Rogue Audio Sphinx v2

摘要

'Naughty but nice' is how I would describe this little £1495 integrated amplifier. The company name sets the tone, showing a certain self-awareness on the part of the manufacturer, while the model name - the head of a human and the body of a lion - is rather apt too, in hi-fi terms. It's more than just a slick bit of marketing though, because it's actually an unusual hybrid of two technologies, both of which typically inspire a reaction: tubes and Class D audio power modules. Rogue Audio has something of a reputation for interesting tube amplifiers, and is certainly not a newcomer to this particular party [see HFN Sep '14], having another, larger hybrid in its current range (the Pharaoh) and various all-valve integrateds and power amps. It's clear that serious thought has gone into what should make this strange brew sound good, but on the other hand it does seem that rather less time has gone into the styling, ergonomics and user-experience.