EXPIRED: FS: Plinius 8200 mkII (Integrated amp)

[Dave the Rave]

Item:  Plinius Integrated 8200 MK II
Location: Sydney
Price: 1,500
Item Condition: Used and great condition. No remote.
Reason for selling: Can't keep 2 amps hence regretfully selling this one.
Payment Method: Pickup - Cash, Paypal, COD Only
Extra Info: Bought from a SNAer for more headroom. It does provide that extra power and zing in my system. The mid especially sounds glorious with unheard dynamics and tonality. It also has HT bypass and pre-outs for subwoofer integration which i did.

i preferred the sound when playing through my Oppo instead of Yggy. However, i have invested too much around Yggy hence regretfully selling it.

This amp has loads of rave reviews once voted as the "best integrated of all time" by TAS. RRP was north of $4,000 AUD.

 

A review link

https://www.audioasylum.com/forums/amp/messages/8562.html

 Another summary with Mark II improvements.

 

The PLINIUS 8150/8200 has been my integrated amplifier reference for nearly four years. Exceptional as it still is, I noted that it recently had begun losing ground, especially compared with the stellar offerings from Rowland Research and Burmester. In direct comparison to these, the venerable 8200 was a bit looser in the bass, a little labored, particularly in the upper octaves. But the new 8200 MkII suggests a rebirth. While it retains the plain exterior, its innards have been beefed up substantially. A larger trans-former and a power supply with a 2000-watt peak output join a variety of ultra-low-distortion mods to a circuit derived from PLINIUS¹ new SA-102 amplifier. The preamp and phono stages are also new designs, with user switchable (finally!) gain-setting jumpers for moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. And the excitement I loved has returned. Fans of the original needn¹t worry; robust dynamics, rich harmonics, and soaring frequency extension remain definitive PLINIUS hallmarks. But the Mk 2 enters a level of refinement, particularly in the treble octaves, that puts it back in the running for best of the best in integrated amplification. The harmonic structure is purer, even warmer, yet more fully realized. The old version had a very subtle discontinuity between middle octaves and treble octaves - not unlike a perceived shift of character between transducers in multi-way loudspeakers. This has been eliminated. The Mk 2 speaks with a single voice. Images are more focused, cleaner and sharper yet without the slightly bleached edge that sometimes crept into the attic of its predecessor. Listening to a great solo piano recording will tell the entire dynamic story: more punch during fortissimos and more cushiony felt from the hammers during pianissimos. And did I mention that PLINIUS has held the line on the price.

 

Pictures:

 

 

Edited May 14, 2017 by devgcl