Rowland 625

Optimus, the comparison of M312 with M625 is for me an interesting one. Until M625, M312 has been my preferred amp of record. I have commented abundantly ("ad nauseam" many would say) about my preference of M312 over most other amps -- SS, tubed, and switch mode -- without price restrictions. For my application--90% classical music, 7% jazz, and 3% other types, M312 has yielded more 'soul' and listenable musicality than other amps I have had the fortune of listening to.... I had never perceived any idiosyncratic ICEpowerness in M312. So much so that I considered it superior in all respects, except for sheer grunt-power, to my old Rowland M7 monoblocks.... after all peak current of 175A for M7 vs approximately 40A on M312 does count for something.

Having said that, M625 in my opinion has significantly more 'soul' than M312... I think it is a combination of many things.... the much sweeter treble, the better pitched and much more controlled bass, the clarity of harmonics, the sense of graceful realism that I get from enhanced instrument layering, positioning, imaging.... ambient cues that are present but also delicate and never muddy.... and a rendering of extremely low level detail such as vibrato which is where the emotional, the poetic and the 'soul' come in I suppose. I used to be extremely pleased by M312's rendering of large orchestras, but M625 lets individual instruments emerge much more than on M312..... but never in an 'etched' or strident way.... always in a manner that makes me sink into the musical event, even in sharp transients and fortissimo passages.

Guido

Clavil, Yes, I am thinking about driving my Q5's with the 925. I am going to wait and see what Guido has to say about the 925 as he will probably be getting one of the first few pairs released. I want to see how warm they run among other things.

Guidocorona, I think you was hypnotized by the M625.

Because you want at any cost to believe that the M625 is better than the Model 312.

But the most important thing to me is that until 100 hours the Model 312 was better than the M625, as you have said.

Anyway, what you have said to Optimos about the Model 312 was wonderfull and I start to like the 312 even more.

So, it's great that you start to like the M625 only after 150 hours. Now I love my Model 312 even more.

Isvaldo

Isvaldo, you bring up 2 very excellent points....

1. Until the M625 has gone over the initial 150 hours of breakin grundge, M312 does easily sound better than M625. After that, my impression is gradually reversed.

2. Hypnotic is perhaps a term that fits well to describe the effect of Criterion + M625 + my Vienna speakers.... Thank you for the suggestion.

Guido

I was very wrong.

As I'm going to receive my new preamplifier nex week, I decided to install my old Gamut D-200 MKIII, just to verify how this device would work with the cables I'm using now: Siltech IC and digital, Nordost power cord and the Stealth speaker cable.

Huge, but a very huge difference comparing with my ex-beloved Model 312. I start to listen a more 3D sound, with large and deep sounstage. The stereo sound became amazing.

I could say that now I can listen to music much more time without my mind become tired.

So, now, I've no doubt the M625 is much better than the Model 312.

But, now, I start to think if JRDG are top devices or not.

Anyway, I have ordered the Electrocompaniet AW250R. For what I read, Electrocompaniet are "tube-like" solid states devices, something less "warm" than MacIntosh.

I think that the AW250R will be a wonderfull match with my cables and my dCS sources, because they will open the dark side of the AW250R.

Something in the analogic direction.

Isvaldo.