Rowlands vs. Levinson Amps.

The Rowlands are ICE based amps. Done right, ICE can sound like the better part of tubes. Having a digital switching power supply, as does the 201, is the wrong way to go about it, IMHO.

For the same money, you can get the best of the Rowland's ICE competitor, the H2O Signature. Unlike the Rowland, H2O amps have the biggest analog power supply to be found on class D amps.

Due to it's analog power supply, the H2O has great energy reserves, depth, body, and smoothness.

Duh! POO = Pride Of Ownership. Yes I have dusted my Rowland 6 mono's more often then any ML 331-336 I owned as I am still in awe over the machined sculpted eye candy construction.

Hey Johnny M. I just checked out your system. My how the mighty have fallen---Didn't see no toobs'.--Still got my 5's.(4 years latter)---You really need the aggravation that only tubes can bring.(Ask me).

One of my audiophile friend has 501 as well as VTL 450 & Classe CA-401 (recently sold). Speakers are Avalon Eidolon, front ends are top notch.

No contest, tube rules, by a big margin especially on classical music. Almost like between digital and analog, he does not use his Rowland for classical music at all. Classe has better bass and comparable quality for the rest of freq spectrum.

There are still lots of life for traditional solid state amp as far as I can "hear". Pass, Edge, Plinius come to mind and they are all very fine.

Semi, The 501, and the 201 Rowlands are much the same amp, with the 501 suitable for heavier loads. According to several owner reports, the two versions sound similar.

The Rowland 300 series amps are of a different cloth. They are a good jump in sonics. Regrettably, they are expensive.

Interesting thing about those amps you mention (Classe, Plinius, VTL, Pass), some owners of these same amps have happily replaced them with H2O amps.

It's analog power supply sets the H2O apart from the Rowland 201, and 501.