Buffing a Rogue Stereo 90

[richidoo]

Sorry to hear the diagnosis. I know you had you hopes up high for that amp. You should have no problem dumping it. It is a popular brand and that segment of tube amps sees a lot of trading.

I can recommend Manley tube amps as being very well designed, by Mitch Margolis, they roll their own trannys with extreme quality. I had their 100W monoblocks (31dB gain) and they were dead silent on my 95dB and 91dB sensitive speakers. It was difficult to make the rest of the system as quiet as they. Manley also makes lower powered models (like Stringray and Mahi) which would be plenty for your speakers.
Rich

[stringdriventhing]

Rich - thanks for the understanding and the tip about the Manley kit. I'm still scratching my head in wonderment over Rogue's suggestion that the problem was my speakers, not their design choices. I'll look into the Manley offerings with confidence that they won't drive me out of the room with obnoxious hum levels. - String

[rollo]

  String the new Melody line has some winners in there. Priced right and deliver. Check em out. Sorry to hear the result. Move on. Ooh ooh almost forgot Blair at Nightshade he can make you up something really special. Have fun looking.


charles

[stringdriventhing]

Thanks Charles, I need to be reminded on a regular basis that all this is supposed to be FUN! All my twitchy control issues get a grip on me and I feel like I'm a drownin' man fighting for a gasp of air. So yeah, move on for sure but each time I've had to do that during this last, impossibly ragged system transformation, I've had to move on with less $$$.

Anywho, I've decided to take a decidedly more mid-fi approach to completing the downstairs Klipsch system. I've just received a very clean Peachtree Nova I picked up off of A'gon for a reasonable price. It will replace the EE DAC (and USB>SPDIF connections), Modwright SWL-9.0SE, and Rogue (ACK!!) amp. I've run a Nova in a secondary system not too long ago and am content it will provide an "adequate" (and yes, I'm damning with feint praise) front end for the Klipsch's. My previous experience also suggests that I won't be content until I add an outboard amp to the equation. At this point I'm going to limit the dollar amount for an amp and am toying with the possibility of a used W4S ST-250/500 or a used/new Primaluna Prologue 4. I can acquire a brand-spankin' new Primaluna from Kevin at Upscale for less than I paid for the used Rogue, and wish I had done so in the first place. In the not-too-distant past I powered some Meadowlark Kestrel 2's with a Primaluna integrated and was reasonably content with what the Primaluna could do for a modest sum of cash. I also had an ST-500 in the house for a period of time and while not thrilled with its SQ, neither was I offended in any particular fashion. Either of these amps, and probably a number of others as I LOOK, will provide an upgrade to the amp in the Nova and won't drain what resources I have left for assembling what will now become my PRIMARY system - an Audeze LCD-2 based headphone system upstairs, right smack dab next to my luxurious Smith & Gaines leather chair and ottoman. - String

[richidoo]

The prologue 4 should be enough power. But if you feel that need more, you can replace the output tubes with KT88s. The only holdback on the prologue series is the capability of the output transformers. They are on the small size to save money, which sacrifices clarity and slam in the low frequencies. But it will still play low, just with some extra "warmth" down there (twss). Of course the impedance curve of the speaker will have a big effect on the sound with a tube amp. That sale price looks good. Most vintage speakers have a mild load which works well with low power tube amps.  

I would definitely take the PrimaLuna over the W4S. You don't need that much power and the tubes will be more refined than the digital.  But if bass slam is your thing, go for a linear SS amp. A Pass First Watt J2 or F5 would be supremo. There are some  DIY kits for building your own F5.
Rambling.,..

This is providence pushing you toward something even better. All that work on those speakers deserves a really great amp.

[rollo]

Lets not forget Decware. Mini Torri. 4W bliss


charles

[stringdriventhing]

Somewhere, I heard it said, "life is change". Gotta agree in this case, as my system strategy has morphed yet again. Had a discussion with Bob Crites, the talented guy who provided me with the replacement crossovers and tweeter diaphragms for my much reworked Klipsch Chorus speakers. I told him of my woes with the Rogue and its hum issues and asked how Klipsch owners managed to implement tube amps in their systems. Well, Bob doesn't and evidently neither did Paul Klipsch from some point in the 70's forward. So, I'm going to work towards a solid-state power solution and may, or may not, utilize a tube preamp. More to be revealed - String

[BobM]

You can use tubes with high effeciency speakers, you  just need extremely quiet tube amps, and most likely a SET amp.

[Carlman]

A used McIntosh MC252 will do everything you want and match nicely with your speakers.  That is my suggestion, only if you want to be finished with your amp search.

-C