The Plinius CD-101 has landed - and is staying

[Nebby]

Great pics, I really like the layout and overall design. Looks very well done!

 

[kool bubba ice]

any comparisons to the PS1

 

[Asr]

The PS1? As in the PlayStation? ....

3rd Impression

The Plinius is by far the most detailed CDP that I've heard in my time so far. It's a relative side-grade from my former Accuphase DP-500 in terms of price, but it doesn't sound like a side-grade at all, it's more like a sonic upgrade!

I'm still only using the HeadAmp AE-2 for evaluation but this little amp is one hell of an amp! I can't believe how far its legs can stretch. I kinda don't want to say what interconnects I'm using now but let's just say I'm no longer using the VH Audio Spectrum Ag, rather two other pairs of ICs that are totally in a league above it. I can say without reservation that no one has heard the AE-2 at its full potential, because with these 2 pairs of ICs and the Plinius, I'm now hearing music like I've never heard it before, and that includes my former Accuphase.

The level of detail on the Plinius is really just marvelous. I could use other superlatives but I think that word sums it up best. CDs that I thought I knew before? The Plinius makes me doubt that I ever knew them! There's a whole new level of detail that's been unearthed - really subtle phase shifting, or left/right channel movements, or valve movements on brass instruments, simultaneous overtones on top of multi-instrument productions, the interplay of air and space between instruments, the interaction of space with walls. And oh yes, I can hear all this on the K701. I've never heard the K701 like this, the level of soundstage cohesion and detail retrieval is paranormally surreal.

I'm a little scared of my upcoming balanced solid-state amp now. The sound could be so good it could make me die!

And I'm fully satisfied with the total sound of the Plinius/AE-2/K701. My CDP journey had gotten a little depressing, and at times I wondered if I was being too picky. I was simply trying to find a balanced CDP that I liked the sound of with my K701. Well I'm happy to report that I have absolutely zero complaints with the sound of the Plinius. It's perfect for me, sonically. The only minor quibble I have with the CDP is the lack of Prev and Next Track buttons on the front panel (I sometimes find myself wanting to listen to a track again, or skipping one). But I can put up with that, it's merely a minor inconvenience.

Time to finish out my balanced system with more headphones and my final power cords & ICs, and maybe 1 more balanced amp - I'm thinking tubes.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif The PS1? As in the PlayStation? .... 3rd Impression The Plinius is by far the most detailed CDP that I've heard in my time so far. It's a relative side-grade from my former Accuphase DP-500 in terms of price, but it doesn't sound like a side-grade at all, it's more like a sonic upgrade! I'm still only using the HeadAmp AE-2 for evaluation but this little amp is one hell of an amp! I can't believe how far its legs can stretch. I kinda don't want to say what interconnects I'm using now but let's just say I'm no longer using the VH Audio Spectrum Ag, rather two other pairs of ICs that are totally in a league above it. I can say without reservation that no one has heard the AE-2 at its full potential, because with these 2 pairs of ICs and the Plinius, I'm now hearing music like I've never heard it before, and that includes my former Accuphase. The level of detail on the Plinius is really just marvelous. I could use other superlatives but I think that word sums it up best. CDs that I thought I knew before? The Plinius makes me doubt that I ever knew them! There's a whole new level of detail that's been unearthed - really subtle phase shifting, or left/right channel movements, or valve movements on brass instruments, simultaneous overtones on top of multi-instrument productions, the interplay of air and space between instruments, the interaction of space with walls. And oh yes, I can hear all this on the K701. I've never heard the K701 like this, the level of soundstage cohesion and detail retrieval is paranormally surreal. I'm a little scared of my upcoming balanced solid-state amp now. The sound could be so good it could make me die! And I'm fully satisfied with the total sound of the Plinius/AE-2/K701. My CDP journey had gotten a little depressing, and at times I wondered if I was being too picky. I was simply trying to find a balanced CDP that I liked the sound of with my K701. Well I'm happy to report that I have absolutely zero complaints with the sound of the Plinius. It's perfect for me, sonically. The only minor quibble I have with the CDP is the lack of Prev and Next Track buttons on the front panel (I sometimes find myself wanting to listen to a track again, or skipping one). But I can put up with that, it's merely a minor inconvenience. Time to finish out my balanced system with more headphones and my final power cords & ICs, and maybe 1 more balanced amp - I'm thinking tubes.

Why did you have to move.. I would have loved to hear a 5,000 CDP..

 

[Asr]

I had the Accuphase DP-500 ($6900) before this when I was in Cali, you know.

 

[soundfreq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Beautiful unit w/ great reviews. I wish I had $5,000 to get one.

dang, it's very expensive. i was just about to ask ASR the damage for that. Congratulations on your new source. I envy you guys even more

 

[Mher6]

So tell us, what IC are you using now

 

[Know Talent]

[/QUOTE]



That transport looks nice and beefy!

 

[Asr]

Final Notes

Well, "final" in the sense that this will be the last I write about the Plinius on Head-Fi. I'm not really writing reviews anymore and I don't want to take the time out for even a short one, so this will be brief. The last I'll be writing about the Plinius anywhere will be on Audio Asylum, shortly.

Within the last week, I put up the Plinius CD-101 against the dCS P8i ($14K SRP) and bel canto CD-1 ($5K SRP) using my balanced Beta 22, and balanced K701, AD2000, W5000, and HP2 for an effective personal three-way match-up.

I have to say out of the three, I vastly preferred the Plinius, it did so many things right for me. There was one quality that put it at the top for me - its speed. I have a feeling I have an addiction to speed when it comes to audio, I just can't stand anything sounding slow, and the Plinius was by far the fastest-sounding CDP of the three!

I love the sound of this machine - finally a source component tailored for my sonic preferences and I can grow old with!

One thing is clear now - my imminent final system (dynamic & electrostatic) will be primed first for speed, and soundstage second!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mher6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So tell us, what IC are you using now

Ok...Analysis Plus.

 

[jinp6301]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif The sound could be so good it could make me die!

just thought that line was hilarious

congrats on getting to audio nirvana!

 

[Asr]

For those interested, my review of the Plinius on Audio Asylum: Digital Drive

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif For those interested, my review of the Plinius on Audio Asylum: Digital Drive

There's hardly any specific spec/info available on the Plinius. For example, I'd be curious about:

1. Transport mechanism used
2. DAC chip used
3. Type of analogue output stage. I do see a couple of Auricaps.

All I could gather from Plinius website was "simple synchronous oversampling, and a multibit DAC 24-bits 353kHz." This basically only tells me Plinius uses a non-bitstream DAC chip produced sometime in the past few years and uses the old faithful 8 x oversampling.

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's hardly any specific spec/info available on the Plinius. For example, I'd be curious about: 1. Transport mechanism used 2. DAC chip used 3. Type of analogue output stage. I do see a couple of Auricaps. All I could gather from Plinius website was "simple synchronous oversampling, and a multibit DAC 24-bits 353kHz." This basically only tells me Plinius uses a non-bitstream DAC chip produced sometime in the past few years and uses the old faithful 8 x oversampling.

Yeah there's not much info available. The only info I've found says that the transport is a DVD-ROM drive and the DACs are PCM1704. No details on the analog output stage. If someone with circuits experience needs better pics of the analog output stage, let me know.

 

[penger]

According to AVguide.com, it's a CD-rom based transport?

 

[Asr]

8x DVD-ROM according to reliable sources. It must spin pretty fast because ejected discs usually come out somewhat warm.