Jeff Rowland 301

Joseph, I do agree with you. The good news is that, as the Modewl 301 is still in production, your dealer can order for you a new unit with all the current updates. Besides that, the new JRDG amps are expected to become available before long. G.

Hi Guido,

this is a old Version from the 301 this means it is the same like the 302 but Monos.

I think this is not a good deal.

regards

Josef

Hi Joseph, apparently 301 underwent fairly substantive redesign since its introduction. Initially it was more similar to the 302 than 312. 302 is not my favorite amp by any stretch of the imagination. . . it lacks 'enthusiasm' for lack of a better word. More recent 301 units are apparently quite similar to 312, plus have their own unique designs. If you send me a PRIVATE EMAIL with the serial numbers of the used 301 you are being offered, I might be able to find out what's in them. Please do not post the serial numbers on this thread. Only their current owner is entitled to do that.

Model 312 is out of production, but you might find some dealers with still one in stock. The new amps are very close but have not been released yet. There will be a 625 mono in the $10K range per pair, a 925 mono in the $48K range per pair. I am moderately confident that these should be released before the 2nd half of the year. A model 825 stereo will follow. All these new amps will operate in low bias class A/B instead of class D, but will have advanced switch mode power supplies and power factor correction (PFC) like the 300 series.

I am lined up to take delivery of a pair of 925s, but I have not heard the new amps yet.. . . JRDG is in Colorado, and I live in Texas. Guido

Hi Guido,

I have a good offer for a used Amp. The dealer told me that there are different versions (different ICEPowerModuls) so I have to check.

Maybe it is better to buy a 312. Did you already heaar the new Amp from Jeff?

regards

Josef

Joseph, I have not yet heard an amp in the power range and high damping rating of 312 that captured my emotions, combined with the sonic resolution and sheer power of Rowland 312. I have attended the last 4 RMAF shows and heard a very large number of systems with amps having price ranges from under $1K to over $120K. The only ones that have captured my heart were the Rowland systems with 312, the Bel Canto systems with the Ref 500M based on ICEpower 250 ASX2 modules that deliver half the power of 312, and to a slightly lesser extent because of some very minor quibbles in the treble region, the gamut M250I mono amps, and perhaps the Belles 350A.

Granted, actual tests in my own system may very well have extended/revised the above short list.

Will you be purchasing new 301s or used?

Guido

Hi Guido,

thank you for your fast answer.

I heard the Boulder 2060 in Germany. Perfect but perfect without Musical Feeling. The 312 is more Musical I understand.

The best Amp I ever heard was a AudioNote Mono, but he has only 8! watts. No way to drive my Speakers (Infinity).

Now I am looking for a Amp close to the AudioNote (if possible NO Tubes).

Guido did you compare the 312 with other top Amps?

Thank you for your help.

Josef

Jpetek, recent JRDG Model 301 amps are a monoblock design, loosely similar to the JRDG Model 312 stereo that I own. Like the 312, the power supply is fed rectified high voltage DC by PFC units followed by capacitor buffers. One of the most interesting differences, is that the 301 is configurable for higher and lower impedance speakers, while the 312 is purely a generalist. Of course, 301 has also twice the peak current of 312. Unfortunately, I have no direct experience with 301. However, my comparative experience of 312 vs Boulder 2060 may be indicative. . . I have had the opportunity of comparing for several hours a Boulder 2060 with the JRDG 312 stereo in Denver during last Fall. The rest of the system consisted of the Boulder CDp, the big 2000 series Boulder pre, and the Vienna Die Muzick speakers.

Both amps yield a credible soundstage and instrument images. Where things differ significantly is in harmonic content, low level information retrieval, and micro dynamics.

Comparatively, the Boulder yields only a moderate amount of harmonic information. . . e.g. a piano sounds like a piano, but somewhat generic, and you really do not hear too much harmonic decay. Viceversa, 312 yields very significant harmonic information, and you 'see' very deeply into the structure of the sound. This kind of feathery glow is also present in solo string music. . . where you will hear much more low level vibrato in pianissimo passages on 312. Paradoxically, 312 yielded also greater authority than Boulder 2060 on the Muzick speakers.

Overall, 312 sounded to me like a more involving, more resolving, and more musically interesting creator of sound than 2060, while 2060 seemed to be occasionally HiFiish in its sonic approach. If Model 301 maintains the best traits of 312 but with even greater ease and authority, I suspect the results may be quite musically involving.

Guido

I was not the only one at Soundings HiFi that evening. . . several other people were present, including several audiogoners. Most folks seemed to agree with my findings.