Jeff Rowland Consummate Two Piece Preamplifier - Flagship

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General:
The Jeff Rowland Consummate was the company's flagship preamplifier in the early 1990s. This beautifully designed and impeccably built two-piece line-stage preamplifier combines a compact footprint with premium construction and full remote-control capability. With an original MSRP of $5,950 in 1992 (over $14,000 when adjusted for inflation)  it represented the very best of Jeff Rowland's engineering.

Standout features include a precision 200-step resistor-ladder volume control with ultra-fine 0.2 dB increments, a separate outboard power supply with dual toroidal transformers, hermetically sealed gold-clad signal relays, and a fully balanced differential signal path from input to output.

Connectivity is equally impressive, with six line-level inputs (three balanced XLR and three single-ended RCA), balanced and single-ended main outputs, and balanced and unbalanced record outputs. The Consummate can also be expanded with Jeff Rowland's optional external phono stage, making it easy to integrate into virtually any high-end audio system.

Another standout feature is the outboard power supply, which can power additional Jeff Rowland components via its four DC power outputs on the rear panel.

Included with the preamplifier are the original remote control, external IR receiver, and all required power cabling.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Very light cosmetic wear is present on the top covers of both chassis. The VFD is a bit dim and uneven (See Images) but more than acceptable. Overall condition is very good.

SkyFi Technical Notes:
This unit arrived with a non working display. Jeff Rowland was able to supply a repaired used display to help us get this unit back up and running. The replacement display is a bit dim but it works well and restores proper function to the beautiful piece of audio engineering.

To preserve the display we suggest pushing the Display button on the remote after each use which leaves only a small dot in the middle on window.

The power supply has two independent outputs A & B with two plugs for each supply. The Consummate preamp can be plugged into any of the four output jacks. The spare jacks are there for additional pieces from the same series such as the Consummate phono preamplifier (Not Included).

Ownership:
Single Owner

Connections:
RCA, XLR, IEC Power,

General Sound:
Big beautiful musical sound with little fatigue.

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Included:
Unit, remote, and power cord.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Reviews:
Click Here

Original MSRP:
$5,950.00

Specs:
- Type: Two-piece line-level preamplifier with separate outboard power supply
- Frequency Response: 0.05 Hz – 200 kHz (±3 dB)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 88 dB (A-weighted, ref. 500 mV)
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): Less than 0.12% (ref. 2.5 V RMS)
- Maximum Output Level: 8 V RMS
- Selectable Input Impedance:
- Unbalanced (RCA): 300 Ω, 10 kΩ, or 100 kΩ
- Balanced (XLR): 600 Ω, 20 kΩ, or 200 kΩ
- Selectable Output Impedance:
- Unbalanced (RCA): 150 Ω or 300 Ω
- Balanced (XLR): 300 Ω or 600 Ω

Dimensions:
13.75" W by 15" D by 2.65" H (power supply in separate chassis of same size)

Weight:
50 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1992

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - Phono Interconnects

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Better

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Best

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Better

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Best

Testing Process:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

When we first power on a preamplifier we connect its RCA output to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates real world loading conditions and gives us an oscilloscope interface.

The first order of business is checking that the volume control works smoothly throughout its entire range with acceptable channel balance. This is accomplished by feeding a 1 KHz sine wave into one of the preamp’s line level inputs while monitoring the preamp’s output on an oscilloscope.

We then switch to a 1 KHz square wave to test the tone controls, loudness function, and filters where applicable. During this step we are watching for equal alteration of the test signal by both channels. This also helps us identify dirty controls that will need treatment.

Once the basic line stage functions are verified, we test each input individually. This is especially important for devices that use relays to select their sources. If the preamp is equipped with a phono stage we test that as well. We use an inverse RIAA filter which allows us to feed a reference test signal into the phono input with the proper RIAA equalization and level. A square wave or sine sweep is used to verify that the device’s phono stage is faithfully reproducing the RIAA curve. If the preamp under test has balanced inputs and/or outputs these are tested as well.

We finish up our bench testing with a listening test with our bench amplifier and reference speakers. During this test we check for hum or hiss that may not have shown up in earlier testing. We also check that all of the tone controls and filters perform as expected.

If the preamplifier has remote control functions these are also tested. Preamps with tube circuits or complicated power supply topologies are connected at our long term test rig for extended stress testing under real world conditions.