Upgrading to Tube; Amp or Preamp


I am currently looking to upgrade my existing system a piece at a time. I currently have a set of Vandersteen 2ce Sigs, VPI mkIII w/RB250 Origin Mod w/Dynavector cartidge, Adcom 565 Preamp, Adcom 555 mkII w/Musical Concept mod, and a Rega Planet CD. I have a rather small listening room, 15x18 w/vaulted ceilings and want to migrate to tube gear. I have heard the Rogue 120 amps and 99 preamp on the Vandersteens and thought they sounded marvelous.

I am into analogue mostly classical, jazz, and some rock. My budget is in the $2000 dollar range and since I want to get as big a bang for the big would it be best to replace the Preamp or Amp. The Adcom gear is a little too bright and the soundstage and imaging are not near (imagine that)what I heard with the Rogue combo. I like the Vandersteens alot but have heard that they get a little too laid back with tube gear. My aim is to put about two to three thousand in my system a year until my wife stops me.

Look forward to the suggestions, oh yeah getting rid of my wife is not an option (ha, ha).
rav1952

Showing 2 responses by rgd

I presently have a Rogue 66 (not magnum version) mated with a Bryston 4B-ST and I am very happy. I think getting a tube preamp (Rogue is my "bias") is the way to go - keep the SS power of the Adcom but "warm" it up nicely with a tube preamp. While many have tried (not me) a tube amp with a SS preamp it seems to be the general opinion here and elsewhere that a tube preamp/ss amp is a better combo then a ss preamp/tube preamp.Haven't tried a tube amp as my Maggies like current and I can't afford the high powered tube amps that would do the speakers justice...
sorry - brainfart - meant to say better combo in a tube pre/ss amp than ss pre/tube amp. You could find a used Rogue for between $700-$900 or spring more money for the 99. If Rogue is really a serious choice you could buy as used 66 and have it upgraded to the Magnum version and still have plenty of money for further tweaks, gear or software. Not sure how the upgraded 66 compares to the 99 but maybe someone else here has made that comparison...