To Devil boy. Checked out Clones Audio, and the price is reasonable for separates of AP2 pre-amp and 55PM mono power blocks. However, regardless of their great sound which seems to have impressed everyone at 6 Moons publication, the AP2 pre-amp has no phono or headphone amp. I could always buy an almost equivalent phono stage to much touted PA1 and PS, like the Vincent two piece set usually on sale. However, the Rogue has a good to very good tube head phone amp. I only use phones at night to listen to classical, but if I search for the phono stage and head phone amp to accommodate AP-2, I would easily spend $600-800 for used items. Worst case scenario, the pre-amp at $1120 plus 700.00 more for the other accessories, and the ticket is nearly $2000, and still no amp.
It seems much more reasonable if I was to buy separates instead of 25i integrated which also offers no phono or head phone amp, I would be better served finding an excellent pre-amp with at least a good headphone. or a pre-amp with both good phono and headphone stages. Unfortunately, the amps may not match well with the output impedance of other pre-amps.
In some of the reviews, the name "Furjoe" is often referred to, who I assume is the design engineer who have designed the 55PM mono amps to work optimally. with ONLY his mono blocks. Despite the reasonable pricing, this company's products are becoming less and less interesting to me because of their lack of utility functions.
Therefore, DB, considering what you may feel is the ripoff of the big ticket items recommended by so-called major "ragazines" , I am not convinced these products serve my sonic and/ or simple functional needs. however, I don't need or want an inboard DAC, HT loop, multiple inputs for several subs that many of the big ticket components feel is needed by consumers.... BS, they are just ratching up the retail price. and misdirecting manufacturing costs that could be used for better parts, mil spec transformers, etc.
I can appreciate Clones Audio desire to strive for the best sound without the bells and whistle, but a few are necessary. BTW, there is also no guarantee the mono amp will sound good, or have enough power with either the Maggie .7 or the 1.7i I think I will pass at this moment, unless I hear them at some audio store in SoCal, and am convinced of their superior sound quality to Rogue, PASS. ARC. etc..
