2. amps-preamps
  3. 174631-3454

The new Rogue pharaoh II slams

I recently downsized my stereo to reclaim my apt living room, switching from revel 228 towers to jbl L100 limited additions, and sold my beloved Rogue M180 dark monoblocks and other front end gear, and needed a good intergrated amp to replace all those big boxes. Since I had experience with Rogue I decided to take a chance on the new Rogue Pharaoh II and boy am I glad I did. I cannot comment if or how it’s different sounding than the original but the Mk II kicks ass with the Jbls putting out 400 wpc into the speakers 4 ohm load! The slam and bass control is stunning, AND AT LOW VOLUME LEVELS!!! It’s also amazingly clear and transparent throughout the full frequency spectrum, with a non existent noise floor, The soundstage is huge, and once again you can hear all of this at low volume levels which is very impressive. Rogue knocked it our of the park with this integrated amplifier, although I loved the sound of my old tube monos this integrated actually does somethings better for a lower cost! If you are looking for a new amp/pre amp combo or integrated amp you have to go hear one of these, I bet it will surprise and impress you as much as it me, bravo Rogue Audio, well done!

chrissain
drgregc
1 posts
 

I've owned a lot of nice gear.  When I had to downsize, I needed an all-in-one solution.  The Pharaoh (original) may not be perfect, but Mark has assembled a stellar product; a great value with all the phono-pre-amp I need for now and the foreseeable future.  They say he designed it for his personal use, something for his vacation home.  A great original design.  In the period of time that the CM went through 3 versions with many tweaks, the Pharaoh remained unchanged under the recent redesign.  I wanted to sweeten the vocals, so Brent Jessee sold me a matched pair of Mullard 1960's OEM 12AU7's that did the trick.  All I have to do now is enjoy the music.

akgwhiz
176 posts
 

@drgregc as a previous Sphynx v3 owner I always looked forward to the next Pharaoh.  Alas I decided to try my first tube amp before that but thats another story.  Perhaps you meant to say "until the recent redesign" instead of "under the recent redesign" as the latest version (among other things) now incorporates their "TubeD" design like the DragoN amp and uses a much more recent iteration of Hypex output modules.  For the money the Sphynx v3 was outstanding yet it didn't use TubeD design.  Another outstanding aspect is that Rogue will perform upgrades to existing units at fair cost as they release changes.

chrissain OP
470 posts
 

Update, I have now installed Rca clear top 12au7s and they offer greater clarity and bass punch over the gold lion I was using, the soundstaging is huge on some recordings which is super fun! 

audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie
354 posts
 

A local dealer has a show room. There are always a bunch of guys hanging out  on Saturdays listening to different products that come in to the shop. They usually play everything through a Pharaoh. Always been impressed by its SQ and the wide range of speakers that it drives well. I wouldn't hesitate to own one. 

lradder
55 posts
 

I too owned the Cronus Magnum II and rolled it with RCA Clear Tops. I absolutely loved the sound with my Sonus faber Sonetto IV's. Even my brother-in-law with a considerably larger audio investment loved the sound result. But there were a few little nagging issues like hot tubes with grandkids that made me consider the Pharaoh. When Mark O'Brien announced the Pharaoh II I became interested but somewhat fearful of any loss of "tube" sound. After research, I took the plunge (credit Taylor at Gold Print Audio, and Mark and Nick at Rogue) and I cannot be happier. I rolled the RCA Clear Tops into the Pharaoh II and I'm contently blown away with sound result. Dead quiet noise floor, amazing bass, unbelievable mids and highs, and a killer soundstage! So good even my wife said "it really sounds good". With all of my concerns waylaid, I can't recommend the Pharaoh II enough. Give the Pharaoh II a listen, if not a purchase. You will be impressed! Great job Mark! Congrats on a real winner!

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