Rotel

JamieMcC

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Aug 25, 2013
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Anyone out there using the Michi P5 preamp I'm wondering what sort of level it's dac section might compare to?
 

Musicraft

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Jun 18, 2008
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I have searched in vain for a Rotel Owners Club and suspect there is enough love out there to warrant one...

I owned three Micho marvels until earliet this year when I foolishly parted with them in order to fund a regrettable speaker purchase... RHB-10 power amp, RHC-10 passive preamp (probably the wekest link in the chain) and RHQ-10 MM/MC phono stage apologies for stock photo):

Rotel-MICHI stack 2.jpg

A few months ago, having missed out on rare RHCD-10, I bought a wonderful RCD-991 Audiophile Edition as recounted here:



image.png

In October I started re-assembling a mixed vintage Rotel stack and managed to find a mint RB-991 with its lovely balanced inputs:

image.png

This week a rather more recent pre arrived, a lovely RC-1570 with balanced outputs, built in DAC and fabulous connectivity:

image.png

image.png
I also owned a RHC-10 and RHB-10.
 
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hifinutt

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Dec 23, 2007
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phil
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not been any threads on rotel for a while
their 1552 mark 2 power amp has been around for a while now , this video compares it with the vidar mark one which has been superceded by the mark 2 vidar

anyone use the rotel power amp ?

 

blueninjasix

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Feb 8, 2019
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Tony
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Here's my current Rotel Stack. RC-980BX Preamp (no tone controls) and twin RB-850 power amps. I've owned a RB-850 since they first came out (used then with a QED passive preamp). More recently I decided to get another one to try them in bridged mono, but I found a much more recent pair for £200 (as shown in the photo). I tried them initially in bridged mono but didn't really need all that power so switched them to the much sweeter sound of bi-amp. Each power amp plays in stereo, one powering the tweeters and the other the bass drivers. Overall, the biggest step up was adding the RC-980BX. It added so much texture to the sound.
 

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BalooToo

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Jul 25, 2022
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I bought a Rotel Tribute when my beloved Achemist Kraken died on one channel, the plan was to get the Alchemist repaired but to be honest the little Rotel fulfils all my needs it is very detailed and plenty powerful enough for my room and near field listening through a pair of Monopulse 32s. Not a bass monster but living in a flat that is an advantage most of the time. The bluetooth is really handy when people come round and just connect their phone and can play their music, not brilliant but certainly good enough for background music while were chatting.
The phono stage is adequate but I use a Creek phono stage and vinyl sounds very good.
At the moment it is fed from a PC and Mojo 2 and I have to admit to being astonished just how good it sounds.
My one complaint is the headphone out is crap, tried it with several headphones and it is poor. Not a problem for me when listening but it means I cannot listen to vinyl or CD late at night.
Can recommend this amp, I really do not know what I would upgrade to as it does everything for me in my listening room and situation.
 
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Andy Stephenson

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Feb 8, 2022
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Here's my current Rotel Stack. RC-980BX Preamp (no tone controls) and twin RB-850 power amps. I've owned a RB-850 since they first came out (used then with a QED passive preamp). More recently I decided to get another one to try them in bridged mono, but I found a much more recent pair for £200 (as shown in the photo). I tried them initially in bridged mono but didn't really need all that power so switched them to the much sweeter sound of bi-amp. Each power amp plays in stereo, one powering the tweeters and the other the bass drivers. Overall, the biggest step up was adding the RC-980BX. It added so much texture to the sound.
Hi Tony, It's interesting to contrast your experience with your Rotels with mine! I use RQ/RC/RB970BX x2 I preferred the sound of bridged monos to the bi amping alternative into my ProAc Tablettes.
What speakers do you have?
The extra power available wasn't an consideration to me, rather the preferrable, to me at least, sound quality.
This kind of apparent paradox is what makes this hobby so fascinating!
I've enjoyed mine for 26 years and they've never missed a beat which says a lot about the build quality especially at the price.

Andy
 

blueninjasix

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Feb 8, 2019
13
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Lancashire
AKA
Tony
HiFi Trade?
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Hi Tony, It's interesting to contrast your experience with your Rotels with mine! I use RQ/RC/RB970BX x2 I preferred the sound of bridged monos to the bi amping alternative into my ProAc Tablettes.
What speakers do you have?
The extra power available wasn't an consideration to me, rather the preferrable, to me at least, sound quality.
This kind of apparent paradox is what makes this hobby so fascinating!
I've enjoyed mine for 26 years and they've never missed a beat which says a lot about the build quality especially at the price.

Andy
Hi Andy. The speakers are Kef IQ5SE, so nothing really special (recommended power 15 to 130 watts, 88db sensitivity) so they don't really need the 150 wpc that bridged mode brings. I certainly noticed the improvement in control when going from 1 amp to 2, but the preamp made more difference. Like you say, the differences are what makes the hobby interesting.
 
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Andy Stephenson

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Hi Andy. The speakers are Kef IQ5SE, so nothing really special (recommended power 15 to 130 watts, 88db sensitivity) so they don't really need the 150 wpc that bridged mode brings. I certainly noticed the improvement in control when going from 1 amp to 2, but the preamp made more difference. Like you say, the differences are what makes the hobby interesting.
Synergy is a big part in the matching components.
I 'invested' in some Linn Keilidhs a couple years ago to give me something slightly different to play with! The Rotel/Linn combination isn't a good one! So it's gave me the excuse to relieve the bank account of some more funds and I am the proud owner of a Technics power amp which does gel with the Keilidhs nicely.
So now, I can run both the Technics and the Rotels from the same preamp, not at the same time of course, and there's no need to constantly change the wiring.
I find the Rotel/ProAc combination more refined than the Technics/Linn duo which are more fun when a little more volume is desired!

Andy
 
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