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Plinius SA amps

For those owning Plinius SA amps. I got a question.
I bought SA-102 back when brand new, together with CDLAD.
I liked the sonics and the way they came on doing what they did.
Though, i found the CDLAD to be quite bad as it was so thinn sounding. What i never got rid of was the high background noise. I aquired a SA-250mk4 and to my ears it was the same.
I later moved on, same issue in the new apartment. We brought the SA amps to a very good friend. Same in his system. Later on, i had an, at home demo with Krell 600c and KPS 25sc. These sounded pretty different, and also very silent (no noise). I contacted dealer and importer about my Plinius units.
I never got them to bettered really, even though they were sent back to Plinius facility. Well, they lowered gain, but it was still a noise. How do you solve this issue as i have noticed no-one here even mention this.
I had at this period, a speaker manufacturer at my home, bringing two set of speakers. He was as me, annoyed of the very audible noise and suggested a change of amps. This was apperent mostly, in the tweeters. Sounding similar to pink noise or running water.
Speakers had, from 87-94 db sensivity. I tried some rfi filters but it never helped much. I ended up selling both the SA units. I still liked what they did, but i could never come over the noise issue.
What i wonder, is this same with the SA-103 an SA Ref and SB-301?
I don't know if it has anything to with the gain of 32 db ove rca/ 38 db over xlr?
Anyone that can clear this up?
128x128inpieces
pdreher's avatar
pdreher
1,196 posts
 
I had the Plinius SA-102 amp & CD-LAD combo and never had a noise problem. The CD-LAD is not at the same performance level as the SA-102 or 250. I sold the CD-LAD and upgraded to an Aesthetix Calypso with NOS tubes, which turned out to be a significant upgrade over the underperforming Plinius preamp.

I assume you tried the SA amps with other (better) preamps? If not, that may have been part of your problem.

I'm a big fan of the SA-102 amp FWIW.
lak's avatar
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lak
4,555 posts
 
I have owned the Plinius SA 50, 100, and own the SA Reference. I've never had the problem you speak of. I'm thinking maybe it's do to a mismatched preamp?
ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
Using dual SA100 mk3 in balanced, bridged mode (all XLR) with Genesis 350's (91dB) and passive (TVC) line stage, which also provides galvanic isolation. Dead quiet with ear right up to the speakers or amps. Also feeding them with balanced AC from a large (5KVA), centre-tapped, step-down transformer but, even straight from the wall, almost never had a noise problem. Most "natural" sounding amps I've owned.

Some noise when an active crossover (NHT X2) introduced between TVC and amps but that almost disappeared over time and is only a slight hum if I put my ear right up to midrange driver. Used the mute switch on the amps when not listening but always on and make nice quiet heaters over the winter. Gonna try another balanced AC transformer for the CDP and move it's small iso tranny to the xover.
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