I also recommend the Schiit Loki+ as a useful tone / loudness option, but for the OP, with his Rogue Sphinx v2, there is no way to use one, as the unit lacks a tape monitor or processor loop. Furthermore, the use of high efficiency speakers makes trouble for any push button loudness, which exacerbates the usual overcompensation of all but variable loudness controls. My advice is to ditch the Sphinx and buy the Yamaha AS801 integrated, even if you can afford more….or build an Akitika PR102 which has good B & T and a processor loop. For an amp go-with, their GT102 is plenty for your Zu speakers. Full featured tube preamps are hard to find…mostly vintage collectibles, and do you want to invest in tube gear now? Russian tubes are going to be scarce…
I miss my Loudness Button and Tone Controls....
So I recently upgraded my system to a Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated amplifier, V2.
Prior to this purchase I was using a NAD C162 preamp, and an Emotive UA-200 amplifier.
After a month of listening, I have to say, I miss the tone controls and the loudness feature on the old NAD pre-amp, especially when listening at lower volumes. The Rogue amp sounds great when played at a minimum of 50% of its output, but at lower volumes, it just seems flat. I do use a sub (SVS SB-2000 pro, and I'm using a very efficient speaker (Zu Audio DW's).
I've toyed with the idea of buying an EQ of some sort that has a bypass so that I can boost some of the frequencies when listening at lower volumes, and then bypass when I listening at higher volumes.
Any thoughts on this? Anyone experience anything similar? I'm about to pack and sell the Rogue amp, as the cons outweigh the pros for me.