sebastian

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Local Hifi Shop

Summary:
I have purchased the Rotel RC-972 about six months ago . The preamp is very well built . There is a toroidal transformer inside and a motorised volume control with the red light on the front panel . The remote control is very simple and look like a cheap one.The amplification of the preamp is quite low , very similar to the todays passive preamps . Tonal balance very well set, the sound is very well balanced. Bass, Mids and highs are never fatiguant. The sound is quite soft. As a summary what you demand from a preamp exist on the Rotel RC972 .

I strongly recommend this preamp if you can find one

Strengths:
Price Performance, Soft Sound , Tonal Balance , Imagination

Weaknesses:
Cheap Remote Control

Similar Products Used:
Rotel RC 971, Yamaha C-85

Price Paid:  $110.00 from online - ebay

Summary:
I have just recently bought the RC-972 and have to say it's an absolute amazing pre-amp. I bought it for £100 plus £10 postage on ebay, but if I'd had the money, I would have paid £350 for it new without a doubt. My System:- Rotel RCD-971 Rotel RC-972 Rotel RB-981 JMLab Chorus 715 Van Den Hul The Bay C5 Interconnects Van Den Hul MC D352 Speaker Cable The Rotel is a pre-amplifier that you can rely on as it conforms to Rotel's "balanced design" concept. This basically means that every single Rotel component has been designed with the components price point in mind. This reflects in component quality, signal path clutter, casework...but basically it is individually designed with simpicity and ultimate performance as top priority. Hey, some may call me biased, but I dont want a £350 pre-amp that is designed my some sony (yuk) mass market money graber. When you buy this pre-amp, you know by the build quality alone that it's not some rubbish that you buy in dixons. Anyway, ive said my thing :0) So it's down to how it sounds, and I have to say it sounds as good as it's weight in gold. The 972 has a fantastically rich and accurate sound and really handles the input from the cd player and the output to the power amp really well - everything is kept together tightly and the music has a detailed edge that just makes you want to listen. What more do you want from a pre-amp!

Strengths:
Price, build, large power supply, remote, light up volume notch (good for in the dark!)

Weaknesses:
Tone controls...but hey they can be bypassed

Similar Products Used:
Arcam 9C, Naim NAC - 62,72,102,112, Rotel RC-971, Linn Kolektor

Price Paid:  $450.00 from Local Audio Shop

Summary:
Finally got the 972 to compliment my 6 channel Rotel amp, was using an old Sansewage pre for years.
Well to me its worth its weight in gold........hooked it up and wow! Very open and large soundstage. It disapears totally and even makes the lousy anologue cds sound like DDDs. Have many hours to burn it in and am very much looking forward to that. Its like I have a new stereo again and since all I use it for is straight music its fantastic.
My system is complete just need to pick up some Kimber connects in the next few weeks.
I am for sure a hard-core Rotel dude and with the 6 channel amp I can bi-amp my speakers very sweet......120 watts to the woofers and 60 to the tweeters.
I highly recomend all Rotel products I mean like hey they don't even make a reciever, wonder why?

Strengths:
Solid build, Remote, add on phono card option, amazing value

Weaknesses:
goofy looking remote

Price Paid:  $379.00 from Custom Electronics

Summary:
I purchased the Rotel to replace an old Counter Point SA-7 tube pre-amp. I loved the smoothness and warm sound of the tubes, but age and worn out electronics forced me to retire it. I don't have the budget to replace the old pre with a new tube pre so I searched high and low for a budget replacement.

The Rotel surprised me with it's over all sound. The sound stage opened up and gave new life to my system. I was very sceptical at first that a sub $400 pre-map could replace my tube pre, but I'm now a believer.

Speakers - Mission 782
AMP - Adcom GFA-555
CD Player - Rotel 9 something
Speaker cable - Audio Stream
Interconnects - Monster Cable

Strengths:
Solid construction, Tone Defeat switch, smooth, warm sound and good sound stage presentation.

Weaknesses:
None yet

Similar Products Used:
a very used Counter Point sa-7 tube pre-amp

Price Paid:  $400.00

Summary:
I was initially very impressed with the RC-972 - the remote is very effective as it works from just about any angle and even behind the unit! After a burn-in period, I sat down to have a serious listen. After about half an hour I started to get annoyed as the left channel seemed constantly louder than the right. This effect was quite marked. I switched the power amp for a velleman one which I had previously built to see if the power amp was unbalanced. Unfortunately it was the RC972. Using a signal generator and test meter, I measured the gain at various volumes between the channels. My theory was correct, at low volumes, the left channel was 13% louder than the right, and they only balaced out when turned up quite a lot.
With the new power amp the effect was less noticable and is now bearable. When tested against a Musical Fidelity 3B preamp (through some quad ESLs) the Rotel seemed to lack a vibrance and realness which the Musical Fid had. In fact the Musical Fid made the music alive and exciting. The rotel was not far behind though, but the treble needed to be adjusted to get it the same. The other noticable effect was the channel separation - the musical fid was much better as the rotel seemed to slightly merge left and right. In summary, a very good piece of kit, let down by balance problems. (This might just be a particular fault with this machine).

Strengths:
Motorised Pot and Remote control, rich warm sound.

Weaknesses:
balance problem, channel separation, lack of "excitement"

Similar Products Used:
Musical Fidelity Preamp 3B