Rogue Audio Cronus "Dark" Integrated Amplifier - Black

What Rogue Changed to Make the Cronus Dark

The Cronus has been Rogue Audio's tube integrated for two decades, through three major upgrades. In October 2023 Rogue introduced the Cronus Dark, which it describes as a comprehensive package of upgrades. It is the same pure-tube platform, designed and hand built in the USA, still at 100 watts per channel. What changed sits behind the front panel.

One Box for Records, Headphones and Speakers

The phono stage takes moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. Two gain settings give you 45dB or 60dB, so high and low output cartridges both work. Five load settings let you tune the match. A headphone circuit and a full preamp stage are built in alongside.

A Triode/Ultralinear switch changes the amplifier's character on the fly. Ultralinear brings the most power and a firm grip on bass. Triode is a slightly softer, more romantic sound. A slow-start turn-on sequence brings the tubes up gently.

Where the Dark Upgrades Actually Land

The changes are in the parts, not the concept. The power supply carries 25% more capacitance, and the signal tubes are upgraded. So are the op-amps in the phono stage and the speaker binding posts. Capacitors and resistors are upgraded in numerous key locations.

Borrowed From Rogue's Bigger Amplifiers

The architecture is a triode preamplifier feeding Rogue's Atlas Magnum power amplifier. A large oversized linear supply stores energy for bass control and headroom. Signal paths are short, and the circuit is built as a low-noise design throughout.

The headphone stage uses MOSFET buffers built for high current. It is a simplified single-ended version of Rogue's standalone RH-5 headphone amplifier, with 2 watts on tap for difficult headphones. The front panel is machined aluminum, and the remote handles volume and mute.

Who Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?

• You already wanted a Cronus — the Dark is the same platform, with the power supply, tubes and passives upgraded
• You play records seriously — both cartridge types work, with two gain settings and five load settings to match
• You drive demanding headphones — the circuit derives from Rogue's standalone RH-5 and delivers 2 watts
• You want to hear triode against ultralinear — the switch works on the fly, so you can compare on the same track
• If you want a DAC and streaming built in, — the Dark is analog only, with every input an RCA jack. Add one of our DACs and it plays anything

How Does It Connect to Your System?

A turntable goes straight to the phono input. Set gain and loading to suit the cartridge. Line-level sources connect on RCA, and your speakers land on the upgraded binding posts. Buffered variable outputs feed a subwoofer or a second amplifier. Headphones plug in at the front.

Set the tube bias at setup, choose triode or ultralinear, and play records. Rogue's own video below walks through the biasing.

Pairs Well With

Building a system around the Cronus Dark? Start here:

• Turntable: — the phono stage handles either cartridge type. Browse Turntables
• Speakers: — efficient designs let triode mode stretch out. See our Floorstanding Speakers
• Headphones: — an RH-5-derived circuit deserves a real pair. Browse Headphones
• Speaker Cable: — Rogue upgraded the binding posts, so terminate them properly. See our Speaker Cables

Frequently Asked Questions

What is upgraded compared with the standard Cronus Magnum III?

Rogue specifies 25% more power-supply capacitance and upgraded signal tubes. The phono-stage op-amps, the binding posts, and capacitors and resistors in numerous key locations are also upgraded.

Does it have a phono stage for my turntable?

Yes, for both moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. You get 45dB or 60dB of gain, plus five load settings.

Can I switch between triode and ultralinear while music is playing?

Yes. The Triode/Ultralinear switch is designed for on-the-fly changes, so you can compare the two modes on the same passage.

Will it drive hard-to-drive headphones?

That is what the circuit is for. It uses MOSFET buffers capable of high current sourcing, in a simplified single-ended version of Rogue's RH-5 design.

Does it have a DAC or Bluetooth?

It is an analog amplifier with RCA inputs and no wireless, so digital sources need a DAC in front of it.

What does the warranty cover?

Rogue Audio covers the Cronus Dark for 3 years parts and labor, and the tubes for 6 months.

See It in Action

Aaron Jenkins reviews the Cronus Dark for The Absolute Sound:

Rogue Audio's own channel demonstrates biasing, using a standard Cronus. The procedure is the same on the Dark:

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