Integrated Shootout: Rogue Tempest/Cary Sli80 sig

Gthirteen, I also have the Rogue Magnum Tempest. I changed the 12AX7's to Mullard CV4004 from www.kcanostubes. I also put NOS Phillips in the 12AU7 slots like you. I am selling the QUAD of NOS Phillips here on the gon (need cash).
I heard a huge difference after adding both... This unit came with the Magnum upgrade so I don't know the difference between the normal and Magnum versions.

Chelillingsworth: Have you heard both at home?
That's where the real decisions get made...
I think it's hard to tell until you live with a piece on your own time for a while, usually the loaner period that the nicer dealers allow is only enough to get a rough idea.

Currently the system at chez '13 is as follows:
Rega Planet>Audioquest Python>Tempest OR SLI80 Siggy>Audioquest SA-40(silver,15 gauge) double biwire>B&W Nautilus 805.

Say what you might, but I'm keeping the Rega ;, even though it retails for half of what my cables retail for!!!

Again, right now, The Rogue sounds more like real music being played in a real space. I know, if you only own one, it may be tough to be unbiased, as some previous threads will clearly show. I think that both of these integrated amps are stupendous, and at the used price point of $1400-$1700, I doubt you could do any better.

The thing is, some people might prefer the stock Cary to the stock Rogue. Some people might not care as much about soundstage depth as I do. And, come on, the Rogue is far from ugly, but the Cary is absolutely sexual.(I have actual opinions from actual college coeds, law school ain't all bad) THis might matter more to some people, than it does to me.

I fear that what is going to happen is that once I get the Sovtek 6922 crap out of there, the Cary will transform, and smoke the Tempest. At which point, the logical next step is to go Magnum on the Tempest, but if the Magnum is NOT better than the Cary, I will obviously keep the Cary, and most likely NOT be able to get $650 MORE (the cost of admission into Magnum status) than what I could get for the stocker Tempest when/if I sell the Rogue Magnum Tempest. Whereas, if I like the Magnum better, I can get probably 95% of my money out of the Cary, and lose a bit more on the tubes...
So, either way, the experiment is going to get expensive...

But, I seriously doubt that anyone has compared the Magnum to a tweaked Sli-80 signature in a familiar system, with no time constraints, at their leisure, so I'm willing to take a hit to the wallet for "science"

AS I have previously stated, in my system, for the above mentioned reasons, if a person is going to buy one of these and NOT roll tubes, the Rogue is a better value and sounds better TO ME IN MY SYSTEM.

However, I can't imagine someone reading this post that wouldn't want some nice NOS tubes smiling back at them...

And, to recap, I'm not necessarily looking for the best value, but the best remote controlled tubed integrated amp at the used price mentioned above, plus a bit for tubes.

So, we shall see what happens next... Anyone want to donate some 6sn7 or 6922 tubes for the sake of science? (big "ups" to Dekay)

I have owned a stock and Magnum Rogue. I haven't bothered to bring that or any other Cary home as their sound from what I have heard at a variety of dealers and systems does not interest me at all. The reason you find the Rogue to sound like real music in a real space is because it is very neutral and detailed, something that you cannot say about many Cary products.

That said I would not spend the extra money on the Magnum upgrade if you are only going to feed it with the rather mediocre Planet CD player ( the most over rate dcd player of all time). You might find your money more well spent upgrading the source which in my opinion is a much larger issue than tube swapping etc...

You will be amazed at how well even the stock Tempest will pass along the added musicality and resolution of a real digital front end.

If you end up with the Cary Then I wouldn't imagine the Cd player would matter much. Ouch ! am I going to make some enemies with Cary fans but man you can keep that stuff ;^)

Chelillingsworth, you don't like Rega and you don't like Cary- that's fine by me, and you might be right(I'm assuming that you'v tried them in your system, and that they were the only variable being changed) but in my house, you might find yourself eating some crow along with those statements...Until you have tried a piece of gear in your home, you just don't know.

The "I own this, it is the best" attitude is not one that I respect or perpetuate. I stand by my above statements regarding what sounds better to me and why.

As previously mentioned, I'm doing this as an educational experience, and I invited anyone with any useful info to contribute. If you think what you have to say is useful, then by all means, contribute...

BASHING MY REGA PLANET!!?? WAR!! :<()