JRDG Company Special – Consonance Phono Stage II

Year produced not known

Retail Price not known

This is a very rare unit: I’ve only seen it once. I don’t know when exactly it was produced, but do know that it was offered during the last part of the Consummate and Consonance period. Inside is the same phono module as is used in the Consonance. It is plausible that Rowland had a stock of phono modules which they decided to stick into a separate housing, which became the Phono Stage II.

The Phono Stage II has internal jumpers for MM/MC gain switching, with 42 db of gain in the MM mode and 60 db of gain in the MC mode. There’s a simple wall-wart power supply, and presumably there’s further regulation in the main unit.

As I haven’t heard this phonostage myself, I can only guess as to how it will sound. But knowing the Consonance phono stage very well, and having used that one via the Consonance’s record out connections, I think it is safe to say that the Phono Stage will sound similar, which is robust and lively, with powerful bass, very natural / acoustically convincing timbre, good resolution and as typical for any Rowland product, smooth and airy treble.

More Jeff Rowland

Jeff Rowland Company Special Main Page
Jeff Rowland Company Special Phono Stages