Rogue Audio

Rogue Audio has released the $1995 Ares, an ultra-high-performance, low-noise tube phono preamplifier for low, medium, and high output moving coil and moving magnet cartridges. The Ares is an all tube design that offers cutting edge performance for virtually any cartridge and turntable setup. With a tube complement of two 12AX7 and two 12AU7 tubes, the Ares offers all of the flexibility you need from a high-end phono section. Features include Cinemag step-up transformers, a delayed start sequence to minimize turn-on thumps, three different gain settings to accommodate low, medium and high output cartridges, passive RIAA that is accurate to within 0.25dB and five different cartridge load settings all accessible without removing the cover. A massive, fully-regulated outboard power supply helps to ensure ultra quiet operation.

Of course, the Ares is built to the high standards we've come to expect from Rogue Audio products. This construction quality ensures trouble-free operation, and the audiophile-grade parts quality yields superb sound. Some of the details are the use of ultra-heavy-duty, gold RCA inputs and precision components throughout, a heavy, machined aluminum faceplate, heavy, (2 ounce) copper circuit boards, and Teflon/silver plated hook-up wire.

While the phono preamplifiers from many other manufacturers continue to increase in price to the point where many vinyl lovers can no longer afford them, it's refreshing to see how much performance Rogue Audio can pack into such a fairly-priced product.