Rowland Corus linestage

GuidoCorona

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2010
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To get things started on this thread...

The absolute Sound has just posted Robert Harley's impressive review of the Rowland Corus linestage and of the Model 725 amp. The review was originally published in print on the December 2012 issue of TAS. You will find the online version of the article, minus the sidebar, at:

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/art...-corus-linestage-and-725-monoblock-amplifier/

Roy Gregory's review of Corus and of the Model 625 stereo amp, from the October 2011 issue of HiFi+, can be downloaded at:

http://jeffrowlandgroup.com/kb/questions.php?questionid=591

Complete Corus tech specs and features are at:

http://jeffrowlandgroup.com/kb/questions.php?questionid=587

The Corus manual is at:

http://jeffrowlandgroup.com/kb/questions.php?questionid=469

Note that the Rowland Knowledge base has a bunch more articles on Corus at:

http://jeffrowlandgroup.com/kb/categories.php?categoryid=204

Saluti, Guido
 

GuidoCorona

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Apr 23, 2010
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Hi wizard, I have created a new thread dedicated to Power Storage Unit (PSU). Let us usit to discuss this product, and make any conjectures on its possible effect on compatible devices.

Are you a current user of Rowland products? Which ones?

Regards, Guido
 

wizard

Member
Oct 17, 2010
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wizard-highend.blogspot.com
Hi wizard, I have created a new thread dedicated to Power Storage Unit (PSU). Let us usit to discuss this product, and make any conjectures on its possible effect on compatible devices.

Are you a current user of Rowland products? Which ones?

Regards, Guido

Not anymore, I owned Rowland 9Ti before but I sold them when I found a much smaller FMA amp that sounded better.
 

GuidoCorona

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Apr 23, 2010
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I am glad of you having found a worthy replacement for your venerable 9T amp Wizard, the core of the Model 9 design is 20 years old... approximately 7 generations worth of Rowland reference products. I would not expect it to remain unsurpassed in the industry for 2 decades. G.
 

XV-1

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May 24, 2010
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View attachment 8046

Corus inside.

Many transformers used - a cheap solution to make a balanced design.

LL1588 - $104 each and LL7902 $150 each.

Agreed and that is retail price. I guess the front panel is expensive :) Coupled with their class d amps?
 

GuidoCorona

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Apr 23, 2010
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Apologies Tomelex, I did not realize that even before experiencing the live performance of a component at some length, one could become sad, happy, impressed, or otherwise unimpressed by it... Simple summary specs can really do that? O wow! G.
 
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GuidoCorona

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Apr 23, 2010
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Hi Tomelex, I always respect findings based on listening experiences, regardless of them converging or diverging from my own. Have you had the opportunity of listening to Corus/Criterion?
 

wizard

Member
Oct 17, 2010
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From courus linestage specs:

SPECIFICATIONS

Overall Gain
Maximum 7 dB , +/- 20 dB programmable on each input Really, what is it, +27db or what max gain?

Gain Resolution
0.5 dB, +/- 0.03 dB Over Entire Range What entire range? And pretty weak for a modern line stage at $10K

Frequency Response
10 Hz – 300 kHz, -3 dB @ 8 ohms Really, into 8 ohms? -3db is sad for an $10K linestage, really sad, what is the 20 to 20K deviation?

THD + Noise
< .003% @ 2 volt (RMS) Output, 50 Hz – 20 kHz Really, what happened to 20Hz? I know. 2 volts output? Please, thats what my cd player puts out, this is a line stage to do what exactly?

I am not impressed.

Corus uses LL 7902 on the inputs and LL 1588 on the outputs + some opamps and very small capacitors inside that's it in this $14k preamp.

Phase error deviation 20 - 20k is 0,5dB, 0,05 dB impresses me not 0,5 dB.
Thd + Noise - the 50Hz - 20k is what Lundahl specifiy on the 7902 - actually is 0,1% not 0,003%.

I've heard all of the Rowland preamps - actually I haven't liked them so much as their amps.
My favorite amps was the 9Ti HC, I don't like the newer designs - like 301 it don't sounds good, maybe the new 825 and 925 will be better?
 
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mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Corus uses LL 7902 on the inputs and LL 1588 on the outputs + some opamps and very small capacitors inside that's it in this $14k preamp.

Isn't this the same preamp that is going to have an outboard $10K power supply to power mainly passive components?
 

GuidoCorona

Well-Known Member
Apr 23, 2010
327
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Thank you Tomelex, I just discovered that you self-customize some of your components... If you ever have the opportunity of having Corus or Criterion in your system, I hope you will share with us your comparative listening findings contrasted with your Hafler DH-110 reference preamp, into the Hafler DH-220 dual mono power amps.

Saluti, Guido
 

MylesBAstor

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Apr 20, 2010
11,236
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Corus uses LL 7902 on the inputs and LL 1588 on the outputs + some opamps and very small capacitors inside that's it in this $14k preamp.

Phase error deviation 20 - 20k is 0,5dB, 0,05 dB impresses me not 0,5 dB.
Thd + Noise - the 50Hz - 20k is what Lundahl specifiy on the 7902 - actually is 0,1% not 0,003%.

I've heard all of the Rowland preamps - actually I haven't liked them so much as their amps.
My favorite amps was the 9Ti HC, I don't like the newer designs - like 301 it don't sounds good, maybe the new 825 and 925 will be better?

I liked the Model 12 amplifiers more :)
 

mep

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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A real 10dB difference in noise floor between two components is nothing to sneeze at.
 

hongkongfoufou

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2018
469
201
148
Agreed and that is retail price. I guess the front panel is expensive :) Coupled with their class d amps?
I think the price is expensive because there are some research and test to do this preamplifier.
 

hongkongfoufou

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2018
469
201
148
Corus uses LL 7902 on the inputs and LL 1588 on the outputs + some opamps and very small capacitors inside that's it in this $14k preamp.

Phase error deviation 20 - 20k is 0,5dB, 0,05 dB impresses me not 0,5 dB.
Thd + Noise - the 50Hz - 20k is what Lundahl specifiy on the 7902 - actually is 0,1% not 0,003%.

I've heard all of the Rowland preamps - actually I haven't liked them so much as their amps.
My favorite amps was the 9Ti HC, I don't like the newer designs - like 301 it don't sounds good, maybe the new 825 and 925 will be better?
You have heard them at your home or in a showroom ?
 

hongkongfoufou

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2018
469
201
148
I have bought my Jeff Rowland Corus and amplifier Jeff Rowland 625 ( First version) since 2012.
Before them I have a preamplifier Proceed PRE and amplifier Proceed AMP2.
My system has improved now with Isotek, Hijiri ( Harmonix), Furutech accessoiries.
Do you know I have changed the sound of my system since only 15 days because I have done something I have never done before ?
Everybody says : if you can setup the level of each input, it is better to do that because all the sources has the same level....
I believe that...I do that.

Since 15 days, I have setup each input at the level they seems to have the best sound.
I have setup them one by one.
if I want to change from CD to vinyl, I turn down the volume.
It's difficult to believe me but if you have the Corus, don't hesitate to done some experience or some test with the level of the input.

My friends say : what have you change ? It seems you have changed your system.

Yes Jeff Rowland has some special sound when you have time to play with accessoiries and cables.

CD test for me are :
Whitney Houston : I will always love you
Daft Punkt
Dire Straits
King of convenience


Now I have too much bass with my vinyl....!

Funny, isn't it ?

And vinyl is above my CD or SACD....

Since I have changed this setup, I am very happy and very happy to not have spend my money...

Money for nothing ?
No...Setup for nothing...

What else ?
They doesn't make Nespresso...

LOL
 

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