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New Rowland Criterion 2-chassis battery pre

Jeff Rowland Design has just created a page for its upcoming statement-level, twin chassis, battery powered full function preamplifier. Detail is still scant, but a little bit of info is already available, in addition to front and rear view pics. Here’s the page:
http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion.htm
And here’s the front view:
http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion-front.htm
And here’s the rear view:
http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion-back.htm

You will find a few specs already on the site. JRDG should be publishing more info in the next few weeks. I will post here as I receive it. in addition to the published specs that you can read on the page above, here are a very few additional tidbits that I have learned this far:

. Uses Burr Brown TI OPA1632 high speed fully differentially balanced modules.
. Includes phono stage.
. Uses standard NiMH D-cell batteries available in most electronics stores, loaded in 2 rear-inserted tubes of power supply chassis.
. Capable of AC/DC operation . . . will recharge batteries on independent circuit during AC operation.
. Full remote control
. Target price $18K (not sure yet)
. Availability: probably early Fall 2008.
. Will be featured at RMAF in Soundings Hifi suite Marriott 503 or 505 from Oct 10th to 12th in Denver.

And sorry folks, I have not heard this device yet. Nor I have any good third party reports on its sound. Any speculations on Sonics from my part would be just. . . pure speculations. I’ll keep everyone posted as I learn more.

Guido
guidocorona
kawika
57 posts
 
Recent communications provide that the software issue for the battery power supply control function is finished. Not aware if there are more programming issues, but Jeff says Criterion will be shipping before year end. Dave or Guido, can you tell me a bit more about the quality and performance of these op amps Jeff is using in his pre-amps? Has op amp technology gotten so good that it can compete with a Class "A" circuit using premium parts?
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Kawika, my answer is "Yes; no; and definitely. . . may be!" A classic "non answer". . . the operative word is "can" as you say in your own question. The Burr Brown OPA1632 is apparently an extremely low noise, low distortion, and very high bandwidth differentially balanced op amp from TI Burr Brown. JRDG used it for the 1st time in the minimalistic Capri pre, which I do prefer over my own ARC Ref 3. . . as you can read in several threads where I wax poetic about Capri. I hope that eventually I will have the opportunity of comparing a fully broken in production level Criterion with the Capri and with ref 3. . . and derive some personal opinions. What I heard from Criterion was very promising. . . but it had engineering level boards and was running on AC.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Another way to answer, is that the OPA1632 is just a component. . . the sound of a pre depends on much more than the chips used in it.. . . or in other words. . . "it's all in the handle". G.
audiofil
17 posts
 
I was not able to read all posting, so I apologize if this is redundant. One fairly practical design element that is often so annoying in other brands and components and used only by few other manufacturers is the dot matrix display. It is curious to often see equipment addressed to obviously the both financially and age...aged markets with rather invisible data displays from most rational system placement locations. Perhaps acoustically unwarranted, but I will not bring the P05 home to my -4.5 diopters unless they do something with it.....So do I part with my still unpacked silver Capri and go for the Criterion?
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Hi Audiofil, I do appreciate your quandry. . . as I am totally blind I can't see even the large display of the Capri. The Criterion display is a pixel map display and the firmware can be updated via a USB port. I will ask JRDG if large characters can be generated. . . or if the firmware can be modified in the future to do that. . . But I have gotten used operating equipment without looking at the display, and it has been only a minor inconvenience this far. Guido
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