Rogue Audio RP-1 Preamplifier - Black with Black Metal Remote

Where Rogue Ownership Begins

Every Rogue Audio component is hand-built. The RP-1 is the friendliest way in. You get two 12AU7 tubes, a real MM and MC phono stage, and a headphone amp, in a chassis that costs less than plenty of solid-state rivals.

The phono stage is the surprise here. Gain switches between 44dB and 56dB to suit a moving magnet or a moving coil, and loading is adjustable. RIAA error holds within 0.1dB, which beats plenty of standalone phono preamps. And it is built in, not bought later.

This listing is the black finish, supplied with the black metal remote. Rogue's plastic handset does the same job. But the machined one feels like the rest of the preamp, and it is the version reviewers kept asking for.

Two Tubes, Honest Engineering

Rogue's approach at every price is the same. Put the money in the circuit, and keep the casework simple to pay for it. The RP-1 runs two 12AU7/ECC802 tubes in a mu-follower stage. The parts you cannot see are where the budget went.

Four pairs of line inputs join the phono input, so a streamer, a CD player, a tuner and a turntable all stay connected. Two pairs of variable outputs feed a power amp and a subwoofer, and a fixed pair handles a recorder. Home theater bypass is built in.

On the bench, response runs 1Hz to 75kHz within 1dB and THD stays under 0.1%. Line gain is 7dB, phono overload sits at 40mV, and the headphone stage makes 1 watt into 32 ohms. It is 15.25 inches wide and 3.2 inches high, weighs 16 pounds, and carries a 3-year limited warranty (6 months on tubes).

What Reviewers Are Saying

Herb Reichert reviewed the RP-1 for Stereophile on July 28, 2016. What struck him was how little the preamp took away: "Unlike most preamps, the Rogue RP-1 did not eviscerate the music." He closed by calling it "a fully worthy final destination" rather than a stepping stone, and added: "Highly recommended."

Chris Groppi of Home Theater HiFi reached the same place in a November 7, 2016 review, calling the RP-1 "probably the best value stereo preamp I've encountered" and singling out its movie mode as "the best home theater passthrough I've yet encountered in a stereo preamp."

Groppi had one complaint, and this listing answers it. Of the standard plastic handset he wrote, "the RP-1's remote really feels cheap. But it works." The black metal remote supplied here is the machined alternative, so the gripe does not follow the box home.

Who Is This Preamplifier Best For?

• You play records — the phono stage switches between 44dB and 56dB with adjustable loading, so your turntable is ready on day one and you spend nothing more on a separate box.
• You listen on headphones too — a discrete 1-watt amplifier into 32 ohms drives most headphones comfortably, which keeps late-night listening on the same system rather than a second one.
• Your shelf is narrow — at 15.25 inches wide and 3.2 inches high it fits where full-width gear will not, so a cabinet or a bookshelf stops being the thing that decides your system.
• Your system doubles for movies — Home Theater HiFi called the passthrough the best it had met in a stereo preamp, which means one pair of speakers serves music and film without compromise.
• Your amplifier takes XLR — the RP-1 is an RCA design throughout. If balanced runs matter to you, Rogue's RP-3 adds two XLR input pairs and a balanced output pair.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the variable RCA outputs to your power amplifier and keep the second pair for a subwoofer. Your turntable joins the phono input, with the gain switch set for your cartridge. Line sources fill the four remaining inputs.

A surround processor goes to the home theater input, and the fixed outputs feed a recorder. Headphones plug into the front panel. Two tubes warm up, and an American hi-fi tradition starts playing.

Pairs Well With

Building around the RP-1? Here are some great companions:

• Turntable: Put that phono stage to work — see our Turntables.
• Headphones: A full watt deserves a good pair — see our Headphones.
• Interconnects: Quality RCA cables carry the signal to your power amp — see our Interconnect Cables.
• Audio Rack: A tidy home for a compact American — see our Audio Racks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tubes does it use?

Two 12AU7/ECC802 tubes in a mu-follower circuit. The type is common and affordable, easy to replace and popular for tube rolling.

Can I connect a turntable?

Yes. The built-in phono stage offers 44dB or 56dB of gain for moving magnet and moving coil cartridges, with adjustable loading and RIAA accuracy within 0.1dB.

Which remote comes with this one?

The black metal remote, machined rather than molded. That is the finish and handset pairing listed on this page.

Does it have a headphone output?

Yes, a discrete amplifier delivering 1 watt into 32 ohms, which suits most headphones.

How many sources can I connect?

Five in total: four pairs of line-level inputs plus the phono input, with a separate home theater bypass input alongside them.

What warranty does it carry?

A 3-year limited warranty, with 6 months on the tubes.

See It in Action

Audio Advisor introduces the Rogue Audio RP-1:

Analogholic reviews the RP-1 and why tube preamps rule:

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