Rogue Audio's new $1295 Hypex integrated

bunky · « **Reply #140 on:** 30 Jun 2013, 11:51 pm »

Quote from: 007KLH on 30 Jun 2013, 09:49 pm

Calling Bunky, Too busy listening to reply to the blog?

The Sphinx sounds very good in the bass, midrange and the topend.my speakers are high resolution four ways and they reveal nothing that sounds objectionable.

KLH007 · « **Reply #141 on:** 30 Jun 2013, 11:53 pm »

Bunky, Thanks for the positive update.

KLH007 · « **Reply #142 on:** 1 Jul 2013, 01:40 am »

Bunky, I just checked your gallery, are the VMPS being driven by the Sphinx? If so that is truly impressive. I'm betting my Legacy Focus 20/20s would also be a good match with the Sphinx.

Quote from: bunky on 30 Jun 2013, 11:51 pm

The Sphinx sounds very good in the bass, midrange and the topend.my speakers are high resolution four ways and they reveal nothing that sounds objectionable.

bunky · « **Reply #143 on:** 1 Jul 2013, 08:40 am »

Quote from: 007KLH on 1 Jul 2013, 01:40 am

Bunky, I just checked your gallery, are the VMPS being driven by the Sphinx? If so that is truly impressive. I'm betting my Legacy Focus 20/20s would also be a good match with the Sphinx.

I am using Silverline Audio Sonata III's.

KLH007 · « **Reply #144 on:** 1 Jul 2013, 04:22 pm »

Bunky, What a nice setup you have, the Silverline's look great. What is the wood block under them, and where do you have them spiked? I'm surprised the Sphinx can hold your attention compared to what's available in your amp stable, it's flaws must be subtractive not additive? I hope to hear the Sphinx at the Capital Audio Fest later this month, Mark is sending one for John Gatski to use in his Everything Audio Review suite.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #145 on:** 1 Jul 2013, 06:12 pm »

A new Sphinx review:

http://www.goodsound.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/472-rogue-audio-sphinx-integrated-amplifier

KLH007 · « **Reply #146 on:** 3 Jul 2013, 03:27 pm »

Bunky, The Goodsound review was very positive with the only exception being the remote control volume? In your setup did you have any trouble using the remote to achieve the precise level you wanted? He mentioned a slight edge/brightness, but he still preferred the Sphinx over other units for the sheer enjoyment of listening to music.

Quote from: bunky on 30 Jun 2013, 11:51 pm

The Sphinx sounds very good in the bass, midrange and the topend.my speakers are high resolution four ways and they reveal nothing that sounds objectionable.

KLH007 · « **Reply #147 on:** 3 Jul 2013, 03:50 pm »

Bunky, What did the Psvane tubes bring out beyond the stockers? What mods did you make to your EE Minimax DAC, Opamps, more? The MiniMax and newest Bifrost are on my shortlist.

Quote from: bunky on 8 May 2013, 05:51 pm

OK, i am working ten hour days on night shift during a power plant shut down. my daughter signed off to UPS for the Rogue Audio Sphinx integrated amp yesterday and I came home at 3:00am this morning and hooked it up to the Silverline Audio Sonata III's via Black Cat Morpheus speaker wires and jumpers and I hooked my modded MiniMax DAC to the Sphinx via Black Cat Morpheus IC's and connected my DAC to my Canary Audio CD200 with a Black Cat Silverstar 75 digital cable and let it play at low volume for eight hours while I got some sleep. once awake with a cup of fresh ground coffee in hand i played the Steve Stevens live acoustic guitar track Dementia and Zappa's title guitar track Zoot Allures and my initial impression is that it is a very nice sounding integrated amplifier. i will roll some NOS tubes in the front end next week and give some insight on it as I go.

bunky · « **Reply #148 on:** 4 Jul 2013, 12:56 am »

Quote from: 007KLH on 3 Jul 2013, 03:27 pm

Bunky, The Goodsound review was very positive with the only exception being the remote control volume? In your setup did you have any trouble using the remote to achieve the precise level you wanted? He mentioned a slight edge/brightness, but he still preferred the Sphinx over other units for the sheer enjoyment of listening to music.

My Sphinx came stock with Czech made JJ 802S long plates in the front end and the stock tubes sounded good. the reviewers unit came with Russian made 12AU7's so I don't know if the tubes or his speakers contributed to the slight edge brightness thing.

depending on the materiel being played I will get up and make a manual adjustment to the volume level to get it exactly where I want it.

bunky · « **Reply #149 on:** 4 Jul 2013, 01:07 am »

Quote from: 007KLH on 3 Jul 2013, 03:50 pm

Bunky, What did the Psvane tubes bring out beyond the stockers? What mods did you make to your EE Minimax DAC, Opamps, more? The MiniMax and newest Bifrost are on my shortlist.

The Psvane 12AU7-T is a all around better performer in the Sphinx frontend over the stock tube and keep in mind that the stockers sound good.my Minimax has better Op amps and a Create Audio fuse and I use a "Holy Grail" Amperex Holland 7316 PQ longplate in it.

KLH007 · « **Reply #150 on:** 4 Jul 2013, 02:04 pm »

Bunky, Thanks for your valuable feedback and info about your system. I'll have to call Rogue to see if there is any solution to the not so remote volume control. Both the formal reviewer at Goodsound and yourself have trouble achieving the desired volume using the remote, prompting a manual adjustment, rendering the remote moot. Congratulations on finding and owning the "Holy Grail". LOL

Ericus Rex · « **Reply #151 on:** 4 Jul 2013, 02:39 pm »

Quote from: 007KLH on 3 Jul 2013, 03:27 pm

Bunky, The Goodsound review was very positive with the only exception being the remote control volume? In your setup did you have any trouble using the remote to achieve the precise level you wanted?

Maybe I misread the review but I thought the remote issue he mentioned was just that the remote was not standard at asking price. I admit that I tend to skim over reviews since so much is fluff and hyperbole.

I've overcome the sensitive remote volume (Alps fault, not Rogue's) by using two different button depresses; one long and one short. So if I want just a slight increase in volume I depress 'down' quickly then use a longer 'up' depression. Annoying? Yes, but workable.

KLH007 · « **Reply #152 on:** 4 Jul 2013, 04:51 pm »

ER, Thanks for the workaround, makes the Sphinx my first choice, edging out the mINT & NOVA 125. The remote is a $100 option, not standard issue.

Quote from: Ericus Rex on 4 Jul 2013, 02:39 pm

Maybe I misread the review but I thought the remote issue he mentioned was just that the remote was not standard at asking price. I admit that I tend to skim over reviews since so much is fluff and hyperbole.

I've overcome the sensitive remote volume (Alps fault, not Rogue's) by using two different button depresses; one long and one short. So if I want just a slight increase in volume I depress 'down' quickly then use a longer 'up' depression. Annoying? Yes, but workable.

ltr317 · « **Reply #153 on:** 4 Jul 2013, 05:46 pm »

Quote from: 007KLH on 4 Jul 2013, 02:04 pm

Bunky, Thanks for your valuable feedback and info about your system. I'll have to call Rogue to see if there is any solution to the not so remote volume control. Both the formal reviewer at Goodsound and yourself have trouble achieving the desired volume using the remote, prompting a manual adjustment, rendering the remote moot. Congratulations on finding and owning the "Holy Grail". LOL

I had the same concerns about the remote volume control in my review of Rogue's 99 Super Magnum preamp but that wasn't a big enough problem since I bought the review unit. The sonics won out over the relative minor criticisms I had in my review.

Paul Mah

jmolsberg · « **Reply #154 on:** 9 Jul 2013, 02:19 am »

I have owned the rogue sphinx for just over a month it is a great amp and a huge value. the remote doesn't bother me however, i rarely use it. I would put it high on the consideration set.

-jm

KLH007 · « **Reply #155 on:** 9 Jul 2013, 04:13 pm »

What did the Sphinx replace, and in what ways is it better? Have you tried it with difficult loads, or are your speakers an easy load? I've got Legacy Focus 20/20 which dip to 2 ohms in the low bass, I'm wondering how the Sphinx would fare into that impedance? What does "high on the consideration set" mean?

Quote from: jmolsberg on 9 Jul 2013, 02:19 am

I have owned the rogue sphinx for just over a month it is a great amp and a huge value. the remote doesn't bother me however, i rarely use it. I would put it high on the consideration set.

-jm

jmolsberg · « **Reply #156 on:** 10 Jul 2013, 01:21 pm »

Quote from: 007KLH on 9 Jul 2013, 04:13 pm

What did the Sphinx replace, and in what ways is it better? Have you tried it with difficult loads, or are your speakers an easy load? I've got Legacy Focus 20/20 which dip to 2 ohms in the low bass, I'm wondering how the Sphinx would fare into that impedance? What does "high on the consideration set" mean?

this is my first attempt at building a two channel setup, i replaced a B&W Zeppelin. previous to purchasing the Sphinx i spent about 3 months driving around the dallas-fort worth metroplex auditioning many different amps (tubes/ss) and systems for that matter. i was about set on a naim nait 5si when i sent rogue an email asking for a retailer. i auditioned the sphinx on two different occasions and it delivered IMO better than many of the higher priced pieces. i am currently borrowing a friends pair of nola boxer speakers, a fairly easy load, my buddy claims the boxers sound better with the sphinx than his rig. i would put the rogue high on the consideration set as it performs well above it's price point.

KLH007 · « **Reply #157 on:** 10 Jul 2013, 02:36 pm »

The NOLA Boxers and Sphinx should make a killer setup, enjoy. Besides the Nait 5si, what other integrateds did you compare it to? In what parameters did the Sphinx sound better than the contenders? I just found out a Sphinx will be playing at the Capital Audiofest driving Legacy Studio HDs, I'll spend some time in the Everythingaudioreview room to get a feel for it's sonic signature. Have you even considered rolling 12AU7s in the Sphinx yet?

jmolsberg · « **Reply #158 on:** 10 Jul 2013, 07:34 pm »

Quote from: 007KLH on 10 Jul 2013, 02:36 pm

The NOLA Boxers and Sphinx should make a killer setup, enjoy. Besides the Nait 5si, what other integrateds did you compare it to? In what parameters did the Sphinx sound better than the contenders? I just found out a Sphinx will be playing at the Capital Audiofest driving Legacy Studio HDs, I'll spend some time in the Everythingaudioreview room to get a feel for it's sonic signature. Have you even considered rolling 12AU7s in the Sphinx yet?

too many but here are some off the top: linn, nad, nait, rega, jolida, and mcintosh. i wanted an amp that could provide a realistic/live music experience and sonically the sphinx delivered.... retailer knocked off some dollars and rogue threw in a remote as it took two weeks past the promise date to deliver, guess they are having troubles keeping up with demand. i have considered tube rolling but honestly i am quite happy with the jj's in it now, so perhaps in the future. i am researching speakers as the nola loan is not indefinite. considering tekton or omega loudspeakers, any opinions on those? i tried the rega rs5 and wasn't thrilled with the bottom end but it was a different amp.

KLH007 · « **Reply #159 on:** 10 Jul 2013, 09:15 pm »

Tekton Pens are a great value and sound perfect for your "live" sound. They are huge, and the wait is a couple of months. Golden Ear and the new Sonus Faber Venere lines should also be considered. If you need stand mounts, Legacy Studio HDs, Kef LS50s, and Totem are safe choices. Have you had trouble getting the right level with the remote?