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Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Pre-Amplifier

Preamplifier

Relative price

typical

Among the 29 preamplifiers in the catalogue, this one is typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

Built-in BluOS multi-room streaming + AirPlay 2 + Roon Ready + HDMI eARC. Rapture DAC technology (differential current-conveyor topology). Hybrid digital-analog volume control. MM/MC phono stage. Ground-switching input design.

Competition record

Assessed against 8 rivals across the sixty systems: it takes the slot in none of its 45 head-to-heads.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • quietness at rest ×39
  • vocal presence ×8
  • low-level clarity ×5
  • midrange truth ×3

Who it comes up against

Music First Audio Baby Reference V2

10 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Cavity-Native, Characterful, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Music First Audio Baby Reference V2 keeps the slot decisively.

With the Audio Note P1 SE, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Whest Audio 60Se Pro, the pairing gains most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Pre-Amplifier is the weaker preamplifier for that brief.

had not heard a better preampStereophile (Art Dudley) — Baby Reference V1 review
had not heard a better preampStereophile (Art Dudley) — Baby Reference V1 review

Audiolab 9000Q

9 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Characterful, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Anchored brief, the Audiolab 9000Q keeps the slot clearly.

With the Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units), the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Pre-Amplifier is the weaker preamplifier for that brief.

S/N exceeding 112dB A-weighted, THD <0.002%Audiolab 9000P/Q HomeTheaterReview specs + Audio Tailor review

NVA P50 MKII

9 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Anchored brief, the NVA P50 MKII keeps the slot clearly.

With the Audiolab 9000P, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gains most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Pre-Amplifier is the stronger preamplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Audiolab 9000P gives up quietness at rest under the Anchored weighting.

NVA P50SA MKII

8 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Cavity-Native, Intimate, PRaT, Reference

Against the Anchored brief, the NVA P50SA MKII keeps the slot clearly.

With the Longdog Audio P6100M (pair), the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gains most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Pre-Amplifier is the stronger preamplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Longdog Audio P6100M (pair) gives up quietness at rest under the Anchored weighting.

pin sharp clarityNVA owner consensus (P50SA)
pin sharp clarityNVA owner consensus (P50SA)

Leema Neutron

4 lost · Cavity-Native, Characterful, Romantic

Against the Cavity-Native brief, the Leema Neutron keeps the slot decisively.

With the Leema Hydra II, the pairing gives up most on vocal presence.

EAR Yoshino 868L (Line)

2 lost · Intimate

Against the Intimate brief, the EAR Yoshino 868L (Line) keeps the slot decisively.

With the EAR Yoshino 890, the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.

On its own merits the Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Pre-Amplifier is the weaker preamplifier for that brief.

Exposure 3510 Preamplifier

2 lost · Artisan, Reference

Against the Artisan brief, the Exposure 3510 Preamplifier keeps the slot decisively.

With the Exposure XM9 Biamp 2x2 (4 units), the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

Audio Note M2 Phono

1 lost · Intimate

Against the Intimate brief, the Audio Note M2 Phono keeps the slot decisively.

With the Audio Note P1 SE, the pairing gives up most on midrange truth.

On its own merits the Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming Pre-Amplifier is the stronger preamplifier — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the Audio Note P1 SE gives up midrange truth under the Intimate weighting.

What the reviewers said

Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming preamp with same Euphoria topology AVForums Roksan Caspian 4G Streaming review· Spatial naturalness

How it scores

Clarity

  • Spatial resolution 76 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Tonal body 76 from listening evidence
  • Harmonic texture 76 from listening evidence

LowerVolume

  • Micro-dynamic resolution 76 from listening evidence

Specifications

is balanced internalTrue
is dual monoFalse
has built in phonoTrue
phono typeMM/MC
rca inputs4
xlr inputs1
line input impedance kohm47.0
line input sensitivity mv380.0
rca outputs1
xlr outputs1
din outputs0
output impedance ohm100
headphone outFalse
internal bass managementdsp_high_pass
gain db12.0
notes