How I Beat the System to Nab an Unbeatable System

   I'm one of a small circle that follows the advice of an audio guru/mentor who's been in the business for over forty years. He's sold high end amps and preamps in the 16K-24K range. Recently, he happened upon a company that modifies older models of amps and preamps made by Plinius, a New Zealand based audio manufacturer, and bought an amp for his own use. 
   Enter Ralph Abramo, a seasoned electronics repairman who at one time oversaw the Toshiba National Service Center and now owns the U.S. factory center for repair for Plinius New Zealand. Mr. Abramo, at age seventy, has a few tricks up his sleeve. Here's what he does to the amps and preamps in his own words:   
  "The upgrades consist of extensive use of Nichicon Gold and Muse audio designed capacitors. Power supply caps are low ESR type. All voltage regulators are replaced with low noise designs. Rectifiers are Schottky design because of their ability to switch quickly with virtually no ringing which causes power supply noise. Emitter resistors are replaced with low noise versions and all coupling and power supply bypass caps are replaced with Audience AuriCap XO versions. Power supply wiring is replaced with Cardas Litz wire and Furutech Rhodium or Gold IEC connectors. We make improvements in how heat is transferred from the output devices to the heat sinks on the larger SA or SB amplifiers. Relays and switches are replaced also."     ​
   The proprietary mods will remain between Mr. Abramo and his confessor. So I ordered a Plinius SA-102 amplifier and a Plinius M-16 preamplifier, based on the rave reviews from my guru, making me the fifth recipient of Plinius components in the group. In order to get the sonic equivalent from other products, I figured I would have to spend two to three times what I paid for the two Plinius units. Mr. Abramo provided both amp and preamp from his stock. With high end fuses ( I chose SR Orange) and shipping from California to the East Coast (about $300) the total was under 10K.      My guru chose to find and buy a Plinius SA-100 from the used audio market and had it shipped to Mr. Abramo's company, Plinius Repair, in California.     What do I think of the sound? The model SA-102 delivers 120 wpc in a/b and 120wpc in Class A mode, with a simple flick of a toggle. If you suspect that your speakers are sounding anemic, this beast is the cure. The a/b mode is outstanding, but if you're a critical listener, especially of vinyl, the pure Class A mode will put an end to one's lifelong search.