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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
 
Ian, try to determine if perhaps one of the seats for the balls is slightly deformed.... slightly too deep or slightly shallow... or is slightly misaligned... At which point the best thing to do will be to contact the JRDG factory. G.
ianbodill
6 posts
 
Thanks Guido,
Will do.
Ian
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
All, it looks like Criterion is no longer shipping. The current Rowland flagship general purpose preamp is Corus. For single source digital-only applications, Rowland suggests that the Rowland Aeris DAC feeding an amplifier directly, may yield even higher resolution. I have not tried the Rowland DAC in my system yet, so I cannot supply any personal impressions on this device.
gocubs999
156 posts
 
Hello Guido,
Curious as to what preamp you are using now? Thought you had the Criterion.
Mark
guidocorona OP
4,298 posts
 
Hi Mark, you are correct... Criterion was by far my reference preamplifier, and would still be my reference if I had a mixture of digital and analog sources.

But, as I use only digital sources.... and only one of them at that, Criterion was wasted... I now go directly from the wonderful Rowland Aeris DAC into the Rowland M925 monoblocks. The sound is fabulously resolving, fluid and immersive, and intensely lyrical... And the system is absolutely without any background noise what so ever.

Guido

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