Rotel RB-1582 MK2 Stereo Power Amplifier (2nd)

Rotel’s next largest stereo amplifier at 200 Watts per channel provides the massive current to drive the very largest Hi-Fi systems effortlessly. And like its smaller brother, the RB-1582 MkII has been designed to excel at resolving the subtle details in music as well as supplying the brawn required for extremely dynamic passages. It is able to achieve this difficult dual requirement because of the meticulous attention paid to circuit design and parts selection.

The RB-1582 MkII’s high-end performance begins with an extremely large toroidal transformer combined with a total of 60,000µF storage capacity in special “slit foil” capacitors to provide completely stable power to the output stage. Slit foil capacitors have the ability to charge and discharge extremely quickly, thereby ensuring signal fidelity during orchestral crescendos or repetitive kick-drum impacts, for example. Both left and right channel construction are laid out in a mono block design (after the toroidal transformer) and all grounding is terminated in a star pattern on a copper grounding plate to ensure low signal to noise. The output stage is a discrete design that consists of 10 high current bipolar transistors per channel. Input options consist of both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA connectors.

The RB-1582 MkII stereo power amplifier is yet another outstanding example of Rotel’s Balanced Design Concept and will form the heart of a very impressive stereo or home theater system for years to come.

Comparison

I had on hand a Parasound Halo A 23 amplifier ($950, review forthcoming), which is lower in price than the Rotel but puts out only 125Wpc into 8 ohms. I inserted the A 23 between the Rotel preamplifier and the B&Ws and replayed several musical selections back to back, including those above. In general, the Rotel sounded warmer, the Parasound more precise and smooth. Through the Parasound, the Jarre track had a smoother blending of sounds than the Rotel. Alex Clare’s voice was less forward of the music, and, like the Jarre, blended more smoothly into the backing instruments.

Both amps did well for their prices. I didn’t find that the difference in power output made any difference in sound, but I also found that their sounds are very, very different. Take this analogy with a grain of salt, but the Rotel sounded more like a conceptualized tube device, warm and comfortable; the Parasound sounded more solid-state: accurate and analytic. All I can conclude from the comparison is that there are a lot of choices to be made in maximizing sound quality. Those choices can lead designers and manufacturers down many paths of sound. I now have two distinct sonic signatures on hand.

Conclusion

Rotel’s RB-1582 MkII is a reasonably priced, attractive power amplifier with a warm sound. Its marked difference in sound from that of, say, the Parasound Halo A 23 is worth exploring for yourself, especially if your taste tends a bit toward warmth. The RB-1582 MkII could soften an overly analytic front end or be the powerhouse of an already comfortable-sounding system. Not surprisingly, it blended well with its preamplifier mate, Rotel’s RC-1570. If all of that sounds appealing — and I could see it being just that for a lot of audiophiles — this Rotel should be on your shortlist for audition.