Although I'm not in the passaround, Sean very kindly sent me the + and ++ plates which I received last week, so it is probably best if I post my thoughts, here.
I've been using the standard plate for many months and find it has the perfect balance between efficiency and comfort. It's an extremely smooth shaver.
First up, the + plate, which has increased gap, but less blade exposure. Having used this plate twice, I find it to be both less smooth and efficient than the original.
Switching to the ++ which has even more gap and less blade exposure, I find this to maintain the smoothness of the original, but the increased efficiency is minimal.
Conclusion.... for me, the original plate is still the preferred. I should say that I am a daily shaver for the most part. The increased gap is going to be beneficial to those who skip days and my opinion is possibly a little harsh as I don't fit the criteria for whom these plates have been designed.