Price Paid:  $180.00 from 1999

Summary:
At this price point there's nothing out there to compete with this little wonder. True, it is a budget amp, so it has its limitations. True: at higher volumes it has a very strained sound. I agree with the other reviewer on this, but at this price range, what do you want? Bass is punchy fast and articulate (remember the price range we are talking about...). Voices are natural, just borderline with a hint bright (still ok, not in yer face kind of stuff!), and stereo imaging is ok for the money. This can really be the Best Base for a cheap HIFI system! Just add a marantz cd player, and some high sensitivity speaker with bags of bass like the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 + some quality interconnects and bi-wire cable to really get those babys singing and you have the Best this kind of money can BUY!! (No, the b+W 601 will not sound better with this amp! The treble will be a bit more laid back, but the sound will be much more boxy and you won't get any of those wall shaking lower bass lines..! It looks like the engineers at Monitor Audio had the 931mkii in mind when they designed the Bronze 2! Enjoy it

Strengths:
- I confidently state this is the best you will get at this kind of price range. Definitevely a great buy!

Weaknesses:
- The only weakness here is the price bracket we are in. Add 600$ to your budget in your quest for an amplifier and you'll see how thing start to spice up. - Nothing to fault at this price! If you don't want to spend more on your amp don't think twice: BUY IT!

Similar Products Used:
- Arcam 65 - Nad - Sony - Marantz - Cambridge Audio

Price Paid:  $200.00 from local store

Summary:
Well, This Rotel is of course one of the best in its kind and in that price range...but that's not enough... I own this amplifier since 2 years ago and i can't say that it is so impressive as described in other reviews. It has enough power (maybe more than enough) although its a 2x35 Watt (or so...)amplifier. But that's the end of the happy trip! This amplifier has a great weakness to reproduce strong and fast bass when the music demands it! It's a very lazy to do that as much as lazy it is to reproduce clearly the fine details at high volumes (i would say that when the volume goes up the Rotel starts "screaming"). And if you pull down the volume to correct the situation, then you begin to miss any strength of the low frequencies (although you hear more easily the fine detail that was lost when playing loud...). So what would someone do with this amp? 1) Playing loud to hear the bass while confusing the entire musical image? 2) Playing to a low volume to have more clarity but miss details of the low frequencies? What a mess... That amplifier is far away to qualify as natural performer... The only thing that makes it a best seller or recommended product, is that all the other amplifiers in that price are a lot more bad than this one. I've recently hear that the Rotel RA-932MKII is a corrected version concerning the low-frequency lazinnes of both it's predeccesors: RA-931 and RA-932. Didn't have the chance to hear it though...

Strengths:
Some king of musicality but not natural performer..

Weaknesses:
This amplifier behaves very-very different to low and high volumes and that's very annoying for the audiophile's ears.

Similar Products Used:
Creek 4330MKII, NAD 320, NAD 340, Arcam 75, Jolida 102.

Price Paid:  $300.00

Summary:
Amps go in & out but the 931MKII has always been a great amp if you live within its limits. Drive them with efficient speakers like the Spendors, Missions, Kef, Wharfedale, Tannoys. You are in for a sonic bliss!

Strengths:
Transparent, detailed, punchy and very lively engaging sound!

Weaknesses:
Can sound harsh if push beyond its modest 35watt power.

Similar Products Used:
too many to mention and might embarass the big boys!

Price Paid:  $180.00 from authorized retailer

Summary:
This one is quite simple: This is simply the best amp in its price range. It has an overall nice sound - maybe a bit congested on the bass, although it is a very punchy bass-, will drive easily any budget loudspekers, and will give you a sound quality you will never even dream about using a similar priced amp or midi system. Of course the soundstage is flat and there will be no air in the music, but, think about it: what amp will give you this bellow 2000 pounds... A great buy. Partner them if possible with Monitor Audio Bronze 2 (they are much better than the 3!!) or with 602 s3 from BW (they are also quite good..) and youll have a really good set up for under 300 pounds. It will simply beat any midi system worth 1500 pounds. (With the exception of the Linn Classic system.)

Strengths:
Good drive, punchy bass, although it could be more controlled and fast, and a good tonal consistency. (Paid price is in pounds:180)

Weaknesses:
Flawless at this price range.

Similar Products Used:
Nothing at this price level!

Price Paid:  $190.00 from factory sales, 02/02

Summary:
ROTEL 931MKII Nice little amp that surprised me with its warm overall sound. Very good Phonosound at this pricelevel. Used all kind of amps before - I started many years ago with a NAD receiver, upgraded to an Pioneer A-616 and tryed some whack Technics (don''t!) and an old JVC Amp (looked cool) and a classic Marantz Receiver. Together with the NAD the Rotel is the so far best and smoothest. Although I have to admit that the Pioneer was not bad, too - not as decent as the Rotel but with grear features and some more power. use it with a Marantz CD-63SE and a Technics 1210MKII (well, not a audiophile-delight but a great machine that cannot break under the hands of my daughter ;) Speakers are Missions 733i but the SONAB Speakers I had before sounded really good with the ROTEL 931, too. Almost better but I think I have to work on the right position with the missions a little bit more.

Strengths:
very decent and friendly sounding. nice design, good manufactured. quality-feeling for a low low low budget price! very good Phono-Sound for this pricelevel.

Weaknesses:
no power-switch-delay (gives a "plop" to my speakers everytime I turn it on). no Remote-Control (sucks!). output for second pair of speakers do not sound the same as the main-outputs (sucks, too).s

Similar Products Used:
NAD,