Review: Jeff Rowland Design Concentra mkIIp Amplifier


Category: Amplifiers

I'm in to Jazz (specially guitar), Funk, Afro-Cuban, some hip hop, Classic Rock and blends of these genres.

I use any/all Cubop label Afro-Cuban LP's for testing. they're the best recordings I've ever herd period. I also use Wes Montgomery on vinyl (because Wes rules), a Cachao CD called Dos.

For me naturalness, dynamics, warmth and detal are important. I want deep tigh extnded bass that is coherent with the rest of the sound and well defined. No one-note bass lines. Nauralness and warmth re more important than detail or even imaging. Bright tinny sounds turn me of no matter how detailed or how god the imaging is. Better to want more thn to get too much of one thing. If it's not there, you may not notice it but if there's too much you'll want it to go away.

Ive had the Concentra II about a month. It replaces the Plinius 8200 (8100 upgrde w/phono). Even if the Concentra doesn't have quite the raw musle, the refinement smoothness and naturalness with better imaging make it a pure joy. The build quality and intangibles are world class. Unbelievably beautiful. And also quite pwerful 175 watts per channel very conservatively rated I'm sure.

Strenths are beauty, convenience, world class sound, great phono, warmth, detail, power, naturalness.

Weaknesses, well it retils for $7,100 but if your an audiophle then that's not crazy. You can't record one source and listen to another like the Plinius. Sonically no weaknesses. Thi may be one of the best Integrted solid state rigs in the world.

If money was no object I would still be thrilled with this unit...who knows if money was no object I could die of my own devices. Cheers. Love. Dave in S.F.

Associated gear
Sony XA7ES CD, Project Perspective Turntable /Benz Micro Gilder Cartrige, Tannoy Definition 900 Floorstanding Towers.

Similar products
Plinius 8200
davabar
Yeah that was nice of you Ovature. And by the way it also could just be that synergistically it worked well in their systems. Of course maybe they just haven't heard better cause you'd know that for sure. How bloody presumptuous.
Ovature, what speakers were you trying to drive with the Concentra II? I have heard the problems you describe when amps were not warmed up (Concentra I was very grainy when cold) or when an amp had insufficient power for the speakers it was trying to drive. When underpowering speakers you get volume but it's unpleasant. As for Dave's review, well, by coincidence I heard the Concentra II at Dave's house and to my ears his review - on his speakers, in his home - is pretty much on the money. I would perhaps have added that the unit does not have the "tube palpability" that many hobbiests seek, so it might not be for every taste. And we definitely did not open up the unit and look inside. The II sounded more liquid to me than the I, by the way, and crisper and cleaner. As for what else I've heard, well, you name it. I've got 20 years experience as an audiophile including owning lots of gear and visiting many stores and shows (CES several times, etc.). And of course opnions and tastes among hobbiests do vary.
Art
ps: Shortly after the Concentra II became available, Rowland began to migrate to a different technology for their amplification. This could account for the short shelf life of the C-II, if it in fact has been discontinued.
I ended up with Synergistic Research Absolute balanced interconnects from the Rowland to an Ayre CD-5xe, SR Absolute 10ft. Speaker cables to Vince Christian E-6 monitors/dedicated Sistrum custom stands. SR Absolute Power cords to the Rowland and the Ayre, with a SR Master Coupler X-2 from a Exact Power EP-15 to a Dedicated 25 amp circuit wired with Cardas 10 Gauge in- wall cable to the main panel. This Cardas wire is six nines copper with teflon wrap on the wires. My equipment sits on a SP-5 Star Sound Sistrum audio rack with 1-1/2" thick maple shelves. The Ayre then sits on Black diamond racing cones/carbon fiber shelf squares #4. The Rowland sits on the same maple shelf material but uses Finite Elemente Ceraball feet. The bass is filled out with a small unit Paradigm Seismic 12 sub connected with a SR Phase II balanced sub-woofer interconnect (killer) and another SR Master Coupler X-2 power cord. The SR Quattro is next in line for me.
The room is filled with echo buster room tunes. With the volume up to about 65 on the Rowland the sound opens up big time and fills the room. The detail is astounding. The Rowland is far from being a piece of junk. The Rowland is mighty powerfull. My Vince Christian E-6 monitors will clip at about 78 on the Rowland but its way to loud anyway. I turned it up by accident as well my son did the same thing, lucky not to have blown the speakers. All I can say is the better the power cables, interconnects, speaker cables, and conditioning the lower the noise floor, the cleaner the sound and the more realistic the sound becomes. The Rowland thus far will hold its own against any Solid State Amp bar none. Using the Rowland in balanced configuration, matched with another truely balanced front end such as the Ayre CD-5xe and then you will hear sound like you have never heard before. Authority and power beyond belief. The Seimic 12 is incredible as well. Ihave a Revel B-15 as well but its not needed in my stereo room so Ileave it in my Theater Room which is another topic altogether and equally as awesome as my two channel. Once again the cables, power and equipment stands make all the difference in the world.
Happy Listening and all good things come in time, hard work and lots of money, above all patience and more patience and more hard work. Gotta Love this hobby.
Ovature: strange comments about the C II. Never ever heard of any C II user that complained about build quality, ergonomics or sound quality. The build quality inside/outside is world class and the sonics of the C II are more stable, transparent and dynamic than the original C I with better frequency extension on top/bottom. DonĀ“t know which problems you had with the C II but normally the C II is a great performer in its price class.