Rowlands vs. Levinson Amps.

I may not be of help here, since my experience have been with the older Rowland amps and ML (1, 2, 8 and 23.5, 27, 20.5 respectively), but anyway... hope it helps.

Rowland amps were more polite and excelent reproducing midrange (voices and string instruments for example), great construction and POO.

Levinson amps were more dynamic and gutsy, also very musical but more "crude" than the forgiving JRDG amps.

Both great chioces.

Fernando

Fernando, When you speak of JRDG what does "POO" mean???

Hello,

I currently own the Rowland 201's. They are great amps and for the price a downright steal. Prior to these amps I had a pair of Levinson 33H's. I have heard other Levinson amps as well. I find the Rowland to be slightly tilted to the yin side as HP would say. They tend to tip the scale a bit to the high end side. Their bass is not shabby but to my ears not in the same league as the Levinson amps that I have heard. Rowland amps are much quieter, and tend to resolve inner detail a bit better. I feel the Levinsons are a bit darker and dare I say warmer sounding. Both amps benifit from experimenting with cables so YMMV with different cables.
Both amps soundstage like champions. I could pick no clearcut winner here. The rowlands are lighter and run cooler which is a HUGE plus in South Georgia. With the Levinson gear listening in the summer was downright brutal. As far as Rowlands VS Top tier Tube electronics. I feel JRDG amps can hold their own against any amp out there. Will it be what you want?? who knows?? If you are looking for a Solid state amp that sounds like tubes look elsewhere. If you a looking for an amp that is dead quiet, produces little or no heat, and sounds like a top flight amp then look no further. I am amazed at the sound quality produced by my 201's. I was very sad when I had to sell my prior rig. But the 201's have helped me get over my last system.

Hope this helps,

Johnny

Hi,

Thanks Johnny!

The Rowlands are ICE based amps. Done right, ICE can sound like the better part of tubes. Having a digital switching power supply, as does the 201, is the wrong way to go about it, IMHO.

For the same money, you can get the best of the Rowland's ICE competitor, the H2O Signature. Unlike the Rowland, H2O amps have the biggest analog power supply to be found on class D amps.

Due to it's analog power supply, the H2O has great energy reserves, depth, body, and smoothness.