Pre-amp for Rowland Model 102

You can't go wrong with the Ayre K5. I can't think of anything else I would pick at that price point. If you can go a little more, the Aesthetix is excellent as well. You won't regret either one. For me personally, I feel Ayre makes the best solid state gear.

What do you think of the 102? I've always wanted to hear one. I have an old 112 that I put in my system every once in a while because it does certain things I like. I was wondering how different they sound from each other.

Guidocorona,

"It bested my ARC REF 3 in harmonic development, control of treble intermodulation in complex passages (think of multipart violins)"

In reference to your quote above, how do you define harmonic development and treble IM? Are they something you listen for or measure?

Guidocorona,

Thanks for the answer. No need to apologize for being unscientific, this isn't a classroom. Just to clarify, your description of treble IM, to me, sounds like its a matter of getting timbre correct. Not an easy thing to do but its extremely important.

Feds,

The above comments make me think what it is that I like about my Rowland 112. When I first got it, I definitely thought it was rolled off in the HF's. The more time I spent with the amp, however, made me change my opinion. All the information is there. Cymbals sound like cymbals and not like you took a piece of metal dropped it on a hard floor. I'm pretty sure I was mistaking the amp being rolled off, when it was just doing a very good job of making the HF's sound like what they are supposed to be, instead of noise. The amp does have some flaws, though. Thats why I was curious about your 102.