Rogue Audio Sphinx v3 Magnum Integrated Amplifier - Black with Silver Metal Remote

Tubes at the Front, Real Power at the Back

The Sphinx is a hybrid. A pure tube preamplifier stage runs into a Class D solid-state power amplifier built on Hypex modules, so you get tube character without a tube amp's power limits. The preamp uses 12AU7s in a mu-follower circuit, the same approach as Rogue's RP-5 standalone preamp.

Output is 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 200 watts into 4 ohms. Rogue hand-builds every unit in Pennsylvania, then tests, burns in and auditions each one. The machined aluminum faceplate comes in black or silver. The whole thing weighs 25 pounds.

What the Magnum Badge Buys You

Rogue lists the Magnum changes plainly. There is a new main circuit board and a new rear one. The power supply, the coupling capacitors, the phono stage, and capacitors and resistors in key spots are all upgraded. So are the binding posts. The 12AU7s become JJ gold pin tubes, and the metal remote is included rather than optional.

The platform underneath earned its reputation first. Reviewing the standard Sphinx v3 for Stereophile on 22 July 2020, Herb Reichert called it "one of the greatest high-value audio products of all time." The Magnum starts from that amplifier and improves the parts inside it.

A 375VA Transformer in a 25-Pound Box

Energy storage comes from a custom 375VA toroidal transformer feeding a high-capacity linear supply. Regulated stages handle the midrange and treble separately. The circuit sits on a heavy two-ounce copper board, and volume runs through a custom Alps potentiometer rather than a cheap pot in the signal path.

Four inputs cover most systems: three line level plus phono. Gold-plated RCA connectors are standard. Tube-driven active outputs let you add a subwoofer or bi-amp, and a discrete MOSFET headphone amplifier is built in for private listening.

The Phono Stage Adjusts, With One Catch

The phono section takes moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges. The 44dB setting suits moving magnets and high-output moving coils. The 60dB setting is for moving coils from 0.4mV up. Resistive loading adjusts too, and it ships set to 44dB with 47k loading.

Worth knowing before you buy: those are slide switches on the main circuit board, not rear-panel controls. Changing them means powering down for 30 minutes and removing ten cover screws. Set it once for your cartridge and you are done.

What the Bench Figures Say

Rogue publishes frequency response for the Magnum as 20Hz to 20kHz. Distortion is under 0.1% typical, staying below 1% even at rated power. Input sensitivity is 1.0V RMS, which any normal source will satisfy. Rogue covers parts and labor for three years and the tubes for six months, the same terms as the rest of the range.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Ric Mancuso reviewed the Sphinx V3 Magnum for Enjoy the Music.com in April 2025. He heard "more detail and air with the Magnum" against the original, and concluded the amplifier "is bordering on becoming one of the true classics in audio."

He was not uncritical, and the sharpest point concerns speaker matching. Driving the 4-ohm Magnepan LRS, "The LRS seemed to ask for a bit more power", and he added subwoofers to fill the bottom end. With the easier Falcon LS3/5A, he wrote, "No subwoofer is needed."

Who Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?

• You want tube character with real wattage — the tube preamp stage sets the tone and the solid-state output stage supplies 200 watts into 4 ohms, enough for speakers a pure tube amp would leave sounding thin.
• You play records and want one box — the phono stage handles both cartridge types, so no outboard preamp and no extra interconnect.
• You listen on headphones — the headphone amp uses discrete MOSFETs, and Mancuso was "surprised by how nice sounding the headphone experience was on the Magnum".
• You already know the Sphinx sound — the Magnum keeps the platform Reichert praised and spends the extra money on parts, not on a redesign.
• If you want an all-tube power stage, this is a hybrid and always will be — Rogue's Cronus Magnum III runs tubes all the way to the speaker terminals.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Speakers go to the upgraded binding posts. A turntable connects straight to the phono input, with gain set for your cartridge. Three line-level inputs take a CD player, a streamer or a tuner. Headphones plug in at the front, and the active outputs feed a subwoofer or a second amplifier.

The included metal remote handles volume and mute. That really is all it does, and all you need from the chair.

Pairs Well With

Building a system around the Sphinx v3 Magnum? Start here:

• Turntable: The phono stage is already here, for either cartridge type — browse Turntables.
• Speakers: 200 watts into 4 ohms opens up the options — see our Floorstanding Speakers.
• Subwoofer: The tube-driven active outputs are made for this — browse Subwoofers.
• Headphones: A discrete MOSFET headphone stage deserves good ones — see our Headphones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Magnum add over the standard Sphinx v3?

Rogue specifies a new main circuit board and rear circuit board, power supply upgrades, upgraded coupling capacitors, upgrades to the phono stage, upgraded capacitors and resistors in key spots, upgraded binding posts, JJ gold pin 12AU7s, and the metal remote.

Will the phono stage work with my cartridge?

Very likely. It offers 44dB of gain for moving magnet and high-output moving coil, or 60dB for moving coils of 0.4mV and up, plus adjustable resistive loading.

How do I change the phono gain or loading?

With slide switches on the main circuit board. Power the amplifier down for 30 minutes, remove the ten cover screws, and set them. It ships at 44dB with 47k loading, so many owners never need to open it at all.

Is the power amplifier tubes or solid state?

Solid state, and specifically Class D built on Hypex modules. The Sphinx is a hybrid: 12AU7 tubes in the preamp stage feeding a Class D output stage rated at 100 watts into 8 ohms and 200 into 4. That is how a 100-watt amplifier stays down at 25 pounds.

Can I add a subwoofer?

Yes. Tube-driven active outputs are provided for a subwoofer or for bi-amping, alongside fixed outputs for other outboard gear. Reviewers pairing the Sphinx with lean standmounts have found a sub fills in the bottom end nicely.

What does the warranty cover?

Rogue Audio covers parts and labor for three years from the date of retail purchase, and the vacuum tubes for six months. The same terms apply across the Rogue amplifier line.

See It in Action

Our own walkthrough of the Sphinx v3, the amplifier the Magnum is built on:

Steve Guttenberg reviews the standard Sphinx v3 in his own listening room:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about hybrid amplifiers, phono stages, or matching headphones to an amp? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.