mcintosh vs jeff rowland

The Rowlands are great, well built amplifiers. They are not my cup of tea, I can see how someone else could really enjoy them. There is something about the autoformers in the Mcintosh that is really addicting. They sound more like tubes. Personally, I love the sound of tubes and will not look back. To me, the difference in the sound of tubes vs. transistors is as pronounced as night and day.

I have owned a lot of Mac gear and love it for it's utilitarian approach. I have moved on to Jeff Rowland's products of late (a C500 and a 102/Capri pair) and am enjoying the transition. The Rowlands are a more relaxed and fluid sound, and offer up detail lost on my mac gear. It's not up and in your face like some products (Krell, Pass, etc); but a more calming tonality.

Rowland gear is good, that is for sure. I could certainly live with it. I just love the sound of tubes.

Talking Mc and Rowland: how would you expect a McIntosh MC275 paired with a Capri to work? Sounstaging? 3D?

I own the 275 and been looking into the Capri for a while, but can't audition. I wonder if, for the money, there are better preamp matches for the 275.

Thank you!

I really like the sound of the 275. I have heard many different amps and at this point, it does enough things right for me to keep it for a while.

The C220 is a fine preamp and is designed to mate with the 275. you probably could find better preamps I am sure but it sounds great to my ears with the 275. The tubes it comes with sound okay, but I have rolled mine and it sounds much better with the NOS tubes.

I am sure the 275 would sound great with the Capri. It sounds great with just about anything. If I had to put words to describe the sound, I would say "romantic and liquid" sounding. You also can voice it to your own taste. What kind of speakers do you have?