Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Jeff Rowland Capri Preamplifier (SS) by Luminator Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

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Model:	Capri
Category:	Preamplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price:	$2795
Description:	remote-control preamp
Manufacturer URL:	Jeff Rowland
Model Picture:	View

Review by Luminator on November 14, 2008 at 10:42:25 IP Address: 66.47.253.226

Add Your Review for the Capri

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For those of you who follow and/or subscribe to my blog, this is old hat. But, for future reference, you'll want a bookmark of the Jeff Rowland Capri posts, so here they are:

Part 1 - dimensions
Part 2 - remote, front panel
Part 3 - practical stuff
Part 4 - cables
Part 5 - more on the remote, lack of input offset, comparisons

The wealth of hands-on information above should be enough for you to decide whether or not you should check out the Capri.

The Capri has an option to turn off the display. The display then lights up, whenever the unit senses a remote control command. Alas, the Capri's display lights up, whenever another infrared remote control is used. Some people are oblivious to this, others hate it. It is my job to point it out. If the display coming on and off bothers you, you can always set it so that the display remains permanently on.

The Capri uses very little energy, and it is advisable to leave it on all the time.

The unit under review was already used. For how long, I do not know. Someone else who has had experience with new Capris will have to report about the Capri's burn-in pattern. My review unit sounded fine from the get-go.

The silver-colored finish is so pretty, one of the industry's finest. However, I also need to point out that the Capri is available in black.

The Capri's 1st single-ended input can accept a phono card. I do not know how much this card costs. Nor do I know how well it performs. We use the EAR 324. Yeah, yeah, I know -- the 324 itself costs way more than the Capri. But, the 324 has been our reference for a few years now.

From using high-rez sources such as the Rega P9/Koetsu Jade Platinum/EAR 324, dCS Puccini, Simaudio Andromeda, and Wadia 581i SE, we were able to test the Capri's limits. While the Capri does most things right, it still cannot scoop out those tiny micro details. Our much-more-expensive Mark Levinson No. 326S and Simaudio P-8 do not filter out such low-level details.

The Capri is tonally neutral, accurately reflecting whatever we feed it. So if our interconnects (e.g., XLO Limited Edition) are sweet-sounding, that's what the Capri will say. But if the interconnects are characterless (e.g., Nordost Odin and Wireworld Platinum Eclipse), the Capri plays right along, acting every bit like a color-changing chameleon.

-Lummy The Seahorse

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Product Weakness:	no input offset; touchy volume control; only 4 inputs; remote does not have direct input selection; green display does not match blue LEDs of other Jeff Rowland gear
Product Strengths:	quiet, cool, pretty, compact

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Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier:	Conrad-Johnson ET-250S; Jeff Rowland 501; Mark Levinson No. 431; Simaudio W-7 & 8
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Conrad-Johnson Premier 18LS; EAR 324; Mark Levinson No. 326S; Simaudio P-8
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Rega P9; dCS Puccini; EAR Acute; Esoteric DV-60; Simaudio Andromeda; Wadia 581i SE
Speakers:	ProAc Response One SC; Thiel CS2.4; Totem The One
Cables/Interconnects:	Nordost Odin; Wireworld Platinum Eclipse; XLO Limited Edition
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	rock, pop, cartoons, TV, dance, thrash
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 months
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

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