Rotel RA-1572MKII Integrated Amplifier Review! (Take 2, Ep:36)

On June 1, 2021, Roger Kanno reviewed the Rotel RA-1572MKII integrated amplifier and wrote the following: "What it offers is excellent sound, a high-resolution DAC that supports MQA, a good MM phono input, and a good headphone amp-all features that many audiophiles will appreciate. For only $2099, the high-powered Rotel RA-1572MKII offers one of today’s best combinations of price and performance in an integrated amplifier-DAC."
You can read the full review here: www.soundstagehifi.com/index....
In this Take 2 follow-up review, Jay Soulsik gives you his insight on the Rotel RA-1572MKII. Did it impress him just as much as it did Roger Kanno? Watch the video to find out more.
#rotel #audiophile #hifi

[@kofitheakan9328]

This review came right on time. I'm considering the 1592 for my system

[@williambarber3257]

Ditto

[@gg0297]

I'm interested in this one! I'm already hitting the Like button, since it's my man, Jay! 😁👍 What I'm even more interested too, though, is the Rotel RB 1552 MK II.

[@brianpalay2]

Thank you for commenting on the sound difference between the TI DAC and the AKM (Mk2 vs original). I have been trying to figure out if the Mk2 is worth the higher price on the used market, and the warmer, better sounding DAC goes a long way.

[@paulomontero12]

Ja you know your stuff, great review!

[@kevinkraska3612]

Hi Jay- love your reviews and enthusiasm for hifi products! However, more feedback to questions would be welcomed.

[@paulomontero12]

It's more like 143 watts, they underrated the power on this 1572mkll. Great amp! I really like mine.

[@michaeledwards5241]

Can I ask how you worked this out? Just curious.

[@bulldozer9600]

Hi Jay, nice video. I would have liked to see a comparison to the previous model to see if it’s worth the extra $. I recently bought the older one and would be interested in hearing if the upgrades are worth the extra.

[@paulomontero12]

I'm agree with Jay I had the 160 Hegel got the Rotel 1572 now And prefer the Rotel a lot more! Much more enjoyable to Listen To hour's on end.

[@gokhanersan8561]

Rotel has slam, which is essential , to enjoy pop and rock. Hegel H190 doesn’t have it. Even Rotel a11 beats it in that area.

[@shaunapplebaum8341]

Hi Jay. Thanks for your review. I''ve always liked Rotel, they have a long standing partnership with Bowers and Wilkins. These two products make good companions. Will you be reviewing any of the Rotel separate components? Would love to see a review on the big RB 1590, a 700 watt beast! Cheers!

[@klaymoon1]

Nice review!! Any chance you can also review RC1590 MK II? I really wonder if that separate preamp is better than the preamp of this integrated amp. Thanks.

[@matiascukovt5822]

Hi Jay, would you pair it with the Polk Audio R700?

[@johanfaldt-svanstrom3830]

How does it compare to the Marantz PM-30?

[@skeezer180]

A good honest review

[@garethmorris2042]

Would this pair well with a pair of KEF Q750s? Any insight as to whether it has home theater bypass capability? Thx

[@dimitarkanev8910]

Do this amp work well with KLH Kendall? I saw your review on them and i bought them. Now i meed to upgrade my amp.

[@kostass3124]

Hi Jay. Thank you for your videos Just curiosity. I have the Martin Logans Motion 20i's. How is this Rotel match with the 20i's and their AMT tweeters? At the moment i have Rega amp and the output is too warm overall. Thank you

[@thomastrubetskoff5958]

Hey Jay how would this amp pair up with a set of Lore Reference and a SVS SB 3000 sub. Thx for what you do and cheers!!!

[@JamesH1973]

Any chance of a review of the Sugden A21se please?

[@blejzerosamigos6115]

Hey Jay can it drive the . 7 from magnapan? Thanks

[@phitur]

I wanted to change my A14 for the same harsh details that you mentionned in the beginning. It looks like the mkII adresses that and the thin treble of the orinal version.

[@musiconvinylisbetter.1449]

Enough power? is not 32 watts enough to drive most speakers if you listen to normal soundlevels?

[@Andrey_g_t]

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

[@mortimersnerd1348]

Why is it that Rotels integrated amps have no ground terminal on the ac port? Isn't that kinda important?

[@jaimecorrea5346]

Would this well pair with kef r3?

[@paulomontero12]

Well recorded or badly recorded the system only play’s what it’s given? If it good it plays just that and so on.

[@El_white_horse]

What about with the Sonus Faber Lumina II. ?

[@kofitheakan9328]

How would this pair with Focal Aria 936 speakers?

[@MCP101]

Did you go with the rotel? I'm between this one and the hegel h120

[@wildebassman]

Will this amp work in a small room with monitor speakers on stands or is it gonna be too much?

[@soundstagenetwork]

It can work in any room. All it means is that you won't use all of its power.

[@caseycjc1890]

I'm not sure that I need 120w. I kinda like the A14 MK 2. it looks to have all the bells & whistles and 80 watts should be fine. Thoughts?

[@vinylrules4838]

More power is always better provided the sound quality is there.

[@sbwlearning1372]

I have beautiful old Ruark floorstanders 8 Ohms 86 dB sensitivity My Arcam a85 ( 80 watts per channel) ran out of steam in a small living room. My new a39 (120 watts per channel ) also ran out of steam. Class D 600 watts per channel and a cheapy Chinese tube preamp have given me audio ecstacy !! Power corrupts!! I'd never drop below 300 watts per channel now even in a bedroom system. No strain ever maximum headroom and will drive any speaker. It sounds twice as good and the preamp and power amp combo cost £500 less than the Arcam. Im convinced all the "you don't need power " or "the first watt is the most important" crew are apologists for low power amplification. I've been listening for 40 years and the first time I could afford real power I realized how truly transformative power was. I've had the speakers for 25 years and the power made them seem like brand new huge speakers and like I had upgraded my CD Every amp I had has short-changed me on power ( to get A A/B class over 100 watts per channel even second hand starts to creep into the 3 or 4 K range) Im ecstatic as is my wallet

[@vinylrules4838]

@@sbwlearning1372 In your case, the issue is the 86dB efficiency. Those are not very efficient speakers. It takes power to drive them. When you get above 90dB efficiency, you don't need as much power to drive speakers. That is why these flea watt amps sound so good when you have very efficient speakers.

[@sbwlearning1372]

@@vinylrules4838 True true. But I don't need to bother about that. My choices aren't limited to very high efficiency speakers and concerns over OHMS Some of the best speakers made are fairly low efficiency Still the economic model is like cars. You offer a lovely comfortable saloon but to make it affordable you out a 1litre engine in it. But the car is underpowered it struggles at speed. You need the 2.8 litre or 4l version so it's comfortable and efficient and has power No problem that'll be double the price please. Audio world is like that until you get to ClassD

[@vinylrules4838]

@@sbwlearning1372 Understand. I have heard the extremely inefficient Apogee speakers back in the day. Takes a lot of power to drive them, but they sounded fabulous.

[@gokhanersan8561]

Rotel a11 tends to accentuate sibilants. I added a Schiit Loki eq to tone down the high frequencies.

[@paulomontero12]

I agree that it's more details then my old amp Hegel 160 and the bass is more bunchy.

[@vinylrules4838]

Hi Jay, Great review, but I wish you would have said more about the phono preamp. How does it compare to other phono preamps? Or did you intentionally not talk more about it because it is just average?

[@bulldozer9600]

Not sure if it helps. I got the previous model and love it to bits. The preamp is great, as far as I can say

[@ajitvetha]

How does it compare to Hegel 190

[@wilsentwins]

Is this new rotel sounds dry or thin?

[@acmuscravageur3627]

Νο! Τhe opposite! Mascular body to the sound goes way down and very very clean and detailed…..neutral towards warmer especially in mids

[@wilsentwins]

@@acmuscravageur3627 have you listened schiit audio? How is the new rotel compare to vidar, aegir?

[@markwagner1997]

Where's the knobs?? I only see one?

[@LaGataNegra3073]

Jay, my Preferred choice in sound is wide wide soundstage and big time bass. Im a Classic rock concert fanatic. Really been eying the Marantz Model 30. Which amp would be better for that?

[@Audfile]

Kinki EXM1

[@LaGataNegra3073]

@@Audfile never heard of them. I will def. check it out.

[@Audfile]

@@LaGataNegra3073 lots of KZbin on their amps.

[@henriksrensen3220]

Big soundstage and big bass, Used Gryphon Atilla.

[@sleeper1023]

I'm in this same boat. Decided I'm gonna go with the RA-1592 MKII because of the connectivity options. With the Model 30, I feel like I need to get the 30n SACD to really maximize it.

[@leo11877]

Not only a sub out, every integrated amps should have an option for High Pass Filter on mains. Or at least put a 80Hz HPF automatically when a sub is connected. I don't want to burden my mains with the lower end when I am using a sub.

[@cameronkrause4712]

I also like Texas Instruments DAC chips.

[@allenwilliams8962]

I domoed a ton of amps and this was best with my Lintons

[@goonerinSP]

I have the Lintons and I'm considering this amp. Did you go ahead and buy?

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

i'm wantin' this and i'm gonna scrimp and save until it is mine

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

i decided instead to go with a 1552 amp and 1570 preamp--found them both at substantial discount

[@josesolano1300]

How about with KEF LS50 metas and a pair of subs for a 2 way tv/music set up.

[@happycamper4786]

The Living Entertainment guys told me they liked the AK14Mkii better with the Metas. I actually like the look of the 1572Mkii a lot and want it for the Metas but am a little hesitant because of what LE said.

[@andreassouth1523]

Subtitles??

[@musiconvinylisbetter.1449]

How can an amplifier make the soundstage wider?

[@a2blimitless370]

Its weird to explain. I havent heard this amp so I can't compare or comment on this. But in general, going from a £500 Marantz to a Cambridge cxa 81... there was a massive increase in detail. Going from the CXA 81 to the Hegel h95, it was the same kinda jump in detail. As crazy as it sounds, once you hear the difference everything sounds much more defined and I think its that definition which allows you to precieve the space between the notes better. Its almost as if your brain goes ah, you can fit another note in there between those two sounds.On a cheaper amp like my Marantz pm6005, you dont perceive it. This is why people can spend silly money on these things as once you hear the difference, well you know its there to be bought and its a decent difference. Ignorance is bliss if you dont have alot of money for this hobby! (Saving for the H95) lol

[@musiconvinylisbetter.1449]

@@a2blimitless370 that didn't anser my question. More details according to you but how can the soundstage get wider?

[@a2blimitless370]

@@musiconvinylisbetter.1449 Thats what im saying its a perception in how the brain processes sound fundamentally. If you wanted to find something technical to point at and say "there it is". It the result of a combination of things. You need a dac good enough to get close to perfect sound reproduction as you can get (Very hard - See below). A speaker good enough to produce it (Easier) and an amp which can control the speakers to deliver that sound as a package (Damping factor/power delivery - In the middle) Its actually pretty hard to remake sound exactly as it should be, thats why you have all those DAC filters to try and remove/control a specific failure of the process. Read up about how dac filters work if you want more insight on that. Speakers have been for the most part solved - pick your flavor. Control of those speakers... Damping factor or the ability to control non-intentional movement in the speakers is normally associated with higher power amps/ Class D amps/ Feedforward amps. Put it all together and you have more realistic sounds which your brain can "perceive" as soundstage and separation/space. To get good its easy and cheap, to get excellent expensive and hard.

[@a2blimitless370]

If you are asking what are the sonic qualities that our brain looks for specifically to workout sound location I have no idea, but its clear to me that a more accurate sound has more information for our brains to work it out. If someone was mumbling to you its harder to workout what someone is saying...I guess location would work in a similar way, if the sound wasnt as clear it would be harder to workout location.

[@musiconvinylisbetter.1449]

@@a2blimitless370 I believe that the source, the speakers, the placement of them and the acoustic in the room is most important to get a good soundstage. Our brain can fool us with the placebo affect also (amplifier, cables etc.)

[@paulomontero12]

You should tell your audience that These Rotel amps have a big power pack inside that might cause your fuse box to fail.

[@brainache555]

hmmm This amplifier or Atoll in 300

[@bobb.9917]

Not for me…I cannot have an amp that needs ONLY good recordings. NOPE. THANKS for the detailed, honest review…I do like the look of it, though!

[@paulomontero12]

No amp will make bad recordings Sound Better! C'mon have some common sense.

[@contemporaryhomeaudio]

you had me up until MQA, I'll go out of my way to buy components that don't include it

[@soundstagenetwork]

At SoundStage!, we are not fans of MQA - but some good components have it implemented, so best not to disregard something because of it.

[@allenwilliams8962]

@@soundstagenetwork MQA is awesome.

[@cpg8000]

Meh. Sounds like there are much better options available over this. Too bad. It’s a looker.

[@yardleylfc]

Still not as good as a Roksan blak amp..imo..Good but not good enough. Great review .

[@rog86]

Really? You've heard both? I have roksan k3 and looking to upgrade......

[@mtelles2000]

I have the 1572 mark I... And I must say, don't like it! Since the first day, I've been thinking in trading it for something else, but some personal stuff got in the way of my Hi-Fi hobby ;)... I mean, It's not bad, but it lacks excitement, i don't know how to explain it better, but it seems boring to me... It does not make me want to listen to music... It was a big disappointment to me!... Now, maybe the mark II is diferente, I don't know... But the one I've got, don´t recommend it to anyone. I have a really old Rotel integrated amp (from the 90's) witch is really better then this one, much more exciting to listen. Sure, it lacks in other things but one thing I know, I like listen to music in that one... I'm not an expert, by any means, I just like music :))... I can not say much about sound stage, dynamics, etc... But the only word that comes to my mind when I listen to this amp is borinnngggggg! So F****ing boring... Maybe its me, maybe I don't have the audio skills to appreciate this amp, or.. Maybe not! LOL... I don't know!... By the way, I have kef LS50, B&W CM9 S2, B&W 683 S2 and some PMC twenty5 bookshelf speakers... Oh, and other think that makes me crazy! The volume control is really bad, I have to turn it to infinity to have some king of volume going... So stupid! It's very annoying turning the volume dial around and around and around just to get a little volume up... In a few words, I hate it!!!.. Sorry for the bad English.

[@paulomontero12]

What'a you talking about son? Get your hearing checked!

[@mtelles2000]

@@paulomontero12 well... I dont think that my earing is the problem... Since this post I bought a Naim, and I must say, it's another level!!... Now I get pleasure from music!

[@paulomontero12]

It's probably the wrong speakers for your amp?

[@paulomontero12]

Good for you!

[@krishmandal9769]

I just got this a couple of weeks ago. I did not get much time on it, but the points I'll lay out are as follows: 1) definitely really clear, and things feel super separated 2) The bass is nice and tight and heavy hitting in places where you know there's a drum hit coming, but you don't realize how hard it'll hit you. 3) The problem I have with this amp is that the midtones seem completely lacking. Like to the point where the album "The Unforgettable Fire" by U2 sounded so bad I thought they put out a horrible remaster of it, and the vinyl pressing must have been cheap and crappy. Honestly, even streaming from Tidal could not overcome the lack of midrange. It felt so horrible that my favorite band, Rush, sounded like Geddy had undergone a voice surgery and it sounded so thin. The amp takes vocals and removes all the fuzzy edges around the voice, at least for male voices. The slight gravelly nature of Bruce Springsteen's voice was so completely lacking in that presentation, where you expect a some scratchiness in "I'm on Fire" ... and it's not there at all. His voice became squeaky clean and the entire feeling of his songs seem to land, THUD, like a metal ball. If anyone has input on this, feel free. Maybe I didn't give it enough time, which I'm seriously considering. Maybe burn-in is a thing for this amp to really get up to speed. If any you have one of these, let me know your impressions.

[@redstarwraith]

Sean said that amplifier is poopy.

[@zeke937]

Which video did he say that in & what part ?

[@redstarwraith]

@@zeke937 i am being facetious.

[@zeke937]

@@redstarwraith Sorry, I should have been clearer. Did Sean actually dislike the Rotel? In the event that he didn't like it I was just looking for his reasons why. I have the previous Gen RA-1572, and I love it with my LS50's.

[@redstarwraith]

@@zeke937 no. He didn't dislike it. He wasn't exactly bowled over by it... perhaps a little bit.. Mmmm... underwhelmed maybe? But, he said it was decent enough. Did most things well, etc.