Upgrading the "original " Rogue Sphinx integrated amp to the new version 2 (v-2)??

YB,  Thank you for the suggestions. I have carefully considered both options. I am vaguely familiar with the Hi-Fi Heaven outlet, but they do seem to have a large selection of products. At this point, I need just some honest opinion if the Rogue V.2 offers better sound quality than the original,... beside the other convenience upgrades to the headphone out put and phono stage. 

If not, then I will look for something (used and) much better than even the Rogue V.2 on Audiogon to stretch my dollars. However, finding.... "the better to much better sound".... could  come at a very high premium.     

Guys, unless I missed something( and I will check)  the original  Rogue Sphinx which I have DOES NOT have a pre-amp out to accommodate a separate power amp.  I am sure THE new version of the Sphinx just called v.2 has a pre-out. 

I am not sure I totally agree with smrex13 about the Rogue pre-amp stage.  Early reviews of the v.2 by Steve Guttenberg claimed that Mark O'Brien head design of the Rogue products, redsigned the entire PC board to reduce the noise floor,.... and also increase the gain for the headphone amp, and also the phono stage.  So even if I am wrong about the pre-amp out on my Sphinx and there is one, I don't see what benefits I gain from buying a better power amp.

Mesch, And as you noted, the need for upgrade would be based on the addition in the headphone and phono stage.   That is convenient plus the lower noise floor, but not exactly an improvement in sound. Unless, we want to argue that a lower noise will make a "big difference" in the overall sound. However, I don't believe the upgrades are worth  $500 which includes  shipping

BTW, for those who asked before or confirmed the feature, the output on the Rogue v1 is solely for a subwoofer and has NO application as a pre-amp out.  

Ok, Devil boy, chill.  I did not intend to offend you or Clones Inc,. but you have to admit that a  company called Clones, or product called Clones 25i  seems a big comical.  However, I will google or gargle up the Clones review on Six Moons. etc. 

As I noted before will these companies be in business in the next 5 years regardless of whether they made the review pages of the major audio rags or not. I am thinking of switching my subscriptions to "Muscle Cars"  and the scouting magazine" Boy's Life"       

To Devil boy. Checked out Clones Audio, and the price is reasonable for separates of AP2 pre-amp and 55PM mono power blocks. However, regardless of their great sound which seems to have impressed everyone at 6 Moons publication, the AP2 pre-amp has no phono or headphone amp. I could always buy an almost equivalent phono stage to much touted  PA1 and PS, like the Vincent two piece set usually on sale. However, the Rogue has a good to very good tube  head phone amp. I only use phones at night to listen to classical, but if I search for  the phono stage and head phone amp to accommodate AP-2, I would easily spend $600-800 for used items.  Worst case scenario, the pre-amp at $1120  plus 700.00 more for the other accessories, and the ticket is nearly $2000, and still no amp.

It  seems much more reasonable  if I was to buy separates instead of 25i integrated which also offers no phono or head phone amp, I would be better served finding an excellent pre-amp with at least a good headphone.  or a pre-amp with both good  phono and  headphone stages.  Unfortunately, the amps may not  match well with the output impedance of other pre-amps.

In some of the reviews, the name "Furjoe" is often referred to, who I assume is the design engineer who have designed  the 55PM  mono amps to work optimally. with ONLY his mono blocks.  Despite the reasonable pricing, this company's products are becoming less and less interesting to me because of their lack of utility functions. 

Therefore, DB, considering what you may feel is the ripoff of the big ticket items recommended by so-called major "ragazines"  , I am not convinced these products serve my sonic and/ or simple functional needs. however,  I don't need or want an inboard DAC,  HT loop, multiple inputs for several subs that many of the big ticket components feel is needed by consumers....  BS, they are just ratching up the retail price. and misdirecting manufacturing costs that could be used for better parts,  mil spec transformers, etc.  

I can appreciate Clones Audio desire to strive for the best sound without the bells and whistle, but a few are necessary.  BTW, there is also no guarantee the mono amp will sound good,  or have enough power with either the Maggie .7 or the 1.7i    I think I will pass at this moment, unless I hear them at some audio store in SoCal, and am convinced of their superior sound quality to Rogue, PASS. ARC. etc..