Why the Jeff Rowland Design Group does not have a higher profile in American high-end circles is something of a puzzle to me. For nearly 20 years, Rowland has consistently produced electronics with superior sound and stunning looks. Perhaps it's simply that it's not in Jeff Rowland's nature to loudly toot his own horn. Rowland is a quiet, thoughtful man not given to hype-ridden pronouncements or publicity-grabbing annual updates of his products. His components typically have long commercial lives: the Coherence II line…
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Paul Bolin wrote about the Synergy IIi in August 2002 (Vol.25 No.8):
Shaken, not stirred
Some components of the solid-state persuasion are like deconstructionist French literary theorists: they dissect every part of the music with a taxonomist's precision and fanaticism, leaving behind only a skeleton of sound rather than a body of music. Each atomized element may be interesting in the manner of a butterfly tacked to a board, but compelling it is not.
Some components of the solid-state persuasion are like deconstructionist French literary theorists: they dissect every part of the music with a taxonomist's precision and fanaticism, leaving behind only a skeleton of sound rather than a body of music. Each atomized element may be interesting in the manner of a butterfly tacked to a board, but compelling it is not.
The Synergy was the antithesis of this. It combined a free-flowing and light-footed musicality with excellent resolution and a full-bodied harmonic presentation, and did a fine job of keeping everything…
The dynamics of small ensembles like Tiny Island or the Armstrong/Ellington group were irreproachably rendered. The Synergy IIi was near the state of the art in handling small- to medium-scale dynamic contrasts, resolving every subtle shading of intensity with loving care. But for all the sophistication and dignity of its appearance and overall presentation, the Rowland showed no aversion to real rock'n'roll stompage. Classic's remastering of "Achilles' Last Stand," from Led Zeppelin's Presence (Swan Song/Classic SS 841), roared out of my Apogee Duetta Signatures with tidal force.
The…
Sidebar 1: Associated Equipment (2002)
Analog source: SOTA Cosmos turntable, Graham 2.2 tonearm, Dynavector DRT XV-1 and Grado Statement Reference cartridges.
Digital sources: Classé Omega SACD/CD player, Ayre D-1x 24-bit/96kHz CD/DVD-V player; Krell KPS-28C CD player.
Preamplification: Krell KCT, Ayre K-1x line stages; Jeff Rowland Design Group Cadence, Manley Labs Steelhead phono stages.
Power amplifiers: Manley Labs 250 Neo-Classic, Lamm ML1, Jeff Rowland Design Group Model 10, Classé CAM-350.
Loudspeakers: Apogee Duetta Signature.
Cables: Phono: Hovland Music Groove 2…
Sidebar 2: 2002 Measurements
The Rowland Synergy IIi's maximum gain was 19.95dB, but this can be adjusted in accurate 0.5dB steps down to -20dB. The volume control also operated in accurate 0.5dB steps, with "63.5" the maximum indicated setting. The input impedance at 1kHz was 28k ohms or 641 ohms with the optional input termination selected. The balanced output impedance measured 51 ohms across the band, and the preamp was noninverting, with pin 2 of the XLRs connected as "hot" and the front-panel polarity-inversion LED unlit.
The frequency response (fig.1) was identical into…
Sidebar 3: Specifications
Description: Solid-state, balanced line preamplifier with separate AC power supply. Inputs: 5 per channel (XLR); 1 per channel, home theater bypass mode (XLR); 1 pair XLR/RCA adapters included. Outputs: 1 main output per channel (XLR), 1 record output per channel (XLR), 1 pair XLR/RCA adapters included. Overall gain: adjustable for each input, ±20dB relative to unity gain (0dB) in 0.5dB increments. Input impedance: adjustable for each input: 36k ohms or 600 ohms. Output impedance: 80 ohms (40 ohms each signal phase). Maximum input level: 13V RMS at 0dB gain.…
Subjective audio is the evaluation of reproduced sound quality by ear. It is based on the novel idea that, since audio equipment is made to be listened to, what it sounds like is more important than how it measures. This was a natural outgrowth of the 1950s high-fidelity "revolution," which spawned the notion that a component, and an audio system as a whole, should reproduce what is fed into it, without adding anything to it or subtracting anything from it.
Traditional measurements of such things as harmonic distortion, frequency response, and power output can reveal many things a product…
The Glossary: A
absolute phase, absolute polarity Refers to the preservation of the initial acoustic waveform all the way through the recording and reproducing system so that a compression that reaches the original microphone will be reproduced in the listener's system as a compression reaching his or her ears. Some listeners appear to be more sensitive to this being correct than others, often referring to the inverted state as "muffled."
absolute phase, absolute polarity Refers to the preservation of the initial acoustic waveform all the way through the recording and reproducing system so that a compression that reaches the original microphone will be reproduced in the listener's system as a compression reaching his or her ears. Some listeners appear to be more sensitive to this being correct than others, often referring to the inverted state as "muffled."
accuracy The degree to which the output signal from a component or system is perceived as replicating the sonic qualities of its input signal. An…
B
balance 1) The subjective relationship between the relative loudness of the upper and lower halves of the audio spectrum; "tonal balance." 2) The relative loudness of the instruments in a performing group. 3) Equality of signal level between the left and right stereo channels, which centers the soundstage and allows mono program material to image at the center. Also called channel balance.
ballsy Describes a system which is stentorian, punchy, and visceral.
banger A very loud LP surface-noise pop.
bass The range of frequencies below 160Hz, characterized by low…
D
damping The amount of control an amplifier seems to impose on a woofer. Underdamping causes loose, heavy bass; overdamping yields very tight but lean bass.
dark A warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency. Compare "light."
dead Dull and lifeless.
decay The reverberant fadeout of a musical sound after it has ceased. Compare "attack."
deep bass Frequencies below 40Hz.
definition (also…