New Rogue Audio preamplifier - RP1

My unit had some hours on it. Rogue used it at the NY audio show.

Very finely balanced.

 

Rogue was going to sell me the Atlas power amp direct a few years when I exchanged emails with them (I communicated with Mark O'Brien, the owner IIRC) regarding not having any dealership near when I live. I never went ahead as the Atlas amp was only 55 watts/ch, a tad underpowered IMO ...

 

The Atlas Magnum is 100 wpc. As is the Stereo 100.

 

Atlas Magnum was not available then and Atlas was actually a new line at the time. Stereo 100 was and still is a bit hefty for my taste. My main system will always be SS.

 

Ah ok. Yes, the ST is a beast.

 

I got the RP1 in today and have had a few minutes to play with it. The input selection can be achieved without the remote by pressing the volume knob. The unit has four line level inputs and a phono input, which it toggles through with each press of the volume control. Pressing the balance control turns off the display.

It was quite cold here when delivered so it is taking a while for it to come up to temp and so too early to say how it will sound in use. After an hour out of the box, I thought it was warm enough to connect and I find it is immediately fairly transparent and quiet. Much like the Perseus preamp but with more features. I'll know more about how it will sound tomorrow.
-Bill

 

Thanks for update. This may very well be my office preamp....silver....oh yes.

 

Are the ZenWave cables up for review? Let us know what you think of them ... I think they are fantastic and really reasonably priced for the high quality parts that you get.

 

Yes. The review should be live just before years end. Agree, very nice products.

 

! $750 for 10' of 14 gauge. And "Price does not include connectors". Reasonable? Can I sell you a 2007 Honda Accord reasonably priced at $47,000? Not bad for a guy hawking cables on ebay and Agon not that long ago. I love the reasonable prices on his SMSG cables which be around $10k for 3 cables.

Just kidding beowulf

 

The new snakeoil?

 

LOL , yes you are right, the upper cables can get down right expensive and there's no way I could ever afford 10K cables ... and even if I could I'm not so sure I would spend that kind of money on any cables (though I would love to hear what they can do).

I guess I should have rather put it this way - IMO his "entry" and "mid" level cables are reasonably priced for the metallurgy, build quality and connectors that you get.

The UPOCC copper (Ohno Continuous Cast) is one of the best sounding metals I have found for speaker cables and even better sounding than every silver cable that I tried in my system. I think I paid around $250 for an unterminated 7' pair of his SL 17g UPOCC speaker cables (I prefer no connectors on my speaker cables). Which when shopping around and comparing to other companies that used the same metallurgy/components seemed pretty reasonable.

On a side note - I had a shootout with a few different brands and thought his cables outperformed even the more expensive ones by a good margin which is why I bought the ones I'm using now that include both speaker and interconnects.

 

I had a few brief opportunities to listen to the new Rogue Audio RP1 this week. The user interface is clean and simple, the build is as nice as ever. I was initially surprised at how clean and quiet it was for an "entry level" tube preamp. It definitely didn't have the classic tube colorations of the Metis or the 99 units, even as those units are surprisingly free of the most offensive of those colorations. So it does have a very linear response within a very wide bandwidth, and has an exceptionally low noise floor. All are pretty high bar achievements for an "entry level" preamp. So as it stands, it looks like the entry into what constitutes the Rogue Audio product realm has shifted forward to afford even the first time buyer a very high fidelity product that also includes more functionality. The design replaces the more spartan aesthetic and operation of the Metis with a more sleek and modern unit to fit in with the higher end offerings of the same brand and that of others.

Giving it a few days to warm-up had the circuit stabilized fully and the sound becoming smoother and more effortless, while still providing the exceptionally clean presentation. It doesn't hide defects in recordings and really shows off the differences in the recording types and qualities as well as the true tonal and dynamic characteristics of the instruments and vocalists. It sounds more like a passive level control than a warm and fuzzy tone enhancer. Everything is laid bare in a transparent perspective. I listened to CD and Lp and so had a chance to hear its excellent phono section. Again, very linear and clean without noise or compression.

I had the Perseus Magnum in place before it for a while and was able to hear some loss of dynamic power and a bit of warmth when the RP1 was inserted in its place. The Perseus Magnum is another $500 and has a larger and more refined power supply. The RP1 delivers what is essentially the same phono performance and flexibility as the Perseus for less money. The RP1 also includes a home theater bypass, both of which were the largest reasons to buy a Perseus. The RP1 then goes on to add their improved headphone amp and the increased remote functionality. So it packs a lot of performance and features into a more affordable product while its only drawback is a slightly less refined sound, choosing to be more transparent than rosey. I also had the pleasure of discovering that the volume control on the RP1 responds to the Rega CD player remote control volume buttons! So if you have a new Rega CD player, you don't even need to use the Rogue Audio remote unless you want source selection or balance via remote. For most listening sessions the Rega system remote will cover both units nicely!
-Bill

 

Thanks very much for your excellent, detailed impressions of the RP-1 Bill.

 

All things describes as "entry level" make me apprehensive. From my experience that means in six month to a year I am going to be upgrading again and this purchases was a waste of money.

What about it makes it "entry level"? I am entry level when it comes to line stage preamps and I have been looking very hard at getting one. This is about the price point I have been considering for used Conrad-Johnson and Audio Research.

 

That is why I placed the quotation marks around the words "entry level" as it is relative, and so open for interpretation by the user of the words. In the context that I used it, I meant what constitutes entry level into the Rogue Audio product line and nothing more. I was trying to avoid the confusion that the term might have as related to other brands. For example, an entry level Crosley turntable is something quite different from an entry level Walker Audio turntable.
-Bill

 

Understood but at the same time it does mean that there is an improvement available within the product line. I often learn of the compromises I am making by going for the less expensive option after I have made the purchase. I don't have a very high end system but I do have a couple pieces in my system that I have spent close to 4K on. My "preamp" is the pre outs on an AVR, I'm pretty hot to change that and the Rough seems like a good new option but being at the beginning of the product line it does make me nervous.

 

As KT88 states above, it's really just "entry level" b/c it's at the lower price point of Rogue gear options. After having my demo unit for a while, I can for sure say that the RP1 is a fantastic pre in this price range.

And yes, if you are willing to spend more money, then as you go up the Rogue line, you will get improvement. But at what cost? The RP5 is a pretty darn amazing pre, but it's also $3500. So more then double the RP1.

I think if you are wanting to spend $2k or less on a pre, then the RP1 would be an incredible choice.

 

I have a couple of Rogue products, the Cronus Magnum 1 and Ares phono pre. I wouldn't be nervous buying anything from Rogue. They offer great value.

 

Bill (KT88), Thanks for your preliminary (but detailed) observations about this preamp, including your comparison to the Perseus. In an earlier post you said "If the sound of the RP5 is any indication, the RP1 should be very nice sounding and offer tremendous value considering its price and feature set." Are you able (and willing to make a comparison between the RP1 and RP5?

Thanks in advance

 

How does the RP1 connected to an Atlas Magnum compare the the Cronus Magnum II? Amyone compare the two pres? (since both power sections are the same)

Thanks
Dave

 

I have the CM II and demoed the RP1 with an Atlas and the CM II sounded / sounds significantly clearer and more transparent. I did not care for the RP1.
The RP5 however is a whole other story.

 

this is good to know. thank you!

In addition to KT88s comments above, anyone compare the Perseus Magnum pre /Atlas Magnum combo versus the Cronus Magnum II integrated?

best
Dave

 

But the RP5 also costs a bit more than the RP1, though I am somewhat surprised at hearing the RP1 is not as good as the preamp section of the CM II ...

 

Also always wonder about demos as the Rogue preamps are well known to need a good bit of break in.