I’d want a very beefy tube amp for B&Ws which is not likely to come cheap. B&W are generally NOT inherently tube amp friendly speakers. Check out any impedance curve measurements available for your model before taking that dive. Low impedance and high phase angles at various frequencies will bring the majority of tube amps to their knees very quickly ie make them distort and that’s not how they perform best. Nominal impedance specs alone will likely not tell the whole story. That’s why tube amp makers like Rogue build hybrids, so they can sell gear to the many owners out there of not tube amp friendly speakers (the vast majority of the market these days) without doing those customers a disservice.
Match of Hybrid Rogue Pharaoh and B&W 803D2 speaker
At end of 2017 I contracted the tube virus. Seeking a cure I explored many medicines and advice from many sources audiogon and otherwise. Many wonderful experts in the field of tubelitis provided their expert conclusions suggesting treatment. Like any other disease treatment costs ranged from lower thousands to astronomical. Having terminal SS disease already for the past 40 years I decided to find treatment in the new hybrid integrated form of treatment against the advice of the experts. One form of my affliction is that I am addicted to concert sound and volume at times. Also I'm a Rockaholic with no regrets but enjoy all forms of musical artestry from A to Z , with the only known exeption of that stuff they call Rap, which I do not place in the catagory of musical artestry.
None of the tubelitis doctors could give me a definitive answer of how a hybrid pill would do with my existing other cure, B&W 803D2, I took a chance on a Rogue Pharaoh Hybrid Intergated. For those reading this, hybrid is a tube preamp married to a SS amplifier stage. In my case and concern was I needed a lot of power to drive the speakers to the levels I require. The Rogue amp is rated at 175W and the B&W are rated at 90db sensitivity at 8ohm.
Well here goes my experience since I married the two for my cure. I'm not a professional reviewer and there is no intent to plug any product. I do have a lot of time on my hands, retired, and listen critically for many hours each and every day in a dedicated and treated listening environment.
Attempted cure: Rogue Pharaoh Integrated
Supporting cast: B&W 803D2, Musical Fidelity A3cd, Sony PS4300 TT, Oppo BDP 103D
Medication(CD, LP, Streaming) AC/DC, Dire Straits, J. Mellencamp, JJ Cale, Little Feat, Wings, E.L. O, INXS, Alan Parsons, Pink Floyd, Supertramp, E. Clapton, Led Zeppelin Cream, Aerosmith, Eagles, Foghat, Good Charlotte, Genesis..........to name a few, lighter dosages of Smetana, Strauss, Mozart, Ravel, Bach.......
Findings: wow, just wow, the Rogue is everything I hoped for and more. It easily drives the speakers at any level up to 95db as measured on Radio Shack dB meter at listening position. At higher level some clarity is lost and it starts to sound a bit harsh therefor straining. No worries though for me as at 95db this place is rocking and rolling and it' rarely at this level. Most listening occurs between 60 and 80db and the Rogue takes it with ease and superb reproduction of the source. I'm truly impressed. It' a keeper for sure. Some of the most noticeable improvements over the SS equipment were: increased soundstage, depth, clarity, wide and airy, warmth. Also the absolute silence (black) is astonishing. Artists voices and inflections are totally reproduced and audible, reduced sibilance at the higher frequencies. Musical passages are just beautifully rendered in all their glory. Brushed cymbals are noticeable in its correct space. Highs are gorgeous and deep lows are fast and punchy.
Conclusion : the match between the Rogue and B&W is the best I've heard to date. I worried for no reason. Hybrid designs incorporate the best of 2 world' if done right. Tube anything is everything tube enthusiasts say it is and I regret not going there earlier in life. Shame on me for not getting the tubelitis disease earlier I have found my cure in the Rogue and B&W combination. In one months time it has become my go to system handily.
I have found the feature of preamp bypass really revealing as it allowed me to do a side by side comparison between the Lexicon SS preamp (MC12B) and the Rogue tube pre with a push of a button, and yes the difference is obvious. Also the Phono stage is incredible and I removed my seperates Phono stage (Rotel) from the system. I'm happy with the features and see no point in trying to improve, well maybe roll some tubes, but that's another subject.
So finally here is my final take on this. There is a way for tubies and SSties to get the best of both. Tubes do provide a nicer flavor of fidelity, at least in my opinion and everything in this thread is my take and opinion. I'm going to keep it to enjoy.
Contributing test equipment: Lexicon MC12B processor, Krell KAV 250 amp, Musical Fidelity A3cd, Sony PS4300 TT, Oppo BDP -103, B&W 803D2.
Final note: All SS equipment has been relegated to strict HT duty, no more double duty. Tube front end has sole duty of 2 channel reproduction.
I hope this helps someone who may be interested in getting tubelitis disease.
I do not know if a lesser powered tube amp would satisfy large B&W or any make speaker.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
None of the tubelitis doctors could give me a definitive answer of how a hybrid pill would do with my existing other cure, B&W 803D2, I took a chance on a Rogue Pharaoh Hybrid Intergated. For those reading this, hybrid is a tube preamp married to a SS amplifier stage. In my case and concern was I needed a lot of power to drive the speakers to the levels I require. The Rogue amp is rated at 175W and the B&W are rated at 90db sensitivity at 8ohm.
Well here goes my experience since I married the two for my cure. I'm not a professional reviewer and there is no intent to plug any product. I do have a lot of time on my hands, retired, and listen critically for many hours each and every day in a dedicated and treated listening environment.
Attempted cure: Rogue Pharaoh Integrated
Supporting cast: B&W 803D2, Musical Fidelity A3cd, Sony PS4300 TT, Oppo BDP 103D
Medication(CD, LP, Streaming) AC/DC, Dire Straits, J. Mellencamp, JJ Cale, Little Feat, Wings, E.L. O, INXS, Alan Parsons, Pink Floyd, Supertramp, E. Clapton, Led Zeppelin Cream, Aerosmith, Eagles, Foghat, Good Charlotte, Genesis..........to name a few, lighter dosages of Smetana, Strauss, Mozart, Ravel, Bach.......
Findings: wow, just wow, the Rogue is everything I hoped for and more. It easily drives the speakers at any level up to 95db as measured on Radio Shack dB meter at listening position. At higher level some clarity is lost and it starts to sound a bit harsh therefor straining. No worries though for me as at 95db this place is rocking and rolling and it' rarely at this level. Most listening occurs between 60 and 80db and the Rogue takes it with ease and superb reproduction of the source. I'm truly impressed. It' a keeper for sure. Some of the most noticeable improvements over the SS equipment were: increased soundstage, depth, clarity, wide and airy, warmth. Also the absolute silence (black) is astonishing. Artists voices and inflections are totally reproduced and audible, reduced sibilance at the higher frequencies. Musical passages are just beautifully rendered in all their glory. Brushed cymbals are noticeable in its correct space. Highs are gorgeous and deep lows are fast and punchy.
Conclusion : the match between the Rogue and B&W is the best I've heard to date. I worried for no reason. Hybrid designs incorporate the best of 2 world' if done right. Tube anything is everything tube enthusiasts say it is and I regret not going there earlier in life. Shame on me for not getting the tubelitis disease earlier I have found my cure in the Rogue and B&W combination. In one months time it has become my go to system handily.
I have found the feature of preamp bypass really revealing as it allowed me to do a side by side comparison between the Lexicon SS preamp (MC12B) and the Rogue tube pre with a push of a button, and yes the difference is obvious. Also the Phono stage is incredible and I removed my seperates Phono stage (Rotel) from the system. I'm happy with the features and see no point in trying to improve, well maybe roll some tubes, but that's another subject.
So finally here is my final take on this. There is a way for tubies and SSties to get the best of both. Tubes do provide a nicer flavor of fidelity, at least in my opinion and everything in this thread is my take and opinion. I'm going to keep it to enjoy.
Contributing test equipment: Lexicon MC12B processor, Krell KAV 250 amp, Musical Fidelity A3cd, Sony PS4300 TT, Oppo BDP -103, B&W 803D2.
Final note: All SS equipment has been relegated to strict HT duty, no more double duty. Tube front end has sole duty of 2 channel reproduction.
I hope this helps someone who may be interested in getting tubelitis disease.
I do not know if a lesser powered tube amp would satisfy large B&W or any make speaker.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
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- 16 posts total
- 16 posts total