[CIAudio]

Our new PLC•1 remote controlled Passive Line Controller is now available. Shipping for all customer orders who pre-ordered starts on wednesday, new orders will ship by the end of the week.

This a great new passive preamp with full function remote contol. Features include 4 standard inputs, 1 tape loop, mute, and 12v trigger output. The 4th input can also be configured as a HT bypass. The custom ALPS potentiometer provides the ultimate transparency and excellent channel to channel tracking. The circuit boards are gold-plated and assembled with lead-free silver solder for unsurpassed conductivity and sonic purity.

We had many requests for this product, so we finally produced it!

[gooberdude]

Great news Dusty!     Does this new passive have the same internals as the current,
non-remote passive pre??

4 inputs & remote - sounds great.

GD

[CIAudio]

Great news Dusty!     Does this new passive have the same internals as the current,
non-remote passive pre??
4 inputs & remote - sounds great.

The PLC uses gold-plated contact relays which are controlled by a microcontroller, where VPC has a mechanical switch for input selection. PLC uses a custom ALPS potentiomer which has better tracking and feel. Both are similar and are designed to add or subtract nothing from the sound.
VPC is very basic, while PLC is a little more transparent, much more versatile, and convenient to use.

[dhiebert]

I received my PLC•1 about a week and a half ago and have had a chance to enjoy it. It looks quite nice and has all the same wonderful sound of the VPC•1. It just manages to just fit within my shelf width between my D•100 pair. I also like the small remote. It fits nicely in the hand with the little notch on the bottom for the index finger.

Once thing I was wondering, though: you had originally indicated that the remote would use RF. I found to my surprise, however, that it uses standard IR. What is the reason you decided to abandon RF? When I asked for the reason behind using RF, you seemed to have definitely settled on it over IR.

One last question: is there a way to mute the PLC•1 from the unit, itself? Or is this a remote-only function?

And I know that you only intend to implement the 12V trigger functionality for the D•400, but it would be nice if 12V triggering was possible to add to the D•100/200 as an option.

[CIAudio]

Once thing I was wondering, though: you had originally indicated that the remote would use RF. I found to my surprise, however, that it uses standard IR. What is the reason you decided to abandon RF? When I asked for the reason behind using RF, you seemed to have definitely settled on it over IR.

One last question: is there a way to mute the PLC•1 from the unit, itself? Or is this a remote-only function?

Glad you're enjoying the PLC-1 
We really like the remote layout, size, and comfort too, and this was very important to us.
We also spent a lot of time to achieve excellent remote distance and off axis range.
We eliminated the RF idea for a couple of reasons...mainly because we could not find anyone to make the remote the way we wanted at a reasonable cost. Being in a metal box also required an external antenna that looked kinda funky and didn't work well if placed on a middle shelf of an equipment rack.
The mute function is only available on the remote...we figured if you're at the unit, it's easy enough to just turn the volume knob down, although it would be easy to add this on future versions.

And I know that you only intend to implement the 12V trigger functionality for the D•400, but it would be nice if 12V triggering was possible to add to the D•100/200 as an option.

The D-100 and D-200 were not designed with a trigger input because of their low idle current draw (no real need to turn them off).

The D-400 will have this feature due to it's higher idle current. This could be added to future generations of D-100/200, but would add extra cost for something that isn't really necessary.

[CSI]

Some thoughts on the PLC.1

Dusty contacted me for my reactions a few days after I got mine. Here is my reply and some further thoughts after several weeks of use:
So far, I'm stunned. It seems quite a bit better than my VPC-1 (which I like a lot). I bought the PLC-1 to replace the VPC-1 in my living room system for the extra inputs and the remote. This system has D-100's driving the Sonance Silhouette 3-way in-walls (the best in-wall on the market in my humble opinion). But out of curiosity I first tried the PLC-1  in my "critical listening" system (ACI Sapphire XL's, D-200's, ModWright Pre) and the PLC-1 is just plain better. It seems just as revealing as the ModWright and, in my system anyway, a little less forward sounding which is a good thing. I also have a PrimaLuna Prologue Three preamp on hand and it sounds mellower in my system (plus it has a phono board). The PrimaLuna adds a bit of that tube magic and some extra depth, but the PLC-1 is nearly as sweet (no coloration obviously) and the whole system sounds like someone came in and washed the windows. Less really is more! As of right now, I'm thinking the PLC-1 and a decent outboard phono preamp is the way to go. I may end up with an all CIA system at this rate.

Follow up: All of this has been reinforced by time. But be aware that if your speakers are very laid back and you are looking for a preamp to give them some top spin, this isn't it. It adds nothing which means it isn't suitable as a tonal fixer. If your system already sounds pretty good, and/or if your speakers are just a little too aggressive, I predict you will become instantly addicted to the clean, relaxed, undistorted presentation of the PLC-1.

[MaxCast]

One last question: is there a way to mute the PLC•1 from the unit, itself? Or is this a remote-only function?

You could always select an unused input to mute the PLC if you have an MT source.



Dusty, what kind of power supply comes with the PLC?

[CIAudio]

Dusty, what kind of power supply comes with the PLC?

The PLC•1 uses our standard AC adapter. VAC•1 can also be used but offers no advantage because the passive audio circuit doesn't require any power...the supply only runs the microcontroller functions.

[CIAudio]

So far, I'm stunned. It seems quite a bit better than my VPC-1 (which I like a lot). I bought the PLC-1 to replace the VPC-1 in my living room system for the extra inputs and the remote. This system has D-100's driving the Sonance Silhouette 3-way in-walls (the best in-wall on the market in my humble opinion). But out of curiosity I first tried the PLC-1  in my "critical listening" system (ACI Sapphire XL's, D-200's, ModWright Pre) and the PLC-1 is just plain better. It seems just as revealing as the ModWright and, in my system anyway, a little less forward sounding which is a good thing. I also have a PrimaLuna Prologue Three preamp on hand and it sounds mellower in my system (plus it has a phono board). The PrimaLuna adds a bit of that tube magic and some extra depth, but the PLC-1 is nearly as sweet (no coloration obviously) and the whole system sounds like someone came in and washed the windows. Less really is more!

CSI...Thanks for your thoughts on our new PLC•1 and glad you're enjoying it!

As you implied, PLC is meant to add nothing and take nothing away...if you have good source components, we feel this is the way to go.

Tubes, solid state, and transformer types can all sound good in the right application but all add their own colorations. If you're after sonic purity with remote control and versatility, I think PLC•1 is hard to beat at any price.

[unityaudio.ca]

Dusty, what kind of power supply comes with the PLC?

The PLC•1 uses our standard AC adapter. VAC•1 can also be used but offers no advantage because the passive audio circuit doesn't require any power...the supply only runs the microcontroller functions.

Would upgrading the power cord on the VAC1 offer any benefit to the combo?

[CIAudio]

Would upgrading the power cord on the VAC1 offer any benefit to the combo?

Again...the audio circuit of PLC•1 does not use the power supply at all...so power cords, upgrade supplies, etc. will have no affect.

[ralflar]

Sounds matters most but visuals are important, too.
How does the standard PSU look and what are its dimensions?

[CIAudio]

Sounds matters most but visuals are important, too.
How does the standard PSU look and what are its dimensions?

The standard supply is a 14vAC/850mA wall mount AC adapter (aka wall wart) and is usually not seen.
Sorry but I do not have dimensions at this time.

[Nick V]

I currently use a Monolithic Sound PA-1 preamp in my hybrid HT/2 channel system. Just wondering if I would gain any resolution/transparency moving up to the PLC-1. I have GR Diluceo's and with their sensitivity I never turn the PA-1 up past halfway so the active gain stage is a non issue.

[dhiebert]

How does the standard PSU look and what are its dimensions?

It is approximately 2x2x2.5". It is basically like a cube slightly longer along the vertical dimension with the bottom edge taken off at 45-degrees.

[CIAudio]

I currently use a Monolithic Sound PA-1 preamp in my hybrid HT/2 channel system. Just wondering if I would gain any resolution/transparency moving up to the PLC-1. I have GR Diluceo's and with their sensitivity I never turn the PA-1 up past halfway so the active gain stage is a non issue.

It will sound very similar to PA•1...The benefits of PLC•1 are a little more transparency, better control of volume (you would be able to use the entire range of the control), and the obvious...remote control!

[JuanR]

It is possible to get it with balanced output?

[CIAudio]

It is possible to get it with balanced output?

Sorry, PLC•1 is single-ended only

[The Ninja]

Just wanted to say we used this in the AV123 room at the RMAF and I loved it.  Great job Dusty!

Ninja