RM-10 Special offer

Roger A. Modjeski · « **on:** 24 Mar 2009, 03:13 pm »

I am offering brand new RM-10's at a $500+ discount for a limited time. That makes your total $1450, shipping included (that's the +).

This is my favorite amplifier and there is nothing else in the industry that equals it in power output for a pair of EL-84/6BQ5. It consumes less electricity (60 watts at idle and 65 at normal levels) than any other 70 watt amp. It costs less to re-tube than any other 70 watt amp. Being handwired it sounds better, is easier to substitute components (the latest super cap or resistor), gain and damping can be easily altered by a changing a few resistors, almost anyone can fix one and the failure rate is very, very low. The output tubes are fused giving them multiple chances to fart (ionization, spark, or blast a lint short). Amps without output fuses usually destroy one or both output tubes if there is an intermittent overload caused by a tube fart or user error. Bias is very easy to set and can go years without need for adjustment. I just check mine twice a year after the tubes are burned in.

The amp has been on the market for 10 years with excellent reviews and user satisfaction. I hear universally "Gee I didn't think that little amp could drive my speakers so well both in volume and woofer control". This is because the power is quite real and the damping is higher than most small amplifiers. This is not your typical EL-84 amplifier. The RM-10 has twice the RMS power, more than twice the peak power due to the higher voltages employed, runs cooler and the tubes last 3-5 times longer. This was achieved with a new application of the tube that was tested for 5 years in my system driving electrostats and dynamic speakers.

The driver tubes are good for more than 10,000 hours, about 10 years. Outputs last 5,000 hours at normal playing into matched loads below clipping, the way we should play our music. The amp also has an unique mono switching system that does not have the typical drawbacks of conventional mono configurations that involve adding resistors to the output terminals. I find it odd that Dynaco would put a mono switch on the ST-70 (the same could be accomplished with a Y connector) but provide no such switch for the output terminals. You have to get some power resistors and Y together the L & R outputs. Makes no sense at all.

Please feel free to ask any questions. I will look at this post daily M-F while it is active. If you see me skipping days, that's a hint that the offer is about to end.

doak · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 Mar 2009, 03:30 pm »

Holy Cow, what a deal!

I've had my RM10 Mk. II for about 3 years and must say that changing amps is something that never-ever crosses my mind, and for me THAT says a lot.

I LOVE this thing.

Doak

cujobob · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 Mar 2009, 09:37 pm »

Man that's tempting.... I was waiting for one of rogers new OTL amps though...hmmm..

JakeJ · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 Mar 2009, 10:22 pm »

Quote from: Roger A. Modjeski on 24 Mar 2009, 03:13 pm

Please feel free to ask any questions. I will look at this post daily M-F while it is active. If you see me skipping days, that's a hint that the offer is about to end.

That's the question I was going to ask, how long is this offer going to run? My timing always seems to be just slightly lagging the rest of the world.

Nonetheless it is a great deal and if you can take advantage of it you most definitely should.

Cheers,
JakeJ

Atwood · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Mar 2009, 09:21 am »

I'm in South Korea and would need a 220 version. Would that be eligible for special pricing? I don't expect free shipping, but I certainly wouldn't turn it down.

Thanks.
Brian

chadh · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Mar 2009, 09:12 pm »

I have two questions.

I don't know whether the first question is fair, but I'll ask it anyway. Apart from the additional 30w/channel it provides, what does the RM-10 offer me that my current 5w Music Reference EM7 doesn't? Obviously, the extra power gives it flexibility. But if I'm using sensitive, single driver speakers and don't need more than 5w/channel, does the RM-10 do something sonically that the EM-7 doesn't? Potentially this is simply an issue of the relative merits of SET and push-pull designs. But I'd love to hear Roger's take on the differences.

Second question: I've been thinking about finding myself a new pre-amp, and (naturally) am being sorely tempted by the C4 to match with my current EM7 amp. Would the C4 also constitute a good match with the RM-10?

Thanks.

Chad

Roger A. Modjeski · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Mar 2009, 02:02 am »

I can offer 220 or 240 VAC to those who wish at the same price, but the shipping is extra.

I have 10 units on hand. When those are gone I'll have another look at the offer.

The RM-10 and the EM-7 are very different amps. I built the EM-7 for those who want a triode SE amp and it's a very good one. In my system there is always an RM-10 driving my electrostats. It's the best amplifier we build and my favorite design. I've been using one since 1989. There is nothing else like it.

IanLane · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 Mar 2009, 01:57 am »

Hi everyone,

Just adding my two cents in praise of these designs.

I have a RM10 MKI driving old Quads, one of the speakers this amp was designed on. The Quads are both a difficult load and are very revealing. I have not heard a better amp for these speakers. Presumably the MKII is better.

Perhaps there are some exotic Class A designs offering finer low level resolution, but at what cost? The RM10 amps strike me as absolute bargains if you are a genuine music lover as well as an audiophile and you have reasonably efficient speakers.

To me the RM10 is not sexy to look at, but it is all about performance. It sounds balanced and naturally detailed, even with complex music. It is economical and reliable to run, and compact as a bonus. I think a lot of good engineering is behind it

Ian

RTMerkel · « **Reply #8 on:** 31 Mar 2009, 02:41 am »

Like IanLane, I have two RM-10 Mk I's ("Classics? " ;), each running in mono block mode driving a pair of refurbished QUAD 57's. A truly wonderful combination. I wish I had the need for another one or two.

Randy

Jeffr1966 · « **Reply #9 on:** 2 Apr 2009, 02:33 pm »

I am interested ... I wonder how many of these are left at this price???

I would be using it with a pair of Alon Exoticas. The baby version not the Grand. It uses Seas Excel magnesium drivers for the woofer and midrange and a Raven R1 tweeter. Sealed design with impedance between 7 and 12ohms (no lower than 7 across the board). Efficiency is 87db I think. Any ideas on the match of speakers to amp??? The rest of the system includes a Mac Mini as a music server to an Ultra Fi iRoc to a custom TVC passive using Magnequest STEP DOWN transformers.

The original RM10 I heard at Audio Connection in Verona NJ YEARS ago and thought it was great.

Any input would be appreciated!

Jeff

Bhmartin · « **Reply #10 on:** 3 Apr 2009, 01:36 am »

Quote from: Roger A. Modjeski on 27 Mar 2009, 02:02 am

I can offer 220 or 240 VAC to those who wish at the same price, but the shipping is extra.

I have 10 units on hand. When those are gone I'll have another look at the offer.

The RM-10 and the EM-7 are very different amps. I built the EM-7 for those who want a triode SE amp and it's a very good one. In my system there is always an RM-10 driving my electrostats. It's the best amplifier we build and my favorite design. I've been using one since 1989. There is nothing else like it.

Roger,

Can I assume that these are the MkII amps with the standard Walnut bases? Would you anticipate noticeable sonic differences across the front channels if I were to run a set of three RM-10 MkIIs for the main and surround channels of a 5.1 home theater system if using one of the three amps in mono driving the center channel? Am asking because only other alternative would seem to be leaving one pair/channel of output tube sockets unfilled or having one pair/channel not connected to a speaker.

Thanks.

Thanks

durate · « **Reply #11 on:** 7 Apr 2009, 05:48 pm »

I am the still happy owner of ESL-57's. I have been told by someone whose opinion I value that I could not choose a better amplifier than the RM-10 for these speakers.

The problem is that my house lies within the cone of a radio/tv broadcast tower. I never know how any piece of equipment will react to all the RF in the air. I was forced to return a tubed head amp because of noise and a moving coil cartridge because it picked up a local AM station.

Have any of your customers reported problems using your amp in areas of high RF signal.

If I purchase your amplifier, may I return the amplifier if it is unhappy looking out a picture window at the tower?

Thanks.

Roger A. Modjeski · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Apr 2009, 04:36 am »

I am quite certain that the RM-10 will not pick up RF. If it does I will take it back, less shipping.

We have 6 units left at the special price.

kittyboy · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Apr 2009, 06:08 am »

Thanks for this great offer Roger!

First question: I know this amp was voiced with ESL-57s. Do we know how well it does with 63s, or in my case 988s? Is it enough power?

Second question: how close is the OTL to being finished, and what price point (ballpark) are you expecting it to come in at?

--David

Chiang · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Apr 2009, 06:44 am »

Hi,

Can the RM-10 be modify to accept XLR input? My pre-amp has balanced out only.

Thanks,
Chiang

minimus · « **Reply #15 on:** 4 May 2009, 02:42 pm »

Hi Roger,

Is there any chance of a discount on the RM-200? Or was the RM-10 discount available only to clear out some extra inventory?

Roger A. Modjeski · « **Reply #16 on:** 8 May 2009, 12:54 pm »

We are currently building a run of RM-200. Several are spoken for, after those are shipped I may offer a discount on a few of the remaining 200's.

reddmadder · « **Reply #17 on:** 8 May 2009, 02:19 pm »

Roger,
Do you have any of the discounted RM-10's left ?

p.s. glad to hear you're safe & sound.

minimus · « **Reply #18 on:** 9 May 2009, 04:00 pm »

Quote from: Roger A. Modjeski on 8 May 2009, 12:54 pm

We are currently building a run of RM-200. Several are spoken for, after those are shipped I may offer a discount on a few of the remaining 200's.

Please keep us posted if you decide to offer a discount on a few RM-200s.

Roger A. Modjeski · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 May 2009, 06:22 am »

There are still a few RM-10's left at the special price. I am slow shipping, hope to have that licked soon. Getting good help seems even more difficult, maybe the unemployed want to stay that way.