2. amps-preamps
  3. 1216693488

New Rowland Criterion 2-chassis battery pre

Jeff Rowland Design has just created a page for its upcoming statement-level, twin chassis, battery powered full function preamplifier. Detail is still scant, but a little bit of info is already available, in addition to front and rear view pics. Here’s the page:
http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion.htm
And here’s the front view:
http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion-front.htm
And here’s the rear view:
http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion-back.htm

You will find a few specs already on the site. JRDG should be publishing more info in the next few weeks. I will post here as I receive it. in addition to the published specs that you can read on the page above, here are a very few additional tidbits that I have learned this far:

. Uses Burr Brown TI OPA1632 high speed fully differentially balanced modules.
. Includes phono stage.
. Uses standard NiMH D-cell batteries available in most electronics stores, loaded in 2 rear-inserted tubes of power supply chassis.
. Capable of AC/DC operation . . . will recharge batteries on independent circuit during AC operation.
. Full remote control
. Target price $18K (not sure yet)
. Availability: probably early Fall 2008.
. Will be featured at RMAF in Soundings Hifi suite Marriott 503 or 505 from Oct 10th to 12th in Denver.

And sorry folks, I have not heard this device yet. Nor I have any good third party reports on its sound. Any speculations on Sonics from my part would be just. . . pure speculations. I’ll keep everyone posted as I learn more.

Guido
guidocorona
lapierre
547 posts
 
Absolutely. I was referring to the ICEPower Power Amp technology but did need specify the pre-amps Criterion and Capri.

This is fascinating stuff to me...and I don't own JRDG components.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
Lapierre said:

"This is fascinating stuff to me...and I don't own JRDG components."

You probably will....
keithr
1,306 posts
 
any reason why we have a thread a day on Jeff Rowland products?

i know he makes great stuff, but just posting specs doesn't tell a whole lot.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Hi Keith, you are right, specs tell very little. As soon as I have some better info I will post it, as I already said above. Reason I created this thread is that as I am extremely fond of the extant little Capri pre, I can't wait to listen to a much more ambitious device that harnesses the same ideas in an all out assault. Yet, it looks like I may still have to be a little patient. G.
raquel
841 posts
 
Clio09: Running a good solid-state preamp with a tube amp is no experiment, as solid-state pre's have none of the impedance matching issues or problems driving long runs on interconnects that tube preamps have.

My personal belief is that an elite solid-state preamp run with an equally good tube amp is very hard to beat. I have been running a Coherence II with VAC Renaissance 140's and 70/70's for five years (although my main amp is now solid-state).
More to discover