Rowland 2 or Accuphase A50?

You are wasting your time, a quality sand amp will never compete with a quality tube amp. Period. Unless you like your coffee w/o sugar, your fries w/o salt, your popcorn w/o butter, etc... No body to sand amps, I've owned all the best. Rowland, Krell, Levinson, Goldmund, Threshold, Pass, Accuphase, et al. If you put gun to my head, and absolutely FORCE me to use sand amp, I would go with Goldmund. Only sand amp I ever hear w/treble that can match tubes. But still lacks body and air in the midband.

CAT, Jadis, Joule-Electra, Atma-Sphere, VTL, Wolcott. These are real amps. YMMV...

Todd as you know, I have tried a lot of solid state & even some tube equipment. When I finally got around to buying an Accuphase that's where I stopped; there was simply no need to try anything else. But don't take my word for this; contact membername = Cornfedboy. He has them both (Rowland & Accuphase) as I understand it.

Beware!!

In the glass of the tubes there are SAND too!Give me a brake!!

No no no and no .... You will go the wrong way !!
The better is your old tube gear.

If you like distortion and sloppy seconds, tubes are the way to go...

I agree about tubes, but in SS defense, I tried a ML #32 pre.(SS) and the stage broadened and sound cleared up. That was what made me go to SS preamp and tube amp direction.I've been ABing SSpres. and tube pres. since. S.State pres. have an edge on tube pre. in my room and system. I know this is bassackwards of what everybody preaches, that tube pre. and SS amp, but the SS pre. was much cleaner. So I'm going to try a to notch SS amp once again. I'm purchasing a Goldmund Mimesis 3, Rowland 2W/ battery supply,and a Accuphase A-20 just to try. I'll let you know the outcome.

The new Aloia 1501 amps may be a good choice. These are the reason I traded the Wolcott amps. Great authority with the delicacy of the mids and treble. Excellent build and quality.

I don't think my tube experience qualifies as I went from two Golden Tube SE-40s monoblocks to one A50-V. But like many A50-V owners in this forum I will not be looking for a new amp any time soon. If anything it will be another A50-V to run as monoblocks. The A50-V is an excellent excellent amplifier. Detail, Air, Soundstaging, Bass it's all there in spades. My choice was the Rowland 8TiHC, Boulder 1060 or the Accuphase. I believe for my system I made the right choice. But let your ears be your guide.

Cheers,
Dan

I had a preamp customer who sold his ARC Ref 300 Mk IIs and bought the the Accuphase A50s which he used in mono and was very happy with them....Not familiar with the Rowland 2, but all his creations sound similar with little in common with the Accuphase.....If you like smooth go with Rowland and if you want to hear how drunk the musicians are then go with Accuphase...

I have both sitting in my living room right now. The Rowland is musical with a deep dark background. Musical if not the most transparent. Just getting familiar with the Accuphase but it is alive and vibrant with the air of your good Class A amps. I've had Krell (Audio Standard 2) and the Goldmund Mimesis 29. The Goldmund was nearly perfect but didn't have huge bass control/slam but that was not really a bother (the plastic binding posts on an amp built better than almost anything was, though).

I also consider myself a tube guy.
I recently purchased an Accuphase A-20 and a McIntosh C220 tube preamp.
I can not imagine ever parting with either one of these units.

I went from a Rowland Model 10 to an Accuphase A-50V. The Accuphase was significantly better in every way. That being said, the A-50V is both a newer design and much more expensive than the Model 2 which went out of production back in 1999. So not a fair fight IMO. I have now moved on to an Einstein hybrid, which although it does not have the ability to handle difficult loads like the Accuphase, drives my new Tidal speakers just fine. I also like the fact that it weighs 50 pounds less.

Both can sound very good depending on system synergy but i would take the accuphase over the rowland having owned both brands but different models.
the accuphase is silky, more refine and just for me, more organic.
But that is not to say the rowland is bad sounding. In the proper system, i also heard them do very well.
best if you can audition both. ymmv. good luck.

Findoc , tubes have sand 2 ............. LOL.....

I am intend to use accuphase a50 with my jbl 4344! Still have accuphase m1000 monoblock, c280L pre amp ! Please advise me which is better! Thank you!