Rotel 1572 MK2 Review | Bring me Clarity!

[@ZeroFidelity]

A few things: 1) All my comments in this review regarding detail and neutrality were made with respect to the products price. 2) I forgot to mention that this integrated pairs up well to speakers that also focus on clarity in speed, examples being KEF , PMC, etc... 3). MOST IMPORTANTLY, I say that most gear could use bew tewf streaming with ACC capability. Just sayin'.

[@billfife6569]

Excellent

[@johnsweda2999]

Do you know if the unico has solid-state rectifier or tube and if tube what rectifier thanks!

[@ZeroFidelity]

@@johnsweda2999 - SS.

[@jackprick9797]

Pronunciation is incorrect. It's not: U-nee-co; it's: ooh-nee-co, as in "ooh did you see that?" or the"oo" sound in boots.

[@1mctous]

@@jackprick9797 Like the u in unum.

[@noname-uo6hp]

you are always a class act my friend. we appreciate all you do for our audiophile community!

[@TioCocolDG]

Sean, after watching your review 5 times I decided to buy this integrated to replace a Roksan K3. Wow, clarity in sound is an effective way to describe the sound signature of this Rotel. I am certainly happy with my purchase. Thank you Sean.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Sharp looking integrated. Thanks Sean !

[@AudioElectronicsChicago]

It was a pleasure to hear your review!

[@lukeanthony3358]

As someone who actually owns the Rotel RA1572MKII I need to spread some love for it because I can say that it is incredible value and a fantastic amplifier. I don’t know why everyone in the audio world foams at the mouth about Cambridge and other amplifiers that sound artificial and hollow. This Rotel has incredible muscle, balance and soundstage. Every single input sounds fantastic. I have a Rega P3 with exact cartridge hooked up and the sound is unbelievable. The DAC is great, even standard Bluetooth streaming sounds awesome. The bass control is brilliant. Get off the wagons and listen to some other brands. This is seriously underrated and doesn’t get the respect it deserves.

[@allenwilliams8962]

@lukeanthony3358 I have all the same componenets. What speakers do you have?

[@matzi303]

The 1572 mk2 has a strong background noise. Can you confirm this?

[@lukeanthony3358]

@@matzi303hey mate, no sorry I can’t. Mine is dead quiet even if I turn volume up to max with no music playing. Spinning records is also dead quiet

[@lukeanthony3358]

@@allenwilliams8962I have my dad’s old speakers, they were built here in Melbourne. Foster bullet tweeter, midrange driver, 2x 10” bass drivers in each speaker, sealed cabinet design. I think people have a problem with this amplifier when they don’t pair the right speakers. It did sound a little thin at high volume in the beginning but, whether you believe in burn in or not, it has mellowed out the longer I’ve had it and is clear, neutral but a touch of natural warmth, great control of bass. Bass guitar sounds like someone playing bass in my house, and being a guitar player I find it is very natural sounding with guitar too, also sounds like someone playing in my lounge.

[@lukeanthony3358]

@@allenwilliams8962 I’m using my father’s old speakers that were built here in Melbourne in the 80s. Foster bullet tweeter, mid range driver and 2x 10” drivers per speaker. I was going to change speakers when getting the Rotel but they sound amazing which was a surprise. First things I noticed was the clarity of the music and how well controlled and tight the bass is. It is clear but not clinical and everything sounds balanced. I think this amplifier is highly underrated and maybe people have been pairing it with the wrong speakers for it. I cannot complain and glad I got it

[@ranelime]

If someone from Rotel could design the front panel that would be great. As usual, thanks Sean!

[@netnakul]

Would love to see a review of their Michi line in the future (preferably Michi X3), see how they compare.

[@terryhk99leung36]

This is my 4th times watching these since inception...as considering used option of this amp... Thanks so much

[@aussierob7177]

I was looking to buy a new Power Amplifier, to replace the one i had , and after careful consideration i ended up getting The Rotel RB-1582MK11. This is a 200W per channel class AB amplifier The amp has a slightly "warm" sound which i prefer and when used with the Audiolab 8200Q Preamplifier driving a pair of KEFLS50 Metas,the result is simply stunning

[@summerforever6736]

I have the MK2 kiks ass! Same power amp as yours! Has tons of power!

[@18yearsoldnot]

About to pull trigger on that amp as well for my kef r3 speakers. I saw on the spec sheet that the r3 is rated anywhere from 30-180W so I hope 200w doesn’t hurt them

[@gokhanersan8561]

I am either going to a this big Rotel integrated or get the RB-1282 and use my r11 as preamp. Any suggestions?

[@summerforever6736]

@@gokhanersan8561 get a power amp from rotel

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@summerforever6736My wife will not like the aesthetics; but it seems like a versatile and price conscious solution to powering (my future) Martin Logan 60s.

[@michaelcollins2473]

Good review. Seems like a good "jack of all trades" solution. I can see Rotel selling a lot of these units.

[@sloboat55]

Glad to see you looking well.

[@krishmandal9769]

I just got this amp. It could be the combination of the amp with my Klipsch RP 600Ms, I don't know, I have no other speakers of audiophile quality to judge, but after 3 days, this is my impression. The only thing I have to compare is my Yamaha RX-V683 AVR which I loved the sound of from day 1 : First the good-- 1) I was immediately impressed at the clarity and discreteness of the sound of this Rotel. Things rang sharper and more separated to my ears. 2) Bass was more punchy, hard hitting, and had an immediacy to it. And now for the bad... I immediately felt like something was missing. I am not a person with trained ears though I have vocal training as a kid and have listened to various music all my life. But there was definitely something different in all the things that played through this amp. I first suspected that what others might call "neutral" or "a flat response curve" could be what I was experiencing. After all, my experience with different speakers and amps is minimal. But I know what sounds good, and something was distinctly missing. I had just bought U2's The Unforgettable Fire on vinyl and played it. I was thrilled to have gotten the album, and then was completely disappointed that it sounded thin, and was missing so much from the music that I came to know over all these years. I played the same album from my mp3s on my phone, via Spotify, and via Tidal. While those versions sounded better, there was still some nagging feeling that something was missing. I played Metallica's Black album via CD, as well as a number of Rush albums, including an original Master recording version gold CD of Rush's album Signals. After about 3 days I had the idea to switch all the cabling back to my Yamaha receiver and try to play The Unforgettable Fire on vinyl through that. Everything that I thought was missing in the album, came roaring back to life through my Yamaha receiver. I ran the same tests of all the other albums on the Yamaha again. And while the clarity is not so sharp on the Yamaha the richness and the fullness of all that music was definitely there. I then tried to explain to my daughter that she ought to try to hear her favorite songs through both amps, and see what difference she can hear. She said almost the same things that I did. And because she's not an audiophile she couldn't explain it with audio file words, but she said something seemed missing, dead. The conclusion I've come to, is that the Rotel is missing a huge chunk of the mid-range. Again, it could be the pairing of the Rotel with my RP600Ms. And I am dying to try another set of speakers to see if that is actually the case. I'd be interested to hear the experience of other people who actually own this amp, and which speakers they are using.

[@rapaudiophile2881]

Best explanation. But then again once you go Yamaha, it’s hard to compare with any other product

[@sabresys45]

It sounds like you got very used to the sound of a typical loudness boost (like the old loudness buttons we had back in the day), and you listen to a lot of rock and roll, AND you prefer Klipsch which also render that effect. In a nutshell you prefer a very U or V shaped listening curve, so flatter more accurate renderings are going to sound "bad" to you. I mean if you are using Rush as a point of reference for auditioning HiFi that pretty much tells the story, (while I'm a fan myself their albums are HORRIBLY mastered, very compressed and just god awful to audition HiFi equipment on!).

[@JyrkiKoivisto565]

I have 1592 mk 2 it took Some time to start playing well. Burn in…..

[@theshootindutchman]

Separates are great but my heart loves the receivers/integrated amps!!

[@crankthetunes7989]

Thanks for the review. I am considering an integrated in this price point and a bit above. This helps me out huge because there is so many offerings this review narrows it down a bit. I was considering the Rotel but I might just demo the Unico. Thanks again man.

[@hijmestoffels5171]

I own the Unico for 15 years and can recommend it. After renewing the tubes it sounds beautiful.

[@hijmestoffels5171]

I own the Unico for 15 years and it still functions flawlessly. The build quality is excellent. It has two disadvantages: 1. you have to replace the tubes after a certain time (+/- 10000 hours); 2. you don’t ever have a reason to buy a new amplifier

[@sanderbos702]

I agree, but you forgot the third disadvantage (for the original Unico) and that's the terrible remote control.

[@gokhanersan8561]

Can unico drive big speakers?

[@hijmestoffels5171]

@@gokhanersan8561, It has no problem driving my Dali Helicon 400 speakers. These are big speakers.

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@hijmestoffels5171 Does Unico have tone controls?

[@hijmestoffels5171]

@@gokhanersan8561 No, it has only a volume control..

[@marcvandyck8052]

Pay attention to the remark made at the beginning of this review : 120 W on 8 Ohms is RMS value but 200 W on 4 Ohms isn't. So don't associate this amp with loudspeakers whose impedance drops too low. The amp can't manage it. I ran it with B&W 804d2 and the result was everything but nice. Bass were almost inexistant. Solved the issue by bi-amping with a rotel power amp. Otherwise I think this review is quite fair.

[@ZeroFidelity]

I hear what you're saying but.. bruh, 804 D2's? I don't think Rotel planned on people using THOSE kinda speakers with the 1572. :D.

[@ericdaniel323]

Good point. I ran a Rotel RA12 with my 4 ohm ML Motion 40's. They are rated at 92dB, so the power was sufficient, but it eventually crapped out. Obviously, the RA12 was on a lower tier of Rotel's offerings, but I suspect the same situation applies. That amp also claimed compatibility with 4 ohm speakers, but without specific numbers to back it up.

[@gokhanersan8561]

@@ericdaniel323 If this Rotel can’t go down to 4 ohm to power large speakers; then it doesn’t justify spending 2K. Kind of a redundant product. One would just get the a11 for 800 bucks to drive small 8 ohm speakers instead of the 2K rotel.

[@Big-J-8579]

Thanks. I am considering the big brother of this guy, the 1592. Thank you as always!

[@AdrianIII]

"Clarity" usually indicates listening fatigue in extended sessions. Doe that apply to this Rotel?

[@philipciantar4824]

SOLD. Finally a review of the new MK2 Rotel integrated amp. I'm looking at the more powerful 1592 version and I'm glad the review mirrors most of my own audition listening experience. Well done Sean 👍

[@ZeroFidelity]

Hell yeah man. Enjoy it!

[@philipciantar4824]

@@ZeroFidelity Hi Sean. How well do you think the KLH Model 5 will pair up and sound with my Rotel RA-1592 MK2? I got a feeling that I have to own these set of speakers. Just to mention, the dealer retailing KLH speakers recommend their Music Fidelity M5si Integrated Amp as a better match than my Rotel. No doubt I would rather not add more cost and be happy with Model 5's with my current equipment. Thank you.

[@MichaelDavitt1]

Thanks Sean for the thoughtful review, I can read between the lines, the Rotel is not for me !

[@outbackwack368]

Thanks! I'm still kicking myself for selling my Rotel 5-channel amp, but I did keep the Parasound A21...

[@EXTRA300s]

Great review, BUT...why comparing the *UNICO* with only *80W @8Ohm* to the *ROTEL* with *200W @ 8 Ohm?* A Unico with 180W cost USD 4000,- I think with power asking speakers, the Rotel is unbeatable, or what u think mate?

[@rocksinger45]

I just purchased the Rotel 1592 MK2 for Maggie LRS+ speakers I sure hope I got it right using it with 4 ohm speaker ~ My knowledge isn't as good as you but the match seemed to work well with the reviews I have seen so far ~ I miss the days of the HiFi stereo stores that have seemed to vanished no a days ~

[@mr.b4444]

That's y question. I recently purchased a pair of LRS+ which I'm running with a Outlaw RR2160 MkII. The Outlaw sounds good but seems like isn't putting out enough power. I have an old Carver 100 watt receiver that seems to throw out much more but lacks detail. I'm hoping the Rotel 1592 gives a bit more.

[@rocksinger45]

@@mr.b4444 ~ After 7 months with the Rotel and the LRS+ I like what I’m hearing this set up and in my small room seems perfect ~ After going through my CD collection I’ve found garbage in garbage out ~ That said my good CD sounds great ~

[@mr.b4444]

@@rocksinger45 Since you've had this setup now for a few months do you still like it?

[@rocksinger45]

@@mr.b4444 ~ Yes ~ Sometimes I’m listening to music through my IPhone on Bluetooth and I have the volume set to a comfortable setting and fall asleep 💤 listening to my favorite songs ~ I have some 8 thousand songs to listen to ~ The Rotel is a real smooth operator ~

[@avroman100]

Have bought ROTEL 1592MKii , DAC is much sharper then my NEO iDSD (which I will sell now) also PHONO stage much better than my Vincent PHO701 .... I pair my ROTEL with Q ACOUSTICS Concept 40, sound is great. Also I have ELAC Bs SOLANO, but they not pair together well, mids are missing (On my Marantz pm7005 things were exactly different, good with elac, bad sound with q acoustics ). As conclusion, that AMP work well with speakers with good mids.

[@mikewebber3693]

had a 1570 but replaced it with a Unico Primo. Think you nailed it Sean on the differences, the Unico has a much fuller and livelier sound.

[@aegisofhonor]

bright lights on an amp is serious, I have a pair of Kenwood L-07m amps with a VERY bright light in the front and I have to cover it so it's not so bright when I have it on as the light is way too bright if I ever look right at it when it's on; good thing you can dim them on this.

[@jonadolfsson7777]

I've used the 1592 (same except output power) for a few years now and have nothing but good things to say about it!

[@sleeper1023]

Which speakers did you pair it with?

[@AbsoluteFidelity]

The old 1592, especially the RB (power amp) is a gem.

[@RudalPL]

Interesting. I have RA 1592 (the standard model) and I tested extensively the 1572 model as well before I decided on its higher sibling. I got both of them hooked up to my pair of Monitor Audio GX200 Gold and they sounded beautiful. I did try couple of other speaker set ups (B&W and I think KEF if I remember correctly) but it was not in my "native" listening environment (it was the shop where I got the integrated from), so I think it must be one of those subjective things.

[@noobmaster3055]

RA 1592 mkII works great on my Monitor Audio Silver 500 6G

[@charlesking678]

Did you feel the 1592 was a noticeable improvement over the 1572? Enough to justify the price difference?

[@anmic3590]

@@noobmaster3055 Would you recommend it for Silver 200 (6g) too? Or the 1572?

[@El_white_horse]

You think I can pair the 1572mkii with the sonus faber lumina II ?

[@sjors01]

Hi, have a question, does this amplifier get very hot during normal playback, and do you also know how much it consumes in power Watts at normal room volume. have Focal Chora 826. Nad C399 16-20 Watt power amplifier Rega Mira which sounds quite nice just too little power in the volume, consumption 20Watt Rega Mira

[@CandidUploads]

Thanks for the review. I think many people in your audience would be deciding between this integrated and similar offerings from Yamaha such as the AS 1200 & 2200 and the Marantz Model 30. How would you compare the sound quality only as the feature sets are different?

[@andrewmanus5686]

This is the question that I want the answer to.

[@allenwilliams8962]

Me too

[@gizzy2403]

Good review Sean!🍻

[@gokhanersan8561]

Thank you for another eloquent review.

[@craigboyd542]

Just to confirm your comments on the balanced inputs- Iv got the RC-1572 ( pre amp ) - found the internal DAC better than the Yamaha cds 700- Yamaha entry level Hifi CD player - but I upgraded to the Rotel top of the range CD player and is connected via balanced input - it’s on a different level again in musicality and detail to the internal DAC ( but iv not herd the new DAC from Texas Instruments they now come standard with Rotel ) but yep the balanced options is one of the biggest changes iv herd on my unit I run series 1 B&W 603s - not to bright but the bass is what ever is on the recording - also is deceptively loud as - so not very fatiguing I can have it playing at 70db reading on my high tech dB meter ( on my iPhone) and not realise it’s loud until wife comes in and wants to tell me something

[@mikemetcalf2573]

I just purchased this amp with the Monitor 100 7G, lol. I’m new to the audiophile world, does it sound all that bad? Could EQ balancing help with those issues? Thanks in advance for the responses.

[@superd222tube]

Thanks for your great review. The different LED colours (and brigheness) around the volume control and the power button (and speaker selectors) is very distracting. I wish they used the same LEDs on each side, for symmetry.

[@ZeroFidelity]

The colors are far more similar IRL. I just suck at making things look good on camera.

[@vildebill2000]

You can dim down the led around the power button in the menu. The volumeknob has no ledlight at all. I have the ra1592.

[@superd222tube]

@@vildebill2000 Thank you! I appreciate your feedback.

[@superd222tube]

@@ZeroFidelity You do great camera work and really great production overall. Many thanks!

[@markfischer3626]

In the 1970s the FTC stepped in and put an end to the absurd advertised power wars by defining how audio power amplifiers had to be specified in terms of power output. There were so many different ways to claim output power that measurements made by one method could yield 20 watts and by another for the same amplifier 200 watts. So the method allowed for advertising in the US is 20 minutes preconditioning at 1/3 rated power, rated power in RMS with specified power bandwidth, and both channels driven. With the appearance of many HT multichannel receivers in the 1990s they changed it to all channels driven. This amplifier does not meet that criteria and a complaint to the FTC would force them to change their claims for sales in the US. Clarity is a big problem for hi fi systems. There's a lot to it. First is the notion that one size fits all. Most so called high end sound systems have no way to adjust frequency response except turning the speakers to a different angle as their high frequency dispersion is usually miserable. High frequencies are what give sound clarity, the initial attack. In live music high frequencies are rarely if ever beamed at one listener, they are propagated in many directions so you get reflections of high frequencies repeated over and over again. With hi fi speakers you get high frequencies from the direct sound and that's it. In large spaces intended for music high frequencies fall off at about twice the speed as middle and low frequencies by 8 khz, the limits of that measurement made by sound engineers. The initial attack gives clarity, the predominance of lower harmonics as the sound dies out gives warmth. With a short RT in your listening room that can't happen unless you engineer it to happen. As far as I know I'm the only one who does. A slight rise of even 1 db in the 5 khz range where human hearing is most sensitive can give an attractive sense of clarity initially but becomes very fatiguing over time. As hard as getting the bass right is, getting the treble right is much harder. This is why when re-engineering original Bose 901 fixing the bass took four days and fixing the treble took four years. The quantity of sound in the top octave is so small but its impact is enormous and every detail of it is audible. It's very hard. To get it right both the direct and reflected sound must have a flat frequency response all the way back to the microphones. One size fits all doesn't work. A bump in the upper bass can cause sound to be thick reducing clarity. Look at FR curves in the magazines for quasi anechoic measurements the editor obtained using the FFT method and the in room response and you will invariably see a big suckout in the range around 200 hz to 400 hz. This hole might improve clarity but it costs in other ways. If what you hear doesn't correlate with what you measure then you are measuring the wrong thing. The measurements used today date back to the 1940s and even earlier when they showed real differences among what by today's standards were really crappy equipment. Today they show little of value and they are clearly flawed. Measurements are based on mathematical models and if the models are flawed such as being incomplete the results of measurements won't tell you what you want and need to know. For example, measuring an amplifier with one watt output or 2.83 volts output into a 4 or 8 ohm resistor on a test bench tells you nothing about what it will do at 20 watts, 50 watts, 100 watts into reactive loads some of which aren't even passive but kick back voltage at the amplifier with reverse EMF. Can that matter and to what degree? It depends on many factors especially the power supply. This is why amplifiers that measure for all practical purposes identically and text book perfect in the magazines can sound so different in the real world. Based on the reviews which amplifier would I buy if I actually needed another one or a different one? After reading and seeing many of the reviews including Sean's I'd probably look first at Crown 2505 and go no further. BTW, with a graphic equalizer you can change the transfer function of electronic circuits of amplifiers, preamplifiers, DACs,. phono cartridges to anything you want it to be. That's why the industry doesn't want you to buy them. To an electrical engineer they do the same thing as audiophile wires do in almost the same way except they are adjustable and cheaper so you only have to buy them once. Not much profit there. But to use them effectively you need listening skills and patience, something many audiophiles are short on.

[@jamesrobinson9176]

Make your own video, I'll check it out

[@bearclaw5115]

What a knowledge bomb!

[@ZeroFidelity]

Glad to see there is SOMEBODY out there who understands that a 1db deviation can have a huge impact on how we perceive sound - particularly when that deviation takes place at a frequency range that humans are particularly sensitive to. Even a 0.5 db variation can be quite audible throughout the the middle to upper range frequencies.

[@markfischer3626]

@@ZeroFidelity First of all EVERY audible octave is important. Even if you don't use it for listening to music I highly recommend experimenting with a 10 band graphic equalizer to see what effects even small changes can have on the way you perceive sound. And you are right, even 1/2 db can matter. Now here are a couple of things you can consider just by looking at the Fletcher Munson curves. I've picked one out specifically because it covers the full range of 10 audible octaves. What these curves tell you is the way the loudness of sound is perceived by humans compared to actual loudness which is the vertical axis and frequency which is the horizontal axis. Two things to notice that might enlighten you to give you some insight. 1. Notice how the curves in the extreme bass are squashed together. What this means is that until you reach a certain point, the lowest loudness you can hear, you'll hear nothing. But then a strange thing happens. Each time the bass gets a little louder in actual power the perceived loudness increases a lot more than an equivalent changes at other frequencies. So to get the bass tones in proper proportion to the rest of the spectrum you need to adjust it carefully. 2. While the bottom curve indicates the softest sound you can hear, the top curve indicates where sound is so loud it becomes experienced as pain. Notice that at 20 khz the two curves meet. That means to experience any sound at 20 khz or above it must be so powerful that it is experienced as pain. So much for super wide bandwidth anything. IMO that's bunk and this is the reason I think it is. www.researchgate.net/figure/Fletcher-Munson-Curve_fig2_303973465

[@ZeroFidelity]

@@markfischer3626 ​ @Mark Fischer I've actually spent some time with 10 band graphic EQ's. Granted, most of the time I spent with these EQ's took place towards the beginning of my journey. I first used software through an EMU soundcard. Then I tried out a physical unit, but damned if I can remember the name of it. The rest of my time has been spent with audiophile buddies and recording engineers. Fun times all the same! As for the curves. 1) The low frequency behavior tends to align with my experiences. On two occasions, I found myself arguing with audio engineers over the discrepancy between their products advertised FR response and it's real world behavior. The gist is that you need to adjust the sound in order to compensate for what humans perceive as a 'balanced' low end. 2) In my experience, there's still utility in high-bandwidth designs. Mostly in terms of producing square waves and pushing up unpleasant stored energy (mostly in high-frequency devices) beyond what humans can hear. Of course, the latter can always ripple down into the audible spectrum, but there are (some) ways around that.

[@SeanSisco]

Great review, thanks as always

[@livinaftermidnight9651]

I'm more interested in the RC1590 MKII Pre amp. Any chance of doing a review of that unit?

[@BruceCross]

The moving magnet phono stage makes sense. This integrated amp is too mass market for audiophiles using a moving coil phono stage, nor would they use a separate phono preamp with it.

[@steveo8015]

Your reviews are great. I would like to see you review their MKII cd players

[@zaoria123]

Thanks again for the review, Sean. Any chance you will review a Hegel amp, like the H390 or H190?

[@ZeroFidelity]

Not anytime soon, but I'd imagine there may be an opportunity in the future.

[@frankfromchicago9248]

@@ZeroFidelity You doing a review on a Hegel will happen right after hell freezes over,

[@offason]

@@ZeroFidelity Sean. Stuff can be built in China and Still be Good :)

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

@@offason He knows that bro

[@andreasmoller9798]

@@frankfromchicago9248 Hegel makes good amps to be clear

[@calaf_725]

Great review. Thank you.

[@vladelikyvladelik5588]

Thanks for the review.

[@seanb3303]

Neutral and detailed = high feedback circuit. I wonder if Sound United will go gobble up Rotel. Rotel needs help.

[@fletchermunson6225]

I'll cop to being a Schiit head but for that money, you can mixed match a lot of Schiit gear and I would wager it sound. better. Maybe, maybe not. I haven't heard Rotel but I have compared the Schiity stuff against a lot of other gear and dollar for dollar, it is outstanding.Even a Raganok for $1500 and a couple bits to fill in the features.

[@megasquidd]

The Ragnarok was the first thing I thought of in comparison to this. Schitt is so good.

[@fletchermunson6225]

@@megasquidd I'm definitely in deep Schiit. I just replaced my Raganok with Freya + and two Aegir ams in mono. For once they had both in stock to ship and I couldn't pass it up. Yes it was better. For Rotel money, you could get a Freya S preamp, a Vidar amp and a Bifrost DAC and their little phono amp. Plus a couple Cables. Not a one piece solution but I am more interested in sound than convenience.

[@offason]

I would like you to review the Hegel H120.. and Copland CSA 100

[@HomeCinemaJunkie]

Where I live (in Europe) the Rotel is about $300 cheaper than the Unico...

[@genesis667]

I own the prior model Rotel 1572 It's a good integrated. I have it paired with KEF LS50's and they are crystal clear with the Rotel.

[@ZeroFidelity]

I could believe it. It sounds extremely clear with the LS50 Meta.

[@skyengeh]

I would love someone to tell me how this and the 1592, compare to Hegel amplifiers, (190, 390) both brands highly rated for different reasons, but how do they compare ?

[@MrMadyoh]

HI ! This is a good review! I want to know your opinion on a comparison: The rotel 1572 vs Parasound halo int 6 quality sound. I hope you'll a little time to answer. Thank you

[@gtric1466]

Digging the Unico..

[@steveee2511]

what i like about it looks like the much more expensive Krell home theather processor.

[@ryanschipp8513]

Would LOVE to know how an Outlaw audio RR2160 compares to the Rotel......at half the price! Can you get one in?

[@downhillblur708]

I have the Outlaw. Very happy and $1100 still in my pocket.

[@markostendorf1122]

I like mine too!

[@Lauren080508]

Bought my outlaw RR2160 at around $800 about 4 years ago, has most of the features of this Rotel, it is paired with SVS ultras and SB3000. could no be happier.

[@kennybofish]

Good evening everyone yeah I know I'm late but I own both the outlawaudio 2160 and the rotel 1572 mk ii believe it or not the high frequency on the outlaw seems to be a bit more airy but the rotel takes total control of my speakers / paradigm s2 cables Kimber XLO

[@aceofspades6667]

Seems like a pretty solid product; probably not for me. Sean did a pretty good job of saying what he had to say and proving some practical information in 15:00

[@danieltobiasjr.4362]

Hi Sean. Pls review the Rotel A14mkii. Thanks

[@bhovis]

I’m looking for an amp to pair with KLH Model 5 and can’t tell from the review if this Rotel would be good.

[@Jay-fk9wm]

3 months late, but I’ll share my experience with you anyway. They do drive the KLHs pretty well. My listening space isn’t small, and I think the Rotel has enough power for my needs. Add a sub or two and you should be in business. Like Sean said though, it won’t make bad recordings sound better, but they sound great with good recordings. I just want to give you a heads-up with regards to its DAC. For my tastes, I find that it can sound a bit too hot at times. I’m currently using the DAC in my Cambridge CXN v2, which I’m completely satisfied with.

[@Gigi-vx9kh]

hello , which amplifier could be good for Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition ?

[@felixschubert7800]

Would this Amplifier fit to my B&W 606s? I am searching for more Power than my old Marantz PM-8000 and look for a solution to pair with my Computer.

[@kindgott]

Use the money on better speakers. The series 6 from B&W is not the best. Really, invest that money wisely.

[@Inflame5]

Funny. At one Bowers & Wilkins 600 S2 speaker presentation they were using this amp. But you say it would not be a good pairing.

[@andrewbardwell4832]

How does this compare to the AS1200?

[@allenwilliams8962]

good question!

[@goombatommy]

Awesome review! How do you think this would pair up with the Polk Reserve R200's or even Revel Performa3 M106?

[@SoumyaMaitra2008]

How will this pairs with a pair of Dalis, Opticon 6 to be exact?

[@Andrey_g_t]

Hello. Perhaps someone listened to a bunch of rotel ra1592 and monitor audio silver 500 7g how are your impressions?

[@jordanrussell345]

Couldn't even be bothered to make all the LEDs the same color. Incredible.

[@ronnyangell665]

Hi Sean! How about a review on one of the Atoll Integrated amps? Would love to hear your opinion on them!

[@dragonstone6594]

Hey man can you review the Musical Fidelity M8s-500s and compare it to MICHI S5?

[@ivanlovrincevic5868]

Do you think 1572 has any chance of running Magnepan 3.7 properly? Thanks

[@andreasmoller9798]

I have Always wounder how the rotel ra 1592, and Hegel h190 campares, their is no camparsion beyween those 2

[@Maximus-tr9gi]

I have a Rotel A12 MKII that I wouldn't dare put to max volume due to how loud it is, and it's rated at 60W. The 1572MKII is 120W. What usage do people have for higher watts? Is it purely higher volume, or do some speakers drive better with amps rated for higher power (even if the user is not actually using the max volume/power that the amp can output)? I'm content with my A12, but curious if there would ever be a reason to get the 1572.

[@dropthehammer1360]

A lot of speakers benefit from higher powered amps.

[@MODAC]

Yet another integrated amp review.

[@1munafo3]

I wonder how this would pair up with Monitor Audio Silver 300's???

[@1munafo3]

Nevermind, answered my question. LOL!

[@Lauwz991]

Got an Yamaha AS-801 now, but wanted to upgrade. Someone offered me this Rotel, is it gonna be an good upgrade? It's gonna drive my Klipsch rp-600m

[@ozarkpipertony8396]

Do you feel this unit will power the Klipsch heresy IV ell? Thanks for your reviews.

[@manonich]

Anyone had a chance to audition the new NAD C 399? Any idea how does it compare to the Rotel 1572 MK2 in term of performance and sound?

[@jayrivera1793]

Recommended for Klipsch Heresy 4?

[@Zoranurai13]

I wonder if they’ll be relaunching the rc1572 as a mk2 and the rb1552 as a mk3 which is basically this unit split in two parts

[@robka1xyz]

Hello, I am thinking of buying Rotel 1572 MK2, Musical Fidelity 5 si and unisono research unico due. I mainly listen to Rock progresivve. The speakers I have are Audiovector QR3. Regards.

[@allenwilliams8962]

Get the Hint 6

[@maximilianschwab9668]

I am an Apple user and do not use ACC just ALAC, because all the music I have is in 24 or 32 bits. Rotel offers excellent quality for the money you pay. The only thing I do not like is the front, the could do much better than this.

[@FarHagh]

Great work. Thanks for the review. Any comments on this Rotel vs the Parasound Hint 6? (I guess you may not have it in the house anymore, but any informal comment?)

[@ZeroFidelity]

The Rotel has a cleaner overall presentation. However, the HINT 6 is better in pretty much every other way - as it should be for $1000 more. A more appropriate comparison would be the 1592, which is something I'm not able to talk about.

[@FarHagh]

@@ZeroFidelity Great; thanks.

[@seannewill5520]

Hey Sean. Has your haircutter unsubscribed from the channel? You need to find a new one! Kidding aside, this was a good review and the ROTEL seems a nice solution in a single box. Thanks.

[@ZeroFidelity]

Bahahah! I know, I know. It's past time to get a haircut. :D.

[@jimgardner5129]

That bump in the treble is a dealbreaker for me. Nothing but an obvious trick to suck in uneducated buyers with an "exciting" sound.

[@fusionnnn2000]

Will KEF R3 pair well with this Amplifier ?

[@pm4898]

Great vid, short and to the point. Seems like you get a lot. Not sure if it's fair to compare to the Unica, seems like the hegal integrateds are more in its wheelhouse. Any idea how it might compare? BTW loved the baton you used at the beginning.

[@ZeroFidelity]

I shall use the Baton more often. :). I get what you're saying about the Unico, but I can only use what I have on hand. Beyond that, I think it's mostly a fair comparison as its not like the Unico is a consumer-direct brand. It's a long-standing company that has the typical distributor/dealer margin built into the price, same as Rotel. It's also a product thats geared towards audiophiles, same as Rotel. And even though the Rotel is more about features and a broad appeal, the Unico is still a competitor in the space and serves the purpose of highlighting what's also possible for the same amount of $.

[@ProjectOverseer]

Nice fair review. I do like Rotel products. I'm I right in thinking you've lost a ton of weight?

[@ZeroFidelity]

Yep, I lost a lil' bit of weight. Perhaps a lotta bit compared to my videos from 5 or so years ago. :D

[@carlosalbertoespinozatoled5597]

Hi Sean, im considering this rotel 1572 for my whaferdale linton speakers... You think would be a good pairing... Tranks

[@allenwilliams8962]

@carlosalbertoespinozatoled5597 did you get the 1572?

[@vitalieBu]

Why almost all the time there is only one set of balanced ( xlr) inputs???? Why not make al least 2-3 pairs...for phono, cd ?

[@yardleylfc]

I'd still go with a Roksan Blak amplifier and a separate Dac..

[@paul87buick]

Will please review the Outlaw Audio rr2160mk2

[@mr.b4444]

I own an Outlaw RR2160 MkII, nice receiver but I think it is a bit under powered for running the LRS+. I was wondering how it would compare against the Rotel 1572 and 1592.

[@canadianwildlifeservice8883]

Why is it the more expensive the amplifier is the smaller the buttons become?

[@bradleydurbin6784]

Will this amplifier work with PSB xt1 tower speakers?

[@deankim6687]

Inconsistent blue lighting is a miss.

[@GB-up6nl]

How you think the unico would pair up with 606s2 compared to rotel?

[@ZeroFidelity]

Better due to the fuller midrange.

[@GB-up6nl]

@@ZeroFidelity so the top end is better as well , as in not harsh?

[@ZeroFidelity]

@@GB-up6nl They have parity until you swap out the stock tube on the Primo. Check out my review for all the details.

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

606 has a scooped out midrange. If the Rotel is strong at that point you'll get a better balanced sound. That aside I have cast out B&W at the 6xx and lower level. Very disappointing. The 706s2 is very good.

[@musiconvinylisbetter.1449]

The overall sound caracter is slightly dark. But either the highs, the midrange nor the base is dark sounding? Strange!

[@welshrarebit9238]

Why can’t we get these integrated amps at half the features and half the price ? If they cut the features and put it into the sound …..maybe a decent sound

[@ZeroFidelity]

There are some solutions like that out on the market. Take the Audiolab 6000A for instance. Otherwise, the people who actually BUY items like this end up using most of the features that are built-in.

[@hclandscapes]

I think the RA-1592 would be the better choice if someone was looking at this amplifier

[@ZeroFidelity]

Perhaps, but there 's even MORE competition in that price range.

[@williamdirks5805]

OK. "Dry" "thin" "energy in the lower treble" = AVOID in my books

[@cpg8000]

Well said. Thank you for condensing/reframing.

[@rick6582CNCMedicalParts]

I bought a demo used - Nadc375bee Integrated amp at 1/2 price 150watts..its good so far using with Goldenear Triton 2s Floor speakers & b&w 500 sub ..

[@AbsoluteFidelity]

Neutral is not dry and thin. It only will be when compared to a 'warm' amp.

[@opheliumzone4671]

how can you say that without even hearing it

[@williamdirks5805]

@@opheliumzone4671 Well, the reviewer heard it, and his description used the terms "dry," "thin," and "energy in the lower treble". Based on that, it's one to avoid in my books. Did that clear it up?

[@tylerflores4761]

Possible Good match for wharfedale 4.2?

[@Wolfgang-xi5xf]

still wish they’d include auro3d