AlexM
04-09-2011, 15:51
For sale: Rogue Audio Metis valve preamplifier
A most excellent 6SN7-based valve preamp with MM phono stage, manufactured in the US and supplied by the UK distributor, Audiofreaks.
This is a great product, offering excellent sound quality and build quality, with a comprehensive set of features.
As you can see below, this example is in excellent condition, and I have owned it from new (purchased August 2008). It incorporates the optional £100 remote volume control, and will be supplied complete with user manual and original packaging, and I'll throw in a set of Herbie's way Utrasonic Tube Dampers, as shown. I'm very happy to answer any questions about this item.
I am looking for £650 ONO.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6112205383_41bdc42cc6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112205383/) IMG_1148 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112205383/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/)
A couple of quotes from the Soundstage review of the Metis (http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/rogueaudio_metis.htm), which I think accurately represent the sound of this piece:
"The Metis immediately created two impressions. First, it’s a rhythm king, grabbing the musical beat with both hands and pushing it inexorably forward. It’s surprising how much more sense some music makes that way. On "Inspirations of Variation XXI" from the Kálmán Oláh Trio’s Contrasts and Parallels [M·A Recordings M065A], the Metis’s terrific forward momentum and drive made the piece seem like a real musical event, instead of isolated contributions from the percussion, piano, and bass.
The Metis also has serious bass. Combined with its rhythmic drive, the bass makes the Metis a terrific preamp for rock music. For that matter, it’s good for any type of music, although string quartets won’t benefit from its character as much as heavy metal. When I played Jennifer Warnes’ "Way Down Deep" from her CD The Hunter [Private Music 01005-82089-2], I thought someone had snuck in a subwoofer; bass had never gone so low with my speakers. But on "The Panther," from the CD layer of Warnes’ SACD The Well [Cisco SCD 2034], the highest frequencies were attenuated a barely perceptible amount. Thus, in comparison to the bass, the high frequencies sound very slightly subdued, a byproduct of those driving low frequencies. This character could be a terrific match with an inexpensive solid-state amplifier that sounds a bit bleached."
"The Metis threw a very spacious soundstage, spread seamlessly from speaker to speaker. It was easy to locate performers in the mix, both laterally and front to back"
"Dynamics were one of the Metis’s greatest strengths, responsible for its terrific drive and rhythmic momentum. Both large and small shifts in volume were spectacular. With "Folia: Rodrigo Martinez," the Metis effortlessly tracked the constant changes in loudness as the musicians phrased the music, a feat that stumps many preamps."
"Before beginning this review, I wondered if the Metis’s phono stage would turn out to be just an afterthought, added to increase the preamp’s feature set. It’s not. Used with a Clearaudio Aurum Beta S moving-magnet cartridge, it produced a dynamic, tuneful portrayal of music and sounded much better than I expected. But then I remembered that Rogue Audio makes a separate solid-state phono stage, the Stealth, and probably drew from their design experience with it in designing the Metis."
Key Features:
- Solid aluminium remote volume control
- 6SN7 line stage tubes ((Fitted with low hours Electro Harmonix 6SN7EH Gold valves)
- Rogue Audio upgraded HT supply capacitors (see image below)
- 12 dB gain line stage
- Slow start feature extends tube life
- Solid state phono w/ 35dB gain (before preamp)
- Headphone amplifier
- (3) line level inputs, (1) phono input
- (1) variable output, (1) fixed output
- 18” W X 12.5” D X 4.5” H
- 16 lbs (22 lbs shipping weight)
Remote control
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6112754256_5a2583274a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112754256/)
IMG_1152 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112754256/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr
Interior shot
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6112200701_e6991d3646_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112200701/)
IMG_1145 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112200701/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr
Upgraded power supply reservoir capacitors
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6112746998_b5130af610_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112746998/)
IMG_1147 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112746998/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr
Rear Panel layout
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6112202191_4e4bbc4f0c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112202191/)
IMG_1146 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112202191/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr
A most excellent 6SN7-based valve preamp with MM phono stage, manufactured in the US and supplied by the UK distributor, Audiofreaks.
This is a great product, offering excellent sound quality and build quality, with a comprehensive set of features.
As you can see below, this example is in excellent condition, and I have owned it from new (purchased August 2008). It incorporates the optional £100 remote volume control, and will be supplied complete with user manual and original packaging, and I'll throw in a set of Herbie's way Utrasonic Tube Dampers, as shown. I'm very happy to answer any questions about this item.
I am looking for £650 ONO.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6112205383_41bdc42cc6_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112205383/) IMG_1148 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112205383/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/)
A couple of quotes from the Soundstage review of the Metis (http://www.soundstage.com/revequip/rogueaudio_metis.htm), which I think accurately represent the sound of this piece:
"The Metis immediately created two impressions. First, it’s a rhythm king, grabbing the musical beat with both hands and pushing it inexorably forward. It’s surprising how much more sense some music makes that way. On "Inspirations of Variation XXI" from the Kálmán Oláh Trio’s Contrasts and Parallels [M·A Recordings M065A], the Metis’s terrific forward momentum and drive made the piece seem like a real musical event, instead of isolated contributions from the percussion, piano, and bass.
The Metis also has serious bass. Combined with its rhythmic drive, the bass makes the Metis a terrific preamp for rock music. For that matter, it’s good for any type of music, although string quartets won’t benefit from its character as much as heavy metal. When I played Jennifer Warnes’ "Way Down Deep" from her CD The Hunter [Private Music 01005-82089-2], I thought someone had snuck in a subwoofer; bass had never gone so low with my speakers. But on "The Panther," from the CD layer of Warnes’ SACD The Well [Cisco SCD 2034], the highest frequencies were attenuated a barely perceptible amount. Thus, in comparison to the bass, the high frequencies sound very slightly subdued, a byproduct of those driving low frequencies. This character could be a terrific match with an inexpensive solid-state amplifier that sounds a bit bleached."
"The Metis threw a very spacious soundstage, spread seamlessly from speaker to speaker. It was easy to locate performers in the mix, both laterally and front to back"
"Dynamics were one of the Metis’s greatest strengths, responsible for its terrific drive and rhythmic momentum. Both large and small shifts in volume were spectacular. With "Folia: Rodrigo Martinez," the Metis effortlessly tracked the constant changes in loudness as the musicians phrased the music, a feat that stumps many preamps."
"Before beginning this review, I wondered if the Metis’s phono stage would turn out to be just an afterthought, added to increase the preamp’s feature set. It’s not. Used with a Clearaudio Aurum Beta S moving-magnet cartridge, it produced a dynamic, tuneful portrayal of music and sounded much better than I expected. But then I remembered that Rogue Audio makes a separate solid-state phono stage, the Stealth, and probably drew from their design experience with it in designing the Metis."
Key Features:
- Solid aluminium remote volume control
- 6SN7 line stage tubes ((Fitted with low hours Electro Harmonix 6SN7EH Gold valves)
- Rogue Audio upgraded HT supply capacitors (see image below)
- 12 dB gain line stage
- Slow start feature extends tube life
- Solid state phono w/ 35dB gain (before preamp)
- Headphone amplifier
- (3) line level inputs, (1) phono input
- (1) variable output, (1) fixed output
- 18” W X 12.5” D X 4.5” H
- 16 lbs (22 lbs shipping weight)
Remote control
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6112754256_5a2583274a_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112754256/)
IMG_1152 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112754256/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr
Interior shot
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6112200701_e6991d3646_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112200701/)
IMG_1145 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112200701/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr
Upgraded power supply reservoir capacitors
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6112746998_b5130af610_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112746998/)
IMG_1147 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112746998/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr
Rear Panel layout
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6112202191_4e4bbc4f0c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112202191/)
IMG_1146 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/14548229@N07/6112202191/) by alexmastersuk (http://www.flickr.com/people/14548229@N07/), on Flickr