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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
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Just dredged up some more info. . .

Corus is companion product of 625.

625 is not exactly a replacement for 312. The 312 amp -- which is no longer in production -- will eventually be replaced by a class A/B stereo amp called 825, for which there is no delivery date yet.

The current Criterion preamplifier is intended as a companion piece for the 925 and the future 825.

clavil
254 posts
 
Guido,

my dealer guesses he will get the Corus in spring and the 625 "later".

I am surprised to read that the 312 is "no longer in production" ... ?

it seems really that Jeff Rowland is changing strategy and going bach to class AB amplifiers. Is this now because there are really better or just because class D was never really accepted by High End Audiophiles ?

BTW I have the 501 + 2 PFC1 with special cabling un beetween ... I still had no time to compare it to the 312.

A nice day to everybody
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
I talked to Kelly at JRDG yesterday. No delivery dates have been established and output power is not even certain as yet. The units on display at CES lit up but were not powered. We are getting ahead of ourselves.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Macro, The units at CES were powered, but not connected in system. FCS is still tentative. Power rating is still undergoing finalization. I source info from JRDG.

Claude, 312 is certainly a marvellous product, but it is now almost 4 years old. . . and nothing is static in our domain. We'll see what the new products do for living, regardless of underlying class of operation. G.
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
Guido - I was not at the show and have not seen any of these new items. Kelly told me the units at the show were not active. The dash lit up but the motor would not start. She attends every show, and this one in particular, as it was Rowland's 25th anniversary at CES. Kelly has been with him for 21 years and I've known her the whole time.
I don't mean to contradict you but my source is pretty good too. Maybe she wasn't supposed to tell me that -- or I wasn't supposed to tell you.
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