REVIEW: Jeff Rowland Synergy 2 Pre amp

General Asylum

General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.

D.L.

For some reason finding the right pre amp was the most difficult part of putting together my dream audio system. For two years I tried both tube and solid-state varieties. None seemed to have what I was looking for. Enter the Jeff Rowland Synergy 2 Pre amplifier.
I have the Jeff Rowland Synergy 2 now about three weeks and it has about 300 hrs. on it.

First construction: It is built like a tank, but more beautiful. It is perfect in every sense of the word. I could not find even one slight defect in its construction and I looked hard! It is only 6.0 Inches deep and that takes some getting used to. Two things bothered me about the way it was boxed for shipping. First, the preamp was not wrapped in anything before it was placed in the foam coverings with in the box. As a result during shipping small foam pieces broke off the padding and became imbedded into some of the XLR connectors in the pre amp. It was a bitch to remove all the little pieces of foam. I had to use a sewing needle to remove them all. Could you imagine if I didn't see the foam pieces and pushed these pieces further into the pre amp with my IC's! The pre amp should have been wrapped in plastic or placed into a felt bag before being placed into the box. Two, Rowland shipped the pre amp with out the â€œ compliant isolation interface supportsâ€-translation: The Sorbothane feet. I later found out that they ran out of them and shipped the pre amp anyway. But they only sent me them when my dealer Jon Goldman at Goldman Audio called to complain. If they knew they were out of the feet they should have enclosed a note in the shipping box or informed Jon that they will be sent as soon as they come in.

Next: the remote. It is O.K. but not up to the build quality of the pre amp itself. But it does work well and does not need to be pointed directly at the pre amp in order to work. I like that. The remote does not have phase inversion on it and can only be accessed from the pre amp itself. The two sensors on the front of the remote extend out from the body unprotected making it easier to damage.

As I have said earlier I have owned a few pre amps before and the above minor complaints donâ€™t add up too much when I compare the major problems I have experienced in the past from other manufacturers.

But how does it sound? I really don't know where to begin because it really does not have a sound of it's own. It is the proverbial straight wire with gain. It is dead quite. And I mean dead quite! When I put my ears next to the tweeters of my speakers the only thing I hear is my breathing. All ground loop hums that were in my system are now gone. Which includes not only my audio system but video system as well. Previously, I had to float all my power cords. I have now removed all of the cheater plugs. Now, as Martha Stewart would say "that's a good thing." To say I am impressed by this silence is an under statement! As a result, it is the most transparent pre amp I have ever "not" heard! It is transparent with out sounding analytical. For this alone it is worth its asking price! I am now able to clearly hear the difference between Class A and AB on my Plinius amp. Compared to other pre amps I have tried, my system now has smooth mids, extended highs and deep base. The Virgos disappear in the sound stage, which is wider and deeper than any pre amp I previously had except for a one tube pre amp. But the tube pre amp was not as extended at the frequency extremes and was a lot nosier! Imaging is incredible, focused from the front of the sound stage to the back. Iâ€™ve heard that Rowland amps are somewhat forgiving. Well, the Synergy doesnâ€™t honey coat anything and is true to the signal. It never calls attention to itself and always remains musical. Thatâ€™s it! This one is a keeper!
To sum up this is the best pre amp I have owned. I believe it is well worth the asking price and I have great pride of ownership. I would like to try the discontinued battery power supply BPS-1 some day and experiment with different power cords. I am going to give Jon Goldman a rest for about two weeks and then call on him to upgrade my cables. Does anybody have any experience with the BPS-1??
Putting together my ultimate sound system was not easy at first. I made a lot of mistakes. Some quite expensive. Then a few Asylum members suggested I visit Goldman Audio. Jon is one hell of a guy and the most honest auto dealer I know. He did a great job of putting together a system for me that I can afford and truly enjoy. He also has the patience of a Saint. A good dealer is just as important as the components you buy. Unfortunately, I learned that the hard way!

WISH LIST:
1-Put phase inversion on the remote
2-Re-do the manual. There are a few mistakes and it lacks information
3-The pre amp needs to be packaged better before being placed into the shipping box
4-Bring back the battery power supply
5-Smaller steps on the balance control
6-A couple of RCA inputs so XLR/RCA adapters would not have to be used
7-World peace

My System:
Audio:
Metronome CD1V MK 2 Tube CD Player ( Siltech power cord )
Linn Majik integrated amp w/ tuner module (Currently used only for itâ€™s tuner)
Jeff Rowland Synergy 2 Pre amp
Plinius SA 100 MK3 ( audioquest power cord )
Audio Physic Virgos
Kimber 8TC, Hero ( looking to upgrade next. Can you hear me Jon?)
Michael Green Adjustarack
Video:
Rotel RSP 960-AX Processor/Pre amp
Sony VCR
Parasound Zamp two channel amp ( for rear channels)
NHT Super zeroâ€™s ( rear channel speakers )
No center channel speaker
16 gage zip cord ( rear channel speaker wire )
Various ICâ€™s

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Schiit Audio

Topic - REVIEW: Jeff Rowland Synergy 2 Pre amp - D.L. 22:37:09 03/21/01 (1)

Re: REVIEW: Jeff Rowland Synergy 2 Pre amp - John 08:05:04 03/22/01 (0)

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