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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
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Just spoke to JRDG. Criterion is a linestage. a Phono section will be introduced next year in a separate chassis.

On the subject of size and color of characters on the display. . . the display is a fluorescent panel with 32x320 pixels. All chars are generate via software. numerics will be larger than on Capri. As fluorescent display generates a relatively broad spectrum, JRDG has selected a set of filtering jells that tune the output to a broad-spectrum very-light-quasi-white-blue, which should be usable even with most color distrophies. Brightness will be adjustable; display can be set to turn itself off after 5 secs, or even stay off indefinitely.

G.
kawika
57 posts
 
Guido, did Jeff say how it's progressing towards a production date? I've waited nearly a year so far, so if it actually gets out his shop door by the end of this year Ill be satisfied.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Kawika, during todays' phone chat Jeff appeared to be confident that he will ship Criterion before year end. Guido
clio09
3,355 posts
 
For a second there I thought I was having a flashback and imagining Bill Feil was engaging Dave and Guido in a pleasant exchange about JRDG products. Then I realized Audiofil does not equal Audiofeil.

In any case I can't imagine larger display numbers than those that are on the Capri. I do wish the balance position could be noted on the display and I really wish someone would explain to my why I can't flip the polarity via remote (manual via faceplate only).

Otherwise this is quite a nice little preamp.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Hi Clio, here are some possible answers:

The remote control circuit of Capri was designed in the early 90s and has been used on a variety of devices ever since, hence its limitations.
Yes, the Criterion display will show balance state.
The audiophile population is not getting any younger. . . and a number of audiophiles are affected by all too common macular degeneration, cataracts, and various age related moderate sight deteriorations. . . hence the growing need of larger fonts on component displays. I only wish that the info on displays were also exportable via USB for those of us for whom megafonts are not an option. . . but this functionality is not yet implemented in today's generation of devices. G.
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