Rogue Pharaoh Mk2 Integrated Amp $4000 (250×2)

Rogue is finally shipping the Mk2 version of its high powered integrated amp, featuring a tube preamp section.

P2 has quieter background than its predecessor. It is now compatible with virtually all speakers, whether high SPL or not.

P2 uses a pair of 12AU7 tubes in its line stage.

P2 has MM and MC phono!

P2 has one set XLR inputs and 3 sets RCA inputs.

P2 has variable line outs- to drive a sub or additional amp.

P2 has fixed pre outs and a HT bypass loop.

P2 has a nicely weighted traditional style volume and balance control.

P2 has a high end headphone amp on board.

Available in black or silver.

If you’d like some tube flavor with high power, look no further than the new Pharaoh 2. It has enough horse power to drive most any speaker out there- with tube like hue.

Klipsch’s New RP Series Subwoofers

Klipsch has just introduced four big time, drop the hammer subwoofers at reasonable prices. Warn the women and children now. The new RP subs will arrive any day.

If you don’t have $2500 for a JL E112 made in Florida, take a good look at these new foundation movers from K.

Klipsch isn’t fooling around here. The cabinets, drivers and amps are BIG and BOLD with no apologies! The drivers are front firing. K is using front firing, slot loaded vents. They’ll avoid tube port color with this venting system. Note the weights of these bad boys!

They come in your favorite color, BLACK. There are no color options. They want to keep pricing as low as possible.

We always want you to run wires from your preamp to your sub. Yet K will offer its WA2 wireless adapter kit ($150) if you MUST.

Klipsch RP1000SW $700

(16.64h, 15w, 24.96d, 57 lbs)

RP1000SW will have a 10” Cerametallic woofer driven by a 300w amp.

Klipsch RP1200SW $1000

(18.89h, 17w, 25.92d, 69 lbs)

RP1200SW will have a 12” Cerametallic woofer driven by a 400w amp.

Klipsch RP1400SW $1400

(21.34h, 20w, 25.67d, 84 lbs)

RP1400SW will have a 14” Cerametallic woofer driven by a 500w amp.

Klipsch RP1600SW $1800

(23.39h, 23.5w, 27.35d, 111 lbs)

RP1600SW will have a 16” Cerametallic woofer driven by an 800w amp.

Miles Owns It

There have been eight platinum jazz selling albums. Platinum means sales of one million units. Gold means 500k. Here are the eight Platinums.

8- Miles Davis “Bitches Brew”

7- Louis Armstrong “What A Wonderful World”

6- Ken Burns “The Story of America’s Music”

5- Dave Brubeck “Time Out”

4- Herbie Hancock “Future Shock”

3- Weather Report “Heavy Weather”

2- Herbie Hancock “Headhunters”

1- Miles Davis “Kinda Blue” Platinum times FOUR!

Amphion has introduced a like minded, less expensive brother to its highly touted Argon 1 ($1900pr). We now have Amphion definition and musicality for not a lot over a grand.

Helium 510: $1400 Per Pair (Black or White) $1500 Per Pair Walnut

(12.44h, 6.3w, 10.43d, 13 lbs, 86 dB, 8 ohms)

Helium 510 is the same size as Argon 1. It runs less money because it uses a pulp fiber bass mid driver while Argon 1 uses a linear-piston aluminum driver. While Helium 510 can’t achieve the stunning clarity that Argon 1 does, it IS competitive and charts new territory for $1400 pr.

If you haven’t heard Amphion’s open spacious sound, you’re in for quite the experience. Literally everything else in this price range is a cloudy sounding box from China.

The mass market knows that fat bass and a bright top end grab your attention. Those characteristics do indeed sell. But of course the muddy bass and grainy high end will wear you out in short order.

Enter Helium 510. Helium 510 has been made for accuracy, just like its bigger brothers. Helium 510 uses the same Titanium tweeter within Wave Guide as Argon 1. It shares the same open, airy character of sound without being bright or harsh. What a treat- to hear acoustic music without zip and zing.

Amphion is always for portraying great space and a broad/deep soundstage. They always pursue these characteristics before adding more bass. Like Argon 1, Helium 510 has no sins of commission. Its bass is leaner than chunkier. It reveals bass definition and textures. It doesn’t have an upper mid-bass hump in frequency response to try to fool you into thinking there is deep bass.

You can always add a sub if you want more bass. But if your R&L speakers sound foggy, they’re not much fun on vocals especially.

NAD C-389 Integrated Amp $1500 (130×2)

C389 is an imminent, versatile integrated. First, let’s talk about NAD power.

C389’s power rating is 130×2, 20-20k, at 8 ohms, with THD of .03%. In other words, at FULL POWER, distortion is only .03%.

NAD’s competitors claim their wattage ratings at 1% THD, commonly known as CLIPPING. Further, many competitors claim their power at 1k, not 20-20. They often claim 6 ohms instead of 8.

The sneaky characters are cheating. Their power ratings are claimed when the amp is running ragged- not under control. NAD is still cool and unflappable at its full power rating.

Now, you might ask NAD (as I have), why don’t YOU claim your specs just like your competitors do? Instead of 130×2, C389 would CLIP at 200×2. Wouldn’t you be more likely to sell more units if you claimed 200×2 instead of 130×2? Of course you would.

But NAD says, nay nay.

NAD is playing the long game, trying to educate the market that the other guys do cheat. NAD is being honest and wants to expose the tricksters- by pulling the curtain away from devious sales tactics.

C389 uses NAD’s lauded UcD amplifier design. There are no traditional mismatched output transistors in use! C389 has a 32b DAC on board (2 OPT and 2 Coax). It has MM phono and two additional high level inputs. It has pre outs and sub outs. It has HDMI Arc. It has Bluetooth.

For the record, NAD’s C399 runs $2k and DOES have a superior amplifier design. If you can afford $2k, buy C399. But of course, C389 runs a good chunk less dinero.

Beethoven For Three

Beethoven wrote his symphonies for a full orchestra. How do they sound with 3 pieces-piano, violin and cello? Count me WON OVER! This stunning recording of #6 by Sony features Emanuel Ax, Yo Yo Ma and Leonidas Kavakos. Give it a test drive on Tidal.