2. amps-preamps
  3. 181023-139617

My first tube integrated: which one to get?

Hello Audiogoners. I have had only Solid State equipment for my entire life. Recently, I have been considering a purchase of an integrated tube unit. My budget is around $4.000 USD. I have been looking at two units in particular: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III and the Cary Audio SLI-100. I’m having trouble deciding on which one to purchase. I was hoping the Audiogon community could advise me as to which one to get.

My current system consist of a pair of Emotiva XPA-100 mono blocks, Parasound P6 and a Music Hall 9.3 TT with an Goldring Erotica LX cart. My speakers are Focal Aria 926. I have a smallish room, 11’7” (3.56m) x 15’7” (4.78m). I should also note that I’m planning on getting a DAC after my integrated amp purchase.

Both tube units I’m considering provide 100 watts/channel in Ultralinear but the Rogue Audio is switchable to triode mode at 60watts/channel. The Rogue unit is of a KT120 configuration whereas the Cary unit is a KT150 design. The Rogue has an onboard MM/MC phono stage albeit solid state. The Cary has no phone stage therefore I’ll need to get some sort of step-up phono stage from my MC cart. The Cary unit, normally a $6,000 plus system is on sale for $3700. The Rogue unit is $3400. I listen to manly rock from the 60s to current and some classical. However, I have been enjoying my friends jazz collection he gave me, inspiring my to seek out more contemporary jazz recordings.

My question are:

Should I even consider this purchase?

Will I experience the upgraded tube-quality sound I’m hoping for?

Should I consider instead a tube-based preamp to go with my 250watts into 8 ohms mono blocks?

If you recommend the pre-amp path, what sorts of things should I be paying attention to?

How important is it to have the ability to switch to triode mode? I understand that acoustic jazz sounds much better in triode mode?


Is there anything else that I should be considering with this possible purchase?

I should also say that I don’t mind used if I can achieve a bigger bang for my buck. Buying either the Rogue or the Cary new provides me with a generous 3-year warranty.

There you have it. I look forward to your input. Thank you all in advance for your help.
 

diminishedchord
markmendenhall
220 posts
 

@lradder 

Cary products are made in America.  I’ve owned several Cary Audio products since the company’s inception and they make their products in North Carolina.  Given their product line has expanded significantly over the years, I can’t definitively say that ALL their products are US made, but they’ve been producing in the US since 1989.  Certainly their tube products are built domestically and likely their SS products as well.  

ghdprentice
6,846 posts
 

@woots 

 

Lucky us.

 

@beefeater33 

Free info means we can answer can offer the best advise and not be confined to the specific question.

rootatdarkstar
4 posts
 

I briefly owned a Rogue Audio Cronus III and loved the hell out of it. That model Cary amp I have no direct experience with, but Cary is a fabulous company; I own their SLP-98 and their CAD300-sei integrated... both keepers. Cary stuff is well-built and leans towards that classic warm, tube sound in their gear.

 

Might be most cost effective to start with a tubed preamp though. Also, bear in mind power tubes put out a fair amount of heat, so if you're averse to heating your room up a bit, that's probably a +1 to the tubed pre.

fisher_400
71 posts
 

An interesting option is a single-ended 48 watt per channel 805 tube amp called Line Magnetic LM-5081A for $2500 on eBay. Some US distributors may exist. A good sounding tube amp needs the right preamp tubes and this amp has the best. tubes,

The Line Magnetic should use a Tung Sol 6SU7 to replace the 6SL7 and Sylvania 6SN7 GTA to sound best.

co93
61 posts
 

When I first got back into stereo, I bought some Vienna acoustic Mozart’s and wanted to try out tubes.  So I bough a rogue Cronus integrated and a Cary sli 80. I found that the rogue sounded much better out of the box, but the Cary was sexier (the rogue sets it’s non-power tubes down, which might be good for better protecting them, but part of the allure of tubes is watching them glow in the dark).  Once I spent a lot of time rolling the cary tubes, I got it to sound as good as the rogue.  I then sold the rogue.  

But if you want to avoid all the hassle, I recommend the rogue right out of the box

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