Plinius M8 preamplifier

The welcomed return of refined audio equipment

By Michael Wong

April 2004

Plinius M8 preamplifier. $4195

The recent Plinius Odeon multi-channel amplifier has proven to be a milestone product for the Palmerston North-based company. Setting new standards of performance, engineering and design excellence, its influence has flowed through to two new ranges of amplifiers: the potent 9100/9200 integrateds and the new entry level separates, the P8 power amplifier and the M8 preamplifier.

Sharing key elements of the Odeon design aesthetic, the M8 is a stylish looker. A thick brushed aluminium faceplate (available in silver or black) with curved corners, forms one complete side of the preamplifier, meeting up on the other side with a folded over section of the lid. Strategically placed gaps in the lid and around the volume knob allow tantalising glimpses of the vivid blue painted chassis (viewable in it's full blue glory if you flip the preamp over).

The easily read blue fluorescent display, deeply engraved Plinius logo and a volume knob are the only relief on the simple fascia. Main functions such as standby on/off, source selection, processor mode selection, phase inversion and simple menu driven access to CD mode (single-ended or balanced input), balance, balance bypass, display brightness adjustment, are handled exclusively by the chunky remote.

The remote is a substantial chunk of aluminium 27cm long x 4cm x 4cm. Although designed to be left on a tabletop it also feels good in the hand and has all the buttons well arranged for easy access.

Special mention must be made of the improved access to the processor loop. This will be particularly welcomed by long time Plinius users who in the past have had to reach around the back of their amplifiers to activate the processor loop. Now a simple push of a button on the remote does the job.

Around the back, the M8 is well equipped with four sets of single ended line inputs (there's no on-board phono stage) plus a choice of single ended or balanced input for CD. A pair of single ended outputs, single ended processor input and a pair of balanced outputs completes the input/output suite. The ever useful Plinius ground lift switch, main power switch and IEC mains cable socket finishes the checklist. The only omissions being lack of a tape loop (no demand for them, says Plinius).

The usual suspects

The listening sessions featured Well Tempered, Shelter, Sumiko, Marantz, Denon and Nakamichi sources, Krell and Plinius amplification and Magnepan speakers. Primary amplifier was the new Plinius SB-300, which proved to be a superb accompaniment to the M8. All the sources are single-ended so the balanced inputs and outputs were not used.

The sound of music

This preamp put in a simply superb performance, building on all the traditional Plinius attributes and excising a few of the shortcomings of previous Plinius preamplifiers.

The sound was wonderfully coherent with a cut-from-one-cloth consistency. Bass has all the weight and extension you could wish for. The midrange avoids the usual solid state failing of being too lean and has a natural warmth and fullness, drawing comparison with good tube preamplifiers.

The high end improves on the transparency of the Plinius M16 preamplifier by losing some of the dryness and darkness that touched the old model. Highs are smooth and sweet without any of the raggedness that some preamps produce when fed a demanding signal. Female vocalists like Norah Jones from her debut album (Classic Records LP) and the ever under-rated Maria McKee (Pulp Fiction soundtrack LP) sounded particularly sublime.

Soundstaging is close to the holographic presentation you get from a good tubed preamp. Images have the presence and body that takes them one step closer to reality, missing just a touch of the immediacy of more expensive preamps. Effortless dynamics lend music as diverse as the Gibson conducted Faust ballet suite (Classic Records LP) and John Surman's The Amazing Adventures of Simon Simon (ECM LP), a rare ease and naturalness with a good sense of scale, completely devoid of any listener fatigue. Add a little more transient attack and it would be near perfect.

Overall a remarkable performance for an affordable solid state preamplifier.

History repeats itself

The M8 is the current high point in Plinius preamplifers.

It possesses stylish design, very good build quality and ease of use. The performance doesn't get between the listener and music, handily exceeding the expectations of its relatively modest asking price. Even at the new price of $4195 it is good value. A comparable imported preamplifier would cost a lot more. Solid proof that "high end" need not equal high price. Recommended.

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