Jeff Rowland

Guido,
I appreciate you sharing you time and knowledge regarding Jeff Rowland products. My situation was difficult because I wanted to hear the S2 in my system, but didn't want to feel obligated to purchase from the dealer that could make it happen. I had to wait until a friend of a friend could help me out. It's funny how we hear different things, you said the S2 was clearly better, while others thought the S2 was only marginally better. I know I can enjoy music with the S2 and not think about my next purchase.

Pleasure is all mine Richard... Reality is that audible beauty lies in the ears of the beholder... And I suspect that you and I might be hearing in ways that are not dissimilar.

Undeniably, someone else,, equally passionate about audio and music, might have prefered M525... Or the house sound of a totally different brand.

Guido

Guido,
I try hard to express my preferences while respecting other's points of view. Audio is definitely a preference, but not an absolute. I submit the M525 is great in a smaller system/room, but in my 20' x 26' room, combined with Aerial 7Ts the power and fidelity of the S2 is very obvious.
I submit the Bricasti M1 DAC is great, but knowing what I know now, if someone gave me a choice between having a PS DSD DAC with the JR Continuum S2 or Bricasti M1 DAC with the JR M525, I would take the former of the two. That speaks volumes to how good I think the Continuum S2 is compared to the M525.

I had the chance to do a long side-by-side between the C500 and the S2.  I used the same external DAC, cables and monitors with both.  I alternated the monitors between the SF Amati Serafino, Maggie 3.7, and a pair of Shahinian Hawks.  I must say it's really a toss, I expected the S2 to be better and it was at times, but not all the time.  I think the Maggies overall sounded better with the C500, a better bass and midrange.  The Shahinians sounded best with the S2, and it was a complete toss up with the Serafino's.  I think the Serafinos are the least colored speakers of the bunch.  All of the monitors present difficult loads to an amp.