Rogue 88, Marsh A400S, or Audio Research VS110?

I'm driving some VMPS Supertower/R SE speakers with bass flat to 25 with the Marsh. These have four 15's and two 10's handling the bass. It does it excellently. Had a Parasound HCA 3500 prior and the Marsh matches weight but has better quality. You may also be pushing that little amp farther than it wants to go. Bass takes alot of watts and a tube amp with low power will certainly be wanting. I've not neard the ARC but I'm sure it's better in the bass department also. I'm using an ARC LS 16 pre and with the Marsh amp it's wonderful. I love quality bass with the appropriate weight. Not one for "polite" bass.

I used to have the 88, 99 combo and was less than thrilled. I certainly expected better performance than I was getting. I now am using the M120's. HUGE leap. My entire system was transformed. I had no idea how poorly the 88 was sounding until I put the M120's in the line up.Looking back, I have no Idea why I went with the 88 in the first place. It must have been a cost issue. If you can audition a pair of M120's in your system, you certainly should. Transformation!!

I had the Rogue Magnum 99 and thought it had terrific bass. I also owned the 88 Magnum and went to 120 Magnum and though the main improvement was in the top end (cleaner with less artifacts) and separation. IMO the bass was comparable between the 88 and 120, driving Maggie 1.6s, with the 120s having just a little more OOMPHH.

I have a question to Philjolet:
How 88 Magnum performed with your Maggie 1.6? Do you think that new 90 Magnum would be able to drive 1.6 in triod mode or should I go for 120 Magnum?

Thanks.

Boriss

Sorry for the delay, my power was out over the weekend due to inclimate weather.

I thought the M88 drove my Maggies nicely in triode mode. I have never understood that people thought they had more power in tetrode, they just play louder (and sound more ordinary) but without the control or sense of drive IMO. So (of course) the 90 should do a nice job as well. I will concede that tetrode mode had a lighter and maybe more open quality but not my cup of tea.

The bottom line for me though, is the search for more dynamic range with Maggies, the only time I had enough was with the Innersound ESL amp but did not especially care for the other sonic qualities of that amp. All other amps had negligable differences in that area, including the difference between the M120 and M88.

best of luck

Phil

Well, it is triod and ultralinear. And I would suggest that having already owned everything discussed here, the 88 or the 90 is underpowered for the 1.6's.
You will get many opinions but I am telling you flat out" don't do it"
There are significant differences between the 88/90 and the 120's. Now I am not telling you to buy the 120's as if I had to do everything again, I wouldn't buy the 120's.
Mark from Rogue is a great guy and a pleasure to do buisiness with but, I think all of the Rogue gear leaves a little to be desired. MHO

triod and ultralinear is what I meant... I do admit that I too was not entirely smitten with the Rogue stuff. It is certainly very good (at least as good in the midrange as my Plinius SA100 MKIII) but for example, my Manley Stingray had better tone than any of my Rogue combos (especially on horns, just beautiful) and a more lively sound. It is that comparison that left me wondering what I could get that was better. The bottom line for me is the Maggies need tons of power to come alive and I could not afford it. I now own JM Reynaud Trentes and look forward to buying an Audio Note Soro or similar amp as these speakers can be driven with 20 watts.

The 3db difference between the 120 and 88 was not enough for the Maggies IMO

all the best
Phil

I should clarify that I like to turn it up and try for realistic volumes which the Maggies will achieve but not with any of the tube amps mentioned.

Phil

reading this and other posts 8 years later, it seems that Scott HT was on a trolling mission bitching about Rogue amps here and elsewhere, and many people have contradicted his opinion right after he posted it in the dialogue, yet he moves to another forum and bitches again
I don't trust ScottHT's opinion

Might not trust it but he's entitled to it.