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Computers

Rotel RAS-5000 Review: A Killer Network Amp That Needs a Better App

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Network amplifiers are springing up everywhere these days, and why shouldn’t they be? A single device that facilitates everything from your favorite streaming services to TV content over HDMI ARC is fantastically convenient and shouldn’t be reserved for A/V receivers or powered speakers. For listeners after a versatile, high-quality stereo experience, it can make a lot of sense to get everything you need in one refined device.

With a wide field of available options, choosing a heritage audio brand like Rotel also seems to make good sense if you have the cash, and Rotel’s newish RAS-5000 is well stocked for the task. After testing the amplifier for several weeks, I’m happy to report the sound quality is as excellent as you’d expect. Its Hulkish frame provides a similarly Hulkish punch for clear and dynamic sound, muscular bass, and enough wattage to get the most out of high-end speaker pairings.

The RAS-5000 is a capable workhorse with plenty of playback options, but some of the tech is clunkier than I’d expect at this price. Options like Technics’ SU-GX70 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) provide a better user experience for less, with a much handier app. Still, the Rotel has all the tools, and its mix of tactful clarity and brute-force power is formidable. For those with speakers that crave serious power, this amp has plenty to spare.

A Big Ol’ Block

The RAS-5000 arrives in a very large box because it is a very large amplifier. Standing nearly 6 inches tall and 17 inches deep, it easily dwarfs my pint-sized Naim Uniti Atom (8/10, WIRED Recommends) reference amp, and its weight of almost 35 pounds officially requires back support for setup. The overall vibe leans industrial but its rounded edges and shimmering metallic finish add a touch of elegance.

The aesthetic is similar to predecessors like the Rotel RA-1572 MKII, save for the big color screen at the block’s center, which adds a lot of personality. The screen lacks touch controls, a complaint I raised about the Naim Uniti Atom HE headphone amplifier (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but it’s less of an issue here since the RAS-5000 sits on a console, not a desk, and there aren’t that many settings to adjust anyway (more on that later).

Front view of silver device with a screen in the middle and a large dial on the right

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

I like the trend toward flashy screens for previewing album artwork, but the audio nerd in me is more enamored with the Rotel’s constant sampling and bitrate display for everything you play. It’s all the more handy since the RAS-5000’s ESS DAC supports hi-res audio files up to 384-kHz/24-bit when connected to a PC over USB-B with “any supported format by the PC Software.”

How high you fly depends mostly on the source—audio resolution is limited to 192-kHz/24-bit over optical/coaxial input, while Airplay 2 tops out at 48 kHz/24 bit. The system also supports streaming over Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and Roon’s high-resolution music management software for those looking to build an accessible hi-res library.

The RAS-5000’s monstrous enclosure leaves room for a similarly monstrous custom toroidal transformer, which will dramatically dim your lights when you fire it up. The hefty powerplant feeds an A/B amplification system that delivers up to 140 watts per channel at 8 ohms and 220 watts per channel at 4 ohms. That should be enough to suitably power virtually any high-end speaker pairing you’ve got (within reason).

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Computers

Fender Tone Master Pro Review: The Classiest Modeling Amp

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While enthusiasts are still fussing over tube amps and drooling over effects pedal collections, gigging musicians are in the midst of a digital revolution. Offerings from brands like Kemper, Line 6, Fractal Audio, and Neural DSP all allow musicians to model tube amps digitally, with results that come astonishingly close to the real deal.

These new digital modeling amps are easy to set up, reliable, and much lighter and more compact than previous rigs. These days, the sounds are also remarkable. Unless they’re in the studio, many modern musicians are using digital options for their sounds, and many of those options are making their way onto hit tracks.

Fender has competed in the digital amp space for decades, but its new $1,700 Tone Master Pro, which launched late last year, is the first truly pro-tier option that we’ve seen from the brand in recent memory. It’s also one of the most intuitive I’ve ever laid eyes on. With classic models of iconic amps and effects, a touchscreen, excellent onboard controls, and a shocking amount of digital processing power, it’s essentially a portable guitar studio. It also has a four-channel audio interface and hundreds of microphone modeling and cabinet modeling options that easily compete with the real deal—even in the studio. It’s even pretty awesome for karaoke.

If I were shopping for an all-in-one guitar solution that works both in my bedroom and on stage, especially if I didn’t want to fuss around in menu screens forever, this is the one I’d pick.

Overhead view of digital amp

Photograph: Parker Hall

The New Black Box

The Tone Master Pro looks nearly identical to most of the other all-in-one amp/pedalboard solutions I’ve seen. Essentially, it’s a black slab that is supposed to sit in front of you while you play, either on the floor or on a desk. A 7-inch touchscreen sits between two silver knobs on the top of the device, flanked at the bottom by 10 pedal switches and associated LED screens. It’s all very clean and modern, easy to hide while you play on stage.

One quirky and familiar thing I love is that Fender included its classic red power light on the back of the device, so you can easily tell it is on like a “normal” Fender amp. The rest of the rear of the Tone Master is a smorgasbord of inputs and outputs the likes of which I’ve never seen on a guitar amp.

There are stereo outputs in both quarter inch and XLR; four separate effects sends and returns (two stereo) for using outboard pedals and effects with the device; two expression pedal outlets; a mic/line and instrument input; as well as a foot switch control, 3.5-mm aux in, headphone output, MIDI in and out, USB-C, and MicroSD. And also, Bluetooth. If you need more, you probably need a mixing board or a patch bay.

Backside of digital amp displaying the ports outlets and knobs

Photograph: Parker Hall

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Entertainment

The pocket-sized Boss Katana:Go headphone amp doubles as an audio interface

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There are plenty of that plug directly into instruments like electric guitars and basses, but Boss just kicked things up a notch. The company has announced the and it’s a doozy, with a combination of features I’ve never seen together in one little box.

Just like rival products, this thing plugs into the input jack of a preferred instrument and includes a headphone jack to hear what’s going on. Guitar players can choose from ten amp models and bassists get three amp models, each pulled from the pre-existing Katana line of modeling amplifiers. Boss Katana amps are known primarily for their surprisingly great selection of tones, and it looks like the company managed to squeeze those same models into a headphone amp. Rival products are certainly convenient, but don’t always sound that great.

There are 60 effects to choose from, with all of the reverbs, delays and, of course, choruses musicians have come to expect from Boss. These are also the same effects featured in the larger and pricier combo amps.

So, there are good amp tones and a robust lineup of effects. What sets the Katana:Go apart from, say, the Mustang Micro? First of all, there’s a built-in tuner, which is always a welcome addition. The Katana:GO also includes spatial audio tech to mimic a live setup, further enhancing its usefulness as a practice amp. It remains to be seen how realistic this sounds, but Boss says it lets users position a virtual amp in different locations to give the impression of playing on stage or “jamming in a room with friends.” I’ve used many of these amps before and have found the “in your face” nature of the headphone signal rather off-putting, so I’m intrigued by this feature.

The amp has 30 preset slots, for creating and saving unique tones, and integrates with the . This allows users to trade presets like Pokémon. Okay, not quite like Pokémon, but you get the gist.

A guitar player using the mobile app.

Boss

The Katana:GO even doubles as an actual USB audio interface. Just plug it into a computer, smartphone or tablet and record straight into a DAW. Finally, there’s a dedicated mobile app, with the ability to jam along to songs from streaming sites or a personal library. This is especially handy for getting that daily practice session in, and there’s a looping feature for nailing down difficult segments.

Just like the other headphone amps on the market, it folds up neatly and easily fits into a standard gig bag. The Boss Katana:GO costs $120 and, incidentally, is the same price as the Mustang Micro, which doesn’t double as an audio interface or include a built-in tuner. It’s available to purchase right now.

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