Class D Technology

@seanheis1 Emotiva and Rogue is more compatible price wise than you stated. If you are looking at top of the line seperates, the monoblocks are $2398 a pair, and the preamp is $999- excluding holiday sales. So you are looking at $3397, a whopping $103 less than a Rogue Pharoah.

Performance wise? The improvement with the Pharaoh is staggering.   

The Rogue Pharaoh is an integrated though? Emotiva Monoblocks running 600 watts of power with their best preamp compared to a 185 watt Rogue integrated?? You can’t compare pricing on monoblocks plus preamp with an integrated that has a fraction of the power. It’s 3 pieces compared to 1.

Those Emotiva monoblocks will also run in Class A mode. If Emotiva were to sell a 185 watt integrated, it would be priced around $500 and of course couldn't compare with a $3500 Pharaoh.

@seanheis1 Of course you can compare the two. And your answer tells me that you are falling into the same trap I did. 

Yes, the Emotiva had more power, switchable Class A, etc. It also doesn't sound all that great.

I was making a point that you can buy that or for $103 more, you can have an awesome amp. We are talking retail to retail new.

I purchased the Emotiva gear during one of their sales. I purchased the Rogue in 9/10 condition preowned here. I actually paid less for the Rogue than I did for the Emotiva gear. And it's not a fair fight at all. The Rogue sounds so much better.

The newer Class D integrateds I have heard like BC C5i and Rogue Pharoah and Sphinx are game changers for me. Prior to these, I would not have thought to ever replace separates with an integrated amp, but I would strongly consider that with any of these. The only downside is my Class D monoblocks are 500w/ch and all those go to good use in my larger system. In my smaller system, especially with more efficient speakers, the 60w/ch C5i comes very close to doing everything ever needed though a few more watts/ch would still likely only benefit.

60w/ch Class D and truly digital C5i has phono and line level inputs in addition to all the usual digital ins. Plus an outstanding headphone amp as well. Just add speakers and a digital source and you may be set with everything most would ever need sound wise.   In a single easily handled and manageable package smaller than the size of a shoe box.

I decided to try this (latest and greatest Class D and digital technology from Bel CAnto) prior to trying a tube integrated amp in this system and guess what its not going anywhere.