Jeff Rowland Design has just created a page for its upcoming statement-level, twin chassis, battery powered full function preamplifier. Detail is still scant, but a little bit of info is already available, in addition to front and rear view pics. Here’s the page: http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion.htm And here’s the front view: http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion-front.htm And here’s the rear view: http://jeffrowland.com/Criterion-back.htm
You will find a few specs already on the site. JRDG should be publishing more info in the next few weeks. I will post here as I receive it. in addition to the published specs that you can read on the page above, here are a very few additional tidbits that I have learned this far:
. Uses Burr Brown TI OPA1632 high speed fully differentially balanced modules. . Includes phono stage. . Uses standard NiMH D-cell batteries available in most electronics stores, loaded in 2 rear-inserted tubes of power supply chassis. . Capable of AC/DC operation . . . will recharge batteries on independent circuit during AC operation. . Full remote control . Target price $18K (not sure yet) . Availability: probably early Fall 2008. . Will be featured at RMAF in Soundings Hifi suite Marriott 503 or 505 from Oct 10th to 12th in Denver.
And sorry folks, I have not heard this device yet. Nor I have any good third party reports on its sound. Any speculations on Sonics from my part would be just. . . pure speculations. I’ll keep everyone posted as I learn more.
Dave I'm not using the power correction device, but I have used it for a few days in and out for a trial a few months back. It was very slightly better sound (more musicly refined) than without it, but had nothing to do with the "Hiss." I'm talking full volume without source signal with ear up to tweeter type hiss :)
Are you using power factor correction with your Capri? My Continuum 500 is very quiet and so is the Criterion, but the Capri isn't quite in the same league, but very good. I don't know what gives there. My Continuum has PFC. The Criterion will have batteries, but it was very, very quiet on an AC diet.
Guido played around a lot with the Capri and PFC, but ultimately preferred the Capri without PFC fromt he PC-1.
I don't know anything about the Criterion's topography. Maybe Guido will chime in tomorrow.
So what's the deal on the story that it uses Op amps for signal amplification? Is that true? If so have designers come up with a ciruit that competes with Class A bias cicuitry using top shelf parts ? Mt Capri is very good in trasnparency, but my old Gryphon Sonata Allegro was better in areas such as bottom end heft, dynamics and quietness. I get a fair amt of hiss at full volume on the Capri/312 combo (witout source signal of course!) and not a damn thing at 1/2 inch from my tweeters with the Gryphon pair.
That's where I'll listen Kawika, but I'd rather wait for a few a couple of hundred more hours on it and also hear it in battery powered mode. Hopefully the programming will be complete in a few days. Until the firmware is settled, I think we need to hold off saying much more.
Guido will probably add his perspective tonight. He was deep in thought, pulling on his mustache, as he listened yesterday again.
Sounds like Dcstep, you'd better get down to soundings this week and have a listen in their own store setup. I'm sure they know how to set up a great stereo in a controlled and well designed room ! You say that particular Criterion only has about 70-100 hrs on it? I'll bet it needs 200-400 hrs to fully break in.
Duke's room on Friday was not as impressive (although quite good) as on Saturday. On Friday he had both pairs of his new speaker designs in play and in close proximity to each other (basically side by side) which caused minor imaging issues. On Saturday, he removed the smaller set and the sound was better IMO.
BTW- I'm upgrading my Stormbringers to the Jazz Modules soon.
My favorites, not in any particular order:
Merlin/Joule (Bobby always seems to have a nice set-up) Galibier/Atma-sphere (vinyl heaven) Moscode (the new 402 sounded very nice) VAC/Von Schweikert (both rooms) Serious Stereo (these guys are for real IMO)
Unfortunately there were a number of times I entered the Soundings suite and Rod was not playing "music". Someone brought in the soundtrack to "My Cousin Vinny" which was very impressive with bass dynamics and effects, but not musical at all. When we played real music it was a very musical system. As with most rooms there, the operator needed to avoid overloading the room. I heard Rod overload the room a number of times and the guy next door would often overload his room to the detriment of the Soundings room.
So, it's not ideal. Bring your own CDs that you know and ask for a level adjustment to suit the music. When you do that, it's actually fairly reasonable way to get a quick and relatively accurate take on equipment, IMHO.
I didn't get the setup or sound in the JRDG/Vienna/Marantz/PD Soundings room at all. It was like watching a 100" screen three feet away. The soundstage was flat with no dimensionality and the bass was boomy. I sat in the sweet spot on two different days to give it a fair chance. Not good.
How people can attribute good or bad "sound" and isolate it to one component in a system or room they have never heard before is beyond me, unless there are obvious, clearly identifiable mismatches between components. I need to acquire that listening skill. Moving from one seat side to side or front to back, or a door open or closed in the room can have a dramatic effect on what is heard.
Kawika, all I can say at this point is that it sounded very quiet and musical in the 312/Dei Musik system. At one point there were about 8 people in the room and Rod switched from the Marantz SA7 to the Playback Designs everyone immediately recognized the improvement in transparency, sound stage and impact. There were a couple "wows" in the room.
When the firmware is finished and the Criterion is operating on battery power, I'll go to Soundings and compare it to the Capri in a more meaningful way. Unfortunately that may be about the time that you take delivery. I think we're talking about a few weeks. The programmer needs Jeff to get back from Asia and push him to finish.
Well.....Did you ever get back for a good listen to the Rowland Criterion? I have one on order and am very interested in anyone's thoughts who have heard it personaly. I don't care to have anyone guess on its sound...I know what his previous pre amps sound like. No need to go there. Just the facts please. Thanks, David.
Ah Clio09, I see you have the Audiokenesis speakers. I thought that Duke had one of the best sounding rooms at the show. Not only that, Duke is a great gentleman here on A'gon and in person.
I DO think that Atmas colored his system every so slightly. Duke volunteered that he thought that the 60s would have been a better match than the 30s that he was using. Still, it was a very musical system, in my top three of the show, bar none.
BTW, here's my personal top three: Soundings (Vienna Acoustic/Rowland) Genesis Speakers Audiokenesis
I wasn't able to visit every room, so there very well could have been other rooms in this league.
I was unimpressed with the 2 JRDG rooms (Soundings, Jeff was not there). This coming from the owner of a Capri which is a preamp I like a lot.
Of course IMO there were a lot of duds this year at RMAF. However, the minority of rooms that did shine (ironically 3 of them using Atma-sphere equipment) more than made up for it.
Dave and I Heard Criterion yesterday for the first time at RMAF in Marriott suite 505 while the Soundings crew was setting up. Device had been used for 2 weeks by the software developer who is designing the control microcode. I estimate it may have been played for max 50 hours prior to yesterday. Device started cold and during the day played for 6 hrs continuously. Only the AC power supply was used as the firmware to control the battery DC PS is being tested. Rest of system consisted of JRDG 312 amp and the New Vienna Acoustic Die Muzick speakers which were being set up using the Masters process by Sumiko and Rod of Soundings. Source were a Marantz SA7-S1 and the PD MPS-5.
With the premise that in the little standard size hotel suite it is not possible to achieve optimal staging, and that Criterion is neither broken in nor it is using the battery power supply, results were extremely encouraging. We managed to conduct a very quick comparison with an equally new Capri. Using a Diana Krall cut, Dvorak's string sextet, 2nd movement from the New World Symphony, and 1st mov from Sibelius violin Concerto with Ann Sophie Mutter at the fiddle, my Initial impression is that Criterion seems to be yielding a much denser'', larger instrument image with a proportionally larger and more defined stage with finer and more textured overall detail. Before the show is over the Criterion will have racked up at least an additional 72 hrs of plahying time. . . I hope to be able to compare it with a fully broken in Capri. . . I'll post here my observations. Guido
Capuccino, by coincidence the Marriott has assigned me a room just a few doors down from suite 505, where the Criterion is being set up this afternoon by Soundings Hifi. I'll post again as soon as I manage to give an initial listen to the creature. Guido
Looks like Soundings will receive a Criterion demo unit on Thursday, just in time for RMAF's opening. Hopefully the device will already be broken in. . . I'll keep you posted. To me the question is still. . . will its music performance exceed significantly that of the Capri? Guido
Hi Dgarretson, Criterion can operate both on DC and AC. I'll audition the device several times between Oct 9th and 12th. I will also bring along several of my PCs just in case. I will compare very carefully AC and DC ops and post here my totally unscientific opinions. G.
Guido it wasn't my intention to recommend Dodd or RWA. We all have our own perception of what functions and qualities are of up most importents for music reproductions. SS or tube makes no difference as long as the synergy is there and quality is on par with our expectations. Rowland looks very well build and I am sure the performance is high. If it is worth the admition price.....? I leave it to you, since my budget for single component is not even close to what Rowland is asking. However, I am still interested to hear the initial impressions and comparison to other well regarded preamps out there.
Guido, IME monolithic op amps can sound great on batteries-- perhaps surpassing tubes-- but if that preamp has anything short of magnificent bass control & dynamic authority, you can likely blame choice of NiMH batteries.
Dgarretson, I will ask JRDG about the relative high impedance issue with NiMH that you report. As for SLAs. . . I was burnt once -- and not metaphorically speaking as there were fine flames involved.
Marius, I am looking forward to listening to the Dod and RWA Isabella, although I am more and more leaning toward SS devices for reason of upkeep and sonic preference.
Chris, fab attempt at raising one more hornets nest!
My personal opinion is: every "reference" preamplifier will give you excellent sound, even the older ones. Examples: CAT SL-1, Accuphase C-290V, Mark Levinson No. 26S/No. 32, BAT REX, Conrad-Johnson ART, Goldmund, FM Acoustics, JDRG Consummate/Coherence II, WAVAC, Cello Audio Suite, Jadis JP-80, VAC Renaissance, etc. If you own one of the abovementioned preamps, there is really no reason to replace this unit with another unit from different brand. Unless you have too much money...
The proof is in the listening, but generally speaking series-connected NiMH batteries are a poor choice for SOTA. They have up to several ohms of impedance, as compared to several milliohms for large SLA batteries. You can hear these differences, though adding massive capacitance may ameliorate the situation somewhat.
Why would a designer choose NiMH over SLA? Convenience, ROHS issues concerning lead content, gassing issues, transportation issues. But not for SOTA.
Looks very good. 18K is a bit much though. 9K ....maybe.
Anyway - looking forward to compare it to my RWA Isabella. I just hope that- it is that much better.....until then, Dodd and RWA Isabella are IMHO one of the best values. No....not cheap, but if getting off the grid, simplicity and sound quality are your goals, it might be worthy investment.
Yes, by Friday night I'll probably be head over heels. I look into the Barolo, but if that's not available the Querceto Reserva Classico is amazing. I think we'll need more than one bottle...
Dave, if you fear you may develop a new case of 'insurmountable need', we should consider an in depth counselling session in front of a bottle of Barolo next month. G
Yes, Rod Toms confirmed that he will receive a Criterion and will be able to break it in by the time RMAF starts. It will be on a system together with JRDG 312, Vienna Die Muzick, and. . . your very own PD MPS-5 I believe. G.
I have just heard that JRDG has started shipping the Criterion. First production units are being used to fulfill an apparently considerable order backlog. If anyone has had the opportunity of listening to Criterion already, please post here.
Hi French_Fries. Point well taken. If I ever have the fortune of evaluating the Criterion in my own system, it may be fed by TEAC X-01 Limited; it may be feeding Rowland 312, Rowland 7M monos, NuForce 9; speakers will be Vienna Mahlers; It may be A/Bd to Capri, ARC Ref 3; ICS are AudioQuest Sky XLR; current speaker wires are Cardas Golden Refs. Hopefully system will be resolving enough. Of course, I have no idea if the eval will ever happen. G.
i can literally guarantee one thing regarding this new preamp. the system you insert it into will have to resolve extremely fine detail, as in speakers that take no prisoners through the midrange, not to mention other components and some really decent interconnects as well. only then will you benefit from some audio purity not found in the synergy or concerto, capri, etc. then the issue of the preamp being too "soft" or not dynamic enough (which if you care about stereophile, this is their common beef with rowland pre's) will have to be reversed by their "lofty" evaluations or simply ignored- the latter is my preference. they loved the levinson 32 ($17k), then a few years later decided that it now sounded "distant" and mechanical compared to halcro, bat, and VTL. isn't it ironic that there are extremely simple preamp circuits and then there are massive 50 pound monsters (like the new BAT); both are considered class-A. a friend of mine bought a pass ALEPH-P awhile ago ($4k), and it was quietly considered almost as good as a PASSIVE preamp it was compared to (stereophile). the aleph-p is simple, pure class A, bal. or se inputs and outputs. i will hypothetically put it up against anything you can use as an example of "so pure, so clean, etc." for 20, 30, 60 grand plus. maybe someone someday will go back to basics and perform such a test. yeah, there might be some diffeences, i'll concede that much. but how much? perhaps with the system cranked up really loud over monster speakers playing the 1812 overture...
Yes Guido, I think that will happen soon. I also very much want to compare a Continuum 500 with a Capri/312/PC1 combination. I really don't feel like lugging both my MPS-5 and C-5 to Austin, but...
Dave, we will hopefully have an opportunity of putting a Criterion and a Capri side by side in October during RMAF in Denver, and we'll find out what the real story is. G.
I'll be pleasantly surprised if the new Criterion elevates very far beyond the Capri, mainly adding flexibility to the Capri's limited switching possibilities. The ability to use the Capri in DC mode by placing the PC1 power factor correction unit in front of it makes me wonder about the value of a battery power supply. We shall see. There's surely a market for two-box, battery powered high-end units, but I think that Rowland may have made most of the performance available at a much lower price in the Capri and Continuum.
My Concerto pre- with onboard phonostage is dead quiet. Until recently it was JR's top of the line preamp. So this Criterion must have something else to offer at over triple the price tag. True, there are some nice new features (adjustable gain, recording mode). But sound is what we really care about, and I wonder how the sound is going to be significantly improved.
Hi French_Fries, my immediate goal is to be able to listen to a Criterion live. . . and to compare it with the Capri, and hopefully with a Ref 3. Perhaps at RMAF I'll be able to do some a/b listening with Criterion and Capri. . . . should be fun! G.
i take it all back! that is to say, i will wait for a Criterion to appear on audiogon for 33% (or more?) off- some flavor-of-the-month guy will want to try tubes- and then, THEN i will POUNCE, like the audiophilic demento that i am, upon the 6 month old model, which probably hasn't even been broken in yet... it is after all a VERY nice preamp. let's just hope it doen't have any unforseen bugs with the batteries, or whatever. batteries are nice, but the unit has to recharge them, use them up to a point and/or switch back to the wall, etc. i wouldn't mind if it just had a dead-quiet outboard power supply, period. and possibly THAT version would probably cost $5k less to build.
Well,my approach is to "attempt" to acquire the best possible component choice to fit my sonic tastes,and pocketbook....
Then,as time goes by(if I really like the component)I see if it can be updated,to further improve something I already know is excellent,and works well,in my set-up!
I have done this with much of my stuff....but in the case of Rowland,I have been very successful!!
Mainly because Jeff is a superb fellow,who supports his products.No matter what the vintage!!
I have a two chassis 8T amp...Originally with the battery P/S...I've had the amp updated three times,by Jeff.He is very reasonable in the cost to update,based on the sonic return,IMO!
The latest update was to have two seperate "power factor correction modules" placed in the second chassis.No longer the battery anymore,which though very quiet,was slightly defficient in dynamics(but I still was quite satisfied)......
NO contest!!....The new P/S update absolutely blows away my previous battery P/S....Also,actually,the battery P/S has been gone for a few years.
I had originally had a "single" P/S module put in the second chassis(to replace the battery,and "it" was definitely quieter,if you can believe that,and "way more" dynamic),by Jeff(one of the audio Gods)....Even this basic P/S "single seperate module"(I now have a "dual module" configuration) significantly outperformed the battery,but the battery was "much better" than many would think....
Because I have a friend,with the single chassis 8t,who's system is almost identical to mine(lucky for me,in the long run)...I always felt the battery was quieter,and better able to allow depth/tone to develop.Yet his amp definitely could swing more dynamic punch....Not anymore.
This NEW double mudule,that I now have,is SO good,that even my "only tubes can do it" friends are "amazed"!!...THAT is BIG,since these guys truly believe SS is a non factor,in music....Of course I am laughing!..
Why,because though I have had superb tube set-ups in the past(and love tube sound),I now "know for certain" that the magic can be had,without the "significant" weakness of excessive heat!!...
My amp runs almost "cold",sounds embarrassingly great(if you think "only" tubes can do "it"),looks like a million bucks(it wasn't cheap),and keeps my room nice and comfy.
Of course,you have the "way relaxed personality,but amazingly knowledgable" back up of Jeff Rowland,here.So as I see it,my investment will keep me happy for a LONG time!
Yeah, French_fries got it right. SOTA is somewhat like buying a computer or CDP, if you wait until things "settle down" you'll never buy. You just need to pick something near the top of the heap and jump in, then plan to go with it for a few years no matter what comes along.
"but don't be surprised to find out in 2011 that the jaw-dropping sound that you opted for now sounds "veiled""
Absolutely French_Fries! happened to me on a regular basis since 1967, when Dad 'upgraded' our home system for the 1st time since 1953. . . can't see why the 'veiling' of the past should stop any time soon, JRDG or not. . . . only my wife claims my stereo is good enough right now and for good! G.
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