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- Review count2
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- First reviewOctober 6, 2010
- Last reviewApril 12, 2017
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skaroots's Reviews
Upgrade your home audio system with this Rotel RA-12 amplifier. Its built-in Wolfson digital-to-analog converter supports 24-bit/192kHz files, delivering the rich quality of high-resolution audio from your device to your premium stereo system. This Bluetooth-capable Rotel RA-12 amplifier is packed with two 60W continuous power output channels to pump up your room with loud yet incredible sound.
Posted by: skaroots
from San Dimas, CA
I have heard the higher-end models by Rotel (15 Series) and liked the warm sonic signature these models provided. Unfortunately, Rotel missed the mark with this series! They look great—especially in silver, and have a lot of nice features. The phono stage is decent, but a dedicated (outboard) phono stage will always sound better, especially a tube preamp like mine. But a reasonably decent phono stage can be accessed internally in this Rotel. The Bluetooth works every time, and it is nice and quick. But one of the most important things in an integrated amp with digital inputs is the DAC (digital-to-analog conversion) section. This DAC does not sound good; it is NOT musical at all!
The biggest issue I have with this Rotel amp is that it saps the emotionality out of the music! Some "Hi-Fi" companies get hung up on reproducing 'information' as 'purely' as possible. In this process, sometimes, the music gets lost. This is not a warm sounding amplifier at all. It is cold, clinical and has a thin sounding treble. The midrange is barely there...this is the presence region where vocals convey the natural, human essence of music. When this is done right, one can feel the emotions of the vocals and even get goosebumps.
I wanted to love this amp because it looks great, is fully featured, and Rotel is known to synergize nicely with B&W speakers (I have 683 S2). The truth is, my little Marantz integrated amp sounded much better than this Rotel. When I did the A-B comparisons (no EQ on either one), the Marantz had a more lush, musical sound and imparted a better sense of emotion. Music people will understand what I mean when I state that this amp lacks timbre or fatness. I loved the way that it looked, but I had to return it...it is a music killer...made me want to stop listening. Only experienced music lovers who have heard 'musical' electronics will appreciate this review.
My guess for the high ratings you see, is that it looks good, is built well, functions properly and plays music. I hate it when 'Hi-Fi' manufacturers state that their equipment is 'true' and will only produce music the way the artist recorded it. They claim that their gear will not 'color' the music. The problem is, music needs color. Vacuum tubes sound fantastic and musical because they color the sound in a pleasing way. It is possible for manufacturers to go the other way...in an attempt to provide uncolored 'information'...they manage to remove musicality and emotion from the the equation. This is the situation with this amp.
For the record, I owned this amp for more than 30 days and it was sufficiently broken in, so I am speaking from my experience with this product. I have a huge music collection and played every genre through this amplifier. I wanted to like this amplifier because of its form factor and great functionality, but I just couldn't force it...this amp stole the enjoyment from my musical experience. If you want your listening experience to be touching, involving or emotional—this is NOT the amp to get. A Marantz integrated, or even one of their receivers will sound much better. Or, if your budget permits, buy a Rotel model from the 15 Series instead. If you just want something that looks great and plays sound...this Rotel might satisfy you.
My Best Buy number: 2197507614
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+97points
126of 155voted this as helpful.
Learn moreabout Magnolia PremiumInstallation Get the most out of your music and movies with this 2-way vented box speaker system that features a 5" cone woofer and a 1" aluminum dome tweeter for enhanced sound.
Posted by: skaroots
from San Dimas, CA
I picked these up the other day along with a sweet Marantz receiver. These B & W speakers will not be outdone for the money. Are there better speakers out there...sure...but you will pay a lot more for them. Marantz is known for their warmth and "musical" heritage; I don't care about having 1000 features, just give me quality and outstanding sound. I knew that I would have to pair my Marantz with a quality pair of speakers, and I did not want huge, monolithic speakers. "Justin" demonstrated these for me at a local Magnolia. They sounded killer with the 100w Marantz. They are very clean and powerful little speakers; I actually asked '"him" if he was sure he wasn't sneaking in a sub on me--these things have base! You can push them hard with a good amp and they remain true throughout the entire range. The mids are solid, the highs are warmly accurate and the base is very respectable. Furthermore, these speakers sound great with every type of music: classical, jazz, rock, reggae or whatever you will feed them. Plus, they have the B & W cache and snob appeal. If you want to impress people when they come over, remove the speaker covers to reveal their exotic, yellow kevlar woofers, and then crank them. If you have reasonable expectations for $500 bookshelf speakers, you will be consistently impressed.
What's great about it: Great sound throughout the whole range, aesthetics, compact, high quality, snob appeal
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
Marantz - 770W 7.1-Ch. A/V Home Theater Receiver
Marantz - 700W 7.1-Ch. A/V Home Theater Receiver
Sound Quality
5
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+19points
23of 27voted this as helpful.
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