Capri to the monoblocs 501, which cables?


I have just bought Jeff Rowlnds Capri and monoblocs 501
(Cd Player Denon DCD 2700 / Loudspeakers Infinity Renaissance 90)
I am hearing 85% classical music, mostly orchestral works and opera. I have been trying (starting from the Denon)

a) NBS Monitor active III / NBS Monitor III / NBS Monitor IV

very fast, incredible precision and details , amazimg soundstaging beautifull space beetween the instruments but, and this is a big but, absolutely awfull sound of the strings, harsch and uncultivated with too much white and pink noise

b) Shunyata Antares / NBS monitor III / NBS monitor IV

less detailed but more homogeneous, more organig picture of the whole, more polite ... sounds as if some tube would be there, I am not sure it is the reality and it seems to me creating some colour and fake sound-staging

c) Transparent ref / NBS monitor III / XLO Pro 650

female voice for example, lacking body, no enough texture, everything a little bit lean

Thank you for advices

kind Regards
clavil

Showing 4 responses by guidocorona

Hi Clavil, I play classical almost exclusively. I use a Capri with the JRDG 312 stereo and am also quite familiar with the 501 monos. If you have recently bought your Capri and 501 amps, they are probably not at all broken in. Expect that for the next 1000 hours of playing time they will do all sort of 'interesting' sounds, that will start slowly turn into music only sometimes after the 500 hrs mark. Until you have just over 1000 hours on the units it is not worth while thinking about interconnects or power chords, because you would be overcompensating for pre-break in artifacts. Rather, if you have the budget, you may look at a pair of JRDG PC1 Power Factor Correction units. You place them between the 501 and the current power cords. They convert the 110V AC from the wall outlet to 385V DC that they feed to the 501s. The 312 and the new Continuum 500 already have PFC built in. Rowland introduced the PC1 to bring the performance of the 501 and 201 much closer to that of the flagship products. You can expect greater authority, more filegreed treble and midrange, and lots more low level information. . . e.g. harmonics and string vibrato.

I use Audioquest Sky ICs throughout my system. They are graceful and extended and work remarkably well with the current generation of JRDG gear. . . but I do not pretend them being the ultimate solution. I have also heard Capri connected with Purist Anniversary ICs. . . absolutely wonderful, but staggeringly expensive.
One recommendation. . . leave Capri and 501 always turned on. . . that's JRDG recommendation. . . but idle time does not count towards break in.

Guido

Hi Clavil. At 150 hrs or so, the ARC Ref 3 does not sound terribly good. At 500 hrs it will be excellent and completely broken in. Capri won't reach its best performance until about 1000 hours of real music making.However, after everything is over and done. . . I still prefer the Capri for its amazing frequency extension, great and deep bass response without bloat, treble that is extended, and sweet, a midrange that is textured but never excessive, harmonic development that is second to none; magnificent staging and imaging. What the Capri will never be however is 'warm' or 'tuby'. . . . it just makes music in a way that I -- and it seems you -- truly like.
But in more direct answer to your question. . . yes, Capri is truly that good! Guido
Hi Clavil, yes you are right, besides its amazing precision, one of the virtues of the little Capri is its resolving power and how it allows me to pan/zoom at will my attention to different instruments or groups in the orchestra or ensamble. I will call JRDG on Monday about compatibility of PC1 with 220V AC and will post the answer here.
Clavil, I have asked about PC1 voltage compatibility: PC1 can be used with any input voltage, including European 220V 50Hz.
As far as I know JRDG's listening room is being changed. . . I will see/hear it on October 9th during a tour of the JRDG facility organized by Soundings Hifi of Denver. I will report back here after RMF. Guido