Rotel

The first thing you should understand is that Rotel are truly a specialist hi-fi company. They are a 40 year old, family owned organisation dedicated to the design and manufacture of the finest in affordable, high performance home theatre and high fidelity components. We use the word “manufacture” advisedly. Rotel make everything from core components to complete products themselves. In their own factories. Under their own control.

They stand or fall on the quality of their components and systems. Rotel do not make food processors, bread makers, outboard motors or photocopiers. So when we say specialist we mean specialist. Rotel inhabit the same territory as companies such as Meridian and Perreaux. The key difference from other specialists is that Rotel make a serious effort to provide entry level products that are affordable to even the struggling enthusiast.

You should always remember that while it’s not too hard to build a very good expensive system, the real art is in putting together a great sounding system on a budget. This is where Rotel excel and the reason that we have continuously sold their products for over 20 years.

I’ll also point out that over those 20 years Rotel have proved to be the most reliable product we’ve ever sold and even their most basic little amplifier from way back then still sounds good. That kind of heritage takes some beating.

Now, Rotel have come a long way in that time and while they still make the best little entry level amplifier in the RA04 at just NZ$ 800 their range includes some serious CD players, amplifier and home cinema separates that will give any high end heavy weight a run for the money (and make a mockery of the mass market offerings).

Within the Rotel range, we choose to highlight particular models that we feel are both great value for money in New Zealand,and for want of a better word are ‘special’. You can regard these as our warmest recommendations.

Music Listening

Stereo is still a great format – after all we have two ears – not 5.1 – and you shouldn’t be afraid of looking at quality components that play music through a single pair of speakers in one room. There is nothing to stop you running TV or movies through a stereo system and enjoying great sound. Think about this – if you have a set budget, what will sound better; a pair of quality speakers or 5 cheap speakers?

Rotel have always been about music and they have continued to produce great sounding stereo components – these are our favourites...

New - RCD 1520 CD Player – NZ$ 1,495

We've been waiting for this one. A sparkling new CD player from Rotel has been a long time coming and the new RCD 1520 takes advantage of all the latest technology to deliver new life to all your CDs. The slot loading mechanism makes for an obvious comparison with Meridian's stunning new G08.2. Rotel share Meridian's dedication to better sound quality and while we can't promise the Rotel will equal the G08.2 it will give you huge head start in that direction over any other similarly priced player

New - RA 152 Integrated amplifier – NZ$ 1,795

This honey of an amplifier bridges the chasm between ‘entry level’ and the new Perreaux eloquence models. You should never underestimate either its real abilities in terms of power or quality. Unlike some, this integrated amplifier strikes a happy balance between audiophile sensibilities and useful features – it has remote control, AB speaker switching and a fine phono stage all included. I’ll also point out that if you use the Eichmann eXpress AC lead with this amp the performance will move up to another level again.

The most recent review in the September issue of The Absolute Sound has Neil Gader remarking about the RA-1520 and RCD-1520's “Performance, value - And now great looks!” Of particular note, he goes on to compare Rotel’s power ratings to Rolls Royce’s previous standards of not publishing horsepower ratings.

Years ago, when Rolls Royce motor cars never published horsepower figures, its spokesmen would respond to press inquiries with a knowing smile and the simple statement that the power was deemed ‘adequate.’ Rotel is similarly an exemplar of this sort of understatement. Rotel may not have reinvented this segment of the high end, but with the RA-1520 and more notably the RCD-1520 it continues to find more transparency, more performance, more music with each succeeding model line. Could there be anything more “adequate” than that?

In regard to the RCD-1520, Neil states “...the RCD-1520 may just be a break-out source component in this price range....This player reproduces bass that is tight, deep and, most importantly, rhythmic. Low-level resolving power was also rewarding.

From the U.K., we also have excellent reviews in Hi Fi News and What Hi Fi

It doesn’t take a long listen to realize that Rotel has delivered an amplifier that offers a genuine alternative to our established Naim and Roksan favourites. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'It’s Blitz' is a formidable test of timing and dynamics, but the RA-1520 dispatches the album without breaking sweat. Informative, exciting and unflustered by complexity for sheer attack, the Rotel exhibits the sort of deep-breathing assurance that’s the mark of an amplifier in control.”

Rahsann Roland Kirk’s 'Rip, Rig and Panic' shows the other side of the RA-1520’s nature. This amplifier has an impressively agile way with transients and the leading edge of notes, which makes its midrange sound intimate and expressive, and when it comes to detail extraction, it’s almost a match for anything here.

And when they do get going, they really get going. This duo has muscle and character by the bucket-load and is certainly not shy of turning a quiet night at home into a party. The amp has an enviable reserve of power and comprehensively sees off its similarly priced rivals for dynamic drive and high volume ability.

A big low frequency punch defines the sound with superb attack and a serious penchant for drum and bass. While no flat-neutral performer, the pairing has a gorgeous mid-bass that is both fast and weighty along with a well extended by never edgy top end. The duo (RA-1520 and RCD-1520) slips comfortably into the Very Best of Charles Mingus, easily finding the alacrity and sweet sculptural rhythms that define this jazz legend.

You can hear the rich tapestry of sounds that make up every pluck of the strings, from the pick-up that deadens the previous note to the instrument’s natural resonant decay. This was music recorded before ‘digital mucking about’ became the norm and this is a system that lets every ounce of that raw quality shine through. After a long weekend of intense listening and classic albums, I for one have warmed to a Rotel system’s strong character and sheer enthusiasm.

The affordable ‘O6’ range

Coming in the around NZ$ 800 per piece arena, the O6 range provides a worthwhile alternative to the mass market or tweaky little brands. The CD player, integrated amplifiers and tuner may cost a little more than NAD or Cambridge models but if you do yourself a favour and inspect both the build quality and sound you’ll find the difference is well worthwhile, Even if it is a bit of a stretch, chances are that you are not going to be wanting to change components in a hurry so just a little extra now will do a lot for your long term enjoyment and sanity. Here’s our money saving tip for the week – if you want to include a tuner but the total budget it blowing out a silver/white Henry Kloss Model One radio from Tivoli saves a tidy $500 and still looks and sounds the part.

RA04 Integrated amplifier (includes phono stage) – NZ$ 800
RA05 Integrated amp with remote – NZ$ 1,000
RCD06 CD player – NZ$ 800
RC06 Pre amplifier – NZ$ 899
RB06 70wpc power amplifier – NZ$ 899

The Better Way for Home Cinema

Most people can accept the logic behind separate pre and power amplifiers – you gain from electrical and mechanical isolation, you enjoy more flexibility in that you can choose the level of power and quality you want from a range of models and you are able to easily upgrade in the future. They simply sound better and that is why every signal serious hi-fi manufacturer has a pre and power option as their flagship amplification product.

Now what could be more compromised than trying to cram not just two, but 5 or more high power channels into a single box with sensitive audio circuitry – and then ad both digital and video sections into the mix? We’ll spell it out just to make the point C-O-M-P-R-O-M-I-S-E. You can dress up big receiver amps with any amount of flashing lights, up to the minute logos and built in microphones but they are and always will be second best. The people who build them know this and that is why they are cheaper. We don’t buy into this. Why would you want to?

This is why we are going to show you the new Rotel RSP 1570 7.1 surround sound preamplifier (NZ$ 3795) and the RMB 1565 five channel power amplifier (NZ$ 2295).

The RSP1570 is the heart of your audio and video system. It deals with a multitude of inputs, formats and standards on the way in, making sense of them and seamlessly converting as required then sending high quality output to screens, power amplifiers and even other rooms. And it does this job very, very well. This is something you'll immediately hear and see. Crystal clear pictures and sound - matched to one another. Musically, the Rotel cinema products have always been winners - it's in their DNA. So you don't have to consider a separate system for great music replay.

The power amp really is something else – it’s much slimmer and cool running than you’d expect. Earlier Rotel power amps ere positively steroidal and solid. The key to this is the new Class D amplification modules they are using - a modernised version of Linn’s ‘Brilliant’ switched mode power supply. So quiet and clean, with a vanishingly low noise floor but utter precision and detail. There is no way that you’d first look at this amp and credit that there were five 100 watt channels enclosed. But there are and it makes for a whole lot of fun. The RSP/RMB combination doesn’t miss a beat with both front end and speaker combinations that cost several times more. It is hugely capable.I could go on, but you might want to take the time to hear the Rotel in action for yourself. Everything about it just makes sense and the results speak for themselves.

The only reason you'd have for not getting into the pre and power combination is cost. While there is nothing to touch it at $6000 all up, we do understand that sometimes budgets can get in the way. So just in the same way that Rotel do with stereo amplifier systems, the pre and power combinations define the best performance and the integrated models distill that essence into a more affordable model. The RSX1550 is exactly that - at just under $4000 you still get the Rotel sound - and have every feature you could ever want but in a single case. Michael Wong wrote in auadioenz.co.nz "If you can do without the usual bells and whistles, you will be getting a stylish, well built AVR that delivers superlative performance that in my experience is unmatched at this price point."

One other thing we really like about Rotel as a company is that they are very forthcoming with good quality information. If you have the curiosity and are prepared to spend a little time reading, Rotel are happy to provide a wealth of information covering system selection, set up and comprehensive details as to why they do what they do and why they (justifiably we think) claim their products are better. There is no hiding behind jargon, or stupid sexist advertising. It’s all there for you to absorb. That says a lot about the credibility of Rotel. Follow the links below for this information.

Rotel Information pages

There are endless great reviews for Rotel – you can navigate your way through Rotel’s own site or Google to find them. These will give you a good idea of where Rotel sits in the rankings but what is really important is the final installed performance in your own home.

Because we have dealt with Rotel for so long, we know both what it works best with and how to get the most out of it. And most importantly for you we can make sure you get exactly the right models for your particular circumstances. With that in mind the best thing to do is now either visit or drop us a line – we look forward to hearing from you.

Direct Contact

John Ransley and Sharon Guytonbeck are the principals behind Totally Wired. It’s our own business and we take pride in building something worthwhile.

If you want to contact us directly per mail:

• John Ransley
• Sharon Guytonbeck

Related links

• Cambridge Audio
• Arcam
• Tivoli