Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Rogue Audio Rogue M-150 Monoblocks Amplifier (Tube) by jhorowitz128 Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

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Model:	Rogue M-150 Monoblocks
Category:	Amplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price:	$3999
Description:	Tube Amplifiers
Manufacturer URL:	Rogue Audio
Manufacturer URL:	Rogue Audio

Review by jhorowitz128 ( A ) on August 06, 2004 at 06:21:34 IP Address: 24.239.188.253

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I have owned these amplifiers for only about a week, but have used them extensively during that time. They were purchased as store demos with a claimed use of approx. 50 hours.

For the past year, I’ve been updating my front end to all-tube; first, the Jolida CD-100A CDP, then the Manley Shrimp pre-amp, and finally the Cary PH-302 Phono Stage. My analogue front end is an Oracle MKII w/SME 309 tonearm and an AT OC9ML/II. I had been using a Perreaux PMF 1850 SS amp for the past 20 years which were driving my currently-owned Martin Logan Aerius i’s.

After deciding to purchase a tube amp instead of a newer SS model, I took the following into consideration: I wanted an amp that had enough power and would drive the difficult load of the ML’s (and any future speakers I might buy) without spending an arm and a leg. Biasing the tubes would have to be a no-brainer and their replacement would also not be overly expensive. The Rogue M-150’s fit the bill, especially the bias tuning. Each tube can be individually biased via the built-in meter and takes no more than a few minutes. Also, the amps can be operated in either the ultralinear mode (150 watts) or the diode mode (~100 watts, according to Mark O’Brien at Rogue). More on this later.

Please keep in mind that the following impressions are based on the fact that I’ve not owned any other tube amp and the only comparison I can make is based on the Perreaux amp.

The first thing I noticed, and it hit me like a brick, was that these amps are damn quiet! No grain, black background. Now I know what the phrase “a veil was lifted” means.
On the negative side, I perceived a slight compression of the soundstage, although the imaging is excellent. There is a CD I have where one of the instruments comes from beyond the right speaker….almost to the corner of the room. I did replace the panels of my Aerius i’s recently and did not use this CD to test the new panels, so it could be the panels themselves. In any event, I think that overly wide soundstaging is overrated and sounds ‘unnatural.’ But as I said, the imaging is excellent, both in depth and height, especially on big-band and orchestral music. More listening may change my mind about the soundstaging, but I don’t consider this a negative for now.

Another thing that is evident is that these amps provide a lot of punch and slam….guess you might call it ‘dynamics.’ Very impressive! The bass is very, very tight (of course, the depth is limited by the Aerius’s). However, something was terribly wrong when listening to the vinyl that I test new equipment with: Linda Ronstadt’s “Prisoner in Disguise,” and “What’s New.”

ULTRALINEAR OR TRIODE?

Most of the posts regarding the M-150’s or the previous model, the M-120’s, recommend the ultralinear mode. And I figured, hell, I paid for the 150 watts, why not use them! Well, maybe it’s the ML’s which can tend to sound bright, or maybe it was the new panels (which I thought were broken in), but I felt very uncomfortable listening to the Ronstadt albums….you know, the feeling you get when your reading while listening and suddenly look up because something doesn’t sound right. The music sounded ‘hot, ‘ ‘strident,’ out of balance. This was not that noticeable on the orchestral stuff, but sure was noticeable on female vocals.

So I switched the amp to triode mode. Ah ha! All is right with the world! The sound got smoother, yet there was only a slight loss of dynamics. The highs sparkled instead of irritated. Even on the orchestral music, the violins were sweeter that on the UL mode.
But did the amp have enough power to handle those orchestral crescendos? Slapped on Telarc vinyl of “The Rite of Spring,” “The Firebird Suite” and the ending of “Symphonie Fantastique” and cranked up the volume to a point way beyond where I would ordinarily listen. Absolutely no problems! Not even a hint of clipping. Conclusion: In my system, triode mode is the way to go.

Lastly, I have to mention that Mark O’Brien and Mark Walker at Rogue were very helpful in answering all questions I had concerning this purchase. E-mails were always answered the next business day. They even filled in my registration cards at Rogue which were missing in the packaging.

A highly recommended amp and highly recommended service.

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Product Weakness:	In my system, too bright in UL mode.
Product Strengths:	Dead quiet. Excellent imaging and depth. Very dynamic, especially in UL mode. Easy tube biasing.

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Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Rogue M-150 Monoblocks
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Manley Shrimp
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Oracle MKII/SME 309 arm/AT OC9ML/II
Speakers:	Martin Logan Aerius i's
Cables/Interconnects:	Tara, Monster, various others
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Female vocal, Jazz, Blues, Symphonic, Classic Rock
Room Size (LxWxH):	20 x 13 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	Window curtains behing speakers, foam absorbers behind and to side of speakers
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 week
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Tice Solo Conditioner
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

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