1 way ticket to Audio Nirvana, the saga of Joey's upgrades!

Joey_V · Oct 18, 2006

Hey guys!
As you know, I'm in the process of upgrading the electronics of my system. This all started with an audition of Cherian's Scenarios with a A/B comparison between a tube pre and a class a pre.

What started as an innocent audition, sparked another (and hopefully, the last one for a while) Joey-itis. The not so rare disease in which upgrades galore!

So, I did an in-home audition of a modest Rogue Audio Metis tube preamp with my current Rotel RB1090. The result confirmed an earlier experience with Cherian's system. Tubes + SS = bliss!

So I decided to do not what I did before with settling for the Vantages when the Summits were what I wanted... I lost almost $1k in that disaster.

So, following my mantra... GO BIG OR GO HOME but also GO USED, I have TWO pieces of excellent gear headed my way (actually, the Plinius should be at my door right now).

Here is the upgrade:
Rotel RB1090 -> Plinius SA102 (brand new at used price)
Rotel RC1070 -> ???

I'll let the cat out slowly... but the new pre is:
1. A tube preamp
2. Has 7 letters in the brand name.
3. Costs $5K new retail (for a killer bandit used price).
4. Very well received and reviewed.

Ok guys... I hope this upgrade makes a good difference, or I'll end up going back to that wonderful Rogue + Rotel combo.

I figure, I have nothing to lose!

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions in my earlier threads.

Oh and please pray that my gear both arrive in 1 piece!

Beat_Dominator · Oct 18, 2006

Oooh I think I know what it is!

After I got my Classe pre a few weeks ago I have never looked back. A good pre can make great differences!

lugano · Oct 18, 2006

Joey_V said:
2. Has 7 letters in the brand name.

Joey, I don't know what your preamp will be. But I know where you will spend most of the money you'll ever earn. It has only 5 letters. Can you immagine what I am talking about ?

Spike · Oct 18, 2006

Whutcha get?

Joey_V said:
I'll let the cat out slowly... but the new pre is:
1. A tube preamp
2. Has 7 letters in the brand name.
3. Costs $5K new retail (for a killer bandit used price).
4. Very well received and reviewed.

Ok, I'll bite. Let's see, a tube preamp with 7 letters: Emotive or Hovland are reputable brands hovering around the $5k mark. My $$$ is on the more popular Hovland, just because the Emotive is not that well-known like ModWright or SupraTek.

Spike

Joey_V · Oct 18, 2006

The Plinius is here! The Plinius is here!

Now.. for the all important listening test! Come on Class A... show your thing!

Beat_Dominator · Oct 18, 2006

Pictures or I hate you forever

Spike · Oct 18, 2006

Whoa, patience young Jedi

Joey_V said:
The Plinius is here! The Plinius is here!
Now.. for the all important listening test! Come on Class A... show your thing!

Hey Joey, slow down!! This is an example of what NOT to do with your Plinius in class-A!! Other than that, enjoy

The Pass Aleph picture is courtesy of Abe Collins on the Audio Asylum site!

Spike

Rich · Oct 18, 2006

Joey_V said:
The Plinius is here! The Plinius is here!

Now.. for the all important listening test! Come on Class A... show your thing!

Congrats on your Plinius, Joey. Now be patient and give it a chance to warm up and meld with your system. Can't wait to find out what your preamp is. Sounds like you did a good job upgrading and will soon be approaching audio nirvana.

Just think what a difference a few weeks makes. You went from thinking you were going to have to sell your Summits, to upgrading your electronics!

Joey_V · Oct 18, 2006

Pictures... oh where are the obligatory pictures?

You guys know that I cant have the Plinius "walk" to my room the way the Vantages and Summits did. I had to employ the help of my younger brother with this task.... I took the pics, he did the grunt work.

Ah well.. that's what he gets for using my gym equipment back home.

Joey_V · Oct 18, 2006

The box.... it arrives it arrives!!! Waiting for me as I walk into my apartment!

Double boxed... wow.... just like the Rotel gear... but this has foam in between boxes!

Why hello there..... *wolf whistle*....

Empty box...

Joey_V · Oct 18, 2006

Brother checks out the Plinius... nice!

Rear shot... oh yeah! Check out that BUTT!!

Move it, SLAVE!! Use them muscles on that 100lb block of aluminum!!

On the floor... new plaything?

Joey_V · Oct 18, 2006

Rotel RB1090 vs Plinius SA102....

Dethroned!!!! Mwahahahahaha!!!

Sick sick setup!

Dont worry guys... I run only AB when the preamp is on top.... I'm not going to run it in Class A like that.... I'm not stupid, you know! I ran it in Class A for critical comparison against the Rotel 1090, the Plinius was on the floor and the 1090 was under the preamp just like it normally was. I just moved the Plinius up to the table for picture purposes...

Besides, I'm not running in Class A for normal use... only for critical use, and I'm not doing much more critical listening until my new preamp gets here. I'm getting another table for the preamp... I cant put it on top of the Plinius.

I'll post a review later tonight... I took some notes and I'll condense it into a coherent little post a little later.

Hope you enjoyed the Plinius pics!!!

Joey

Beat_Dominator · Oct 18, 2006

Hoooray!!!!!!

DTB300 · Oct 18, 2006

Welcome to the Plinius "Cult" Club Joey.....

It is truely Eye Candy isn't it? And a real brute to try to move around. Not your typical component to take over to a friends house to listen to

BTW, I have seen both the Black and Silver models, and the silver just looks better IMO.

Give it time to run in A/B mode and get used to the sound that way. Then in a day or so, try the Class A. Like I have stated before, the amp sounds better when switched into A but really shines and settles in about 1 hour time.

For me, I do not run in Class A unless I have a good 3-4 hours to spend with it.

Also remember the amp has the jumper setting which will take the Amp out of Class A into A/B after the jumper setting time when music is not playing. I think the default - factory setting - is 30 minutes. But this is all in the manual.

Dan

Joey_V · Oct 18, 2006

Oops, I already ran it in Class A.

twich54 · Oct 18, 2006

Congrats Kiddo !!! Now remember what Dan and I said about amp stands, get it BY ITSELF !! Also i know now is not the time but once you have your own digs, give it it's own 20amp circuit as well ! End of sermon....for now !

amey01 · Oct 18, 2006

Congratulations on your new purchases! What is the preamp? What is the premap??????

Reverb2009 · Oct 18, 2006

Joey_V said:

Whats for dinner? O’ grilled Rotel my favorite.

Congratulations on the new toy.

Cherian · Oct 18, 2006

Joey,

That is a beautiful amp. I can’t wait to listen to it. I’m looking forward to seeing your pre.

Joey_V · Oct 19, 2006

Cherian said:
Joey,

That is a beautiful amp. I can’t wait to listen to it. I’m looking forward to seeing your pre.

Cherian,

You do know that this is ALL YOUR FAULT right? That damn Carver tube pre ruined everything for me. I bet you still remember that look on my face when I asked you to do 2 or 3 A/B switches between the tube and ss cdp.

Argh.... shouldnt have done the Windy City Meet!

Joey

1 way ticket to Audio Nirvana, the saga of Joey's upgrades!

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