Mike's $9,500 HiFi System

This $9,500 system brings together Perlisten floorstanding speakers, a Rogue Audio tube hybrid amplifier, and a dedicated Primare streamer/DAC. The A3t towers put two carbon fiber woofers and a Teteron dome tweeter in a bass reflex cabinet, and Perlisten rates them to 26Hz in a typical room. The Sphinx Magnum provides 100 watts of hybrid power with a tube preamp section for natural warmth. The SC-15 Prisma MK2 handles all streaming and digital conversion as a dedicated source component. VIABLUE SC-4 speaker cables and an NF-S1 RCA interconnect tie it all together. The NF-S1 is included free, and the SC-4 comes at a bundle discount.

Core System Components

These components form the heart of the system and are included by default with bundle savings.

• Perlisten A3t floorstanding speakers (pair)
• Rogue Audio Sphinx Magnum hybrid integrated amplifier
• Primare SC-15 Prisma MK2 network player/DAC
• VIABLUE SC-4 speaker cables (2.5m pair)
• VIABLUE NF-S1 RCA interconnect (1m pair)

The Speakers: Perlisten A3t

The Perlisten A3t is a two-way bass reflex tower: a 35mm composite Teteron dome tweeter in a waveguide Perlisten designed for it, over two 215mm carbon fiber woofers. Perlisten develops its cabinets, drivers and materials from the ground up, and the waveguide is there to control dispersion, so the tonal balance holds across a wide listening area instead of only in the center seat. Perlisten rates the A3t to 26Hz (-6dB) and 17Hz (-10dB) in a typical room, deep enough for the lowest notes in most music without a subwoofer.

The Amplifier: Rogue Audio Sphinx Magnum

The Rogue Audio Sphinx Magnum is a hybrid integrated amplifier that pairs a tube preamp section with a solid-state power amplifier. The tube front end gives the midrange warmth and texture. The power section delivers 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms, inside the 50 to 300 watt range Perlisten recommends for the A3t, with a damping factor above 1,000 to keep the two woofers in each tower under control.

• Tube preamp + solid-state power hybrid design
• 100W per channel into 8 ohms
• Built-in MM phono stage for vinyl playback without an external phono preamp
• Designed and built in Brodheadsville, PA

Streaming and DAC: Primare SC-15 Prisma MK2

The Primare SC-15 Prisma MK2 is a dedicated network player and DAC that handles all digital source duties. The Prisma streaming platform supports Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, and Roon Ready. Its analog output feeds the Sphinx Magnum through the included NF-S1 interconnect, keeping the streaming and amplification stages fully independent.

• Dedicated streamer/DAC: one job, done well
• Prisma platform with native app control for all major streaming services
• Its built-in DAC feeds the Sphinx Magnum an analog signal through the included VIABLUE NF-S1 RCA interconnect
• Separates architecture means you can upgrade the streamer or amp independently

Cabling: Bundle Discount

The VIABLUE SC-4 speaker cables and VIABLUE NF-S1 RCA interconnect are both included with significant bundle savings. The SC-4 connects the Sphinx Magnum to the A3t towers. The NF-S1 carries the analog signal from the SC-15's built-in DAC to one of the Sphinx's line inputs. Both are hand-assembled in Germany and designed to stay neutral, letting the components do the talking.

Optional: Rega Planar 3 RS Turntable

The Sphinx Magnum has a built-in MM phono stage, so adding a turntable is as simple as plugging it in. The Rega Planar 3 RS is Rega's reference-grade mid-range turntable, assembled by hand at Rega's own facilities in the South East of England. It comes factory-fitted with the Nd5 moving magnet cartridge, which pairs directly with the Sphinx's built-in phono stage. No external phono preamp needed.

• Hand-assembled in England with Rega's RB330 tonearm
• Factory-fitted Nd5 MM cartridge, ready to play out of the box
• Connects directly to the Sphinx Magnum's MM phono input, no extra boxes

Optional: Primare DD15 CD Transport

If you still have a CD collection, the Primare DD15 is a clean match for this system. It feeds a digital signal to the SC-15's DAC section, keeping the signal path clean and the digital conversion in one place. The DD15's slot-loading mechanism and compact footprint fit neatly into any rack.

Optional: Dual REL T/9x Subwoofers

The A3t already reaches 26Hz in a typical room. A pair of REL T/9x subwoofers adds weight and fills in the room with authority. Dual subs eliminate the localization problems of a single sub and provide even bass distribution across your listening space.

• Adds foundation and scale without muddying the A3t's midrange
• High Level connection recommended for seamless integration
• Bundle discount on the pair when added to this system

Why This System Exists

Mike built this system around the idea that separates done right outperform all-in-one solutions at this price point. The Perlisten A3t uses two carbon fiber woofers of Perlisten's own design and reaches 26Hz in a typical room. The Rogue Audio Sphinx Magnum brings American-built tube hybrid amplification with 100 watts per channel, inside the power range Perlisten recommends for the A3t. And the Primare SC-15 handles streaming and DAC duties as a purpose-built source component, not an afterthought bolted onto an amplifier.

Every component in this system was chosen because it does its job without compromise. The cables connect them cleanly at a fraction of retail. No rabbit holes. No complexity. Just sit down and listen.