Review: Jeff Rowland Design Concentra mkIIp Amplifier


Category: Amplifiers

I'm in to Jazz (specially guitar), Funk, Afro-Cuban, some hip hop, Classic Rock and blends of these genres.

I use any/all Cubop label Afro-Cuban LP's for testing. they're the best recordings I've ever herd period. I also use Wes Montgomery on vinyl (because Wes rules), a Cachao CD called Dos.

For me naturalness, dynamics, warmth and detal are important. I want deep tigh extnded bass that is coherent with the rest of the sound and well defined. No one-note bass lines. Nauralness and warmth re more important than detail or even imaging. Bright tinny sounds turn me of no matter how detailed or how god the imaging is. Better to want more thn to get too much of one thing. If it's not there, you may not notice it but if there's too much you'll want it to go away.

Ive had the Concentra II about a month. It replaces the Plinius 8200 (8100 upgrde w/phono). Even if the Concentra doesn't have quite the raw musle, the refinement smoothness and naturalness with better imaging make it a pure joy. The build quality and intangibles are world class. Unbelievably beautiful. And also quite pwerful 175 watts per channel very conservatively rated I'm sure.

Strenths are beauty, convenience, world class sound, great phono, warmth, detail, power, naturalness.

Weaknesses, well it retils for $7,100 but if your an audiophle then that's not crazy. You can't record one source and listen to another like the Plinius. Sonically no weaknesses. Thi may be one of the best Integrted solid state rigs in the world.

If money was no object I would still be thrilled with this unit...who knows if money was no object I could die of my own devices. Cheers. Love. Dave in S.F.

Associated gear
Sony XA7ES CD, Project Perspective Turntable /Benz Micro Gilder Cartrige, Tannoy Definition 900 Floorstanding Towers.

Similar products
Plinius 8200
davabar
Ovature,
What type of integrated do you have that is so much better than JR. My CII is still working flawlessly and its over 12 years old, still looks new too. I am using SF Auditors and some SR AR cables to good avail. I took a look inside the piece and thought it was quite well built even though hard to get inside. You and other high end audio folks I run into on occasion have stirred up the same pot of bull stew you are stirring. Something seems wrong here, more like a personality conflict. I blew your response off but after so many years of listening to other components and separates more expensive and very well built top of the line front ends nothing really sounds a whole a lot better than the Rowland to this day, unless its costs three times as much. If Steve did design the guts then it should be good right. I think your are incorrect with this particular piece of junk as you put it, what a classless comment. Its a classic not your comment and well deserved. Heck I can still sell it for what I paid for it. Hopefully you have found the illusive audio heaven cause it sounds like it could help you. Lastly JR is a gentleman all the way, to the bank.
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Hmm JEFF ROWLAND has ALWAYS designed beautiful gear! Krel is NO WHERE near as good! You must have been eating macaroni and decided to stuff your ears with it!
Agree with orgman above,I’ve had the Concentra II, Krell KAV300i, Perreaux and Plinius integrated amps,None sound as beautiful as the Concentra,Jadis DA60 gets close but is unreliable, PureAudio One surpassed the Concentra but the company is no more :(
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