Plinius TOKO User manual

The heart of music
www.pliniusaudio.com
TOKO
Digital Audio Player
Instruction Manual

Contents
Introduction ...............................................................................................................2
Design Philosophy ...............................................................................................3
Unpacking ....................................................................................................................4
Placement & Ventilation ....................................................................................4
Care & Maintenance............................................................................................5
Precautions ................................................................................................................6
Front Panel Functions ........................................................................................7
Rear Panel Functions .........................................................................................9
Remote Control Functions .............................................................................11
Network Playback Control ..............................................................................13
Firmwire Upgrades ................................................................................................13
Installation & Operation ....................................................................................14
Product Features ..................................................................................................16
Troubleshooting .......................................................................................................18
Specifications ..........................................................................................................19
Quick Start Guide ..................................................................................................20
Index ................................................................................................................................22
All operational, technical and descriptive material in this publication
is subject to change at any time without notice. For further product
information or queries, please contact your Plinius dealer.
Plinius products are designed and manufactured by
Plinius Audio Limited, New Zealand.

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PLINIUS TOKO
Introduction
Congratulations on your decision to become the proud owner of this
Plinius Toko Digital Audio Player.
This manual has been prepared to help you understand the operation of this product,
and to provide information about its design and the variety of ways it may be used.
We have designed and manufactured this product to reproduce your favourite music
faithfully and accurately. With a little care and a full understanding of the operating
recommendations in this manual, your Plinius Toko Digital Audio Player will provide
years of high-quality, trouble-free performance.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS MANUAL THOROUGHLY BEFORE
USING YOUR DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER.
SERIAL NUMBER
FINAL TEST CERTIFIED BY

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DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
Design Philosophy
From a distance you can see that the design of the Plinius products is more than
an applied styling exercise to the front panel. We have started from the ground up
to produce a casing for our electronics that is unrivalled in its physical strength and
visual simplicity.
Wherever possible we have reduced the number of parts needed and then invested
massively in refining and producing the remaining parts to the highest quality
achievable with state of the art computer controlled machines allied with expert
craftsman. Examples of this approach include the hydraulically formed corners on
the amplifiers giving much greater strength and the one piece housing for the remote
control that looks, feels and genuinely is robust.
As with music that you are not familiar with, truly innovative new designs can take time
to understand and enjoy. How often have you heard music that you were first unsure
of, that over repeated listening, has become a firm favourite?
Our designs are fundamentally different to many other companies, and we hope that
you will take the time to explore their unique character and qualities because we have
not made them different simply to be different. We genuinely believe that their visual
and tactile qualities do improve the experience of listening to music and that is our
design goal!
Ross Stevens
DESIGN DIRECTOR

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PLINIUS TOKO
Unpacking
Open the box from the top and remove the accessories from the foam end caps.
You may now proceed to lift the unit from the box, Once the unit is removed you can
proceed with the removal of the foam end caps. These caps are designed to fit on
the front and back of the unit for maximum protection. Retain the packaging for future
transportation of this unit.
Placement & Ventilation
This Plinius product may operate at a moderately high temperature, especially during
extended listening sessions. With this in mind, we recommend the following guidelines
for placement and ventilation:
• The ideal location is upon a rigid stand, away from direct contact with any
temperature sensitive materials, furniture or deep pile carpets.
• Ventilation through and around the amplifier should be kept unimpeded.
• Ensure heat vents (slots in the base and lid) are not covered or restricted in any way.
• Equipment racks should be of an open type with no closed side panels and no
closed front or rear panels. Ensure a minimum of 100mm clearance on all sides of
your Plinius unit to other equipment and the shelf above. If the unit is in an enclosed
cabinet, the clearance should be greater than 400mm on all sides.
• Ensure the space between the chassis and shelf below the unit is unobstructed at
all times.
• When stacking separate audio components, apply the minimum clearances above,
as well as a minimum of 400mm clearance above the top unit for suitable airflow.
• NOTE: This unit has been designed for use in moderate climates only, not for tropical
conditions.
The design of this Plinius product incorporates a very high level of mechanical
decoupling of the input and output. It can however still be influenced by acoustical
feedback in the operating environment. The use of acoustic cones or a suitably spiked
amplifier stand or table may further enhance the performance of this digital audio
player. Consult your Plinius dealer for further advice if required.

5
DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
Care & Maintenance
With simple care and maintenance your Plinius product can be kept looking and
operating like new for many years to come.
MAINTAINING THE CONNECTORS
Exposed connectors such as the RCA connectors will be subject to environmental
factors, and over time the surface may degrade. This can be greatly reduced by fitting
readily available ‘RCA caps’ to reduce the effects of environmental elements on the RCA
connectors. These RCA caps or RCA shorting caps can also provide sonic benefits.
Connector cleaning products are also available to clean the RCA and cable connectors
and frequent checks and cleaning will help maintain a good signal connection.
NOTE: DO NOT use RCA shorting caps on output connectors or power amplifier input
connectors. Use RCA shorting caps on unused preamplifier stage input connectors only.
Standard RCA shielding caps can be used on any unused input or output connectors.
MAINTAINING THE SWITCHES
Switches should be maintained by using each various switch setting periodically.
Even if a switch or a switch setting is not used, it is a good idea to toggle small
switches and turn rotary switches though the full range of the switch several times in
succession to keep the contacts active. Performing this simple action will promote
longevity of the switch contacts.
SURFACE CLEANING
From time to time you may wish to clean the surface of your Plinius equipment to
remove dust, or any material build up from the atmosphere or on commonly used
controls. Your Plinius product is made up of parts that have a hard anodised or a
powder coat finish and will clean easily without being damaged.
Cleaning should be carried out using a soft cleaning cloth, dry or with either a small
amount of water or a very mild surface cleaner while observing the following guidelines:
• As a safety precaution, always switch the equipment off before cleaning
• Always use a cloth that is soft and clean
• Never use abrasives or polishing compounds anywhere on the unit
• Never apply liquid directly to the surface of the unit
• Use the cloth dry or with mild surface cleaners of either liquid or foaming type
• Apply only small amounts of cleaner to the cloth
• DO NOT rub the surface but wipe clean only. Excessive rubbing may dull powder
coat or wear the screen printed text.

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PLINIUS TOKO
Precautions
PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS
BEFORE OPERATING YOUR NEW DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER.
• This Digital Audio Player operates at hazardous voltage levels. We recommend
that any work requiring removal of the lid be referred to a suitably qualified and
experienced service technician.
• DO NOT earth any output terminals or connect any of these terminals together
without following the instructions in this manual or seeking qualified assistance.
• DO NOT place this Digital Audio Player in any position where liquids or any foreign
material may accidentally enter it.
• DO NOT connect any voltage source, short circuit, earth/ground or appliance
(other than suitable audio preamplifiers) to the Toko Digital Audio Player output
terminals.
• DO NOT use discs that are scratched or damaged. This may lead to unintended
operation or malfunction.
• DO NOT expose the unit to dripping or splashing.
• DO NOT place objects filled with liquids on the unit, e.g. vases.
• DO NOT place sources of naked flame on the unit, e.g. candles.

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DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
Front Panel Functions
1. POWER LED
A blue LED on the centre front panel indicates that the power is on. When first
switched on, the LED will vary in brightness until the initialisation sequence is
completed, after which the LED remains lit.
2. COMPACT DISC (CD) TRANSPORT SLOT
The CD is inserted in this slot and taken in by the transport mechanism.
3. STOP/EJECT BUTTON
Press this button to stop a CD from playing. Press it a second time to eject the CD.
NOTE: Stopping the disc will automatically switch the player to Network mode. It will
return to CD mode when a disc is played.
4. NETWORK LED
This small white LED is ON when the Toko is switched to Network mode. In this mode
the audio data stream is routed from the Network input socket to the internal Digital to
Analogue Converter (DAC).
5. TRACK DISPLAY LED’S
These small white LED’s communicate the CD track details.
WHEN A CD IS INSERTED: The LED labelled ‘1’ will flash showing that the CD is
being read.
NO CD IN THE TRANSPORT: All display LEDs will be OFF.
WHEN A CD IS PLAYING: The LED associated with the track that is being
played will be lit and vary in brightness.
The state of the other LEDs depends on the total number of tracks on the CD as
described below.
20 TRACKS OR LESS: The LED labelled ‘1’ will be lit, as will the LED corresponding
to the last track on the CD. This gives a visual
representation of the total number of tracks on the CD.
Every fifth LED in between will also be lit, to make reading
1
3
4
5
2

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PLINIUS TOKO
the display easier from a distance. For example a CD with a
total of 18 tracks, LEDs 1, 5, 10, 15 and 18 will be lit.
39 TRACKS OR LESS: LED 1 will be lit. Every fifth LED in between 1 and the final
track will also be lit. When a track above number 20 is
being played, the 20+ LED will be lit and vary in brightness
along with the appropriate LED between 1 and 20. For
example, playing track 23 on a CD containing 32 tracks
would show LEDs 20+ and 3 lit and varying in brightness in
unison to indicate the track playing, plus LED’s 1, 5, 10 and
12 are also lit to show the track quantity.
MORE THAN 40 TRACKS: When a track above number 39 is being played, all display
LEDs will go out, except for 20+, which will flash on and off.
In all cases when the track being played is paused, the
corresponding track LED will flash.
REPEAT FUNCTION: The Repeat LED will light if the repeat function is chosen.
NOTE: If a CD is in the player, track information can be displayed while in Network mode.

9DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
Rear Panel Functions
The rear panel incorporates all the terminals for connecting the network audio stream
to the Toko, the output signal to your preamplifier, AV receiver or integrated amplifier
and connection to the mains supply.
Please remember that your Plinius Toko Digital Audio Player is a high quality electronic
instrument capable of an exceptional level of performance. Be sure that you
understand your system’s requirements fully before you make any connection to this
Digital Audio Player.
1. OUTPUT TERMINALS
Connections for preamplifiers or integrated amplifiers are provided on the rear panel.
Connections are available for analogue single ended RCA, and balanced XLR cables,
Note that the only time the analogue outputs are ‘live’ is when the network mode is
active and when the Digital Audio Player is playing a track.
The XLR output pin configuration used in all Plinius products is:
PIN 1 to GND
PIN 2 to +Signal
PIN 3 to –Signal
NOTE: Because of the way balanced XLR outputs are configured it is not
recommended to connect both XLR and RCA at the same time.
2. GROUND LIFT SWITCH
This switch allows the signal ground to be disconnected from the chassis. In some
installations a hum loop may exist due to duplicate ground paths from different
equipment. Use this switch to remove the connection from 0V to ground thus
allowing some flexibility in your particular set-up.
3. NETWORK INPUT CONNECTOR
The RJ45 connector allows connection to the Router or Computer Network Device.
This is a standard connector for use with CAT5 or CAT6 LAN cable.
1 2
5
6
3
4

10
PLINIUS TOKO
4. REMOTE IR SOCKET
This socket is for connecting to an external remote control sender. Some companies
manufacture these devices to enable multi-room remote control. Please see your
Plinius dealer for further advice.
5. MAINS SWITCH
The heavy-duty rocker switch turns the Mains/Line Power to the amplifier ON or OFF.
The amplifier draws a moderately high current when switched on, so it is not good
practice to rapidly turn the Mains switch on and off repeatedly.
6. MAINS POWER CORD IEC SOCKET
This connector is where the mains supply cable from your wall connects to the Digital
Audio Player. A fuse holder is mounted within this connection, and it holds a mains
fuse to provide surge and overload protection for your Digital Audio Player.

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DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
Remote Control Functions
The Toko features a full function remote to control all actions of the unit. This section
details the buttons of the Toko remote and how they are used.
1. REPEAT
Press this button and the repeat light on the front panel will light
up. The Toko will now play all tracks on the CD as normal, and then
repeat all tracks from track 1 in an endless loop. It does not repeat
one track only, it repeats the entire contents of the CD.
2. DISPLAY
The display button on the remote enables you to quickly adjust the
display brightness. Use this button to toggle between high, low, and
off settings. Note that whenever a CD is ejected, the display will
automatically revert to full brightness.
3. CUE BUTTONS
Use these two buttons to cue through the track you are listening
to. Press and hold the right side button to cue forward through
the track, or press and hold the left side button to cue backwards
through the track. Once the start or end of the track is reached,
Cue will continue into the next track.
4. TRACK BUTTONS
Use these two buttons to go forward (right side button) or back (left
side button) through the tracks on the CD. Press the button once to
skip to the next track on the CD, or hold down to skip through multiple
tracks. The track currently selected will be brightly lit. When playing
a CD, press the back button once to revert to the start of the current
track. Pressing the back button a second time will skip back to the
previous track.
5. STOP/EJECT
If the Digital Audio Player is playing a CD, pressing this button will stop play and return
to track 1. Pressing the button a second time will eject the CD. NOTE: if the disc is
ejected and not removed fully, the transport mechanism will automatically draw the
disc back inside the unit.
6. PLAY/PAUSE
Press the Play button to begin playing the CD at the track selected. The display LED
corresponding to the track that is being played will vary in brightness. Press the Play
button again, and the track will pause, designated by the LED flashing.
2
6
8
1
5
3
4
7

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PLINIUS TOKO
7. VOLUME CONTROL
Use these two buttons to control the volume level of a Plinius integrated amplifier
or preamplifier. The right side button increases volume, while the left side button
decreases the volume. Briefly press either button to make fine adjustments to the
volume level. Hold down either button to continually adjust the volume level.
Note that these buttons do not control the Toko Digital Audio Player, and are included
only to remove the need for two remotes, if more than one Plinius product is in your
system.
8. MUTE
Pressing this button toggles a Plinius integrated amplifier or preamplifier in and out
of mute. Note that this button does not control the Toko Digital Audio Player, and is
included only to remove the need for two remotes, if more than one Plinius product is
in your system.

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DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
Network Playback Control
The Plinius Toko Network Audio Player is designed to be operated with the Plinius
Arataki, however it can also be operated by other DLNA compatible media controllers.
Media controllers such as the Arataki enable browsing of the music collection,
selecting music to play, and controlling playback of the music through the Toko digital
to analogue converter.
Digital media controllers can be mobile or fixed devices such as desktop computers
that do not have the requirement for wireless connectivity.
Firmware Upgrade
To ensure the best ongoing operation, firmware upgrades may become available
periodically. The upgrade process requires connection of the Toko Network Audio
Player to the internet so it may receive the upgrade files from the Plinius upgrade
server. Your Plinius dealer can inform you of the features and benefits of a firmware
upgrade, and confirm if the upgrade is applicable to your hardware.
Should you choose to apply the available upgrade, your Plinius dealer will arrange
activation of the upgrade for your particular hardware. After the upgrade has been
activated at the upgrade server, you will be advised to switch off and then re-power
your unit.
Once the product is re-powered, the upgrade process will begin and takes a maximum
of 5 minutes. After this time the product is ready to be used as normal. Following an
upgrade you will receive advice that the upgrade process was successful.
DURING THE UPGRADE DO NOT SWITCH OFF OR RE-POWER THE UNIT,
OR ATTEMPT TO OPERATE PLAYBACK FUNCTIONS THROUGH THE UNIT.
Should the firmware upgrade fail, you will be advised that the firmware upgrade was
unsuccessful and your dealer will again have to activate the upgrade at the upgrade
server.

14 PLINIUS TOKO
Installation & Operation
WARNING: RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. TERMINALS MARKED WITH
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS LIVE AT ALL TIMES.
This Digital Audio Player operates at hazardous voltage levels. We recommend
that any work requiring removal of the lid be referred to a suitably qualified and
experienced service technician. DO NOT place this Digital Audio Player in any position
where liquids or any foreign material may accidentally enter it.
PLEASE READ & UNDERSTAND THE PRECAUTIONS WITHIN THIS MANUAL
FOR PLACEMENT & OPERATION OF THIS PRODUCT.
CONNECTIONS
Connections to your Plinius Toko should be made in the same order as they are
listed in this section. DO NOT attempt to connect your Plinius Toko until you have
read and fully understood these instructions. Although these instructions refer to the
connection of the Toko to a preamplifier, the Toko can also be safely installed into
multimedia systems by following the same installation guidelines. Should you require
further assistance, please contact your Plinius dealer.
NETWORK INPUT
Connect your Network device (Router, Computer etc) to the Network input on the
back of the Plinius Toko using suitable CAT5 or CAT6 Ethernet cables only. Make sure
the connector is a snug fit and inserted all the way in.
OUTPUT TERMINALS
The connection of the outputs of the Plinius Toko must be made by an ‘instructed
person’ or by suitable ready made interconnect cables only. Connections for
preamplifiers or integrated amplifiers are provided to the left of the rear panel.
Connections are available for analogue single ended RCA, and balanced XLR cables.
If using single-ended RCA outputs, connect your Toko to the RCA inputs on the back
of the preamplifier. Make sure you connect the red coded cable to the red RIGHT
RCA output, and the black (or white) cable to the black LEFT RCA output. Also make
TOKO ETHERNET INPUTNETWORK ROUTERNAS MEDIA SERVER

15DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
sure the RCA connectors are a snug fit and are inserted all the way in. For XLR
connection, make sure you connect the RIGHT XLR output and LEFT XLR output of
the Toko to the right and left inputs of your preamplifier respectively. Also make sure
the XLR connectors click into place.
NOTE: DO NOT connect XLR and RCA at the same time, use only one or the other.
TERMINATION QUALITY
Quality of the connections must be examined to ensure that high-performance,
trouble-free operation is enjoyed. Check that all interconnection cables are snug
fitting and inserted all the way in. In the case of balanced XLR sockets, ensure that
they click in positively.
CONNECTING THE MAINS SUPPLY
Firstly, check that the mains supply voltage printed on the rear of this unit is similar to
the mains supply voltage in your area. If in doubt, please consult your Plinius dealer.
Mains supply power connection is via the plug-in lead supplied with your Plinius Toko
Digital Audio Player.
Where possible, check the wall outlet is switched OFF, then connect the local mains
plug end of the lead to the wall outlet. Check the unit is switched OFF, and connect
the IEC end of the cable to the IEC socket at the back of the Toko. With the cord fully
connected, switch the wall outlet ON. Now that your Toko is configured correctly,
switch the power switch on the rear panel to ON. The display LED will cycle in
brightness as the internal circuitry stabilises. You can now enjoy your new Plinius Toko
Digital Audio Player.
NOTE: This unit must be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing
connection. The wall outlet socket or mains switch must be accessible at all times in
case of emergency.
WARM-UP PERIOD
You will find that the Plinius Toko will become noticeably ‘purer’ in sound after being
on for a period of time. We usually recommend waiting at least 24 hours before
expecting the best quality of sound reproduction.
TOKO OUTPUTS PREAMPLIFIER LINE INPUT

16
PLINIUS TOKO
Product Features
NETWORK AUDIO/COMPACT DISC AUDIO SELECTION
The Toko Digital Audio Player will automatically default to Network stream mode at all
times when there is no CD playing. To switch to CD Audio, insert a CD or press play
with a valid CD in the unit. To switch to Network Audio, stop CD playback.
When CD playback stops as it reaches the end of the CD (unless repeat function is
ON), the unit will switch to Network Audio mode by default.
REMOTE CONTROL
Provided with your Plinius Toko is an 11 function remote control. Two AAA batteries
power the remote, and these are replaced by removing the two screws on the base
of the remote that hold the battery compartment in place. The bottom end of the
remote is now free to slide out for access to the batteries. Replace the two batteries,
taking care to refit the new ones with correct polarity.
DISPLAY STANDBY
The display has a time out feature, which will cause the display to switch off after 10
minutes once the CD has stopped. The display will reactivate when any CD function is
next used.
MAINS/LINE FUSE
A Mains/Line fuse is fitted within the IEC socket on the rear of the Digital Audio Player.
A small drawer at the bottom of this socket may be removed (after the IEC plug is
removed) by levering it out with a flat blade screwdriver. The fuse fitted should be
rated at no greater than that specified on the rear panel.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT FIT A FUSE WITH A HIGHER RATING.
NOTE: Fuse failure may indicate a severe problem. Should the Digital Audio Player
continue to exhibit mains fuse failure contact your Plinius dealer.
COPY PROTECTED COMPACT DISCS
Please understand that the Toko has been designed to meet the standards as laid
out in the Redbook CD specification. Copy protected CD’s do not conform to this
standard, and are manufactured with deliberately introduced errors in an attempt
to frustrate those who may want to make digital copies. These schemes also
compromise the audio potential of the compact disc format.
The firmware in the Toko has been designed to enable most copy protected CD’s
to be played. However it is possible that if a non-standard CD is inserted, it may be
unreadable or create errors. If this occurs the power LED will be the only LED lit after

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DIGITAL AUDIO PLAYER
the CD initialisation sequence. Take the CD out of the Digital Audio Player to remedy
the error condition. Any issues of this nature should be made known to the retailer the
disc was purchased from, and to the record company.
NOTE: Scratched or damaged discs can adversely affect the performance and
function of your Toko Digital Audio Player. Should you experience problems in playing
standard Redbook discs, please inspect the condition of the disc surface.

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PLINIUS TOKO
Troubleshooting
NO SOUND FROM THE UNIT
If the unit is not reproducing audio take the following steps:
• Check the Toko is correctly connected to an appropriate input on the preamplifier.
Refer to the Installation & Operation section.
• Check the preamplifier is set to select the correct source input. Adjust the source
selector for the Toko as the source component.
• Check the volume. Turn the volume up to a point just below the normal listening
level. DO NOT turn the volume up to maximum in case the sound begins to come
through the speakers.
• Check the system is working with another source to confirm the fault is not due
to the preamplifier or power amplifier stages.
• Check the Toko is working with a CD to confirm the fault is not due to the Media
Server or Network components.
NETWORK STREAM PLAYBACK OR DEVICE CONNECTIVITY PROBLEMS
• Check the Network components are working correctly. Ensure the Music Service
is active and the control device has recognised the Toko as the Renderer and
has recognised the Media Server Library device also.
• Check the Network connections are active. Check the router is operating
correctly and any wireless connections have a strong signal. Try other network
connected devices to confirm connectivity across the network is active.
NO TRACK DISPLAY LEDS
• Check a valid CD is in the transport. If the CD cannot be read, the Toko will not
show any track information.
• Adjust the display brightness through the levels high, low and off in case the
display has gone into standby mode.
POWER FAILURE
The unit may have suffered mains fuse failure. Check the mains fuse and replace if
needed. NOTE: If the unit immediately or repeatedly suffers mains fuse failure, there
may be a major problem and you should contact your Plinius dealer.