Any Jeff Rowland owners?

Davey, I am glad that ICEpower is of your radar... It is largely off Rowland radar as well, Only the very entry level M125 is still based on ICEpower. Conversely the balance of current amp production, like M525, Continuum S2, M625, M725, M825, and M925 utilize enormously more musical power conversion technologies.

Saluti, Guido
 
They all use variations of Rowland's power factor corrected switched mode power supply (SMPS) design, but the 625 and 725 use class A/B output stages. The 825 and 925 use nCore class D output stages.
 
Hi Davey....

the output stages of M625 and M725 are based on a moderately high bias class A/B design without overall negative feedback. Conversely, M825 and M925 are even more sophisticated designs with Ncore NC1200 modules in the output stage which run in class D.

I have owned M625, M725, and now M925.... M925 are superior by several country miles... Runs wide circles around the other two.

I realize that you and so many others in our community,understandably experience digestive cramps when hearing the words "Class" and "d" strung together.... For a very good reason.... By themselves, the old ICEpower ASP and ASX series modules were quite unbearable, as exemplified by the shrieking boxes of way too many low end integrators. I have experienced only two manufacturers who have managed with a lot of work to extract emotionally involving music from ICEpower: Bel Canto -- only with REF1000M (mk.2) monos, and Rowland -- with M312 stereo... If there are any other ones, I have not heard them.

The good news is that we are now in a brand new ball game, with class D modules that bear no resemblance to the previous generation.... Hypex Ncore NC1200 designed by Bruno Putzeys, and at least some Pascal modules are far cries from those inherently rough class D creatures of old which had only hidden potential of moderte refinement... The new breed of modules appears to be an inherently hi performance starting point for amplifier designers... Even basic Ncore implementations like the Merrill Veritas monoblocks deliver musicality that is at least uncommon in amps at higher price points. See my Veritas article at:

Merrill Audio Veritas Amplifiers

Other engineers, including Bruno Putzeys himself with his own Mola-Mola Kaluga monos, as well as jeff, have instead created amplifiers that leverage the NC1200 as a springboard for their own advanced designs. M825 and M925 in particular, are, to the best of my knowledge, the most sophisticated amplifiers on the market that incorporate the stock Ncore NC1200 power conversion modules. Amongst other things, the Rowland devices, instead of including the Hypex unregulated Ncore SMPS1200/700 power supply, have implemented a multi-regulated 2500W custom SMPS prefixed by a PFC-based rectifier. As you can read in the technical information on the Rowland knowledge base,

Model 825 Stereo Amplifier

Model 925 Mono Amplifier

Ncore technology is but a small part of the M825 and M925 design. This is reflected by the sonic difference with the delightful Merrill Veritas -- a difference that is congruent with the respective pricepoints.

If you ever get the audiophilic itch to listen to the new Rowlands, Matt Aikawa is the dealer in California... He has considerable experience with the new series, and might be able to arrange a listen:

Matt Aikawa
Moraga, CA
Tel: 1 510 206-1766
[email protected]

Saluti, G.
 
First we have this:

daveyf said:
Like you, I have the utmost regard for all of Jeff's products. I believe that they are ALL classics in their own right and will hold a very well deserved place in the history of audio.
Click to expand...

And then we have this statement:

daveyf said:
Guido, I for one, cannot quite understand why Jeff has so much love for the ICE power modules. Of all his products, I feel that the ICE based ones are the worst. Frankly, when I see that an amp has ICE modules, it is no longer on my radar, period. I'm sure this could change, BUT for the here and now, it's totally the case.
Click to expand...

How do you reconcile these two statements?
 
He was referring to the ICE power modules; for which he is not particularly fond of. ...But he has high regards for all other Jeff's products.

Me, I know nothing, only that all the reviews I've read of amplifiers (receivers) using Class D power, are not my cup of soup either.
But then, I didn't read (even less heard) all the reviews and amplifiers out there using the ICE (Class D) power module designs.

* Words are words, but there is a line of thought behind them, a context that we understand and that goes above them simple words.
 
Let's keep things on track here. Someone can respect someone, but also query their use of ICE in their earlier work.
 
Davey, your sentiment of JRDG matches mine as well. I love their classic looks and the house sound they try to achieve in all of their products. But I also call into question their use of some technologies they've used, and it's not limited to just amplifier modules.:weird:

Davey, have you had your Model 8 serviced yet, i.e., recapped?
 
Based on what I felt to be two very conflicting statements, I thought it was a valid question to ask. If everyone doesn't think there was a conflict between the two statements, I stand corrected.
 
Oh wow guys... I just left for a few hours and beer-bottles's gone aflyin' already?!

Davey, your skepticism is quite understandable... And I do respect your apriori preference for the tubier side of audiolife. Unfortunately at shows it is very difficult to find any suite that reflects the true potential of the gear shown... Acoustics is bizarre, the gear is just off the factory floor, synergy with ancillary equipment is often a case of wishful thinking.

If you ever visit Austin, drop me a line.... I will be happy to let you hear a well broken-in M925 under good field conditions... Bring along your own CDs / SACDs of course... Sorry no computer audio.... I am a veritable digital audiodino... If in the end you still find M925 to be an undigestable cup of class D musical tea, that will be perfectly fine with me...

Mike and all.... If you ever visit Austin, do come and visit as well!

Saluti, G.
 
I did see and hear the 825s at RMAF. The Joseph Audio room with the Pearl 3s and the 825 was very musical. One of my top 10 rooms at the fest.

Also, I spent some time talking with Jeff Rowland. Really good guy.

I considered the 725s and the 825 for my Revel Salon 2s. Jeff uses the Salons in his shop. So this is a great match.
 
Hi Mike Ritmo, if your priority is ultimate authority and musical refinement, M825 is the ticket... But if monoblocks fit your system layout better, M725 is still a very fine amp.

Saluti, Guido
 
daveyf said:
Look at Mike's post above.

We are all still waiting for you to answer what is the true motivation of your original question...
Click to expand...

I think my last response explained it quite clearly. I'm ready to move on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top