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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
dcstep OP
1,518 posts
 
Kiwi's well written review of the Rowland driving his MBLs concerns me just a little, because I don't think that the MBLs are the type of speaker that most users would combine with the Rowland.

I've never heard a truly successful MBL setup, due to my very limited exposure to them rather than their own fault, only in showrooms. I suspect that they can be made to sing, but they had a slight "character" to their sound when I heard them. Thus, I suspect, part of their "voicing" will come from the amp choice. Since Rowland leans toward the very neutral, no compensating voicing can be expected.

With more "traditional" speaker choices, like Vienna Acoustic, Wilson, Sonus Faber, Aerial, DALI, Magico, ProAc, etc., etc. the Continuum 500 will be a very musical match.

Dave
kiwi_1282001
312 posts
 
Gents (Guido, Mapman, Dave),

In response to your questions here and in the 'best integrated thread' i would concur that the Rowland is an outsiders choice for powering MBL speakers.

Most MBL owners opt for big monoblocks or stereo power amps either from MBL or from other manufacturers such as McIntosh [500 Watt popular], Plinius, Boulder, Pass Labs, Krell or BAT.

That said, the MBL speakers are open, airy, dynamic and superfast and the Continuum 500 is clear match for these attributes plus the Continuum absolutely has more than enough grunt to pull it off. The front end digital is noted [see audiogon site for reviews] for its musicality and warmth so no issue there.

The dealer was unsure how many hours had been clocked on the JR so i'm not able to specifically comment, other than to note that the unit was not brand new.

Comment has been past that the MBL is not a dynamic speaker. Certainly, that true of the mid/tweeter but outside of that the MBL has dual 5.5 inch and dual 8 inch cones to push.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Kiwi, I suspect you may have been reviewing a device that was not fully broken in. Switching amps do very strange and often unpleasant things to the treble until they have stabilized. . . and stabilization may not occur for about 1000 hrs of playing time. May I also ask how many hours of active warm up you allowed before performing critical listening.
dcstep OP
1,518 posts
 
Yes, I didn't mean to say that the MBLs are not "dynamic", it's just that much of the midrange comes from an unusual driver (for lack of a better word).

The Continuum 500 does indeed need 150-200 hours to sound it's best, IMHO. (It's less than some other Rowland products, probably due to the heat generated by the PFC units). I've also found that if you unplug it for even a short while, then it needs a full 24 hours to get to "full song." It's very presentable after an hour or two, but doesn't get as fully involving until a full day or so.

When combined with speakers such as Magico, Vienna Acoustics, DALI, Sonus Faber, Wilson, Magico, etc., etc. it should be on the short list with Mac, Plinius, Boulder, Pass Labs, Krell and BAT for consideration. I suspect that properly broken in that it'll work very well with the MBLs, but there may or may not be some special issues there.

Digital sources are the subject of much debate. I'll just say that the Playback Designs MPS-5 is a wonderfully musical match for the C-500.

Dave
dcstep OP
1,518 posts
 
Kiwi, if you don't mind me asking, how long did your audition of the C-500 last? Was it warm to the touch when you finished? You've already said that you don't know how many total hours were on it, but will you tell us how many hours was it in your system, powered on continuously? When you compared it to other amps, did you turn it off or unplug it during the switch?

Reading your other reviews and comments I see that you're not totally satisfied with your digital front end. If so, why aren't your reviews all analog or at least all with SACD, which you recently said you much prefer to CD?

The small troubles you cite, could be due to front end and/or lack of proper burn-in and stabilization within the reference system.

Dave
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