[SunRa Fan]

Is the volume on the RH5 a stepped attenuator?

 

[mulveling]

Is the volume on the RH5 a stepped attenuator?

It's a digital chip like all the RP series. Rogue used to make Athena and Hera preamplifiers with a huge custom motorized stepped attenuator, chock-full of big Vishay-Dale resistors, and it was awesome (for sound quality) - but they abandoned that a long time ago

 

[SunRa Fan]

How is the RH5 sound these days? I'm interested in its general sound characteristics. I've already seen it described as musical, does this also mean it's a dark sounding amp? Is there much air in the highs? I've got Focal Clear MG's at the moment and I'm looking for an amp that can properly drive planar magnetics, namely the DCA Expanse and the ZMF Caldera.

 

[RobertSM]

It's definitely not dark and definitely not slow. It does however have a huge soundstage. All of the frequency spectrum is represented with deep extended bass and airy highs. With the RH-5 the circuit design is that the tubes provide the amplification(voltage) and the MOSFETS provide the current. What exactly does this mean, it means it's extremely fast due to the MOSFETS and that it has the sonic benefits of the 12AU7's. So yes, you can get warm and liquid sound with a Mullard or Brimar tube. Or you can get a more linear sound with just a touch of warmth with a Telefunken or other European tube.

It pushes 3.5W so it should be a great match for the ZMF Caldera. As a matter of fact to do believe Abyss headphone(planar) were used in the original voicing and tuning of the RH-5. That said it plays well with high impedance dynamic drivers.

 

[SunRa Fan]

It's definitely not dark and definitely not slow. It does however have a huge soundstage. All of the frequency spectrum is represented with deep extended bass and airy highs. With the RH-5 the circuit design is that the tubes provide the amplification(voltage) and the MOSFETS provide the current. What exactly does this mean, it means it's extremely fast due to the MOSFETS and that it has the sonic benefits of the 12AU7's. So yes, you can get warm and liquid sound with a Mullard or Brimar tube. Or you can get a more linear sound with just a touch of warmth with a Telefunken or other European tube.

It pushes 3.5W so it should be a great match for the ZMF Caldera. As a matter of fact to do believe Abyss headphone(planar) were used in the original voicing and tuning of the RH-5. That said it plays well with high impedance dynamic drivers.

That sounds fantastic. I recently bought a Violectric V222 but discovered that it had little air at the top. I really missed that and decided to sell it off. The RH5 is starting to sound like a good candidate. I'm hoping I can find one near that I can demo.

 

[RobertSM]

That sounds fantastic. I recently bought a Violectric V222 but discovered that it had little air at the top. I really missed that and decided to sell it off. The RH5 is starting to sound like a good candidate. I'm hoping I can find one near that I can demo.

I know Violectric, I used to own the V281. They are excellent amps. All of them. From the lower priced brand, Lake People to the Nimbus brand that is one level above Violectric.

I'd say the RH-5 is fast like a soild state, but has that slight euphoric character from the tubes. It's a wonderful place to be.

 

[SunRa Fan]

I know Violectric, I used to own the V281. They are excellent amps. All of them. From the lower priced brand, Lake People to the Nimbus brand that is one level above Violectric.

I'd say the RH-5 is fast like a soild state, but has that slight euphoric character from the tubes. It's a wonderful place to be.

If you turn the RH5 off completely, how long does it take to sound decent when turned back on?

 

[RobertSM]

If you turn the RH5 off completely, how long does it take to sound decent when turned back on?

It really depends on how long it sat idle.

As with all amps it takes time for transformers and capacitors and the rest of the electronics to energize.

It does have a logic circuit that applies energy to warm up the heaters in the tubes to prepare them for the upcoming demands.

 

[SunRa Fan]

It really depends on how long it sat idle.

As with all amps it takes time for transformers and capacitors and the rest of the electronics to energize.

It does have a logic circuit that applies energy to warm up the heaters in the tubes to prepare them for the upcoming demands.

To be more specific, if the RH5 is unplugged all night, how long before it sounds decent when powered up?

 

[RobertSM]

To be more specific, if the RH5 is unplugged all night, how long before it sounds decent when powered up?

10-15 mins to get it 90% there. Another 10mins to get it to its full 100% potential.

Not nearly as long as my Studio Six SET amp. It's actually alot bigger than it looks in pictures. That amp take 45-50 mins to get itself 90% there and the final 10% after 60+mins.

 

[SunRa Fan]

10-15 mins to get it 90% there. Another 10mins to get it to its full 100% potential.

Not nearly as long as my Studio Six SET amp. It's actually alot bigger than it looks in pictures. That amp take 45-50 mins to get itself 90% there and the final 10% after 60+mins.

Going back through the earlier parts of this thread, there's some commentary that the highs are rolled off, and since like me you're also familiar with Violectric Amps, I'm wondering if you can share your thoughts about this. My Violectric V222 had the highs rolled off by design and for me that was a deal breaker. I'm aware that the Violectric v281 has the same sound signature as the V222. Is this the same with the RH5 or can you overcome with tubes?

 

[RobertSM]

Going back through the earlier parts of this thread, there's some commentary that the highs are rolled off, and since like me you're also familiar with Violectric Amps, I'm wondering if you can share your thoughts about this. My Violectric V222 had the highs rolled off by design and for me that was a deal breaker. I'm aware that the Violectric v281 has the same sound signature as the V222. Is this the same with the RH5 or can you overcome with tubes?

Yes, I remember that. I was using a pair of Mullard 10M 12AU7s, that definitely had the highs rolled off. It's something that can be overcome with a more extended tube, such as a Mazda, Telefunken or Valvo. Basically a European tube.

 

[buson160man]

Well I have been making changes in my set up. Partly because the drawer mechanism on my Yamaha CD-2200 cd player has developed issues. I was using the player as a transport for my Schiit Bifrost 2 dac feeding the Rogue Rh-5 on balanced interconnects. I fairly recently upgraded the balanced Silnote Morpheus II xlr cables to the newer Silnote Morpheus III xlr cables(very nice improvement). I have a Panasonic DP-UB9000 4k blu-ray disc player I use for my video set up. So I have moved it to my headphone set up to play cds. I was going to use it as a transport feeding my Schiit Bifrost 2 but after reading about its prowess as a cd player I thought I would give it a whirl playing cds.
I had really not expected it to give my Bifrost serious competition (the Bifrost 2 is something of a giant killer at its very reasonable price) . But the high end 4k player is turning in a very surprising performance on cds. I am turning off the video section of course which definitely ups the ante on its audio performance as a cd player. It is giving my Bifrost 2 a run for the money which surprised me. I am using the Isoacoustic bronze isolation pucks under the Panasonic 9000 4k player. I also am using a harmonic technology ac-10 power cord on the panasonic 9000 4k player.
The sound is definitely competitive with the Bifrost 2 there are of course some differences. The Schiit is a very analog like performer. With exemptional low level detail and excellent soundstaging ability. The Panasonic DP-UB 9000 has exceptional clarity with exceptional low level detail as well but it seems to be somewhat better in imaging than the Bifrost 2 dac. There is somewhat better image definition on the Panasonic player. Both the Bifrost 2 and the Panasonic DP-UB 9000 are very fast sounding with good pace.
They make for an exciting listening experience.
Update. I have to say that with my latest updates that the schiit bifrost 2 handily bests the dac section of the Panasonic UB-9000 universal player. It is not close either. The Schiit bifrost 2 with the analog device chips is really a giant killer of a dac . For the 699 us price it is an astounding performer.

 

[Ratbbb2]

Is the Roque Audio Rh5 still considered a good amplifier in 2023?

New to Head Fi but old rogue fan so I speak with a big bias.
ordered mine 2/3 weeks ago opened it last night and pluged in my Arye Stealth and was very impressed . used to listening to rogue 99 , M180s through vandersteens with subs and after a move to a acoustically poor room I decided to give headphones a try .

 

[SunRa Fan]

New to Head Fi but old rogue fan so I speak with a big bias.
ordered mine 2/3 weeks ago opened it last night and pluged in my Arye Stealth and was very impressed . used to listening to rogue 99 , M180s through vandersteens with subs and after a move to a acoustically poor room I decided to give headphones a try .

I came to Head-Fi only recently from years of 2 channel. Head-Fi is really its own thing altogether, and no one really tells you that. It's a far more intimate experience than normal hifi. Good luck