Jeff Rowland preamps

It may be entry level when it comes to where it stands in the JRGD product hierarchy, but it is anything but entry level when it comes to sound. A very nice preamp and for the used prices they have been showing up for here a bargain.

Hi Egay, the only recommendations I have about Capri is to:

1. use it in balanced mode if at all possible.
2. Allow a full break in of about 500 hours of actual music playing before critical listening.
3. Leave it always turn on unless you have stormy weather.
4. Turn down the volume knob to 0 if you need to do a 'reset' with the rightmost button. . . or you may hear a pop through the speakers.

Dtanclim, it is indeed remarkable and perhaps partially serendipitous how the little Capri came apparently to exceed all previous JRDG designs. . . it was one of those cases where the designer had a huntch "on spec". . . perusing a TI Burr Brown data book actually, where Jeff Rowland came across the extremely interesting specification of the OPA1632 module. . . and thought it would constitute the core of a nice little pre with very minimal signal paths. . . and it obviously did. In the mid 1990s, when Rowland designed the then state of the art Synergy, he designed it around the componentry available at that time. . . a decade has passed, and at least in some areas of technology, evolution is still meaningful.

Guido

Guido, hello btw..

Can you please give me a quick synopsis comparing the Concerto (not integrated) and the Capri? I have had the former for almost 3 years now and refuse to part with it. Even though I have upgraded my system with the Wyetech Opal...I keep the Concerto handy when Im in the mood for its pleaseant attributes. I hope this question does not upset the purpose of this thread btw.

thanks.

Aptquark, unfortunately I have no direct comparative experience of Concerto pre vs Capri. . . so I decided to ask Rod Tomson of Soundings Hifi in Denver, who has had a lot of experience with both. He suggested that from the point of view of extension, linearity, imaging and staging, the two are very similar. The difference seems to be that the Capri yields a more stable behavior under dynamic stress. . . e.g. greater stability / less distortion during high dynamic orchestral passages, and more convincing harmonic exposure after transients. . . e.g. greater harmonic content in decaying piano notes. Guido

Much appreciated Guido. I find your posts VERY informative and fulfilling.

thanks