ROGUE AUDIO RP-5 TUBE PREAMPLIFIER - REVIEW
Listening to the Rogue RP-5 Tube Preamplifier
Rogue Audio, based in Pennsylvania, in our opinion, deserves iconic status alongside other legendary American makers of tubed home audio products. They have made steady progress in product design, they understand customer relations, they dispense completely with any sense of exclusivity, and they focus on sonics, rugged build quality, and ergonomics. Maybe this is the reason they continue to expand their customer base, and owner Mark O’Brien is one of the most well liked and respected individuals in the industry.
We have evaluated over a dozen Rogue products, and they were all fun, great sounding gear. Rogue products are top performers within their given price points and even beyond. For example, their Stereo 100 power amplifier, at $3500, in our opinion is the deal of the decade, with 100 watts of KT120 tube power per channel. Their innovative Class D and tube hybrid integrated amp, the Sphinx, is entry level bliss for under $1500. Rogue also has products at higher price points where no compromise is desired and their preamps and mono block amps get you close to the state of the art for a fraction of the cost of other competitors.
As a listener, one has to be impartial, and it is important to not let positive feelings for a particular manufacturer color all future product impressions. That is why you have to do your best to evaluate each product as a clean slate. The product in house is then appropriate, as it is also a clean slate design for Rogue, first introduced back in 2016. It is the $3495 RP-5 tubed preamplifier, based on their new RP-X platform and Rogue has also brought to market $1695 entry level RP-1, the balanced RP-7, and the flagship RP-9.
According to Rogue, “The RP-5 is our first preamplifier based on the groundbreaking new RP-X platform. Utilizing four 12AU7 tubes in a mu-follower configuration, the computer optimized circuitry has been designed for optimal sonics and overall performance. The on-board MM/MC phono has user adjustable gain settings ranging from 40 to 60 dB. A wide variety of loading options means your favorite cartridge can be configured to sound its very best. A tube based headphone circuit is included, and other features include home theater inputs, a processor loop and mono button. The ten button remote allows you to conveniently access volume, balance, selector, mute, mono and on/off from your listening position.”
To summarize the feature set, we get a four tube mu-follower design, a full function remote control, VFD display, Home Theater bypass/Unity gain inputs, five pairs of inputs two pairs of variable outputs, one pair of fixed outputs, processor loop, gold plated RCA inputs, machined aluminum faceplate and knobs, tube based headphone amp, – 40 – 60 dB gain phono stage, RIAA equalization within 0.1 DB, and user adjustable cartridge loading.
As with every other Rogue product we have unpacked and spent time with, the build quality is beyond reproach and off the charts for this price point. Rogue backs up their products with a three year warranty. The sample featured a very attractive silver face plate, and black is also an option. The connector quality is outstanding and the volume and selector knobs are solid. The whole package exudes quiet confidence. The remote control is a pretty plain jane plastic unit, but fits nicely in the palm of the hand, the most important functions are all there.
Set Up & Listening:
The RP-5 was set up in our main system and was used with two different power amplifiers—the Simaudio 760A, and a 2005 vintage Audio Research VS120 . It sat on a Salamander rack and the only special tweaks used were the placement of Symposium Rollerblocks underneath and an Acoustic Zen Tsunami II power cord. Speakers were Magnepan 3.7i panels, the sources was a Sonore microRendu file player with a Bryston BDA-3 DAC, and a Rega Planar 6 turntable. Cables were a complete Black Rhodium Audio loom.
After letting the unit break in for a week, all that was left to do was listen. When we did listen, daily, for months, we were treated to sound that set a new benchmark for the system. We were expecting good things from RP-5, but it’s performance, early on, exceeded our high expectations. However, we had a lot more listening to do before forming any specific conclusions. We listened to every conceivable genre of music, within reason, with a good mix of vintage analog recordings, right up to albums released just a few weeks ago.
First up was the excellent 2017 remaster of Pentangle’s 1968 self titled debut album from the complete albums box set. The album is a tour de force of British folk rock that still dazzles forty eight years later. it is exceptionally well recorded, and the performances drip with passion. John Renbourn and Bert Jansch’s acoustic guitars were so tonally spot on, they framed Jacqui McShee’s voice perfectly, which was also exquisitely rendered. But even more impressive was how the rhythm section of Danny Thompson and Terry Cox exploded out of the speakers with such body and precision. The RP-5 allowed the music to flow with such grace and poise and the perfect amount of liquidity.
Next up was Filles De Kilimanjaro, the historic Miles Davis album also from 1968, remastered by Mobile Fidelity on SACD hybrid. Listening to the DSD files from this album was one of those very rare moments when a listener can easily suspend disbelief and imagine studio quality playback back right off the master tape. The recording was made during a transitional period for Davis, when he was going from acoustic to electric instrumentation and here we have acoustic back mixed with electric piano and bass. The RP-5 so precisely framed the soundstage, that it was easy to hear the contrasts, the electric/acoustic melange’, as well as the somewhat dated mix, and early stereo panning. Stunning, was the descriptor that kept entering my mind.
A Headful Of Dreams, the 2015 spunky release from Coldplay, 24/192 FLAC, was a very fun listen. The album gathers all the band’s strengths, the soaring melodies, experimental spirit, big choruses, and propulsive rhythms. Of course, a few of their trademark ballads appear as well. The RP-5’s liquid midrange did wonders for Chris Martin’s voice and the bass lines were bouncy and tight.
We always try to use a few of the Blue Note 24/192 remasters done by mastering engineer Bernie Grundman to evaluate high end products for a number of reasons. These classic analog jazz recordings are tonally evenly balanced and are a good test for any speaker or component in regards to tone, timbre, and musical flow. Genesis, the 1971 album by drumming icon Elvin Jones, is a tour de force and was an exhilarating listen through the RP-5. There was superb momentum, tone, and a sense of the original recording space. We also ran through a number of other legendary recordings by Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Hank Mobley, and more, with the same results.
We spent quite a few hours listening to the headphone amp. We used the modest but classic Grado SR-80 cans. We absolutely loved the way the on board amp sounded. To us it was full bodied, with great tube sparkle, a transparent midrange, with lots of drive. It was extremely quiet during soft passages too. Listening to Jai Uttal’s Mondo Rama, showed how much resolution the headphone amp capable of. On the initial drum hits of his cover of the Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows,” we heard the distinct reverb trails on the track’s drum intro more defined than we remember. In our estimation, it at least equals some pricey stand alone units. The RP-5 has a very neat feature in that the main outputs are muted when the Mute button on the remote is activated, but not the headphone output.
The built in MM/MC phono stage performed superbly as well when used with a Rega Planar 6 and Ania cartridge. It offered up great resolution and flow and plenty of gain. Spinning a variety of vintage albums like Van Morrison’s Saint Dominic’s Preview, The Beatles Rubber Soul, and Santana’s debut album, all immensely rewarding. We also spun a newly acquired a Record Store Day release of obscure acid rock trio Parish Hall, which features all analog mastering by Kevin Gray. This was a huge revelation compared to the CD, released a few years back. The RP-5 phono capabilities are impressive, to say the least.
The RP-5 was a dream to operate and live with for the months it was in the system. we can also report there are more than enough volume steps via the remote control. The volume knob was as smooth as butter, with excellent usable range. The dual variable outputs also came in handy as towards the tail end of our time with the RP-5 we received a JL Audio subwoofer in for audition. We were able to simply run interconnects out from the the second output into the sub. We also made use of the fixed output when we connected it to my Revox B77 reel recorder to make a few vinyl dubs.
Wrapping Up
The Rogue RP-5, at $3500, is a tremendous value. The field in that price range is rather crowded for tubed components, but we believe Rogue has a real class leader here. The sonics are outstanding and the build is off the charts good. What sets the RP-5 apart is the coupling of great sound with a treasure trove of features. A phono input, dual variable outputs, fixed outputs, an excellent headphone amp, a crystal clear LED display, balance control, a mono switch, and remote control make this a “full service” preamplifier in our book.
The RP-5 worked beautifully with both power amplifiers, as detailed above. We found it difficult to find fault with it. Perhaps only side by side auditioning with Rogue’s top models would reveal any comparative shortcomings. As a side note, the RP-5 paired with the Stereo 100 power amp, (which we spent quite a bit of time with previously) would yield, in our estimation, a superb combo that would provide tube lovers a lifetime of great sound for $7000 total.
To put some icing on the cake, Rogue products are made in the U.S.A. and backed by a generous warranty. In fact, Rogue invested heavily in a new factory several years ago. Their dedication to improving their products, quality control, and offering fairly priced gear is highly commendable. The Rogue RP-5 is a great product and we would recommend those looking for a keeper of a full function tube preamplifier to audition it.
The Specifications
ROGUE AUDIO RP-5 Preamplifier
Tube complement: 4 x 12AU7/ECC82 tubes
Frequency response: 1Hz – 100KHz +/- 1 dB
THD: <0.1%
Gain line stage: 10 dB
Rated output: 1V
Maximum output: 27V RMS
Output impedance: 500 Ohms
Gain phono stage: 40dB, 50dB, 55dB, 60dB
RIAA accuracy: +/- 0.1 dB
Dimensions: 18.5 ”W X 4.5 ”H X 17” D
Weight 30 pounds
Shipping weight 45 pounds
Power requirements 115/230V – 50/50Hz
The Company
ROGUE AUDIO
RP-5 Preamplifier $3495
ROGUE AUDIO
570-992-9901
info@rogueaudio.com