2. amps-preamps
  3. 1343871243

Where's the trade off?

Hi. I run a Rogue Cronus Magnum with Harbeth C7ES3's and a Audiolab 8200cdq as a source. I love my system with the exception of wishing I had some tighter bass. I find that I don't listen to music as much as I did when I had a solid state amp because I can't leave my amp on all the time. My previous set up was a NAD C317 (loved) with B&W DM 602's (also loved). With that old NAD integrated, I listened to tunes all the time. Now I turn on the TV when I would normally want to listen to music on week nights because of warm up time and tube usage. I find my current system to sound similar to my old system. My question is, does anyone think I can find a solid state amp that sounds similar to my Rogue? Can I go back to solid state and still be happy? I must be able too because I had it before. That NAD amp didn't sound that much different to me than what I have now. The NAD was not bright at all and it was very musical from what I remember. I'm wondering if I should be looking at a Luxman, LFD etc? I've tube rolled and that's helped me out a lot but it doesn't help with the fact that I have to wait for my amp to warm up. I'm not a patient person when it comes to music. My speaker cables are Audioquest Rockefellers and I can't remember who makes my interconnect, although I really don;t think I can hear differences between similar cables.
donjr

Showing 5 responses by donjr

donjr OP
1,335 posts
 
I really appreciate the information on the MF and LFD. I'm going to look into taht. I read a bit about the MF A32 as well as the LFD gear and have heard only good things about them. I'd be curious if anyone has experience with Luxman. I was interested in Accuphase until I saw the price. I'm thinking $4k tops in hopes that this would be an amp I live with for the next 20 years which would get me to retirement.
I feel like a complainer but sometimes when I get home from work, I really want to listen to an album and enjoy a glass of wine without waiting 20-25 minutes for my amp to warm up. I don't want to get rid the Rogue because I do love it. I think I would prefer the Rogure to be my Friday and Saturday night amp which is when I usually spin music for 5 - 6 hours at a time.
donjr OP
1,335 posts
 
Point well taken Meiwan. I do have dedicated power and even a cryoed outlet ( I was going through the freak phase ). What I need to do is get a chance to listen to some of the options out there and up until now, I haven't had the chance. The Rogue Cronus Magnum is my first tube amp, and from what I've read it doesn't sound that tubey. I've never heard a 'tubey' tube amp so I have nothing to compare it to. There was a point in my life that I didn't think about this stuff and just listened to music and loved it. Quite honestly I miss those days. I know I like what I have now and I liked my old NAD / B&W kit and to me they don't sound that different. That leads me to believe my hearing is horrible or my Rogue indeed is not a tubey amp (or the NAD is a tubey sounding solid state). My Rogue takes a good 20 minute to sound it's best which isn't a long time unless I only plan on listening to one album.
donjr OP
1,335 posts
 
On another note. I had new Rotel separates before the Rogue, the best they make right now. These were the top of the line Rotel amp / pre-amp combo. It was the most shrill sounding gear I've ever herd in my life. AT first I thought I had to break it in. After 3 months and no difference in sound, I took a bath and dumped it fast. At first I thought it was my B&W CM7's so I brought my DM601's up from the basement only to find out it was the Rotel. This was of course my own fault and I learned a big lesson. That's when I bought the Rogue and the Rogue took away so much stress that I didn't even care about the money loss.
donjr OP
1,335 posts
 
I remember when I first brought home my Rogue. Everyone told me to let it warm up first (and I think the manual says that too) but of course my wife and I couldn't wait so about 3 minutes after I turned it on I turned up the volume. It was seriously very disappointing, but after another 20 minutes of listening I was practically in tears. That's why I normally wait 20 minutes before I begin playing music.
donjr OP
1,335 posts
 
For the record, I'm not thinking of selling my Rogue. I'm just thinking about having both solid state and tube. On a happy note, I just swapped out my 12ax7's with some JJ Electric cheapos that Rogue sent me (long plates) and they have a much more liquid sound than what was in there. I'm not sure what was in my amp prior to these because the paint is wiped off. These new 12ax7's cost about as much as a pack of cigarettes in New York and holy cow they're smooth sounding. I just listened to some Pink Martini and I almost fell asleep as though I was being rocked. Now that's something I love, especially with some Pink Martini or Melody Gardot etc. It's when I want to play Jack White that I feel I need to have a solid state amp. I listen to a wide range of music and tubes aren't the way to go for some of it.
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