Rogue Audio Medusa Hybrid

ROGUE Medusa Amplifier, 200 Watts per channel, NOS Amperex "Bugle-Boy" & JJ Tubes, 45 pounds, signed by Mark O’Brian, - "The Best of Both Worlds" Sweetness & Precision, Weight & Authority…

ROGUE Medusa Amplifier
Excellent Condition. First Owner. OEM box +. 1960’s matched set Amperex “Bugle-Boy” Tubes & OEM JJ Tubes.

Positive Feedback - Chip Stern
Well, my first impressions were ones of Authority with a Capital A: eye-popping power and bass control, exceptional resolution and detail, impressive image specificity and soundstaging—a genuine sense of musicality, neutrality and ease which to these ears suggested the distinctive sound signature of… well, Tubes, hybrid, whatever—it sounded just like a Rogue Amplifier.
The more I listen to the Medusa, the more I am taken by its effortless musicality, the sheer weight and authority of its presentation: smooth and warm, sweet and transparent, with enormous reserves of power and dynamic headroom. I am particularly taken by the lock-down level of control the Medusa exerts over the Confidence C1's bass drivers, particularly on the demanding opening transient of the "Canto" from Elliot Carter's Timpani Sonata,
"The best of both worlds," I can recall muttering to myself: "There's a sweetness and precision to the Medusa, a sense of weight and authority to the presentation that embodies the best qualities of solid-state amps; and yet it possesses a warmer textural palette, more top to bottom detail and soundstage depth, the kind of textural intimacy and midrange layering that I generally associate with a tube amp… and best of all, I can drive my system just as hard as I like without compromising resolution."
What in perdition have I gotten into here? What kind of damn amp is this anyway? What makes the Rogue Medusa so special and allows it to convey all at once both the elemental power and the insinuating intimacy of a musical performance, moment to moment, as the performance demands?


Stereophile – Stephen Mejias
The Music sounded Detailed and Nuanced, Relaxed and Involving.

Stereo Times - —John Gatski
Inside the Medusa is a Linear (non-switching) power supply that uses beefy toroidal transformers with added capacitance for sustaining high power.
O’Brien noted that three massive linear power supplies are used to power the amplifier circuitry and ultra-high quality parts are used extensively throughout the design.
The high input impedance makes it a super-easy load for virtually any preamplifier or source to drive.
Mark O used careful and controlled listening tests in his own Wilson Sasha-based system with his higher-priced Rogue tube amplifiers to fine tune the mating of the tubes to the amplifier section of the Medusa. Mark wanted the relaxed, spacious and musical presentation of tubes without sacrificing fine detailing, low-noise, and finesse of solid-state.
The first thing I noticed about the Medusa was its superb bass reproduction. It was deep alright, but more than that it was more articulate than that of any other amp I had experienced in my system. Another thing I noticed was that the reproduction of stringed instruments like violins and cellos was particularly sweet and convincing. I haven’t said much about the Medusa’s treble performance but I should mention that the high frequencies are just as impressive and musically gratifying as the Medusa’s outstanding bass and midrange.
Mark O’Brien’s goal in designing the Medusa was to create a powerful and efficient, low-maintenance amplifier that implements hybrid technology resulting in sound quality that emulates very good pure-tube amplifiers. And by that I mean tube amplifiers that create an output waveform that bears a good resemblance to the input waveform.
Did he achieve these goals? My answer is a resounding “Yes!” But there’s more to it than that because in my experience the Medusa is much quieter than any all-tube amp, and is capable of rendering more inner detail and subtle nuances than all but maybe the “best” (and highest priced) tube amps in existence. And that BASS! I don’t think even the best tube amp out there is capable of delivering the kind of bass articulation that the Medusa manages with ease. And in keeping with traditional Rogue value, the Medusa, at under $4,000 must be considered an outstanding bargain.
So did I end up purchasing the Rogue Audio Medusa? Well, “Hell Yes!”

everythingaudionetwork.blogspot.com/2012/06/audiophile-amplifier-review-rogue-audio

Everything audio Review
The hybrid tube/Class D digital Rogue Audio Medusa is one of the best amplifiers I have auditioned. It renders a very accurate soundstage with tight bass and a very layered top end that matches or exceeds much more expensive analog amps. It can drive most any speaker, and simply gets out of the way when playing the more revealing, high-resolution music. Combine the sound with less produced internal heat, longer component life and a very reasonable price tag for a high-end audiophile component, and the Medusa just might be the ideal, modern-audiophile amp. We are proud to give it a Stellar Sound Award.

Tubes - Amperex 1958 – 1968 12AU7 (Medusa) “Matched Set”
Type 2. The classic "Bugle-Boy" from the 1960’s. Light and airy extended top, yet full bodied and rich at
the same time!
Each tube sold by VTS has been LABORIOUSLY auditioned, scrutinized, matched and pin polished by Andy Bowman in the V.T.S. Analog Laboratory using National Institute of Standards registered 

I have an excellent reputation.