Jeff Rowland Capri preamp

I would agree with Ckoffend's comments for the most part. I don't feel the Capri delivers the deepest of sound stages or the tightest bass, but I do feel it is resolving and has many other attributes. Overall I enjoy this preamp and the phono stage is a bonus. It has also been a very good match with my VAC Musicblocs.

Dave/Dcstep, the following comments were taken from a very, very quick review of previous posts within this thread alone. I scrolled up to the top and looked at about the 1st 15-20 posts (or so, I didn't actually count) with the following quotes:

From Above:

01-22-07: Nolitan
i had the pleasure of borrowing a Capri pre-amp for about two months now with the contention of probably buying it.
Like most posters rowland is smooth and tube like--yup, thats the sound. No grain.

03-29-08: Pause
…… The sweetness and musicality of tubes with the drive and authority of solid state.

03-29-08: Guidocorona
"sweetness and musicality of tubes with the drive and authority of solid state."

Pause, my sentiments exactly. May I quote you if I ever write a review of the Capri for TAS?

I have read several similar comments in other threads on this preamp about it being "tube-like" sounding.

Look, I think this is a terrific preamp and I also feel it is one helluva bargain. I just don't see that it is tube-like as opposed to performing how good SS can perform (there is a lot of good SS amps and preamps that are quite smooth sounding).

Guido - I have a couple hundred hours on the preamp since I received it. It came right out of another system and has thousands of hours on it. I am very happy with it, but I may need to re-position my speakers based on its differences to the Calypso which was taken out of my system.

Before everyone jumps on me for not having the appropriate source, etc. . . I have run two digital players into it (EMM Labs and now an Esoteric X-03SE). My amp is a Krell FPB 300C and speakers are Wilson Watt/Puppy 5.1 with Transparent cables (speaker/IC) and various power cables.

I do plan to purchase the power cable that Guido recommends in another thread (I believe it was from another thread) for this preamp.

And finally, for the record, Guido's comments had much to do with my purchasing of this preamp. Thanks Guido, while I don't agree 100% with every glowing statement, the reveiws were well written and I agree that this is an excellent preamp, made even more impressive by its very reasonable price.

Thanks for the references Ckoffend, I stand corrected. ;-)

I would never say that the Capri is "tube-like" but maybe that's because I don't necessarily see that as a plus. I know that many seek a euphonic experience and often receive it with tubes. Many other tube users merely seek sonic accuracy and the leading tube devices provide that. In this case, the Capri is more like the second set of tube devices, providing non-euphonic accuracy, in my estimation. I hesitate to call that "tube like", given the substantial constituents of tube devices that seek euphonics. Accuracy should not mean "tube-like" or "ss-like" or "Class D-like" or "Class A-like" or "SET-like", since accuracy is it's own standard. Getting rid of the "-like" allows us to listen without the handicap of expectations.

I see that you surely understand this, given your equipment choices. I only make these comments as so many come to these discussions with an expectation of a particular euphonic quality whenever "tube" is inserted into a description. I know it's often consider a compliment, but the discussion sometimes gets wobbly when it's relied on as a descriptor.

Dave

FWIW, I use the Tel Wire power cord on my Capri with great results so far.

Again, Ckoffend's experience mirror mine so far. Great preamp for the price, but definitely not tube sounding to me in the euphonic sense.

BTW - I swore I posted this somewhere yesterday but don't see it. Can anyone explain why the phase switch is manual only and not available via remote.

Ckoffend,

I agree with your observation that Ayre gear sounds more tube like than the Capri. I have observed the exact same thing, and written about it.

Good to know that I am not the only one.