Congratulations Guido, I can tell you are having a great time with your amps - I hope to catch you again while at RMAF and chat....
Rowland M925 monoblock amplifiers -- Break-in Notes
- Thread starter GuidoCorona
- Start date
Hi Flez... Yes I am having loads of fun with M925... I had to return my Aural Symphonics review loom to the manufacturer a couple of weeks ago.... So I will be looking at wires the coming weekend. Hope to see you in Denver!
Meantime, I am finding it remarkable how enjoyable and resolving M925 are even with the totally stock PCs.
Hi matt, will you be at RMAF? Aeris is on my radar.
Guido
Meantime, I am finding it remarkable how enjoyable and resolving M925 are even with the totally stock PCs.
Hi matt, will you be at RMAF? Aeris is on my radar.
Guido
Hello Guido:
I hope you are doing well since you have been very silent on this website.
I wanted to to see if you had the chance to hear the Rowland Aeris DAC at RMAF. Whether your feelings are negative or positive, I would lokve to hear what your ears told you. Also were you able to settle on new wires since you had to give up your Aural Symphonic loom.
When you get a chance, it would be great to hear from you.
Wishing you the best.
Sincerely,
Sam
I hope you are doing well since you have been very silent on this website.
I wanted to to see if you had the chance to hear the Rowland Aeris DAC at RMAF. Whether your feelings are negative or positive, I would lokve to hear what your ears told you. Also were you able to settle on new wires since you had to give up your Aural Symphonic loom.
When you get a chance, it would be great to hear from you.
Wishing you the best.
Sincerely,
Sam
Hi Sam, yes I listened to Aeris at RMAF at length on three different systems.... In the Rowland suite 2001 driving the new Continuum S2 + Raidho speakers + Cardas Clear and Clear Beyond wires.... in room 8032 driving Capri S2 + M825 + Joseph Audio speakers + Cardas Clear and Clear Beyond wires... in Blanca Peak driving Corus + M625 + Audio Physics Venus 2(?) mounted on the new Nordost Sort Footers + Nordost Valhalla 2 wires... All rooms sounded wonderful... I will be getting my own Aeris, hopefully by end of January 2014... I am very much looking forward!
On wires, I have three fantastic candidates...
* Nordost Valhalla 2 -- What a stunning surprise... In olden days I sometimes felt that original Valhallas were a smidgin to slender and trebly inclined to my taste... But the new series is magnificently harmonically texttured and is an incredible imager/stager, while maintaining the broad frequency extension that the Valhalla name is well known for.
* Cardas Clear and Clear Beyond -- performed magnificently musical and resolving in all Rowland-based system I heard;
* Shunyata Z-Tron Anaconda and Pythons -- A long time love that is still going strong... I experienced their synergy with Rowland and Die Muzik in my own system a couple of years ago;
I am positive that any of them would make for heavenly system-wide looms in their own special way.
Guido
On wires, I have three fantastic candidates...
* Nordost Valhalla 2 -- What a stunning surprise... In olden days I sometimes felt that original Valhallas were a smidgin to slender and trebly inclined to my taste... But the new series is magnificently harmonically texttured and is an incredible imager/stager, while maintaining the broad frequency extension that the Valhalla name is well known for.
* Cardas Clear and Clear Beyond -- performed magnificently musical and resolving in all Rowland-based system I heard;
* Shunyata Z-Tron Anaconda and Pythons -- A long time love that is still going strong... I experienced their synergy with Rowland and Die Muzik in my own system a couple of years ago;
I am positive that any of them would make for heavenly system-wide looms in their own special way.
Guido
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Hello Guido:
Nice to hear from you again. Thank you for your most informative reply to my questions.
I recently replaced my EMMLabs DAX2 with the Rowland Aeris. The EMMLabs DAC was an excellent performer, however I feel the Aeris has a much more natural sound, especially on vocals. With all my Rowland equipment I have switched over all cables to Cardas Clear and Cardas Clear Beyond. Now I feel there is synergy between equipment and cables which is hard to define. It just sounds right! Maybe for the next year or two I will be content, and not continue my quest to improve the sound quality. I guess you can always find a better mouse trap, however as you move on, as you know, minor improvements become very costly. Now I feel it's time just to sit back and enjoy the music!
Wishing you the best.
Sam
Nice to hear from you again. Thank you for your most informative reply to my questions.
I recently replaced my EMMLabs DAX2 with the Rowland Aeris. The EMMLabs DAC was an excellent performer, however I feel the Aeris has a much more natural sound, especially on vocals. With all my Rowland equipment I have switched over all cables to Cardas Clear and Cardas Clear Beyond. Now I feel there is synergy between equipment and cables which is hard to define. It just sounds right! Maybe for the next year or two I will be content, and not continue my quest to improve the sound quality. I guess you can always find a better mouse trap, however as you move on, as you know, minor improvements become very costly. Now I feel it's time just to sit back and enjoy the music!
Wishing you the best.
Sam
Hi Sam, at RMAF it was apparent that Cardas wires are very synergistic with Rowland gear... I hope that at some point I will evaluate them in my own system.
What is also intriguing me is the effect that a number of Whatsbestforum member are reporting about the Shunyata Typhon conditioner running in parallel with their amps... Meaning plugged directly into a free socket of the outlet where the amp is plugged into... I run each M925 chassis from two separate circuits... Two Typhon devices would be needed.... Ah Audiophilia, thou art a harsh misteress!
G.
What is also intriguing me is the effect that a number of Whatsbestforum member are reporting about the Shunyata Typhon conditioner running in parallel with their amps... Meaning plugged directly into a free socket of the outlet where the amp is plugged into... I run each M925 chassis from two separate circuits... Two Typhon devices would be needed.... Ah Audiophilia, thou art a harsh misteress!
G.
Hi Joseph, you are right, Ncore may have created a new amplification paradigm... Let alone a new class D paradigm.
We are still in the early days of Ncore... As you discovered, There are already a handful of amplifier manufacturers that have adopted Ncore NC1200, or modules derived from it, in their designs. Ncore's high degree of functional integration lends to a very wide range of amplifiers, starting from basic implementations like the $12K Merrill Veritas where NC1200 and its companion SMPS1200/700 do most of the heavy lifting, up to the $58K Rowland M925 where the power input stage is a complex custom design, and the NC1200 is only a small part of the whole.
The good news is that Ncore is inherently a high achiever: graceful, resolving, and musical. Even quasi entry level implementations like the Merrill Veritas, which I have reviewed for PFO, are remarkable music makers. Never the less, M925 does not appear to have direct Ncore competitors yet... the bulk of Ncore-based amps are priced between $9K and $16K. I have had the opportunity to give a brief listen to the amazing $16K Mola-Mola at RMAF.... My general impression is that all Ncore amps I have heard this far perform well above what I expect from amps of any class at their respective price point. From my limited experience, the performance of these amps appears to be largely congruent with the increasing sophistication of their designs and price.
M925 is my absolute amp preference, over all other amps I have heard at some length, rgardless of class... Resolution, transparency, staging, imaging, extension, linearity, sheer musical involvement... And let me tell you, the aforementioned Veritas, Mola-Mola Kaluga, the Pascal-based Rowland Continuum S2, and what I could gleam from one hour of delightful listening to Solution (no, not class D as far as I know) at RMAF, are pretty darn tall reference points.
G.
We are still in the early days of Ncore... As you discovered, There are already a handful of amplifier manufacturers that have adopted Ncore NC1200, or modules derived from it, in their designs. Ncore's high degree of functional integration lends to a very wide range of amplifiers, starting from basic implementations like the $12K Merrill Veritas where NC1200 and its companion SMPS1200/700 do most of the heavy lifting, up to the $58K Rowland M925 where the power input stage is a complex custom design, and the NC1200 is only a small part of the whole.
The good news is that Ncore is inherently a high achiever: graceful, resolving, and musical. Even quasi entry level implementations like the Merrill Veritas, which I have reviewed for PFO, are remarkable music makers. Never the less, M925 does not appear to have direct Ncore competitors yet... the bulk of Ncore-based amps are priced between $9K and $16K. I have had the opportunity to give a brief listen to the amazing $16K Mola-Mola at RMAF.... My general impression is that all Ncore amps I have heard this far perform well above what I expect from amps of any class at their respective price point. From my limited experience, the performance of these amps appears to be largely congruent with the increasing sophistication of their designs and price.
M925 is my absolute amp preference, over all other amps I have heard at some length, rgardless of class... Resolution, transparency, staging, imaging, extension, linearity, sheer musical involvement... And let me tell you, the aforementioned Veritas, Mola-Mola Kaluga, the Pascal-based Rowland Continuum S2, and what I could gleam from one hour of delightful listening to Solution (no, not class D as far as I know) at RMAF, are pretty darn tall reference points.
G.
Hi Guido,
that means the 925 is better than the 725 Mono?
Do we have a new Reference? The first in Class D?
Here in Germany it is very difficult to hear a JR. I dont know why but none of the big dealers works with JR.
Maybe you have the chance to compare the 925 with a Burmester 909 or a PASS XS and tell me what is the difference between these Amps.
For me the Burmester is the better choice. I heard both with the Sonus Faber Aida. But to be serious, in this class you cannot tell one or the other is better, yust a question of your personal taste.
Josef
that means the 925 is better than the 725 Mono?
Do we have a new Reference? The first in Class D?
Here in Germany it is very difficult to hear a JR. I dont know why but none of the big dealers works with JR.
Maybe you have the chance to compare the 925 with a Burmester 909 or a PASS XS and tell me what is the difference between these Amps.
For me the Burmester is the better choice. I heard both with the Sonus Faber Aida. But to be serious, in this class you cannot tell one or the other is better, yust a question of your personal taste.
Josef
Hi Joseph... I have owned the class A/B M725 mono: it is a fabulous amp for its price... But M925 is superior by magnitudes.
As of today, I have not heard an amp of any class that I prefer over M925.
Are you saying that you prefer the Burmester over the Pass.. Or that you Prefer Burmester 905 over Rowland M925?
Best, Guido
As of today, I have not heard an amp of any class that I prefer over M925.
Are you saying that you prefer the Burmester over the Pass.. Or that you Prefer Burmester 905 over Rowland M925?
Best, Guido
Hi Joseph, I have not listened to the Burmester 909 or the Pass XS, but in general, I tend to prefer the Burmester sound over Pass.
Where are you located in Germany? I can ask Lucian Pichette at the Rowland factory which dealers my be closest to you.
Regards, Guido
Where are you located in Germany? I can ask Lucian Pichette at the Rowland factory which dealers my be closest to you.
Regards, Guido
Guido, I have been watching your posts on the 925s for many months as I broke in my 925's. You are exactly right, I agree 100% with your evaluation of the progression of the character of the sound from them, also that they take a long time to really get "in the groove" as I call it, the sound I like best comes when I have them on 3" thick maple butcher blocks from Timbernation (cheap too !) with Stillpoints SS x 4 under the amps and x 4 under the maple blocks too. The power cables are Shunyata Ettron Sigma HCs, with all cables being on Stillpoint SS Ultra cable bridges.
So, many thanks for all your efforts, you helped me out a lot and I just wanted to convey my appreciation.
Kind Regards
geoff
So, many thanks for all your efforts, you helped me out a lot and I just wanted to convey my appreciation.
Kind Regards
geoff
All, my beloved Rowland M925 monoblocks have been making fantastic music without a glitch since May 2013. For the last few years, I have been feeding Them directly from a Rowland Aeris DAC, this augmented by the Rowland PSU ultra-capacitor-based external power supply. Yet, I have been wondering for some time if my audio nirvana could ever be uber-nirvanized, as the technology of audio reproduction has continued to evolve.
In particular, since Rowland released its statement integrated amplifier in the form of Daemon, I have been wanting to discover if an all-in-one solution sporting DAC, linestage, and 1500W of amplification could equal, or at least get close to my trio of separates.
Eventually, a Daemon review unit was delivered last February 28th. I Started break-in the following day, and have been scribbling my listening notes since… The writing project is ongoing, and will continue for at least several months, until the device has stabilized, and I have exercised several of its many input and output features.
The single-box has been sounding musical Since its first power-up, great since it crossed the 150 hours break-in mark, and just about astonishing at 500 hours… And this is just half-way into the break-in process.
Join my adventure around Daemon’s freshly-minted watering-hole on WhatsBestForum:
https://whatsbestforum.com/threads/jeff-rowland-daemon-–-reviewing-a-statement-superintegrated-amplifier.30327/
And, feel free to PM me with any questions.
Regards, Guido
In particular, since Rowland released its statement integrated amplifier in the form of Daemon, I have been wanting to discover if an all-in-one solution sporting DAC, linestage, and 1500W of amplification could equal, or at least get close to my trio of separates.
Eventually, a Daemon review unit was delivered last February 28th. I Started break-in the following day, and have been scribbling my listening notes since… The writing project is ongoing, and will continue for at least several months, until the device has stabilized, and I have exercised several of its many input and output features.
The single-box has been sounding musical Since its first power-up, great since it crossed the 150 hours break-in mark, and just about astonishing at 500 hours… And this is just half-way into the break-in process.
Join my adventure around Daemon’s freshly-minted watering-hole on WhatsBestForum:
https://whatsbestforum.com/threads/jeff-rowland-daemon-–-reviewing-a-statement-superintegrated-amplifier.30327/
And, feel free to PM me with any questions.
Regards, Guido
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Hi Guido,
How are you ?
It's long time ago.
Why do you have choose Cardas Clear Reflection and not Cardas Clear Beyond XLR ? Because I see you have Cardas Clear Beyond XL power cord.
I asked that, because I use Cardas Cygnus between Corus and Model 625 in first time, and change them by Hijiri Million Kiwmii XLR.
The Hijiri Million Kiwmii XLR is better than Cardas Cygnus but I loose some 3D...
The Hijiri Million Kiwmii XLR is better than Cardas Cygnus :
- better bass
- better voices : human voices..
- better accuracy
but I think I loose some 3D..
With the Clear Cygnus cable Line ( XLR), the music plays in a room that is not only open to the rear, but also to the front. Instruments get a body and the vocal voice projected into the room seems to be palpable at once, whereby the size of the representation increases by two numbers compared to the smaller CLEAR Sky. Some people says Cygnus plays warmer than a CLEAR Sky, but not as opulent as a CLEAR Reflection.
Thanks
Regards
Thanh-Binh
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