Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated

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bacobits1

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #20 on: 31 Jul 2017, 06:39 pm »
The Cronus MAG II is very enjoyable.
I'm using all NOS Tele 12AU7 rib plate in the Pre section.
You can tailor it any way you want.
Made in USA!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent Cust service there.

timind

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #21 on: 31 Jul 2017, 08:33 pm »
My PL did nothing wrong, just no magic, and resaled much better than my older solid state gear would have.  Mine was Stereophile Class A rated that year, but several mentioned that the auto-biasing circuit sucked almost all the tube life out of it.  Overall I picked the PL because I thought it's features offered a good transition piece for a solid state guy.  Definitely not a tube purist piece.  I did roll 5 sets of output tubes, no wholesale differences, but I was able to check that experience off my audio bucket list.   :)


This sort of mirrors my experience with PrimaLuna. Although I was using a power amp only and not a PL integrated. I listened to it for a couple months with 3 different speakers and never heard any "tube magic." Sounded like a so-so solid state amp to me. The First Watt amp I was comparing it to had a much sweeter sound. My 2 cents.

bacobits1

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #22 on: 31 Jul 2017, 09:29 pm »
Lots of variables involved for sure.
I believe your not going to get that elusive tube magic unless you go low watt 300b or 2a3 etc.
Then there are trade offs

Hugh

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #23 on: 31 Jul 2017, 09:56 pm »
Thanks. Don't know why but feel like I should try just to get it out of my system. At the end of the day I suspect my speaker choices have more to do with my hunger for a new sound, having gone from Maggie's to traditional box speakers. Not sure I ever got over that transition.

Have been looking around for a used Cronus II and found several at Upscale Audio, along with Audiogon. One oddity is upscale audio, a dealer for both as near as I can tell, seems not to be shy when addressing the PL vs Rouge question:
https://www.upscaleaudio.com/collections/amplifiers-specials/products/rogue-audio-cronus-magnum-ii-used

Kevin Deal should not have said that.

And then again, knowing him, I am not surprised.

bacobits1

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #24 on: 31 Jul 2017, 10:01 pm »
Yea I agree. KD can be quite the character. Good and bad.
I don't shop there because of it.
Prima Luna is his baby.

Chris Adams

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #25 on: 31 Jul 2017, 10:06 pm »
Jay, Don't know if you've found anything yet so here is another option. I haven't heard it myself but have owned three different Quicksilver amps and they had that tube thing going on. Not overly so, but to my ears, just right. Best bet is to call Mike and talk to him about it. He is a straight shooter.
http://quicksilveraudio.com/products/integrated-amplifier/
With your efficient speakers in a near-field set up, this should have plenty of power.

Hugh

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #26 on: 31 Jul 2017, 10:55 pm »
Yea I agree. KD can be quite the character. Good and bad.
I don't shop there because of it.
Prima Luna is his baby.

He also had (or have) Mystere which is (was) OEM from Melody.
It's funny when somebody asked him whether or not that line was built by Melody, he immediately said no. :)

rpf

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #27 on: 1 Aug 2017, 07:52 pm »
Upscale Audio is not a Rogue dealer: they've just taken a lot of Cronuses in on trade toward the PL Dialogue Premium High Power integrated (and other things, perhaps) which costs almost twice as much.

I've bought a lot of excellent tubes from Kevin at good prices over the years and he's an invaluable resource in that area. In discussing an amp with him, he was much more of a salesman. Not to the extreme, however, that I would stop dealing with him.
« Last Edit: 2 Aug 2017, 01:41 am by rpf »

md92468

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #28 on: 1 Aug 2017, 09:20 pm »
I had a bit of a "turn off" experience with Upscale recently when I was buying preamp tubes. They won't process an online order for tubes without you listing the model of amp/preamp you're using the tubes for (understandable, since they can then make sure they're sending the right tube and avoid unnecessary returns). But then Kevin followed up with a phone call an hour later trying to up-sell me a Primaluna (since he now knew what kind of amp I had). He wasn't overly persistent – if he was I would have canceled my tube order –  but he didn't drop the discussion immediately, either, even after I expressed no interest in an upgrade. I've dealt with Kevin before and know he's basically an honest guy, but that was a turn off, and I probably won't buy from him again because of it.

jaylevine

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #29 on: 1 Sep 2017, 08:53 pm »
Jay, Don't know if you've found anything yet so here is another option. I haven't heard it myself but have owned three different Quicksilver amps and they had that tube thing going on. Not overly so, but to my ears, just right. Best bet is to call Mike and talk to him about it. He is a straight shooter.
http://quicksilveraudio.com/products/integrated-amplifier/
With your efficient speakers in a near-field set up, this should have plenty of power.




Yup--built myself a VTA STA120 Kit from Bob Latino !!!

AndrewA

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Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #30 on: 2 Sep 2017, 05:54 pm »
The Cronus MAG II is very enjoyable.
I'm using all NOS Tele 12AU7 rib plate in the Pre section.
You can tailor it any way you want.
Made in USA!!!!!!!!!!
Excellent Cust service there.

Just got a NOS Amperex Bugle Boy 12AU7 for mine.  Excellent advice and service from Andy Bowman/Vintage Tube Services.

bacobits1

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #31 on: 2 Sep 2017, 06:21 pm »
$$$$$$$$$$
Just picked up a NOS Mullard CV4003 again $$$$$

who?me?

Re: Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum II vs. Primaluna HP Integrated
« Reply #32 on: 4 Oct 2017, 02:40 am »
$$$$$$$$$$
Just picked up a NOS Mullard CV4003 again $$$$$

I just bought some NOS MULLARDS for the first time for the preamp of my HP Integrated.
12AU7s the M8136s... I bought 4 and replaced 4 of the 6 PL branded 12AU7s.

Wow, huge improvement in not only mid-range tone and texture, but especially soundstage.
Next, I'm about to replace the PL EL-34 tubes with some Gold Lion KT-88s in order to
increase dynamics, speed, and balance.

So what I'm saying is that the HP allows great rolling opportunities. The stock PL tubes (EL-34) and 12AU7s are fine
to get you going. I don't really like them, I thought they were rather stale in some ares with too much energy at certain frequencies.

But I think of the HP Int as a blueprint for which to fine tune the tubes to your speakers and ears.
Someone mentioned how the tubes lose power or refinement from the energy it takes to auto-bias.

The flip side to this is that if you toss the lame stock tubes, and invest in quality tubes,
then you have thrown down a chunk of change, the low demand from the HP tubes will allow a longer tube life.
The (proverbial) 10,000 hours instead of 2500 hrs.
But you get the point.