Rogue Cronus Magnum II vs McIntosh

I returned it to the dealer. I was experiencing some distortion that turned out to be exaggerated bad pressings and I returned it while I could. Big mistake.

 

this is absolutely true. rogue uses cheap $10.00 JJs in their small signal section and they are doing a disservice to the capabiities of the amp IMHO. although I bet people realize this and it certainly does make the purchase price lower.

 

on second thought what speakers were playing?

 

Absolutely nothing blasphemous about a well matched SS power amp with a tube preamp. Not saying the Halo is all that ( though it is very good - especially for the price) but many, many would tell you that that combo is the holy grail. I have a run every which combination and I find my current tube pre with SS power to be awesome. But yes my tube-tube main den system is awesomer. but then it is over 4x the cost.

I'm guessing that deep down you are just one of those McFans. Nothing wrong with that! I am a big time brand loyal guy myself, just that for me it's Audio Research and it seems that Rogue is come what closer to the ARC house sound than McIntosh.

BTW , if you want to rediscover those goosebumps, go listen to one of the ARC Reference amps, Ref75se or Ref150se. If possible connected to a CD9 and Ref5 Preamp. But then that's about $35k and better get r done!

 

Oh I love the Mac for sure, but I just can't afford to keep it probably. I overspent and it probably has to go.

If you guys would buy my vinyl and my Fisher amp (both for sale here) I'd be able to keep the Mac! So help me out!

 

Same ones as I have at home...Golden Ear Triton 7

 

So here's what I did...

I got the Creek 100A and the Phonomena II+ Phono Preamp from Needle Doctor. They should be here this weekend. I'm gonna have a shootout with the Mac, and if the Creek can hold it's own, I will sell the Mac. If it doesn't, then the Mac stays and I just pay it off...slowly...forever.

 

Are you having buyer's remorse about the McIntosh? Can you still return it for a full refund? If so, run, don't walk to return it. This is nothing specific about McIntosh, but I speak from experience when it comes to buying new gear at full retail and then after living with it for a while (beyond the return timeframe), realizing it just isn't your thing. Then if you aren't rich, you have to live with it until you can manage to save up again. In the meantime you will listen to your system less and less, which is the exact opposite of what we all love to do. Better to have no system for a brief period of time while you arrange auditions of different gear until you hit on something that moves you. You'll know it when you hear it!

 

No I totally love everything about it. It's just the cost

 

The JJ's are OK for use as small signal tubes. Their larger output tubes sound good but they are not made as well as they should be, I had eight of them in my Rogue M-120 monoblocks, they are known for taking out other components when they fail.

 

I have their CM1 as a back-up for the M-150's. Anyone looking for a sweet midrange with the CM is looking for love in all the wrong places.

The CM is an amplifier that is designed to have a tube sound with solid state like slam and deep authoritive bass.

Simply put, it is very linear, modern day tube sound, they run in the ultralinear mode and do not have the triode mode switch that most of their other power amps have.

For sweet mids, look to Prima Luna or some of the other brands mentioned in this thread.

Stay with something that uses EL34's or similar.

Larry

 

+

 

You mean the distortion you were hearing was the source? Ouch!

 

From a manufacturer's standpoint I would think, that they need a tube that:

1) Works from a given price point, remember there are a few tubes in this amp including four more expensive power tubes.

2) There is no regularly available supply of NOS tubes and I suspect that Rogue sells a bunch of amps. My power tubes are the Tung-Sol KT-120's and they are not exactly cheap. All of their amps should sound the same when exiting the assembly line.

3) They should be reliable for the customer's benefit.

4) Everyone has a different set-up and their listening needs will vary considerably. With that said, it is best that most roll their own tubes. However, Rogue will supply NOS tubes for an upcharge, by request. Rogue will do all sorts of factory mods if you want to go for them.

I bought my CM1 used, it came with NOS signal tubes.

Good Job! on the tube layouts.

 

what about using other power tubes in the cm?

 

Is your MC275 the original version? I am still trying to decide between the Cronus Magnum (amp only) and the MC275 VI, which is available to me at a nice price ...

 

MC275, you will not regret it.

 

Don't really know. I was somehow under the impression that the KT-120's had a higher plate voltage than some of the other tubes, I don't know if this is correct or not but if it is, then caution should be used when substituting lass powerful tubes.

I believe that orginally, the CM1 shipped with KT-90 tubes before the switch to the KT-120's. I don't kknow what changes were made to the electronics, if any.

I had previously purchased their M-120 monoblocks a few years back off of eBay.

Because they were about ten years old, maybe older, I decided that I would upgrade them a couple of years back.

The upgrades that were available were the M-150's (KT88's) and the M-180's (KT120's). I decided to go with the M-150's because the transformers and other parts were geared for the KT88's, which I have a preference for and I really didn't need the extra 30-watts.

I have run the M-150's with EL34 tubes also and they work well in those amps.

Next time I call Rogue for something, I will ask about rolling tubes in the CM. Since it runs just in the ultralineaar mode only, I don't know if other tubes would be much of a real benefit or not. The M-150's can run ultralinear and in the triode mode.

 

Owned a Rogue Audio Stereo 100 for about three years, and it more than held its own in amp shootouts with some friends Mac, CJ, and ARC tube amps.

 

absolutely a stunning good sounding amp, especially when paired with the RP-5 preamp. a combination that would only be beaten by a system multiples of their cost.

I read where rogue said it was possible to use EL34s in the CM, you just had to really crank on the pots to bias them correctly. someone had done this and was happy with the results and the trade-offs, even in ultralinear mode.
i would like to try this but have no idea about a good lush sounding reasonable cost EL34 tube.

 

it was in part attributable to the source but exaggerated by the distortion in the music and the amplifier as well. i like certain bands that have intentional distortion- flaming lips, spoon, sonic youth, arcade fire, etc. distorted music does not play well with certain combos of tube amps and speakers- it turns it from tolerable (solid state) to unacceptable. i can live with the distortion the artist intended- but not any additional.

 

Mono switch makes most of the surface noise vanish when you play a mono LP on a stereo deck.

 

eagerly awaiting the word on guy's new creek amp. even though i swore i would never go back to solid state.

 

Got the Creek Audio 100A and the Phonomena II+ today to replace the Mac. I never ever ever thought I'd like a SS after having a tube for over a year. But the Creek totally changed my mind.

I'm not gonna say it's "better" than the Mac, but I will say it's just as good in a different way. The Creek doesn't make me miss the Mac. At all. Everything I need, and want, in a sonic set up is there in the Creek.

 

I recently sold my Primaluna amp with the decision that tubes just aren't for me. While my initial impression was positive, the love didn't last. The PL was my fourth and last tube amp. Solid state for me from now on.