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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
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
That's where I'll listen Kawika, but I'd rather wait for a few a couple of hundred more hours on it and also hear it in battery powered mode. Hopefully the programming will be complete in a few days. Until the firmware is settled, I think we need to hold off saying much more.

Guido will probably add his perspective tonight. He was deep in thought, pulling on his mustache, as he listened yesterday again.

Dave
kawika
57 posts
 
So what's the deal on the story that it uses Op amps for signal amplification? Is that true? If so have designers come up with a ciruit that competes with Class A bias cicuitry using top shelf parts ? Mt Capri is very good in trasnparency, but my old Gryphon Sonata Allegro was better in areas such as bottom end heft, dynamics and quietness. I get a fair amt of hiss at full volume on the Capri/312 combo (witout source signal of course!) and not a damn thing at 1/2 inch from my tweeters with the Gryphon pair.
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
Are you using power factor correction with your Capri? My Continuum 500 is very quiet and so is the Criterion, but the Capri isn't quite in the same league, but very good. I don't know what gives there. My Continuum has PFC. The Criterion will have batteries, but it was very, very quiet on an AC diet.

Guido played around a lot with the Capri and PFC, but ultimately preferred the Capri without PFC fromt he PC-1.

I don't know anything about the Criterion's topography. Maybe Guido will chime in tomorrow.

Dave
kawika
57 posts
 
Dave I'm not using the power correction device, but I have used it for a few days in and out for a trial a few months back. It was very slightly better sound (more musicly refined) than without it, but had nothing to do with the "Hiss." I'm talking full volume without source signal with ear up to tweeter type hiss :)
dcstep
1,518 posts
 
Remember when you compare hiss, you have to do it at the same gain. Some pre-amps don't have as much gain as others, so when you compare their hiss at full volume it may not be apples to apples.

I didn't know if the PFC's conversion to DC might reduce hiss. Apparently not.

Dave
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