Taxman34

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.14 of 5, 7.00 votes

Price Paid:  $2400.00 from rogue

Summary:
Bought 99 Magnun preamp after so many great reviews, and felt like a little kid in that candy store...I couldnt wait for it to arrive and hook it up. It came to my door on a thursday, and it was the same day that I had to go with the wife to her sisters surprise birthday party. You all know where Im going with this....Yes I didnt go with my wife, and boy was she mad. On to the review. I have only owned solid state preamps, and never introduced tubes into my system. With the Magnum 99 in place the soundstage was expansive with a powerful lowend and it sounded great. A few months of heavy listening went by and I felt the honeymoon was over....the 99 didnt have that same charm. A good freind of mine has a very nice tube system and I asked him to bring over his Conrad Johnson tube preamp (older model)to compare the two. After 5 hours of some serious listening, we both agreed that the winner was not the Rogue. Im really let down now....what was i thinking asking him over. His preamp was not designed with the 6sn7 as the Rogue, but wow did his 6922? based preamp blow it away. I might mention that the 99 was being auditioned with nos tubes from Mark Obrein. I thought I would sell this line stage for a decent price and buy something else; but I was taken back by what they were going for used, and most of what I saw were fairly newer preamps like mine a year old, going for a drastic discount. New or newer preamps selling so much cheaper....maybe I should have done some more research on this product. Wow did this depreciate. I was able to buy a used AI M3 with the sale of the Rogue. I asked the same freind over again with his preamp, and we both agreed with the winner, this time it was not the CJ.

Strengths:
Solid build great looks wide soundstage great customer service

Weaknesses:
Only after trying another preamp that is designed around tubes, did I realize that the Rogue is noisy. Preamp is very pricey bought new....money could be better spent

Similar Products Used:
Over the years or current

holmesmd

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $1500.00 from Decibel Audio Chicag

Summary:
This is my first review of any kind. My feeling is that I, too must respond to kek. This is one of two tube preamps that I own, and it is used the most. The reason is that is sounds real. My other Preamp is a highly regarded vintage AR that was wrested from a friend who has been in the business for years and has a much better ear than I, and it wasn't easy talking him out of the AR. I have to say that between the AR and the Rogue, the AR has slightly more transparent and extended upper mid and high end, but the Bass is much tighter on the Rogue. Some people have told me that the AR was one of the best tube Preamps ever made, and to hear the Rogue compare that well to the AR puts it in good company. In any case the review that mentioned that this piece is "dry" in my opinion couldn't be based on listening to the same equipment. For the money, I have never heard a preamp that touches this one expecially in the "liquid" realism department. So...if you're going to do anything, try a Rogue before you spend more. I would also recommend pairing it up with a Digital Amp. I have experienced the same disappointment when giving up my Digital Amp paired with the Rogue when I was forced to switch back to a well known SS amp..it was like going from color to Black and White. The Rogue 99 is the real deal. If someone has a better idea, let me know..I'm still looking.

Strengths:
Realism; Sound Stage; Simply clear, transparent music from top to bottom. Best reproduction ever in my room.

Weaknesses:
very very slightly less extended than the one other comparison only on the high end of the Audio Spectrum.

Similar Products Used:
AR SP6; Many various SS Amp/Preamp combos; B&K; Krell; NAD; AR SS

Yarvis

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $2000.00 from Audio Connection, NJ

Summary:
This is my first foray with a tube based product. I was able to hear this tube preamp and the same SS amp that I currently own at a very high end store in Manhattan. When I first walked in, the salesman talked with me a little bit and asked me what type of music I listened to. He was very patient and took his time and told me that he had sold this same exact setup to many, many people who were going to spend THOUSANDS more. Each and every person walked out of the store with the Rogue 99 and a Musical Fidelity A308cr. After I listened for a little while I could see why. I was going from an MF A3.2 integrated so I was expecting only good things, I was very happy and surprised to hear only good things. Instruments and voices sound very, very lifelike. Dynamics and soundstaging are both wide and deep. I simply cannot get over how smooth and CLEAR things sound. I am VERY happy with this setup. I really don't forsee any upgrades for a LONG time. Good thing also, the wife is ready to hang me.

Strengths:
Lifelike sounds, very dynamic and detailed. 3 year warranty, 6 months on tubes. Great build quality and even better customer service from the people at Rogue Audio

Weaknesses:
A tad expensive for a linestage only. An optional tube phono card is almost $400, which would bring the cost to $2400. I think the unit is a tad expensive at 2k as it is. There are other tube preamps out there that are similiar but sell for a lot less money. (granted they might not sound as good, but are close) I would have included a mute feature on the remote, you have to get up from your seating position to mute the unit, that sucks!

Similar Products Used:
Marantz PM 7000, Musical Fidelity A3.2

Enatali

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Internet

Summary:
I decided to write this review after switching back to a highly acclaimed SS preamp in place of the Rogue Audio 99. I experienced a great loss. The magic of the 99 disappeared. The sweetness of the vocals vanished. It was not a subtle change, but a dramatic loss of realism. I switched back to the 99 and the magic returned. Frank Sinatra returned to perform for us in person again. My spouse who is satisfied with mid-fi equipment also noticed the dramatic improvement. We are both sold on the merits of the 99. The 99 simple produces beautiful music. Highly recommended.

Strengths:
- Live performance sound - Understated design - Nicely machined aluminum remote control

Weaknesses:
- None

Price Paid:  $1800.00 from Dealer

Summary:
This is a response to kek. I have been using my Rogue 99 for over a year and it is terrific. You talked about tube sound and didn't clarify what that means to you. Also you did't list the rest of your system, which is very important and for help what type of music you like and wkat format, LP or CD. I think you bailed out too soon on the 99. I have done several listening teats with SS Pre-amps and trust me the 99 is not close to a SS sound. Hope you find what you are looking for.

Strengths:
Soundstage , realistic vocals, timber, excitement of the music.Hear the real performance.

Weaknesses:
None so far.

Similar Products Used:
Adcom.