Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
A fantastic player! I've been switching between a Cambridge 840c and rcd971 at my home for a some time now. The 840c is a fantastic player and I thought it would outclass the Rotel, but it didn't happen. The resolution is just slightly higher than the rotel, and thats about it. The Rotel diggs deeper in the bass and reproduces instruments and voices very well. Even after 9 year of playing the Rotel is still a winner and a bargain to be found second hand.

Price Paid:  $900.00

Summary:
After breaking-in soundstage really opens up. Vocals centered with very good low bass definition. Highs are real with cymbals but not sharp nor fatiguing. Smooth overall presentation and check it out with HDCD-encoded discs playback....Really beat out players 2-3 times the price. If you want music, this is music conveyed in your home right in front of your seat

Strengths:
Imaging and depth of instruments and vocals, low-mids. Quality components used.

Weaknesses:
Undetachable power cord which is intentionally modded to fit in AFA Zeus

Similar Products Used:
RCD-991AE

Price Paid:  $300.00 from audiogon

Summary:
I saw this hdcd player on audiogon for $300 and figured what the heck I'll give it a try. Ive been using a sony 777ES sacd player and was pleased with it until I heard this Rotel.
Not only is the rotel cleaner and much more spacious and transparent But I listened to my Harry connick cd in both sacd and the normal cd at the same time and the Rotel put the sony to shame.
I am so impressed with this player that I told my brother it would kick the @*#@ out of his Cary hdcd player.
Ok so it didnt beat it but it was so close I cant see paying the extra $1500 or more for the Cary.It was also about even with my Adcom gcd0750 (which Im selling)

Strengths:
Everything about this player was strong.
Killer build quality great hdcd decoder
and very VERY transparent and open

Weaknesses:
Not a detachable power cord
But Im planning on fixing that.

Similar Products Used:
sony 777ES sacd player.
Parasound cdc-1000
adcom gcd-750

Price Paid:  $700.00 from century stereo

Summary:
I've been using this player for quite some time now using the analog outs. Sounds pretty flat. I've heard a couple of CD players that embellish the sound significantly... The RCD-971 doesn't do that. It gives you a pretty flat..some would say very blah sound. Which is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted something that didn't change the audio much and just let me hear the intricacy of the original audio program. The Rotel does that.

The RCD-971 doesn't sound warm or bright or any of those other nonsense adjectives people use to describe audio equipment... It just doesn't sound like much of anything at all. Flat response. Transparent. If you want something that's warm or WHATEVER adjective you're looking for, try something with tubes where you can tweak the sound by changing the tubes out...

Strengths:
- HDCD
- Build quality
- Nice transport..smooth tray, forgiving
- Relatively easy to modify output circuitry

Weaknesses:
- Can't power it off with the remote
- Detachable power cord might be nice

Similar Products Used:
- Ah! Tjoeb 99
- Jolida JD-100
- Rotel RCD-991

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I just took delivery of Rotel's top of the line CD Player, not mentioning the exact model but it ends with a 70!

This is an update to my previous report; When compared the the new comparable model the 971 sounds more vital and simply snaps the music, especially vocals, into focus in a way that the smooth '70 model just doesn't seem to manage!

Please note that with my 971 I have updated it by adding an IEC inlet (see previous) using a home made Belden 83802 power cord.

Not for "background" listenning! but If you want civilized go get a Bose wave CD player!

Strengths:
Vital, brilliant imaging for the price and way above!

Weaknesses:
Needs an upgraded power cord

Similar Products Used:
Arcam CD67SE, Rotel XX70, AMC CD8b, Pioneer stable platter many years ago...and others