Well I have had the Pliniusa-250,, the B&W 801#3 and am familiar with the Rowland 8's. I ran my 801's with a krell ksa250, too polite. The Rowland 8 might be on the Warm side. Plinius might be a tad brighter. I don't think you could go wrong with either, Love that rowland. 801's need good control of the lows Too bad you cant get both amps and Sell the one that isn't to your liking. |
I think the 103 would be awesome with the 801s unless you’re looking for a very detailed presentation as opposed to a more natural sound. Plus, despite being Class A Plinius thoughtfully included a low-bias switch so you can leave it on in that cooler-running mode 24/7 without heating the house or running up the electric bill and no waiting an hour for the amp to warm up for serious listening. Very nice. I also happen to think it looks great, if that matters at all. |
Uh, you really think the speakers would be underpowered with 220Wpc @4 Ohms? You should also know the 103 delivers 345Wpc into 2 Ohms. If you think that’s not sufficient to control the 801’s woofers I think you’re kidding yourself. At this level of power, just go by which amp gives you the sound characteristics you’re looking for. Just my $0.02 FWIW. |
Having owned that 801s3 I’d definitely go with the Rowland. That tweeter can get a little on the bright side with some gear. The Rowland model 8, which I also owned but with different speakers, is a fantastic amp. It’s not overly warm like the older model 5 was and has great control that you need to really get good bass out of the ported 801. This will also come down to system matching with your preamp cables and other components. What is the rest of the system like? |
@daveyf That’s your opinion, but assuming you’ve never heard the SA103 it’s just an unfounded opinion and nothing more. Keep in mind the Plinius is a pure Class A design, which I think the Model 8 is not so that’s a big difference. Also, the Model 8 is anywhere from 25-30 years old, so unless it’s been serviced, re-capped, etc. good luck with that. |
@soix I not only have heard the SA103, I had it in my system for a couple of months. Like I stated, it is a good amp, in my system the 8T is a lot better. BTW, the model 8 runs in pure class A up to 25 Watts/ch, and just so you know, Jeff is still servicing the amp, whereas if the Plinius has to be returned for service to….where? |
@daveyf Well, that’s good in your system and for your tastes. Just saying you think the Rowland is better really means nothing. The 801s will clearly reach well past 25Wpc into Class A. What is your system? Do you have B&W 801s? If not, well, for what it’s worth. As for Plinius service… https://pliniusrepairs.com/about.html https://highendaudiorepair.com/plinius Plinius has been around for a long time and is well supported. |
@soix Just like your taste runs towards the Plinius. Which also means nothing.;0) |
@daveyf Fair point my friend. If the OP is looking for something warmer it’d seem the Rowland might be a better choice, but if he might like something refined but maybe with a little more detail up top he might like the 103. In the end, it’s all about personal tastes and system synergy, and all the OP can do is hear about the relative differences and hopefully will make the best choice. Frankly, in the end I think he’d be thrilled with either. All we can do is try to help. Cheers! |
