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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Hi Allen, Continuum S2 prices ppear to be as follows:
Continuum S2: $9500.00
Continuum S2 with phono card: $9850.00
Continuum S2 with DAC card: $9950.00
Saluti, GUido
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mike
I am. I just love it.
...And the love we had is all we have.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Mike...when will you be receiving the S2 for demo? Are you demoing any other JRDG equipment or just the S2? Thx
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Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.co...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
cmalak
Mike...when will you be receiving the S2 for demo? Are you demoing any other JRDG equipment or just the S2? Thx
Cyril, it arrives Monday. Just the S2. I really want a integrated for downstairs. Stereo/preamp at most. Monos on the floor with the kids around isn't ideal. The footprint of the S2 is ideal. Spec wise it looks really good too. Ballsy power and very quick (high damping factor). Downside is the 1000 hour break in. The one I'm demoing has the phonostage. I didn't want the DAC anyway since the Lumin is my main source.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
I find that the DAC in the S-2 is not only good.. It is a fantastic DAC for that kind of money.. And it could happen that it is far better than a lot of external and build in DAC's out there.. That is Michaels and mine experience.. Try it out :)
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
High praise - I will have to try it! Pity a phono stage can't be fitted alongside the DAC, but streaming takes precedence for me. At the prices quoted it makes sense to get both DAC and phono stage just in case.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Raidho
I find that the DAC in the S-2 is not only good.. It is a fantastic DAC for that kind of money.. And it could happen that it is far better than a lot of external and build in DAC's out there.. That is Michaels and mine experience.. Try it out :)
Thanks for the input Lars. When using the DAC what transport are you typically using?
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Raidho
I find that the DAC in the S-2 is not only good.. It is a fantastic DAC for that kind of money.. And it could happen that it is far better than a lot of external and build in DAC's out there.. That is Michaels and mine experience.. Try it out :)
I agree. The Capri preamp with DAC/Phono option is the alternative if you want to go separate. Capri + 525 stereoamp is actually less expensive than the S2.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Interesting Hyperion. That raises the question of what's best - the Capri S2 & 525 or Continuum S2. The Continuum looks to have the power advantage, plus you don't have to buy interconnects, and it's a one box solution which is very attractive.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
I'd be very interested in the comparison to the separates also. The S2 works great w Raidho's. I've only got about 250 hrs on mine.
I got the phono board in mine.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Guys, you can buy both cards and swap them out as system needs change. I think the DAC is $400-500 and the phono card about $350. It's not a 2 second job, but it can be accomplished with a little effort.
And keep in mind that Roy Gregory was also smitten with the phonostage too.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Oh and be sure to set the jumpers so that the display goes dark after 10 seconds or so. Roy Gregory is right - it does sound better with the display turned off.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Thanks Jock. I read that too. Nice feature.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rufus McDufus
Interesting Hyperion. That raises the question of what's best - the Capri S2 & 525 or Continuum S2. The Continuum looks to have the power advantage, plus you don't have to buy interconnects, and it's a one box solution which is very attractive.
I haven't compared these options side by side. In the end it might be a choice inbetween convenience and flexiblity as I would expect the performance to be close.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
All, the admittedly conservative 1K break-in estimate comes at least in part from me. It is based on a 3-day long exposure to Continuum S2, and is therefore somewhat conjectural and extrapolative in nature.
My general experience with break-in, including that for class D amps, is that many devices continue to develop and sweeten for the first thousand hours or so, with the first few hundred hours being potentially painful to bear. Amusingly enough, some of the newer class D amps like my Rowland M925s make easily enjoyable music within hours of "first sound"... They deliver islands of progressively higher sonic refinement quite early in the game, interspersed with correspondingly shorter and shallower performance dips. The bulk of non linear break-in seems to abate by about 700 hours, after which progress assumes asymptotic behavior. At the 1K hours boundary I thought that the highly involving sound was the product of complete breakin, but evolution actually continued very slowly until M925 grazed the 1800 hours mark.
When I listened to CS2 at RMAF 2013, I observed that its sound was opening up rapidly over the 3 days of the show, and was quite enchanting by the 3rd day. However, based on past experience, I ventured to suspect that the integrated in the Rowland suite, being relatively new off the factory floor, may still have been delivering a performance which may have not told the entire story about its full capabilities... Hence my conservative break-in conjecture for Continuum S2.
Regards, G.
Guido
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Hey Mike,
Next time you are talking to Rowland, complain for me about the amazingly bad/cheap remote that comes w the S2.
Hey it's a lower level product so I understand cutting costs, especially in a non-performance way, but when I asked my dealer about buying a nice remote that I assume comes their top of the line preamp, he said I couldn't buy it. Weird!
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Jock, I suspect that there may be a matter of compatibility of the IR codes used by the Continuum S2 remote with the Corus remote, more than n issue of lack of availability of the Corus remote itself. You might be able to source a 3rd party programmable IR remote, and configure it to function as CS2 remote. I can inquire with the factory.
Guido
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
That's what I initially assumed but my dealer corrected me and they just weren't available. Something is very weird ----- obviously not a big deal or I would have called Rowland directly.
My dealer isn't what you would call - good.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Hi Jock, I will find out from the factory if Continuum S2 remote alternatives might exist.
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Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
9500 for integrated amp??? I think their margins can afford a nice multifunction remote with a nice case. To me this is an embarrassment to say a nice remote only comes with their top of the line preamps. IMHO
Nick
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GuidoCorona
Hi Jock, I will find out from the factory if Continuum S2 remote alternatives might exist.
Cool
Thanks
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
veindoc
9500 for integrated amp??? I think their margins can afford a nice multifunction remote with a nice case. To me this is an embarrassment to say a nice remote only comes with their top of the line preamps. IMHO
Nick
I might be just spoiled and maybe the remote isn't as bad as I think. Let's see what mike thinks when he gets his tomorrow.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
With an amp that costs this much, I found it to be a joke !
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
It must be a high-end integrated amp. I think Joe is on the right path; Job 225.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Can someone post a pic of one?
I had the Synergy pre from Rowland and I wasn't crazy about the remote either. It was a nice plastic remote, but still plastic. I thought for a Rowland product they would give a nice aluminum remote. Just wondering if they changed the design over the years or not.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
I was very unimpressed with the remote upon receipt of the unit...functional, but is not up to par with the rest of the piece. That being said, after using mine daily for the last number of months, I can say that I haven't thought about replacing the remote because I get instantly lost in the music. From a functional perspective, and improvement over the previous integrated unit remotes (more functions available).
From what I gathered when providing feedback on mine, I think the factory has been flooded with comments criticizing the remote, and I don't think they are going to change it. Again, after many months of ownership, I am ok with that!
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
All, I have discussed with the factory the CS2 remote concerns. I am happy to report that Rowland is working in earnest towards a universal solution which is expected to prove "both highly attractive and functional"
While there are no details yet, I will keep you posted as soon as further information becomes available... Please stay tuned to this thread.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
socfan12
Can someone post a pic of one?
I had the Synergy pre from Rowland and I wasn't crazy about the remote either. It was a nice plastic remote, but still plastic. I thought for a Rowland product they would give a nice aluminum remote. Just wondering if they changed the design over the years or not.
Not 100% sure about this (I gave more attention to the sound than the remote controller) but believe the S2 comes with a plastic fantastic remote - whereas the previous version (C-500) had a more "upmarket" aluminium remote.
Guido, will the C-500 remote control the new S2?
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
No, old remote doesn't control it...I tried.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
No, old C500 remote is not compatible with CS2, and does not support CS2 funtion set. Furhtermore, if I remember correctly, the old remote may be a couple of decades old, and parts can no longer be sourced.
Guido
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
kiwi_1282001
Not 100% sure about this (I gave more attention to the sound than the remote controller) but believe the S2 comes with a plastic fantastic remote - whereas the previous version (C-500) had a more "upmarket" aluminium remote.
Guido, will the C-500 remote control the new S2?
The C-500 is the remote I had with my Synergy. It was a nice remote, but it is plastic. I thought it would be a nice aluminum one, too, but it's plastic, albeit a very high grade one.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Hi guys. This is my first post here. I enjoyed reading all your opinions about JR gear. BTW, the old remote, although definitely a looker compared to the new one was made of ebonite and tended to break pretty easily (if dropped, of course). I would like to upgrade my Jeff Rowland Concerto Integrated Amp and the PC-1 Power Factor Correction and I was seriously thinking about the new Model 525 (guess I can't put up with the dry sound anymore). I need only a power amp as my exaSound e20Mk III DAC can act as an excellent Pre as well. Now my question is this: Is the new Continuum S2 a Model 525 Power + a Capri S2 Pre? (except for the higher 'horsepower' of course....). Or to put it this way: does the power section in the S2 sound close to the Model 525 (again, except for the wattage difference). I've read a lot of good reviews about the S2 but I can't find any review of the Model 525 and I can't listen to it either. My dealer (the only one in my country) has only the big boys to show off unfortunately and I'm hurrying a little with my purchase...
BTW, I don't think the Concerto Integrated sounds that bad, especially with the PFC in aid. I find it extremely fast (more so with the Raidho's), very dynamic and pretty transparent. I can't say that from a tonal and timbral perspective you can't do better, but hey... it's damn fast, transparent and resolute. It's all about compromises especially at this price point. The Concerto's biggest problem is, I guess, the fact that the Pre section gets juice from the same ICE power modules. So I should say that the Concerto is an amazing power amp, more so if you can patch its defects with the rest of the gear and cables. My 2 cents. :)
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
I'm late to the party here, but I wanted to chime in and say that I'm really loving my Continuum S2. I'm using it with Harbeth Monitor 30.1s and my system has never sounded better. It has fantastic clarity and sound staging, and it's fatigue-free. It's my favorite amplifier so far, and I've been fortunate enough to have owned some nice gear over the years. Highly recommended!
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Welcome to the forum Jeff! Thank you for joining.
I had 30.1's and loved them so much, I had to go for 40.1's. Great speakers, both of them. I am sure the Rowland on them is outstanding.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
For those interested, the Continuum S2 just received a rave review from Alan Sircom at Absolute sound. Here's the link:
Jeff Rowland Design Group Continuum S2 integrated amplifier | The Absolute Sound
I absolutely love the sound of mine, and I'm officially off the upgrade merry-go-round. I never expected to like a class D amplifier, but I'm 100% sold. I just wish I was as thrilled with the looks as I am with the sound. I prefer an understated look, and Rowland gear most definitely is not understated.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jeffp13
For those interested, the Continuum S2 just received a rave review from Alan Sircom at Absolute sound. Here's the link:
Jeff Rowland Design Group Continuum S2 integrated amplifier | The Absolute Sound
I absolutely love the sound of mine, and I'm officially off the upgrade merry-go-round. I never expected to like a class D amplifier, but I'm 100% sold. I just wish I was as thrilled with the looks as I am with the sound. I prefer an understated look, and Rowland gear most definitely is not understated.
Congrats Jeff and welcome to Audioshark.
I had a S2 in my system for several months and really enjoyed it. I now understand why Raidho demo's a lot with the product.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
What power modules are used?
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Hi Dizzie, Continuum S2 is based on Pascal M2--Pro modules.
Guido
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Guido,
Thank you. I knew I had seen the modules mentioned somewhere but I could not remember the name or find the reference.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
I'd be curious how these compare to the Concentras back in the day. anyone?
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Anyone compare the Continuum S2 to any Devialet?
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
I have, though not in a very thorough fashion. I have a Devialet 200 and borrowed an S2. The problem was I had to borrow some speaker cables with spades and the only ones I could borrow (cheaper Transparents) were sound-wise almost the diametric opposite of what I have, and rather unsuited to my Raidhos. The result was the S2 sounded rather muddy. The Devialet is quite bright and transparent, the S2 dark. I was using the built-in DAC on the S2 which I don't think was nearly as good the Devialet DAC either.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
I have owned both the S2 and the D800 and I would have to say that the Devialet was quite a bit better than the S2. Tighter bass, smoother mids and better soundstage focus and size. But then again the D800 is 3X more money. I suspect that the D200 would also be better but that is total guessing on my part.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
It's hard to compare the Devialet models to the Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 as the Devialet is meant to be used as a complete system. What I can tell you though is that the Jeff Rowland Aeris (DAC) + Continuum S2 (integrated amp) is in another league compared to the D200, as they should. A more fair comparison would perhaps be the D800.
Jeff Rowland will give you a more organic, fluid, dense and slightly darker presentation to the highly detailed and very neutral Devialet.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Is there a good reason manufacturers and /or writers don't list power ratings? I'll never understand why they don't. Same with prices of components.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bluegrassphile
Is there a good reason manufacturers and /or writers don't list power ratings? I'll never understand why they don't. Same with prices of components.
Most have power ratings
"Continuum S2 integrates the new Capri S2 preamplification circuit, input/output, and control features with an innovative 400 watt power amplification stage into a single chassis."
and every Devalialet on this page has them
https://www.devialet.com/en-us/expert-pro-audio-system/
But I agree it would be helpful to have at least the list price. I'd be happy with a Ballpark like houses, Starting in the low $10K range
I'll say it again, Jeff Rowland has had the most recognizable long term Precision Machined look and it's still gorgeous to look at as it was 30 or more years ago.
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
All, this is not about the lovely Continuum S2... It's instead a teaser about Daemon, Rowland's superintegrated flagship, for which I have been busy scribbling listening notes for the last three weeks.
Fact is that I have been wondering for some
time if my audio nirvana could ever be uber-nirvanized, as the technology of audio reproduction has continued to evolve. So, when Rowland released its
statement integrated amplifier in the form of Daemon, I became curious. Could an integrated equal, or at least get close to my Aeris + PSU + M925 trio?
I was long hoping to evaluate the Rowland Daemon 1500W Superintegrated amp. Could a class D integrated fulfill my yearning for sonic bliss, or would Daemon leave me pining for the wonderful music of my separates: Rowland Aeris DAC fed by the ultra-capacitor-based PSU external power supply, driving my beloved M925 monoblocks? Eventually, a Daemon review unit was delivered on February 28th. I Started break-in the following day, and have been scribbling my listening notes since… The writing project will continue for at least a few months, until the device has stabilized, and I have exercised several of its many input and output features. I have been waiting for a long time for this 99Lbs single box critter. It is Jeff Rowland’s integrated statement. The DAC + Preamp + 1500W/8 (2500W/4) dual-mono power amp in a single chassis measuring 17.5” x 15.25” x 9.5” has been sounding extremely musical since the beginning, truly great since it crossed the 150 hours break-in mark, and just about astonishing at 500 hours… And this is just half-way into the break-in process. hundred hours of break-in.
Discovering the phenomenal musical beauty that Daemon produces is being a fascinating experience… Already I am stunned by Daemon's power reserve and unreal tonal grace. Join me to chat about my adventure with this integrated flagship around its AudioShark watering-hole:
https://www.audioshark.org/showthrea...453#post297453
And, feel free to PM me with any questions about it.
Saluti, Guido
Hello All, I was long hoping to evaluate the Rowland Daemon 1500W Superintegrated amp. Could a class D integrated fulfill my yearning for sonic nirvana, or would Daemon leave me pining for the wonderful music of my separates: Rowland Aeris DAC fed by the ultra-capacitor-based PSU external power supply, driving my beloved M925 monoblocks? Eventually, a Daemon review unit was delivered on February 28th. I Started break-in the following day, and have been scribbling my listening notes since… The writing project will continue for at least a few months, until the device has stabilized, and I have exercised several of its many input and output features. I have been waiting for a long time for this 99Lbs single box critter. It is Jeff Rowland’s integrated statement. The DAC + Preamp + 1500W/8 (2500W/4) dual-mono power amp in a single chassis measuring 17.5” x 15.25” x 9.5” is sounding amazing after just a little more than a couple hundred hours of break-in.
Discovering the phenomenal musical beauty that Daemon produces is being a fascinating experience… Already I am stunned by Daemon's power reserve and unreal tonal grace. Join me to chat about my adventure with this integrated flagship around its new Audiogon watering-hole:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussio...egrated-flagsh...
And, feel free to PM me with any questions about it.
Saluti, Guido
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
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Re: Jeff Rowland Continuum S2 Integrated review by Roy Gregory at TheAudioBeat.com...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
cmalak
Shane...not sure what you're referring to here?
Hi Cyril
Continuum Audio Labs Caliburn turntable released in 2006 and Fremer's reference turntable. Surely there must be other names Rowland could have called their integrated amp.
https://www.soundandvision.com/image...urn-opener.jpg