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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
brazcole
63 posts
 
You need to do a lot of things to get experience. I think all the guys that are in this path for a long time did many changes.

So I put the 312 again in my set up "just in case", as I didn't sell it for my luck because the price is somethinh hight. After few seconds I start to jump in my room (my wife was in the kitchen) like a kid. Beautiful sound, with strong and deep sound stage. Wonderfull device.

Tomorrow I'll put the GamuT to sell.
kawika
57 posts
 
Huh? What big ears you have said the wolf!
brazcole
63 posts
 
I just try the JRDG powers cords. One first and then the another one. I had before the Valhalla, but I change it for the Harmonix Combak 350, but I keep in mind that the Valhalla is a thin power cord, so the power cord don't need to be thick.

Last week I try the Puccini's stock power cord instead of the Combak. The stock power cord was so better that I leave it in the CD player and I change in the Clock as well.
Today with the Criterion and the Model 312 the same happenned, the stock power cords are better.

I think the factory, when the devices has a very high price , they send together with the device a excellent power cord. Yes, why not? If you pay more or less 20k for something, why not a much better power cord?
Anyway, I have a Caspian Roksan, the price is about 2K, tuner in my system, and when I try the stock power cord it's sounded very worse, the difference is huge, that I leave the Combak in the tuner.

Now, I'm listenning a female heavy metal band called Meldrum. Those girls are amazing. I never imagine that I could listen to a heavy metal band with so much pleasure.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
I have the impression that Criterion may be quite insensitive to power cords during AC operation. This has probably to do with the high degree of regulation of the power supply and the final passive power factor correction rectifier built into the power supply itself. G.
kawika
57 posts
 
Chris, I have owned or intimately listened to many of the pre amps you mentioned, however until you have heard the THIS preamp you don't realize how way off base you are in stating that there is no reason to replace one's existing preamp. I own the Criterion and I'll flat out tell you that if you actually still think after listening to it in comparison to most of the above pre amps and still find no reason to replace it..... Congratulations! You're going to save yourself a bunch of money in this hobby! All these pre amps you mention are so far apart in performance scale from best to worst. What was once world class, as in the ML 26S, is way outclassed by a pre such as the BAT REX. If I had a ML 26S I'd sell it immeadiately after hearing the REX. This is just one example. My point is it sounds like you either need to get some updated listening comparisons or you just can't hear the difference. This is a tough hobby to be in if you can't hear the difference. On second thought, it just might make it easier!
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