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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
 
At approximately 126 hours into the break in process it is worth while that I post a brief update.

The sound of Criterion continued to open up and to relax until about 85 hours of playing time. . . I was starting to hear a considerable amount of ambient cues. Without the sound ever venturing far towards the warm sound of neutral, performances were becoming more and more textured and emotional. I was very pleased by the amound of harmonic content, macro and micro dynamics, and immunity from distortion in loud passages.

At approx the 90 hour mark, sound turned markedly toward surfacy, pinched, harsh, and brittle. . . Violins became steely and whyny, piano steely and shallow. . . detail gone out the window. . . ambient cues no where in sight, micro dynamics an alien concept. Seems Criterion is not at all immune from the dreaded break-in doldrums. This morning, at approx 115 hours, the creature was definitely still in a bad mood.

Sometimes in the late afternoon things started to open up once again. Now, at about 126 hours, the sound has reopened up considerably, if not to the point where it was a couple of days ago. . . music is becoming enjoyable once again. Can't help being anxious. . . patience is a lot easier to preach than to practice.

G.
pinkus
144 posts
 
Guido, don't be anxious. These stories always have a very predictable ending. My prediction is that you will love the Criterion above all others, and it will be your new reference. It will allow you to hear things from your recordings that you have never heard before. You will create an emotional connection with music like never before.

Have I listened to the Criterion you might ask. Nope, never. Don't have to, to know how this movie ends :-)

Enjoy and cheers !
jimjoyce25
215 posts
 
Since you have two chassis, you're breaking in not only the preamp, but interconnect and the power supply as well. These are probably complex interactions.
maril555
619 posts
 
This thread reminds me of the "Preamp deal of the Century" thread.
Close to 250 posts BEFORE the preamp actually hit the market.
Remarkable.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Thank you JimJoice, you are correct in that the twin power/data pigtails are shipped with the preamplifier, as such I am definitely breaking those in together with the pre. The ICs and power cord are Furutech Evolution II that I have used in the system since 1st quarter. Rather, as the pre has a lot of transformers (power management, input stages, output stages), I have been told that it may take particularly long to stabilize.

Pinkus, I thank you for your optimism. Of course, in the end, I hope that I will truly enjoy this device. I will try as much as I can to document what excites me, what does not, and most of all, why. If nothing else, I hope that this exercise will help yours truly to clarify the modalities of his own cheery audiophilic obsessions. G.
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