How does the Pharoah 2 sound compared to the M180 Dark Monoblocks ?? and did you happen to try the built in phono stage ?...I hear it's pretty good.
The new Rogue pharaoh II slams
I recently downsized my stereo to reclaim my apt living room, switching from revel 228 towers to jbl L100 limited additions, and sold my beloved Rogue M180 dark monoblocks and other front end gear, and needed a good intergrated amp to replace all those big boxes. Since I had experience with Rogue I decided to take a chance on the new Rogue Pharaoh II and boy am I glad I did. I cannot comment if or how it’s different sounding than the original but the Mk II kicks ass with the Jbls putting out 400 wpc into the speakers 4 ohm load! The slam and bass control is stunning, AND AT LOW VOLUME LEVELS!!! It’s also amazingly clear and transparent throughout the full frequency spectrum, with a non existent noise floor, The soundstage is huge, and once again you can hear all of this at low volume levels which is very impressive. Rogue knocked it our of the park with this integrated amplifier, although I loved the sound of my old tube monos this integrated actually does somethings better for a lower cost! If you are looking for a new amp/pre amp combo or integrated amp you have to go hear one of these, I bet it will surprise and impress you as much as it me, bravo Rogue Audio, well done!
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@chrissain compared to your tube monos, how would you compare the staging and imagery of the Rogue? @mofojo the V2 uses a much newer Hypex module that is highly regarded. |
I cannot comment because I have changed both my speakers and my amp, I will say however that the Revel 228 with the m180 darks were a killer hit way above its weight class champs, the soundstage was very three dimensional and huge. The Jbl l100 75 anniversary just doesn’t soundstage like the Revels, it’s less precise in placement. I can also say that our if the three integrated amps I have had at home the pharaoh II has the most dynamics and the biggest stage with the most “see into the music” resolution and detail compared to the Marantz anniversary or Rogues own Cronus magnum II |
Rolling tubes can make a significant difference. Before I upgraded to the RP9, I had the RP7 and the Telefuken tubes were more articulate, more dimensional, wider soundstage and better base. They were not "cool" or solid state sounding, but not syrupy warm either. Better than the default tubes. Mark at Rogue suggested I make the switch and he was, as usual, right "on the money." The RP9 is built around the Russian 6J30P tubes and does not as such lend itself to much tube rolling, although there are a couple brands of 6H30P tubes. Thus far, the default tubes are excellent. |
I've owned a lot of nice gear. When I had to downsize, I needed an all-in-one solution. The Pharaoh (original) may not be perfect, but Mark has assembled a stellar product; a great value with all the phono-pre-amp I need for now and the foreseeable future. They say he designed it for his personal use, something for his vacation home. A great original design. In the period of time that the CM went through 3 versions with many tweaks, the Pharaoh remained unchanged under the recent redesign. I wanted to sweeten the vocals, so Brent Jessee sold me a matched pair of Mullard 1960's OEM 12AU7's that did the trick. All I have to do now is enjoy the music. |
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