Jeff Rowland Model 1

Ahhh Sumo. Back in the day I had a pair of Vandersteen 2ci's powered by a B&K ST 202 plus. I brought home a Sumo andromeda to compare. The Sumo ( pun intended) crushed the B&K. It really tightened up that rear firing acoustic coupler in the Model 2. A little grainy but very powerful and amazing bass. The Polaris was the step down less powerful but probably a great amp as well. 

Correct. The Polaris was a 100watt into 8ohms and I think 170 into 4 ohms. They made three versions, the first was my favorite. It was a Rich May design (mosfets).  I did not care for the next two versions. The Andromeda about twice as powerful and was a Jim Borgianno design (bi-polars). The Polaris was noticably less grainy. In fact I detected no grain, maybe a slight mosfet mist but not even sure about that. It had a seduction to me. It had body like the B & K but had real snap. To me it was like a class A/B Threshold but with real body, meat on the bones. 

It's that MOSFET MIST I cannot stand plus MOSFETS are weak in the bass department. That's why I liked the ANDROMEDA. It slammed like a Krell. Who cares about grain. Unless you are running OTL tubes your gonna get it ON ANY SOLID STATE. MOSFETS are for car stereo. Lol

Wow....MOSFETS are for car stereo ? Really ? Mosfet mist ? Weak in the bass department ? A well designed mosfet amp, as I own many, do a very good job, at doing what I expect them to do, and would take any of them, over the Rowland Model 1. But, go buy, and enjoy, that amp, with much happy listening. YMMV, is the best, I can say.......MrD.

Yeah, made famous by ROCKFORD FOSGATE. CAR STEREO. Listen to some dance, rock, electronic with MOSFETS compared to BP . Krell, Mark Levinson the last time I checked aren't using MOSFETS