Help me: Do I have to buy a Rotel RA-1520?

[Freetoojazz]

I need your help, I want to make a good deal. I want to change my amplifier. It's easy to find it when the money it's not the problem. That's not my case. My budget is a low-one, so I want to buy it for a long time.

I'm ready to pay 1149$ for integrated amplifier Rotal RA-1520. I heard it and I appreciate it. A lot of you in this forum have more experience than me with audio, maybe you have a better one for the same price that I should right now listen.

Here the information about the Rotel RA-1520:

http://www.rotel.com/NA/products/index.htm?cat=21

My question is: For the same price, can I have a better one? If the answer is yes, which one you recommand me?

Thanks a lot!

[AlienTech]

The Rotel's are a great quality product, you probably can't go wrong with it.

Having said that I would suggest you take a look at this unit
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2150.html for less than $600 you get all the features of the Rotel and then some.

I have purchased 4 Outlaw Audio products over the years, for family and friends and they are rock solid. One does duty in my son's restaurant and try as they might they can't blow it up and they do try every Sunday night

Not only are they built like a battleship, they are also very musical and give great bang for the buck. Since they only sell direct to the public you are not having to pay a middleman his 50% markup

The pricing model for consumer electronics is out of whack, IMHO, due to the way it's distributed and marketed. There are many great direct to the consumer audio products out there that give superior price/performance points compared to the "mainstream".

Specifications

* Continuous Average Power Output, both channels driven: 100 watts/channel, 8-ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, <0.03% THD 160 watts/channel, 4 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, <0.03% THD
* Frequency Response @ 1 watt: 20Hz-20kHz (+0dB, -0.5dB)
* Signal to Noise Ratio: 96dB, unweighted
* Dimensions (W x H x D): 17.1" x 5.75" x 15"
* Weight: 27 lbs.

[AlienTech]

Here are 3 reviews

http://www.hometheatermag.com/receivers/1206totem/

http://www.goodsound.com/equipment/outlaw_rr2150.htm

http://www.stereophile.com/integratedamps/306outlaw/

[Suave]

Rotel has a very good reputation and I'm sure that you would get your money's worth from this integrated amp. I can't comment on the sound of their amps from experience because I haven't listened to them.

I think that AlienTech offered you a very good suggestion about considering Outlaw. I've browsed their website a few times myself and thought of asking them to send us one of their AV receivers for review.

From personal experience, I suggest that you take a look at an ARCAM integrated amp. They currently offer 3 different models:
http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,fmj,...Amplifiers.htm

I own an ARCAM DiVA A65 Plus integrated amp (purchased about 3 years ago for $1000) and I'm very pleased with it. To date, it's one of the best sounding integrated amps that I've listened to in this price range. It has a dynamic, highly detailed and very musical sound. ARCAM no longer makes this model but I'm sure that one of the three models on their website is around the same price.

[Freetoojazz]

The Rotel's are a great quality product, you probably can't go wrong with it.

Having said that I would suggest you take a look at this unit
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/rr2150.html for less than $600 you get all the features of the Rotel and then some.

I have purchased 4 Outlaw Audio products over the years, for family and friends and they are rock solid. One does duty in my son's restaurant and try as they might they can't blow it up and they do try every Sunday night

Not only are they built like a battleship, they are also very musical and give great bang for the buck. Since they only sell direct to the public you are not having to pay a middleman his 50% markup

The pricing model for consumer electronics is out of whack, IMHO, due to the way it's distributed and marketed. There are many great direct to the consumer audio products out there that give superior price/performance points compared to the "mainstream".

Specifications

* Continuous Average Power Output, both channels driven: 100 watts/channel, 8-ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, <0.03% THD 160 watts/channel, 4 ohms, 20Hz-20kHz, <0.03% THD
* Frequency Response @ 1 watt: 20Hz-20kHz (+0dB, -0.5dB)
* Signal to Noise Ratio: 96dB, unweighted
* Dimensions (W x H x D): 17.1" x 5.75" x 15"
* Weight: 27 lbs.

Thanks AlienTech, How did you know this product before you bought it. I took the time to read all the information that you post (the link to the three reviews). It's the first time I heard about the name of this product. What I read, I'm very curious about hearing this amplifier (like you said that is rock solid). I share the same philosophy, I listen stereo with subwoofer. Very interesting!


I will made some research if I can find some place to hearing it in Montreal (hope to find a place).

[AlienTech]

Outlaw only sells direct through the internet so unless you can find someone who owns one you won't be able to find one locally in a store or dealer.

I purchased my first Outlaw product in 2001 for one of my sons, this one
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/1070.html

He now uses it in his restaurant and they have blown multiple sets of speakers (they tend to party afterhours and crank it up ) but have never hurt the amp. They were using Orb speakers because they look kuel I got them to switch to Paradigms and now they don't blow anything up

A friend of mine wanted to get into HT (back in 02) so I helped him with his shopping.

he got one of these
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/970.html

and 7 of these
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/2200.html

I was on a HSU subwoofer kick at the time and he got one of those as well

we used paradigm speakers, that system rocked!

I have never listened to the stereo Outlaw but based on my experience with their other products and the reviews of this and their other products, I feel very confident in recommending it, at this price point. The total markup in consumer electronics, especially in the higher end is way north of 50% and I like bang for the buck

[Freetoojazz]

Rotel has a very good reputation and I'm sure that you would get your money's worth from this integrated amp. I can't comment on the sound of their amps from experience because I haven't listened to them.

I think that AlienTech offered you a very good suggestion about considering Outlaw. I've browsed their website a few times myself and thought of asking them to send us one of their AV receivers for review.

From personal experience, I suggest that you take a look at an ARCAM integrated amp. They currently offer 3 different models:
http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,fmj,...Amplifiers.htm

I own an ARCAM DiVA A65 Plus integrated amp (purchased about 3 years ago for $1000) and I'm very pleased with it. To date, it's one of the best sounding integrated amps that I've listened to in this price range. It has a dynamic, highly detailed and very musical sound. ARCAM no longer makes this model but I'm sure that one of the three models on their website is around the same price.

Thanks Suave, I know this name ARCAM for a long time, but I didn't take the chance to listen it. I have to find a place in Montreal where they sell it . I'M sure that I will find it.

This weekend, I went to an audio store (hi-fi). They didn't have amplifier to to price I want to pay. All start at 2000$ I've said to the seller that look for something like the Rotel RA-1520. The seller said to me that Rotel is now made in China since the beginning of the 90's. Is it true? I have two different opinions, the place where I want to buy the Rotel said that the Rotel is made in UK. And the other said that Rotel is made in Chine. Who as the good answer?

[Suave]

Freetoojazz, I just contacted the North American distributor for Rotel, and was told that "all Rotel products are manufactured in China".

While there's nothing wrong with products made in China, and you can usually get really good value out of them, I do prefer components made in other parts of the world that have a better reputation for quality. During the six years that I've been publishing CANADA HiFi I've found that many Chinese made products simply don't have the same build quality, fit and finish of products that are manufactured in other parts of the world. I also own a number of Chinese made components that broke down (luckly during the period of the warrant) but I did have to deal with the hassle of getting them repaired.

Of course components that are made in countries like Canada, US, UK, etc do cost significantly more. So really your budget will dictate what you can afford.

[Freetoojazz]

Freetoojazz, I just contacted the North American distributor for Rotel, and was told that "all Rotel products are manufactured in China".

While there's nothing wrong with products made in China, and you can usually get really good value out of them, I do prefer components made in other parts of the world that have a better reputation for quality. During the six years that I've been publishing CANADA HiFi I've found that many Chinese made products simply don't have the same build quality, fit and finish of products that are manufactured in other parts of the world. I also own a number of Chinese made components that broke down (luckly during the period of the warrant) but I did have to deal with the hassle of getting them repaired.

Of course components that are made in countries like Canada, US, UK, etc do cost significantly more. So really your budget will dictate what you can afford.

Thanks for the answer Suave! You're right, there's nothing wrong with products made in China, but I share your same point of view (I also prefer components made in other parts of the world).

[Freetoojazz]

I can't throw away my subwoofer. Good A/V amplifiers is double money from a conventional integrated amplifier. I don't remember if the Rotal-RA1520 have the connection for the subwoofer. I try find to find an image back view of it, but I didn't find it.

Does someone know?