Rogue Audio RH-5 preamplifier-headphone amplifier Associated Equipment

Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment

Analog Sources: Palmer 2.5 turntable, Audio Origami PU-7 tonearm, AMG Teatro MC phono cartridge; AMG Giro G9 turntable & 9W2 tonearm, AMG Teatro, EMT TSD 75, and Hana EL MC phono cartridges.
Digital Sources: Mytek HiFi Brooklyn & Manhattan II, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil DACs; Integra DPPS-7.2 DVD-A player.
Preamplification: Auditorium 23 EMT, Bob's Devices CineMag 1131, Lounge Audio Copla MC step-up transformers; Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III, Parasound Halo JC 3+, Tavish Design Adagio phono preamplifiers; HiFiMan EF1000, Linear Tube Audio MZ2, Pass Labs HPA-1, Sony TA-ZH1ES preamplifier–headphone amplifiers; PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium line-level preamplifier.
Power Amplifiers: Bel Canto Design REF600M, First Watt J2, PrimaLuna ProLogue Premium.
Headphones: HiFiMan HE-1000 V2 and Susvara, JPS Labs Abyss AB-1266 Phi, Sony MDR-Z1R.
Loudspeakers: DeVore Fidelity Orangutan O/93, Zu Audio Soul Supreme.
Cables: Digital: Kimber Kable D60 Data Flex Studio (coaxial). Interconnect: AudioQuest Cinnamon, Kimber Kable Silver Streak, Wireworld Eclipse 7 & Silver 7. Speaker: AudioQuest GO-4, Auditorium 23. AC: Manufacturers' own.
Accessories: PS Audio PerfectWave PowerBase power conditioner; Dr. Feickert Analogue Protractor NG & Adjust+ software; Acoustical-Systems SmarTractor cartridge-alignment protractor; Fozgometer cartridge azimuth meter; AudioQuest Anti-Static, Hunt E.D.A. Mk.6 record brushes.—Herb Reichert

COMPANY INFO
Rogue Audio, Inc.
PO Box 1076
Brodheadsville, PA 18322
(570) 992-9901
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
georgehifi's picture

Not really.
That the output coupling cap is way too small, no bass into any amp that has low input impedance. EG: some Pass and others and many Class-d amps are 10kohm input, and this preamp will roll off the bass with phase shifts early into these.
Unforgivable, that cap should be at least 4 x larger for a pre that cost this much.

Cheers George

John Atkinson's picture
georgehifi wrote:
That the output coupling cap is way too small, no bass into any amp that has low input impedance.

Power amplifiers with an input impedance below 1k ohms are very rare. (Only some, the Jeff Rowland models come to mind.) The Rogue preamplifier will not have a noticeably rolled-off bass if the amplifier's input impedance is 30k ohms or higher.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

georgehifi's picture

Looking at the measured graph, it's already -3db at 250hz!! into 600ohms.
For optimal performance (no rolloff or phase shift) this pre should state that it need to see/drive amps with at least 33kohm or higher input impedance. otherwise there'd be many disappointed buyers.

Cheers George

mrkaic's picture

"otherwise there'd be many disappointed buyers."

Subjectivists might like this frequency response if told by a high enough authority that the device sounds "artisanal" or something similarly uplifting.

mrkaic's picture

...that this thing is reviewed next to DAC3?

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