5 out of 5
After a short hiatus and a change of UK distribution, HiFi Gear is proud to announce that we are once again working with Rotel to provide some of our favourite Japanese hifi equipment.
To coincide with their return, Rotel have announced a suite of improved products, with many of their 14 series products donning a mk2 badge, to indicate an improvement to performance, internal components, board design and most importantly sound! Along with their even greater improved, flagship Michi series proudly wearing the 'Series 2' name, bringing along with it a whole host of improvements, more of which we will go into below, with further details on each product page.
Offering excellent build quality, unique technology and superb value, Rotel offer an amplifier for everyone, from their compact yet powerful integrated amps, to their range-topping pre & power amplifiers. In this blog post we will cover their key technology, some of our favourite models and why we think they make some of the best hifi kit around.
Since 1961, Rotels approach to design and product development has had more in common with precision Swiss watches than it does traditional hifi, with extensive fine-tuning of electrical components, circuit board layout and chassis design, creating pure, performance lead products. Unlike many brands, Rotel doesn't simply replace a product for the sake of it, they release a new product when they genuinely have created improved performance and plan into the future to ensure each of their customers will have an excellent piece of hifi for years to come.
What makes Rotel special?
Custom Toroidal Transformers
Following from Rotel's trend of precision over-engineering, rather than purchasing off-the-shelf generic transformers for their power supplies (the quality of which has a great effect on audio performance), Rotel hand build each and every one of theirs. Meaning they can choose the exact size, type and material used to ensure quality. Every transformer is entirely unique to each product line, ensuring the exact voltage and current is supplied to their carefully selected components.
The wire used for Rotel transformers is sourced from trusted suppliers who produce certified documentation of the copper materials. Each transformer core is built, baked, wound and stress tested to ensure power supply delivers all the clean, undistorted power each component requires for optimum audio performance.
Balanced Design Concept
You'll see this phrase appear a lot in Rotel's branding, but that's because they're incredibly proud of it.
The phrase essentially means that along with fine-tuning each individual component, dialling in each specification and looking at geeky numbers on a laptop, Rotel also does what we all do... which is listen to the product, an evaluation which speaks louder than any number on a spec sheet. If the sound doesn't move you and get your feet tapping, it's back to the drawing board.
In house manufacturing
You may be surprised to learn that not all audio brands have their own factory. This is not the case for Rotel.
Long ago Rotel decided to build their own custom factory and produce products 'in-house' - a move which enables them to keep a strict eye on quality control and choose each material and component with confidence in it's quality and performance.
At the Rotel factory you will find state of the art surface mount technology (SMT), flow soldering equipment, automated test equipment, spotless and efficient assembly lines and, of course, an array of transformer winding equipment. The equipment operators and production line staff are highly skilled, working hand-in-hand with the quality control team on the production line and inspection areas.
Within a Rotel-owned manufacturing facility, their engineers are free to create circuit topology and select components based on sound quality, rather than ease of production or lowest cost. This dedication can easily be both seen and heard in every Rotel model.
Which speakers pair well with Rotel?
Short answer... pretty much all.
Rotel amplifiers have a balanced, natural and musical sound, meaning they present music, as close as they can get, to how it was heard in the recording studio. With plenty of power and well-designed analogue amplifier stages, most Rotel amplifiers will pair well with most speakers. To book a demo with your speakers of choice, just contact us, book a date and we'll make sure the kettle is on!
We've found amplifiers such as the A14 mk2 to pair exceptionally well with PMC's Prodigy 5 floor-standing speakers and the monstrous Michi X3 powers our Kudos Super 20A with absolute ease, but they really aren't fussy, as long as the speakers are of good quality.
Our favourites
A11 Mk2 Amplifier & CD11 Mk2 CD Player
The A11 and CD11 has been a staple for us as a high-performance, modestly priced system with exceptional performance for the cost. Being the perfect pairing for the CD lover, this combination also has an excellent MM phonostage for a turntable (we like the Rega Planar 3), alongside Bluetooth for digital streaming and enough digital inputs for your TV, network streamer or any other digital source.
Michi X3 Series 2
"I could find no faults with the Michi X3. None. Nada. Zilch. NOTHING!" - Steve Huff, Audio Reviewer
Michi is Rotel's flagship range of 'no expense spared' precision-engineered amplification. Using the absolute best of Rotel's engineering prowess combined with the best components they can source and an incredibly solid, eye-catching chassis.
Their X3 S2 has been classed as a 'giant killer' when compared against numerous other high-end amplifiers, showcasing that Rotel has always offered performance well above it's price range. Yes, the X3 (Series 2) is by no means a cheap amplifier, but when given a suitably excellent source and speakers it will shine, even against much pricier competition.
With a superb MM phonostage and a DAC built to outperform even very well reviewed external units, the X3 S2 is designed to become the centre of your audio system, to offer stunning performance for years to come.
