DAG Momentum Stereo or Jeff Rowland 725's?

[ChisChas]

I'm from London, UK and I'm upgrading at the moment, an expensive business that we all seem to go on for, all too regularly. The only reason I have a safe in my house is to hide my hi fi invoices from my (luckily not very inquisitive) wifey

So I collected a new Jeff Rowland Corus this week and it's a beautiful and fantastically well made bit of kit. Sounds very good so far but will no doubt get even better in due course.

The ACT C60's are 89db effeciency and do not present any particular challenges to an amplifier so either choice of new amp would have plenty of spare current capacity.

In the UK, you won't get any discount when purchasing a Momentum Stereo but some movement on JR kit as the brand has yet to be established in the UK so prices are very similar on actual purchase.

The Jeff Rowland 725's will match the Corus preamp I've just taken delivery of but which of us wouldn't want a DAG Momentum Stereo? It is a thing of particular beauty.

The Corus and 725's just very well reviewed in Absolute Sounds magazine, the Momentum Stereo has been very well reviewed in a number of American and UK hi fi magazines.

I should hopefully be able to borrow a Momentum Stereo for a home demo but no 725's in the UK.

I'm trying to find out what profile and success Jeff Rowland enjoy in the States? Can anyone comment on this? I have drawn the UK importer's attention to their absence on AA and I hope this will change.

Thank you in anticipation.

[joeinid]

Hi ChisChas,

Congratulations on having a wonderful dilema. I suspect the Rowland will have terrific synergy with your preamp. I hope to hear the Momentum amp for myself soon to offer an opinion. If you hear either amp, please tell us what you think.

[ChisChas]

Originally Posted by joeinid

Hi ChisChas,

Congratulations on having a wonderful dilema. I suspect the Rowland will have terrific synergy with your preamp. I hope to hear the Momentum amp for myself soon to offer an opinion. If you hear either amp, please tell us what you think.

Thanks, Joe, for taking the trouble to respond.

Can probably borrow a DAG Momentum Stereo for a home dem as it has been reviewed in Hi Fi News but I'm pretty sure there are no 725's in the UK especially as it's a new product and the brand isn't well established like DAG due to the designer's long established reputation whilst at Krell.

Charlie

[joeinid]

Hi Charlie,

I am familiar with the Rowland of old, having owned a Rowland Consummate preamp. It was a great preamp in its day. I've wanted to get more gear from him but something else always caught my ear. The new products look amazing and get great reviews.

As for the Dagostino, I am very tempted to just order the Dag momentum based on current owners here and other people I trust who have heard it. I'm sorry I can not say for sure which is "better". At this level, it's really personal taste. There are not many Rowland owners on this forum. Maybe that will change with your participation. Good luck.

[ChisChas]

Thank you, Joe

Can anyone else comment on how well Jeff Rowland is perceived in the States?

In the UK, the brand is hardly known at all and I believe that if the UK distributor spent some time on building the brand, this would change.

One concern I have because of the lack of profile in the UK is that if I wanted to sell or px any Jeff Rowland kit, I suspect the lack of profile would affect price and how long it took to sell the item?

I think the 725's are $28,000 but they cost £28,000 in the UK. A pair of Audio Research 250's are £25,000 in the UK, a ARC Ref 5 SE is £11,500.

I know the Dagostino Monos are more than $28,000 but how the 725's compare to the Dagostino monos?

[tdelahanty]

Originally Posted by ChisChas

I'm from London, UK and I'm upgrading at the moment, an expensive business that we all seem to go on for, all too regularly. The only reason I have a safe in my house is to hide my hi fi invoices from my (luckily not very inquisitive) wifey

So I collected a new Jeff Rowland Corus this week and it's a beautiful and fantastically well made bit of kit. Sounds very good so far but will no doubt get even better in due course.

The ACT C60's are 89db effeciency and do not present any particular challenges to an amplifier so either choice of new amp would have plenty of spare current capacity.

In the UK, you won't get any discount when purchasing a Momentum Stereo but some movement on JR kit as the brand has yet to be established in the UK so prices are very similar on actual purchase.

The Jeff Rowland 725's will match the Corus preamp I've just taken delivery of but which of us wouldn't want a DAG Momentum Stereo? It is a thing of particular beauty.

The Corus and 725's just very well reviewed in Absolute Sounds magazine, the Momentum Stereo has been very well reviewed in a number of American and UK hi fi magazines.

I should hopefully be able to borrow a Momentum Stereo for a home demo but no 725's in the UK.

I'm trying to find out what profile and success Jeff Rowland enjoy in the States? Can anyone comment on this? I have drawn the UK importer's attention to their absence on AA and I hope this will change.

Thank you in anticipation.

Not a Roland owner, but like the sound, have heard their gear many times. It is very easy to listen to. In the States it is considered a premium brand and highly regarded. It is manufactured in Colorado and the company is employee owned. How long will DAG remain in business? (Remember Krell ???!!!) Isn't it made in China? No question I'd purchase Roland.

[turntable]

Originally Posted by tdelahanty

Not a Roland owner, but like the sound, have heard their gear many times. It is very easy to listen to. In the States it is considered a premium brand and highly regarded. It is manufactured in Colorado and the company is employee owned. How long will DAG remain in business? (Remember Krell ???!!!) Isn't it made in China? No question I'd purchase Roland.

Rather bizzare comments. Krell still is in business and their entry level gear is made in China. Everything else is made in USA.
Dan's new company is going very well and as others have mentioned to infer anything else seems to be mischievous, at best as you do not have any facts.

The facts are Rowland in their recent history have been using stk D amplifier modules with some mods, putting them in nice Rowland front plates and selling them for high $$. Not what I would call value or great sound when I heard one of the class D monoblocks several years back. Rowland's standing as a high end manufacturer had declined from this move imo.

Good to see they are actually releasing class AB amps again as hopefully that will bring their past reputation back - I wonder what technical design they are using.


I would think ChisChas would buy whatever amp he feels sounds the best in his system and looking at the overall cost of ownership / resale etc. Hopefully he can get that opportunity and let us know what his listening results were.

cheers

[KKF1]

Originally Posted by turntable

Rather bizzare comments. Krell still is in business and their entry level gear is made in China. Everything else is made in USA.
Dan's new company is going very well and as others have mentioned to infer anything else seems to be mischievous, at best as you do not have any facts.

The facts are Rowland in their recent history have been using stk D amplifier modules with some mods, putting them in nice Rowland front plates and selling them for high $$. Not what I would call value or great sound when I heard one of the class D monoblocks several years back. Rowland's standing as a high end manufacturer had declined from this move imo.

Good to see they are actually releasing class AB amps again as hopefully that will bring their past reputation back - I wonder what technical design they are using.


I would think ChisChas would buy whatever amp he feels sounds the best in his system and looking at the overall cost of ownership / resale etc. Hopefully he can get that opportunity and let us know what his listening results were.

cheers

Agreed. Just to add new Rowland amps are again(!) based on class D design(new model 525 for example, even recently announced model 825 and 925 seems to be based on class D output).
AFAIK fresh capital for Rowland came from goes where China...
D'Agostino Momentum amps are probably one of the best amps on the market currently. At least IMHO.

[joeinid]

Originally Posted by KKF1

Agreed. Just to add new Rowland amps are again(!) based on class D design(new model 525 for example, even recently announced model 825 and 925 seems to be based on class D output).
AFAIK fresh capital for Rowland came from goes where China...
D'Agostino Momentum amps are probably one of the best amps on the market currently. At least IMHO.

[ChisChas]

Originally Posted by joeinid

Yes, you're probably right but please bear in mind no discount for Momentum Stereo in UK whereas prices are negotiable on JR kit as brand not established at all in UK