Jeff Rowland

Didn't expect this at all.
My apologies, Ricred, if I have unintentionally offended you. I have posted what I thought were relevant parts of your message only for the benefit of others following this thread. I was not trashing one product in favor of another. I was merely relating my personal experience with the Capri S2 vs Ayre K-5xeMP. Yes, audio indeed is very personal. The usual "to each his own", then.
Good day ahead. :)

Hi Richard, the universal "true truth" non existing in audio, the ultimate beauty for one person is sometimes "not my cup of tea" for another one.

So for example, while Jon feels that the Rowland sound is somewhat dark and rolled off at the top while AYRE is extended and thusly preferable, I feel that Rowland yields my preferred kind of extended range and extreme musicality, while I perceive AYRE to be excessive in its highlighting of treble, and in fact can't listen to AYRE for more than a few minutes at a time.

Who is right and who is wrong... No one really... It depends on how we perceive sound and what turns into greater beauty in our mind.

Concerning removal of detail, I fear that any preamplifier you place in the chain is of necessity a compromise: it will inevitably remove microscopic amounts of detail, and is bound to modify the sound in some way. The issue that one needs to address is... Does the change of a particular preamp enhances your experience of beauty in sound, or overall does it detract from it?

And sometimes... Does the house sound of manufacturer "A" meet your conception of nirvana more than manufacturer "B", or viceversa, or... none of the above?

G.

+1, G.

Try before you buy, whenever possible.
Synergy is king.

G.,
I take everything I read with a "grain of salt." I understand that everyone has their biases. I love the Rowland sound, but I'm lacking bottom end and I'm trying to find the most cost effective way to correct it. It could be the Rowland or a combination of the Rowland and Directstream DAC. I've read comments regarding the Directstream's lack of bass reproduction. I don't know if adding a second 525, a preamp, or going to the S2 Continuum is the most cost effective way forward. If the DAC chip is that great, adding the S2 continuum is the most cost effective.

ricrd...no saracasim intended....I love Wireworld stuff..use it myself. I have also used Rowland (know Jeff peronally). Excellent company....I always look up to Mr. Rowland.. (He's very, very tall :)