I just read one glowing review of this amp and one scathing review. Anyone have experience with this amp, particularly with B&W speakers? I am considering it as an up[grade to my Yamaha AX-497. Thanks!
I got a Rotel RA-1592 just a couple of weeks ago. Big brother of the 1572. I have to be honest here: I think all amps sound pretty much the same, so you could only be "scathing" about an amp if there was something wrong with the amp or you had lost perspective on things. But that's another argument I guess mine is more powerful than the 1572 and not much else different. It works, and works well. I adore the tone controls and the fact they can be adjusted by remote (something else to annoy the purists, which in my book makes them even more desireable!) The phono stage works perfectly well as do the digital inputs. The display is a bit small from the other side of the room. It doesn't look as striking as amps from "boutique" manufacturers (or the big Yamahas) but again, that's a plus in my book. I have had many Rotels over nearly 40 years and they have all been fantastic, non-nonsense bits of kit. I'd have bought the 1572 without hesitation if I hadn't found this 1592 at a price I couldn't say no to. It's a fit and forget piece.
Let me guess without looking - the "scathing" review came from What Hi-Fi, the undisputed masters of arbitrary subjectivism.
They (more than most publications) have long been skewed by ad revenue. I've long since stopped giving a fig about what they say...
My opinion may or may not be relevant here, since it's not the specific amp you asked about. I demo'ed a Rotel RB-1582 (200 wpc power amp, $1999) against a NAD C275BEE (150 wpc power amp, $1399) and a Rogue Sphinx V1 (100 wpc hybrid integrated, $1299) in my home with my old B&W CDM7SE speakers. Amps do sound different, and why wouldn't they? I chose the NAD. To my ear, it sounded warmer and more musical than the Rotel, which sounded a bit dry and clinical by comparison. The Rogue was not for me. The build quality seemed cheezy, the preamp tubes were microphonic, and the Class D power stage could not compete with either of the other two amps and my power-hungry speakers.
VERY helpful, thanks. However, looks like the NAD is not an integrated. Damn! I saw that Crutchfield had it and I got excited. How much more would a pre-amp be? (I have never owned one.)
Thanks, the C375BEE is no longer available at Crutchfield, but this seems to be the newer model: NAD C 388
It's class D, has a lot of stuff you may not need - Bluetooth, streaming, on-board DAC. How about this one: Parasound Halo 160 Watt Stereo Integrated Power Amplifier-Audio Advisor They also have a demo one, with a full warranty, for a couple of hundred less.
Thanks, but that one is too expensive for me. Plus it is too big for my Entertainment System. Heres a separate question - how does one determine if they need to upgrade their amplifier or if they are just hearing the limitations of the source material?
Wow, you wrote a post I could have! I just ordered an RA1572 on Monday. Also ordered a pair of B&W 683 speakers. Been looking at this combo for a couple years, finally taking the leap, can't wait until they arrive. My current integrated is a Yamaha AX500-U, which has been my main piece since I bought it back in winter '87 or '88.
I love my Yamaha integrated and my Yamaha CD player for years. What I'm trying to figure out now is if my new speakers are allowing me to hear the imperfections of some of my CDd or the limitations of my current amplifier. And I would love to know how to determine which of these it is.
Hi G- My second system downstairs, is the older Rotel 1070 Integrated Amp and B and W 705 speakers. I had some NAD amps and pre amps in the past and found them to be lacking in detail compared to other amps. I stopped buying them after going through a couple. I realize my comments are the opposite of some here. It all comes down to preference. For me the combo of the Rotel and B and W speakers is fine sounding. I think you will like the Rotel if you want sound that is detailed but not harsh at all.
IMO, for those speakers, the Rotel would be much better than the Yamaha. The Yamaha does not have the power to drive those speakers efficiently. You need to upgrade IMO.
IMO you still will hear a difference even at lower volume. If you tend to listen at lower volume, I would stay way from NAD stuff.
Rotel and B&W are distributed by the same company in the US. They work well together in my experience. I haven’t heard the latest Rotel gear but the many various bits of their line I’ve heard over the years have all offered a lot of value for the money in my opinion.
Rotels and B&Ws are a nice match. I have an old Rotel integrated RSX 1065 from 2002 and it’s great with my new BW 702s speakers.
I can make a suggestion. I am in the process of upgrading my living room system with a separate preamp/amp pair. The amp I already bought. The preamp I'd ordered today, it will take about 3-4 weeks to arrive. My current integrated is the Cambridge Audio Azur 851A. It's class "xD", i.e - the first 10W of output are in pure Class A, after that, it switches to class D. Overall sound is very good, it has useful features like balance and tone controls, 7 inputs, two pre out's, one tape out, A and B speaker taps, separate power supplies for pre- and power sections - a very-well built unit, overall. If I were looking for a good integrated amp on a budget - I'd definitely give this one a serious consideration. Mine cost $1,800 two years ago, now they're about $1,500 new. Check the specs out here: cambridge audio azur 851a at Crutchfield.com Right now, my unit is serving as a preamp, until my new tube unit arrives. After that, I was going to keep it as a spare. However, since you're looking for one, I could offer you mine, at a reasonable price. If Cambridge still honors their 3-year warranties, then mine should still be covered for about another year. I'm also in Brooklyn, you could see and hear it.