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
cappuccino
122 posts
 
Ok, let me explain more in detail. This is how my 501 amp for the center channel gets it power:
Wall outlet -> Nordost Odin power cord -> Burmester 948 AC conditioner -> Nordost Brahma power cord -> Rowland PC-1 -> T+A custom built power cord -> Rowland 501.

The main reason why I have the Odin cord from wall to the Burmester 948 AC condition is because I also have my two channel front end gear connected to it. So get me right, I did not buy the Odin with the purpose to use it with the 501! That us just a bonus the way I have set it up.

I have not connected my 301´s to the 948 of two reasons; the 948 has not enough capacity for that I think and also I have two dedicated AC lines for my 301´s. The power cords I have for the 301´s (Wireworld Gold Electra) unfortunately are not in the same league as Nordost Odin. That is the reason I said that the performance from my 501 are almost in the same league as my 301´s and why I also think I need two more Odins (for mye 301´s).
Hope this helped.
clavil
254 posts
 
thanks
mark_nz
48 posts
 
Thank you Guido re the description of the volume control. The Synergy is similiar in that it also uses a optical encoder under microprocessor control. I am curious about what electronic circuit (whether chip or discrete) is used to implement the volume control. Cheers Mark
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
mark, Criterion uses large scale integration for its optical volume encoder, rather than discrete components. The dynamic range of the Criterion circuit is expected to be much wider than in previous JRDG preamplifiers, including that of various versions of Synergy and Coherence. I am not sure about the part number / manufacturer of the volume encoder module.
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
All, it looks like our Criterion and related products thread is back in business after a brief abscence caused -- no doubt -- by a minor quantum fluctuation in the probabilistic Landscape that powers the Multiverse. My thanks to all that contributed to the cloning of the appropriate superstrings that allowed the threads return.

Regards, G.
More to discover