Rogue Audio DragoN Stereo Power Amplifier - Black

Tubes, Class D, and 325 Watts a Side

The DragoN monoblocks pair a valve input stage with a Hypex NCore Class D output section. Each amplifier makes 325 watts into 8 ohms and 525 into 4, and this listing is a matched pair, so you have a complete stereo system in two boxes.

Rogue calls the circuit tubeD, and the distinction matters. The tube section is integrated into the amplifier rather than dropped in front of a Class D module as an afterthought, which is what most hybrid designs amount to.

Two 12AU7 tubes do the work up front, fed by three separate linear power supplies. A slow start circuit warms the valves gradually, and a standby mode keeps the solid-state stages ready without burning tube life while you are not listening.

This listing is the black finish, supplied as a matched pair of monoblocks. Both amplifiers ship together with matched tubes, so what arrives is a complete stereo system rather than half of one.

Inside the Chassis

The tubeD Circuit

Placing a valve stage genuinely inside the signal path, rather than ahead of it, is what gives the DragoN its character. Rogue's aim was tube smoothness with Class D authority, and without the edgy or grainy quality that solid-state designs can carry.

On the Bench

Frequency response runs 20Hz to 20kHz within 1dB and distortion sits below 0.1% in typical use. Input sensitivity is 0.75V RMS into a 30k-ohm impedance, which suits almost any preamp you are likely to put in front of it.

Built in Pennsylvania

Rogue designs and builds the DragoN entirely in the USA, and every amplifier is tested, burned in and auditioned before it ships. The faceplate is half-inch machined aluminum and the board uses two-ounce copper.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Jason Davis, in Stereophile on February 14, 2024, praised "the DragoNs' excellence at bringing less dynamic music to life at lower volumes, offering me considerable pleasure within the constraints of everyday real life." His verdict: "There's much to love here."

Who Is This Mono Amplifier Best For?

• Listeners who want tubes and real power — 325 watts a side is far beyond what most valve amplifiers manage, so you get tube character without giving up the ability to drive a demanding speaker.
• Anyone buying a complete pair at once — This listing is two amplifiers, not one, so a single order gives you a full stereo system with nothing left to add later.
• Owners of speakers that dip to 4 ohms — 525 watts into 4 ohms per side means the amplifier keeps control where the load gets hard, and you hear the speaker rather than an amp running short.
• People who leave the system on standby — The standby circuit keeps the solid-state stages warm while sparing the valves, so the amplifiers are ready quickly without shortening tube life every time you use them.
• You want to pick the preamp for the sound you are after — RP-5 v2 is the house match; any streamer/DAC with volume also serves

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Each amplifier takes one channel. Run balanced XLR or single-ended RCA from your preamp to each chassis, then a single speaker cable from each amplifier to the speaker next to it. The binding posts are gold plated and take spades or bananas.

A 12V trigger is available as an option if you want the pair to power up with the rest of a rack, so the amplifiers wake with the system instead of needing a visit to the back panel.

Pairs Well With

The DragoNs handle power. These are the pieces most owners pair with them.

• Preamplifiers — balanced or single-ended, tube or solid state, all work here. Browse preamplifiers.
• Balanced interconnects — two XLR runs, one to each amplifier. Browse interconnect cables.
• Speaker cables — short runs from each amp to its speaker. Browse speaker cables.
• Floorstanding speakers — 525 watts into 4 ohms suits large designs. Browse floorstanding speakers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much power do they make?

Each DragoN monoblock produces 325 watts into 8 ohms and 525 watts into 4 ohms. This listing is a pair, so that is one amplifier and that power figure for each of your two speakers.

Is this a pair or a single amplifier?

A pair. Both amplifiers ship together, which gives you a complete stereo system and matched tubes across the two chassis.

Which tubes does it use, and how long do they last?

Two 12AU7 small-signal tubes per chassis, supplied as matched pairs. Because they are not power tubes, they last a long time. Rogue warrants them for six months and many owners run them for years.

Does it take balanced connections?

Yes. True balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs are both fitted, on heavy gold-plated sockets, so you can site each amplifier near its speaker and run a long cable back.

How big and heavy is each one?

Each chassis measures 12.5 inches wide by 5.5 high by 19 deep and weighs 33 pounds, so a pair comes to 66 pounds in total. They are deep rather than wide.

Where are they made?

Rogue designs and builds them in the United States, and every amplifier is fully tested, burned in and auditioned before it leaves the factory. The warranty is three years, with six months on the tubes.

See It in Action

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