Rogers E20a/ii Integrated Amplifier
19 January 2022
Rogers… the august brand name which invariably conjures the infallible LS3/5a, that BBC-commissioned little over-performing icon, that endearing beacon of small 2-way loudspeaker design. Less famed is the company’s release in the mid-1990s of the E20a, a bespoke valve amplifier targeted to wring the very best from the LS3/5a and, indeed, the company’s then growing stable of loudspeaker offerings. With the new E20a/ii, Rogers modernises the original concept while preserving the vacuum tube design that made its speakers truly sing. So now, going on 30 years later and in a far more expansive audio landscape, will the new iteration become a universal loudspeaker-driving companion?
Looking Glass
It’s from a fiery nest of nine red-hot valves that the new E20a/ii rises… a 21st century Phoenix. The new amplifier even pays homage to the original’s style by retaining the distinctive protective bulbous metal grille screen while simultaneously simplifying the aesthetic. The original fascia’s multi-controller bank is now replaced with just two large rotary knobs. In fact, the only other item on the front panel is no adornment but a centrally-placed remote control receiver sensor and a ‘Rogers’ brand etched plate on the top right hand corner. Simple.