The New Jeff Rowland amplifiers ROCK

Hi Rapogee, I was not able to attend CES, but managed to get a little more scant info about the new Rowland products. Here is what little I know for now:

925 monoblock amplifier -- 4 chassis balanced design; class A/b; power rating between 450W and 500W per channel; multi-regulated SMPS with PFC rectified front end; List price $48,000. Probably end March deliveries.

625 stereo amp -- Class A/B balanced; around 350W per channel; regulated SMPS with PFC rectified front end; single chassis design I believe; $12,500. probable end march deliveries.

Corus preamplifier -- 1 and a half chassis design. . . main chassis contains all audio circuits and controls, while a separate heavy aluminum box contains multi regulated AC SMPS with integrated passive PFC rectification. . . the power supply is apparently same as in Criterion, but without batteries. The rest of the circuit is also apparently substantially the same as that of Criterion. . . but it might lack some seldom used features (not sure about this). Price is $10,800. I heard about late January deliveries, but I am not quite sure.

I have not received official specs from Rowland, so all of this might change. . . but I have my greedy eyes on 925. . . we'll see if lust has the better of me (grins!) G.

Hi Rapogee,

which loudspeakers were they driving?

Hi Clavil,

Maybe I should not have been too excited with what I said being a big Rowland fan. I always liked their original amplifiers and have owned several and tried their class D verisions and they were not my cup of tea, still very good but different and was wondering why until I spoke to Jeff himself. These current new models are going to be for the true Rowland afficianados that can afford them, true AB with new PS/ circuits and the new machined cuts are to die for. They were only on display, all of them. I made sure I went on the last day of the show to this room so that I could have a chat with the man himself. It was like a zoo on the first day.

Claude, Rowland had some new Avalon speakers in the suite, but these were not connected to the new amps.

Yes I forgot that the Avalon room was nice sounding too with those Rowlands, those were the current monoblocks but not the new generation onces that are discussed here.
The Rowland room had no speakers, just displays of their full line. I was just running through my photos and I went into all the rooms for sure, I believe there was another room using Rowland as well.