Your thoughts on the Rogue Audio Sphinx V2?

[typericey]

Soliciting opinions on this integrated that I am considering to replace my Rega Elex-R. The Sphinx V2 got into my shortlist because of the rave reviews and that it fits my budget. Why am I upgrading? Well, I'm looking for a bit more power and at the same time something different (from class AB to Hypex+tubes hybrid) to play with. If I get a new integrated, the Elex-R will be reassigned to my secondary system in another room.

I've yet to visit the local dealer to audition the Sphinx and thought of getting some feedback here in the meantime.

So below is the image of the amp guts (how the car audio realm calls it). I am not an electrical engineer but to my eyes it has a college project vibe. Some questions in my head:
- No heatsinks on the Hypex modules? I know they are class D but still...
- The boards seem to have no logical layout: where's the headphone amp? where's the phono stage? is the tube line stage "mixed" with the drive stage? Is the input selector "drive shaft" a good idea (i.e. vs. relays)?

Thoughts?

Rega Elex-R below for comparison.

 

[Sugarbubble]

Loved your summation of hi end audio. Keep up the goI’d work.

 

[Sugarbubble]

Sigh. iPad is not an ideal typing platform.

 

[Purité Audio]

Amir has just measured a ‘Rogue Audio’ amplifier.
Keith

 

[Gorgonzola]

An audiophile acquaintance of mine on another forum who has listened to scores of different amplifiers of different types, declared he did not like the sound of the Sphinx. He has owned various tube amps and his current favorite is the Rogue Cronus Magnum III, so he isn't against tube equipment per se. That gent is also currently using a PS Audio M700 that uses late-model ICEpower modules and he likes it downstream of a Schiit Freya +.

Personally I believe the is a correlation between how amps measure and how they sound, that's why I appreciate ASR. When you look at Amir's measurements for the Sphinx, I can well imagine why my audiophile buddy didn't like it.

 

[typericey]

A thread I created more than 2 years ago where no one replied suddenly came to life!

Edit: no wonder, Amir has just reviewed the V3.

This is one of my earlier posts on this forum where I wasn't fully enlightened by audio science yet. Yes I drank the Kool Aid and bought the snake oil before 2019.

For what it's worth I was eventually able to audition the Sphinx V2. Dealer was even kind enough to let me bring home a demo unit to try in my system. It hated it. The hiss was so loud I can hear it from my listening seat. (It's possible that the tubes had gone bad on the demo unit). The gain was also so high I couldn't make minute adjustments to the volume.

 

[RoA]

An audiophile acquaintance of mine on another forum who has listened to scores of different amplifiers of different types, declared he did not like the sound of the Sphinx. He has owned various tube amps and his current favorite is the Rogue Cronus Magnum III, so he isn't against tube equipment per se. That gent is also currently using a PS Audio M700 that uses late-model ICEpower modules and he likes it downstream of a Schiit Freya +.

Personally I believe the is a correlation between how amps measure and how they sound, that's why I appreciate ASR. When you look at Amir's measurements for the Sphinx, I can well imagine why my audiophile buddy didn't like it.

There is very strong correlation (if you understand how to interpret measurements) but I would NOT advise to make this a determining factor on its own!

Lord forbid you actually enjoy* some measured 'imperfections' in combination with your other equipment and surroundings.

* Enjoy ... the thing you do when you like something you hear (as opposed to reading graphs) ...

 

[Gorgonzola]

There is a strong correlation (if you understand how to read meadurements) but I would NOT advise to make this a determining factor on its own!

Lord forbid you actually enjoy* some measured 'imperfections'.

* Enjoy ... the thing you do when you like something you hear (as opposed to reading graphs) ...

Indeed: a vociferous clique here at ASR maintains that sonic difference are audible only in the case of severely "broken" equipment versus basically adequate equipment, and that the only valid criterion for choice of equipment is the lowest possible distortion and, of course, applicability to purpose.

OTOH my previously mentioned audiophile acquaintance never looks at measurements. As for me, well, I haven't had quite his exposure to dozens of different amps, preamp, DACs, phono preamp, etc., etc., so I am willing to look to measurements for guidance when they are available.

My hypothesis, (shared by many), is that relatively high 2nd and/or 3rd order harmonics is likely to present a pleasing but usually not necessarily more accurate reproduction of the recording; I can read measurements in that light -- by this criteria, note, the Sphinx obviously crap, not having relatively high 2nd/3rd order HD while having high overall distortion and noise -- no wonder my audiophile buddy didn't like it.

 

[tomtoo]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-audio-sphinx-v3-review-tube-amplifier.24591/

 

[SIY]

Indeed: a vociferous clique here at ASR maintains that sonic difference are audible only in the case of severely "broken" equipment versus basically adequate equipment, and that the only valid criterion for choice of equipment is the lowest possible distortion and, of course, applicability to purpose.

OTOH my previously mentioned audiophile acquaintance never looks at measurements. As for me, well, I haven't had quite his exposure to dozens of different amps, preamp, DACs, phono preamp, etc., etc., so I am willing to look to measurements for guidance when they are available.

My hypothesis, (shared by many), is that relatively high 2nd and/or 3rd order harmonics is likely to present a pleasing but usually not necessarily more accurate reproduction of the recording; I can read measurements in that light -- by this criteria, note, the Sphinx obviously crap, not having relatively high 2nd/3rd order HD while having high overall distortion and noise -- no wonder my audiophile buddy didn't like it.

Putting aside your dishonest strawman about distortion, difference is which opinion is consistent with evidence.

 

[Gorgonzola]

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-audio-sphinx-v3-review-tube-amplifier.24591/

John Atkinson at Stereophile measured the Sphinx, not the 'V3' versions, some time ago. JA's closing comment was that the Sphinx had "excellent measured performance". He had special praise for the RIAA circuit.

Given his distortion results, (50 Hz at 60 watts to 4 ohms), JA was indulging in a bit of the temporizing for which he is famous.