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Review: Jeff Rowland Continuum 500 Amplifier

Category: Amplifiers

Preliminary, limited review --
I haven't even taken delivery of my Continuum 500 integrated amplifier yet, but I got to listen for 3-hours this afternoon to help with the decision to put down $8,800 to take it home.

My dealer is Soundings, South of Denver, Colorado, owned and operated by Rod Tomson with the very able assistance of this very knowledgeable crew. See the Soundings site at http://www.soinc1021.qwestoffice.net/

When I arrived at Soundings the Continuum 500 was driving the very nice DALI Helicon 400 Mk.2 speakers. This are very nice speakers that received a positive review from Michael Fremer in Stereophile recently.

I listened to several cuts from the following CDs:
"Strike A Deep Chord" on Justice Records
"Cannon Reloaded" on Concord
"Breakfast on the Morning Tram" by Stacey Kent on Concord
"Famous Blue Raincoat" by Jennifer Warnes on Shout
"Don't Take Your Time" by Erin Bode on MaxJazz

I started off really worried when I played "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" from the Cannonball Adderley tribute album, Cannon Reloaded. The bass was indistinct, with few overtones and just showing a one-note quality. The bass on this cut is Marcus Miller playing some really tasty electric bass, with lots of energy and pop. It was lacking all those.

After that I pulled out the Jennifer Warnes CD and played the "If It Be Your Will" cut which has extensive, low, bass synthesizer. On the DALIs it lacked definition and detail. I just sounded like a low sine wave being switched on and off, with no character.

Listening to the DALIs with several vocals, with more typical, higher bass and things were pretty good, with great imaging, rich midrange and high-end details.

When I expressed my concerns to Soundings' Mark Krekeler he suggested that we put the Vienna Acoustic Beethoven Baby Grands into the system. There was immediate nirvana. Now Marcus Miller's bass was rich with overtones and details. The synth on the Warnes CD now had texture and detail, not just sine waves.

Now I could really listen the amp and not be drawn to focusing on what I wasn't hearing in the particular speakers attached.

Several cuts on the "Strike a Deep Chord" were very revealing. The richness of Odetta's voice has absolutely powerful. The chest and head were clearly revealed. Most striking was Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown's which features extreme dynamics, from almost silent to huge sections of bass, guitar, vocal, horns and drums. The quiet was almost totally black.

The highs had no extra edge. I was really surprised by this, given the low hours on the amp. Clarence plays with a piercing tone on "The Drifter". (We guitar players call this tone, "icepick-in-the-eye" bright). Well it was all there, but not ugly. I didn't detect any of the usual "new equipment needs burn-in syndrome" so if this things gets better with time I'll be VERY, VERY pleased.

That's all for now. I need to get it into my own system, in my own room, burn it in for a few hundred more hours, then spend three or four several hour sessions to get more conclusive. I'll hang onto the Conrad Johnson CA200 long enough to do some meaningful comparisons. (Watch for a great deal on A'gon in the not too distant future).

Here's the bottom line, I loved the Continuum 500 enough that I'll be taking a $8800 or so check to Soundings this Friday.

Dave

Associated gear
Vienna Acoustic Beethoven Baby Grand speakers
Analysis Solo Crystal Oval 8 speaker cable
Pro-ject RM10 turntable
Sumiko Blackbird cartridge
Pioneer Dv-58AV universal player modified by Ric Schultz

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dcstep
dob
577 posts
 
Hello Dave,
Thank you for the nice review. Can you tell me if this amp uses convetnional or switching power supplies. I know it uses power correction - I think you mentioned it somewhere.
My congratulations !!!!!
Thanks
Rafael
dcstep OP
1,518 posts
 
Switch-mode I think, consistant with the rest of Jeff's product line. See:
http://www.jeffrowland.com/Technology/SwitchMode.htm

Unfortunately, I have no direct literature to support it; however, his use of switch-mode in his other products, the high power, compact size and cool running make me think it's also switch-mode.

Dave
dcstep OP
1,518 posts
 
BTW, I put in 8-hours of listening today, 5 of which were focused and loud as the cuts played would dictate. I have no fatigue at all.

I swapped out the stock power cord for Coincident Speaker Technologies CST-PC. The difference was very small. When I've put the CST on other pieces it yielded a dramatic improvment, so I'm thinking that the Continuum's internal Power Control Factor processing must reduce sensitivity to upstream improvements. The swap took 15-minutes because the amp is high in an equipment armoire, so that may have reduced my ability to hear a change, if any. Perhaps I should have waited a week or two to make the switch so that I settled into the Rowland more.

Oh, one more revelation; this amp is incredibly quiet. After listening at around the 85dB range I turned off the universal player and put my ear to the tweeter. It was absolutely silent. When I turned the attenuator all the way up to 99.5 (that's the step reading, the dBs would actually be higher if I ever listened at that level. Most digital sources are yielding around 85dB with the attenuator set at 70-75) I could hear a slight hiss. This is very, very quiet.

Listening to a few recordings with very quiet passages, like the very dynamic Reference Recordings "Crown Imperial" CD, the quietness give a greater sense of dynamic and clarity to the quiet voices.

Dave
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Rafael, I can confirm that Continuum uses switching power supply(s). What I do not know is if it has one PS serving both channels or twin supplies. Continuum also has a PFC circuit capable of delivering 1500W of DC, which is essentially equivalent to 2 PC1 devices.
dcstep OP
1,518 posts
 
04-26-08: Guidocorona said:
"Rafael, I can confirm that Continuum uses switching power supply(s). What I do not know is if it has one PS serving both channels or twin supplies. Continuum also has a PFC circuit capable of delivering 1500W of DC, which is essentially equivalent to 2 PC1 devices."

I think everything is halved in the Continuum 250. Guido speaks of the Continuum 500, the model discussed in the review. I have no idea if the 500 has two PFC circuits or one bigger one.

Dave
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