-ST. And the highs, well they were etched in space and time with definition I didn't think a redbook CD was capable of. Each key struck, hung sharply in the air with perfect pitch until it gradually dissipated in anticipation of the next. And then there were incredibly low level triangles and chimes I had never noticed before, so subtle as to be almost inaudible but now clearly heard. These did not call attention to themselves but blended into the overall composition as she intended.

After many hours, I am still in awe of what the 8200 can portray. I listened to Norah Jones, Lorenna McKennit, Vanessa Mae, and Rachmaninov. The 8200 produced vocals, piano, violin, and brass with equal fidelity and effortlessness. Oh, but does this come with a price? In my system, I began to detect a looseness in the very lowest bass octaves.

I put on Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and played through all the cuts and it seemed okay, brilliant in fact, in keeping pace. I then played McKennitt's "The Visitor" and on track 5 "Greensleeves" and especially on track 6 "Tango to Evora" I detected an irritating boominess at the bottom which I had not noticed before.

The Bryston went back into the system, using the 8200 as a pre-amp. I played the same CD.
Damn, the boominess was mostly gone but so was the phenomenal midrange and highs I loved so much.

Recently, I have trying different power cords. A DIY 8 AWG cord helped quite a bit, but I'm not sure I can live with the low end. I don't care how loud it is, I just want it tight. Maybe the 8200 is actually getting lower than the Bryston and my speakers can't handle it. I will continue to work with this amp because it is too good to give up.

If you lack space, and seek a high resolution, yet smooth sounding amp, give the 8200 a try.

Associated gear
Cary 306/200 CD Player
Empirical Audio Cables

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equa's avatar
equa
8 posts
 
I own and love the Plinius 8200 Mk-1, which is an incredible product!
I do not believe the Plinius is responsible for the "bass problems" reported in this thread. I get absolutely taut deep bass with mine, driving Meadowlark Heron i speakers - which go down to 25hz!
Without addressing room acoustics, there is little hope of good sound - especially good bass! I use ASC Tube Traps to control lower frequencies, Sonex Foam (4- walls & ceiling) panels to absorb reflections, and an area rug on the floor. Get your room right first - only then can you appreciate and honestly judge equipment!
cpdunn99's avatar
cpdunn99
639 posts
 
I, too, have heard complaints about the boomy bass from this Plinius. I must agree, though with Equa, that it is probably an artifact of some other part of system or listening room (speakers on stands? carpeting? etc).

For instance, if I put my large "bookshelf" speakers directly on the carpeted floor, I get some "boominess." If they are on appropriate stands, the bass just is as deep and as clear as can be. I listen to chamber music, and the deep bass of cello, etc. is stunning. I'm hearing bass that I never heard before, and my initial reaction was somewhat negative only because I was hearing something so clearly for the first time.
cpdunn99's avatar
cpdunn99
639 posts
 
More about the Plinius sound:

The bass is incredible, in my opinion, as I state above, and not "boomy" in the least. And the mids are incredible! The thing that I HAVE noticed is that the highs seem "dark." Does anyone else have this impression? Or could it be that the extended bass gives the impression of the highs being darker or more recessed?
sherod
1,681 posts
 
Cpdunn99, I think I hear what you are talking about the "dark" highs. I would call it more as being slightly reticent and recessed, but a lot of this is what you previously may have heard with your previous amp,which may have over-accentuated the highs or you may have been hearing benign noise which comes across as giving the illusion of being more airy and bright. Also, by experimenting with interconnects and power cords on both the amp and your source(I imagine a cdp)and not to forget the speaker cables, by concentrating on the highs of whatever music you are listening to, you can fine-tune the highs to be more to your liking.Go to a live concert of classical or jazz and you'll see that in some venues the highs may seem lacking, but once your ears get acclimated you'll hear the highs(i.e.cymbals attack and decay).Now remember, I have the Plinius 8200 mkI and supposedly with the better power supply in your MkII the highs should be even better.Then again,the 8200's may have this slight trait of darkness in the highs as a characteristic.I have heard that to do better, we'd have to move up to the separates, like the SA102,which puts you yet in another league of sound.For now, I am tweaking my system to sound as natural as possible and try not to yearn for equipment that is better(but more expensive).Isn't life a bitch when you're such a perfectionist ? Oh, if I could only control my anality... P.S. I just remembered reading in another thread that the Plinius amps can take as long as 4 months to properly break in. If that is the case, then we both have some wonderful sounds to look forward to. Cheers and enjoy the music.
cpdunn99's avatar
cpdunn99
639 posts
 
Sherod,

I agree completely about the characterstics of live sound and the implication that quest for "live sound" from electronics equipment is a never-ending quest!

Two weekends ago, I was in NYC and went to two very different jazz venues in the same evening (Small's and Blue Note). What you say about the highs possibly being "lacking" is true. Also, I agree that one's perception of what is "good," "true," "natural sounding," etc. can simply be a result of whatever was most recently listened to.

My next purchases will be (in this order, I think): new speaker cables, cpd, and power cord.

With respect to the 4 month break-in period, that seems like a long time! However, I will say this: the Plinius is sounding better and better by the day. How good is it sounding? Well, when I had my previous NAD-based system, if I went away for a few days, I was OK without my music. Now, I get very impatient and can't wait for meetings/conferences/social visits to be over and done with because I have to get home!
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