High fidelity amplifiers in Warwick

WARWICK — Warwick resident Roger Gibboni, an electrical engineer and founder of Rogers High Fidelity, has a waiting list for his custom hand-built vacuum tube amplifiers.

The high-end equipment, which is designed to offer the ultimate listening experience for the most discerning audio enthusiasts, brings a concert hall quality to the listener’s home.

“Most people enjoy hearing background music while they perform other tasks, “ said Gibboni, “But there’s a large market comprised of people who listen to music the way an average person watches TV. They sit quietly in a listening room, devoting all of their attention to the source and immersing themselves in the music.”

It was generally believed that transistors replaced vacuum tubes about 50 years ago. But Gibboni explained that it’s the vacuum tube that produces the clarity and fidelity his clients’ demand.

“They want to hear the brushes striking the cymbals,” he said.

Gibboni’s amplifiers are built using only American manufactured components with the exception of the vacuum tubes, which are imported from Russia. That’s because none are made elsewhere.

Rogers High Fidelity offers two models, the EHF-100 and the EHF-200.

They are both built to exacting standards. And components like stainless steel hardware meet or exceed aerospace specifications.

This is obviously not an assembly line operation and the amplifiers, which take more than 20 hours to assemble and are tested for more than 100 hours, are not inexpensive.

The EHF-100 is priced at $6,500 and the EHF-200 at $12,500.

Each unit, built by hand and by special order for a specific buyer, carries a lifetime warranty. Gibboni, however, believes his amplifier will outlive the owner.

“Your kids will fight over it,” he said.

After graduating from Drexel University with a major in Electrical Engineering, Gibboni joined General Electric as a design engineer for satellite communications programs. He then moved to RCA where he worked on the communications and tracking suite for the NASA Space Station.

Gibboni is also the CFO of his wife Linda Dulye’s international consulting company.

Since founding Rogers High Fidelity, Gibboni has received rave reviews and his clients include professionals in the music industry like the well-known singer/songwriter John Mayer.

Essential information

Gibboni has a network of dealers and sales representatives around the country and beyond.

For additional information visit: www.rogershighfidelity.com.

- Roger Gavan