Jeff Rowland's Continumm

Dave,

please lets stop using the word "smacked" :-) I regret using that juvenile term...and you have made your point :-)

I have sold off the Capri, the Synergy 2i. In addition, I have sold off the Nagra MPA (I have kept the Nagra VPA, and have no intention of selling it). The Ayre integrated replaced the Nagra MPA and Audio Research LS-26 pairing. This was in my HT setup...the Ayre was close enough that I thought I would recoup some cash.

I used the extra cash from the sale to finance the KX-R purchase. KX-R costs the same as the Criterion. The KX-R will be paired with the VPA's and SF Cremona in my listening setup, along with the Ayre C5-xe.

Again, I don't think people should read much into my decisions. My ears are my ears, and I profess I am not a very critical listener. For example, I hardly spend any money on cables (speaker or interconnect)...so please feel free to discount all my claims....and claims are all they are.

As for my experience with JRDG components, all I can say is that they are very solidly crafted, and with an external build quality that few can match. As for the sound, while my initial experience was very, very favorable, over time, I grew unhappy with the sound. I found the sound of the Capri to be lean, recessed in the midrange, without the sense of projection that I enjoy from tubed equipment or the Ayre components. In addition, I find the sound to be a bit lean -- my preference is for fully bodied sound. Also, the treble of the Capri was a bit muffled, and not extended to my ears. The Synergy 2i was a totally different matter, and to my ears the Capri was a better performer. With the Synergy 2i, I could not stand the highs on trumpets...it made me very uncomfortable. Other than the highs, the Synergy exhibited the same leanness, and reticence in the midrange that made me unsatisfied in the long run.

I do not typically change equipment very often (at least not for 3 years). Recently, I have been on a quest to get off the merry-go-round, and hence my experimentation with various preamps.

Hi Pinkus, how many hours did you put on the Capri? And how many hours did it take to break in and stabilize. I am of course looking forward to listening to the KX-r at the first opportunity. completely?

PS. To anyone wondering if we are straying out of topic, the pre circuit in the JRDG Continyuum is closely based on the JRDG Capri.

G.

Well, I agree Pinkus, people looking for "full bodied" sound should probably look elsewhere than JRDG. I seek "neutral" and find it in JRDG's current stuff. I've got a number of great recordings with rich mids, extended highs and slam in the bass and I don't want my electronics adding to that. You my friend, seem to be from one of the other camps that likes a more forward presentation. There's nothing wrong with that and I find at least half the world is populated with those seeking what you seek.

I was wondering how Ayre could make that chassis affordable. It is IMPRESSIVE indeed, riviling JRDG in many respects. It's visually stunning, derived from a single billet and should make a great platform for Ayre. I suppose that'll be their "statement" product.

You're relatively new around here, so please consider posting pictures of your system in the Virtual Systems section. It's not a requirement for sure, but I think it helps us to understand more about where our friends are coming from.

Dave

Guido,

I had 2 Capri's. The original one was a demo unit (black) that I purchased...so I assume, it had some amount of break in. I replace it with a silver unit, which was new. I did not put in a lot of hours on it. As per Jeff's manual, all preamps have 72 hours of break in performed at the factory...there is no mention of additional break in required for optimal performace. In contrast, the Ayre mention specifically states a break in time of 100-500 hours. In either case, I am not a big believer in break-in...and am somwhat sceptical tha break-in can transform the listening character of a component

BTW Guido, Soundings loaned me a Solo Crystal Oval IC to try with my Continuum's phono-stage. OMG, I couldn't believe the bass. I didn't take the effort to measure it, but it was so obvious that I swear that I could have measured it with an SPL meter.

I started listening to small combo jazz, with lots of bass and I was concerned that it may be TOO much; however, I pulled out the classicals, including my Solti/Beethoven 9th and all my Reference Recordings of the Dallas Wind Symphony (which I've heard live many times) and was blown away by the transparency. The bass drum slams on the Holtz stuff almost blew me out of my seat, yet the highs were silky and crystalline. Very nice indeed. I'm ordering two-pair.

Have you tried the A-Ps? How would they compare to your favorites?

Dave