RIP Roger Modjeski

https://sanfranciscoaudiophilesociety.com/the-legacy-of-roger-modjeski-by-alan-martin/
https://paulcervantes.com/2019/12/18/roger-modjeski-obituary-part-one/comment-page-1/

I never met him, but when I was working in high-end audio he was widely admired as one of the best tube-amp designers. My first experience with his work was in the mid-90s, when I heard the SA-4 monoblocks he'd designed for Counterpoint back in the 80s. Unusual design: OTL and DC-coupled -- no output coupling cap, so basically nothing between the tubes and the speaker -- and they sounded AMAZING through my Meadowlark speakers. Unfortunately they required 8 matched 6LF6 tubes per channel, so I put my pair into storage 15 years ago when those sets started to become impossible to find.

Over the years I've heard and been impressed by Modjeski's other all-tube amps, and I recently had a chance to compare his RM-200 hybrid amp -- another unusual design, with a solid-state input stage -- to my Counterpoint NPS-400 hybrid (not his design) with the more typical solid-state output. I don't want to make this an equipment review, but if you like music you owe it to yourself to hear that amp. Music Reference and Tube Audio Store will apparently remain operational under the stewardship of his partners, so with luck his designs will continue to be available.

Anyway, it made me sad to hear the news.

 

R.I.P.