Rogue Stereo 90 & Perseus vs Cronus

Hard to say without hearing them. I owned a stereo 90 and it was a very good sounding amp. I happen to think that in most cases a separate preamp and power amp will always provide better sound quality and detail, but there are exceptions to every rule. Does the Cronus provide 90 Watts per channel output as the Stereo 90. Since all of the components you mentioned are Rogue products, you may get a more authoritative answer from Rogue. PH# 570-992-9901, ask for Mark.

I owned the M150 and 99 Magnum combo for several years. Then later on I owned the Cronus (modified by Mark O). I now am using a Perseus with a McIntosh Mc275 MkV. I think that the Perseus-McIntosh combination is the best of the bunch.

The Cronus was really good, especially in the midrange. I would characterize it as sweet sounding and very 3 dimensional especially on female vocals and acoustic music. It did great driving my Quads and my Virgos in my small room. But when I moved into a big open room, it ran out of steam.

The Perseus-McIntosh combination is extremely dynamic and transparent with better overall balance of bass, mids and treble. While it is not as sweet and dimensional, overall I find it more enjoyable and it has much more drive capabilities. Personally I think the Perseus is a more transparent and dynamic preamp than the 99 magnum, which always sounded a little veiled and prone to some upper midrange tube glare.

I can't speak to the Stereo 90, but the M150's were very good amps. I would second the advice to give Mark OBrien a call. He and Mark Walker are both great guys and very generous with their time and advice.

Dave

Thank you gentlemen for your thoughts. I did speak with Mark yesterday and he was helpful as usual. I just wanted some end-user input. Turns out I found a 90/99 combo for sale local to me here on Agon. I'm picking them up today and will share my thoughts once I let them settle in. I do like the Perseus too (better looking anyway). This was too good a deal to pass up and perhaps I'll continue to experiment with other gear although you always tell yourself, "ok, after this one I'm done", but that doesn't work does it!