Jeff Rowland Capri preamp

Guido, hopefully we all recognize this. You have written some very good comparisons and review information on the Capri. I find your overall sentiments abouts its performance to be accurate. Everybody should (without even saying so) recognize that your comments pertaining to IT vs. the Ref 3 is subjective and based on your priorities. I, for one, certainly do not feel you owe any explanations or justifications for your statements.

I was one of the guys whocalled the Capri "tube-like". Frankly it just seemed the easiest way to characterize it because of the Capri's inherent musicality, sweetness and texture. It's just a sweet little amp and the description is more a short hand than a literal description. Plus between your typical SS and Tube, it definitely leans more on the tube side but on the SS side it has drive, resolution, authority and bass, ergo my initial description "the sweetness and musicality of tubes with the drive of solid state".

Even though it gives me pause (yuck), I agree with your shorthand, but "tube sound" is so broad that it is dangerous. As you know, some tube amps are very colored and euphonic, particularly at the less expensive end of the "quality" scale. Many, IMHO, are designed with the attitude of "let give them what they want" rather than with a view toward accuracy.

Unfortunately, when many hear "tube-like" I'm afraid that euphonia the image counjured up. People with that image in there heads (I venture to say that's roughly half our readers here) will likely be sorely disappointed in the Capri. The Capri will NOT smooth out the hardness of their cheap CDP or DAC and they'll report something like, "the Capri is hard edged sounding in my system, but my XYZ amp is 'musical'". (Neither will the "best" tube preamps, which is what I think you're referring to).

Dave

Well, I've had the Capri for over a year now, for me thats pretty long ( the next longest serving component is the cd player at 6 months ), every other component from the interconnects to the speakers have been upgraded but the Capri is staying for the forseeable future.

Pause, you may not be the only one holding on to the Capri. . . if the drying up of used Capris offered on Agon is any indication, it looks like more and more audiophile may be finally ketching on that this is a great linestage, regardless of physical size and moderate price.

In the meantime, new Capris are shipping briskly from the factory. G.