JR Corus vs Constellation Audio Inspiration Preamp

RH raved about both the Jeff Rowland Corus preamp in a previous issue of TAS and about the CA Inspiration in the latest issue.

I recently had both these units at home and would like to share my experience. To cut to the chase, there are 2 questions to address here :-

1. What are the features that A has that are missing in B?

2. Which feature will I miss more, in the context of my system, when switching A/B?

To answer the first question :-
A. The Corus is rich in tonal colours and full-bodied in its presentation - bottom-up as per JV. Its soundstage is cavernous with a very 3-dimensional wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling perspective.
B. The Inspiration is super-refined and extremely airy in the treble - a top-down presenation as per JV. The soundstage is not as cavernous as A.

To answer the second question, I miss A more than B when switching back and forth. The most pleasurable musical instrument for me is the piano and when a key is struck, it should sound with all its natural weight and body. The Corus does this very well while the Inspiration comes in short in this department.

As has been often said, you choose what you like for the sound of the overall system. In a system that is already dark/syrupy, the Inspiration would be a good fit. In a system that is dry/lean, the Corus would be the wiser choice.

Cheers! J.