anarchris

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
Rotel is a forward sound that's fatiguing even on my paradigms. It is very fine and smooth. the remote isn't easy to use because only certain sound fields are immediately accessible. the posts are barely able to accommodate 10 gauge speaker wire and don't fully accept banana plugs.

Divorcy

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
2.40 of 5, 5.00 votes

Price Paid:  $5000.00 from Denmark

Summary:
Amazing receiver from Rotel. Really the best receiver I have ever owned according to prior owned receivers (se semilar products used)
5x75 watt is enough for most compact speakers, but not enough for floorstanding speakers. My B&W 803 and my center HTM really needed more power, but i foresaw this before i bought this receiver, so i already bought a rotel 985 THX 5x100 watt. This was bi-amped and 2x100 to each speaker was a BIG improvement!
I primarely bought this to use is as a pre-amp because it does not take a genious to figure out that 75 pr channel is kind of low to speakers that are just a tiny bit serious..

It looks powerfull, and sounds amazing. All the details really comes out in the opening, and when you use the On Screen Display, it possible to adjust many things in the receiver. Easy to set up, and easy to use. Overall I am very satified with this receiver, and ROTEL never lets you down..At least not me so far..:-)
Price is danish kroner..about 750 euro..

Strengths:
Really good in stereo-listening.
Pre-outs for all speakers.
Looks amazing. Looks expensive

Weaknesses:
Lid on remote, kind of annoying, but works and the illuminated keys are nice in a dark room.
75 watt pr channel not enough for floor standing speakers..And the same for a proper centerspeaker..

Similar Products Used:
Denon 2106, nad 762, nad t163v2, marantz sr 5400SE, pioneer vsx ax3, pioneer vsx 1015, sony DB 940

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have been using this receiver for over 2 years now with B&W 603S3 speakers as fronts mostly for music. I am very satisfied with its performance in 2 channel stereo mode. With 100w power in 2 channel mode, it provides ample power to drive 603S3 speakers and brings in all the nuiances in the music I listen to.
Recently I added a center channel and a sub to my HT set-up. The resulting output from the receiver has not been at par with its 2 channel performance. Center Channel does not seem to get enough power when driving all channels in a 5.1 set-up, given the fact that all channels get 75watts in this mode. Last month my receiver just shutdown and did not come up. Rotel promptly repaired this issue and although this situation was annoying, the prompt service I received assuaged my anguish.

Strengths:
Excellent 2 channel performance. 5 year warranty on parts and labor.

Weaknesses:
Sliding cover on the remote is a little flimsy. Buttons after the remote slide cover is opened do no illuminate.

spminor

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 12.00 votes

Price Paid:  $1170.00 from Georgia Home Theater

Summary:
I only heard of Rotel through magazine ads, but never heard the actual product. I'm an evacuee from New Orleans and lost my previous system in Hurricane Katrina. It consisted of A Denon AVR 3300, Pioneer DV-414, and Wharfedale Valdus series speakers all around. I wanted to go back to my Pioneer roots and purchase the VSX-72TXV, or Denon AVR 3805. I was told by the salesman that he had something better and cheaper than both, The Rotel RSX-1056. I told him I've heard of Rotel, but never auditioned their product. He told me all the benefits this receiver had over the other two. I honestly didn't audition this receiver until I brought it home. The salesman told me if I didn't like it to bring it back, but he followed by saying "you won't". I WAS IMPRESSED! I thought my old 3300 was a beast. This receiver is perfect. Don't let the 75watts rms fool you.
I could not stop playing with this thing. They make my B&W 603 S3s sing like a songbird. I was able to save my Whafedale surrounds, so I have a 4.0 system at the moment. Everytime I play music, I hear something different. When I play dvds, the detail is right there. The Rotel is clean and powerful. You should get this receiver if you're shopping for one. You don't have to increase the volume much as the amp section is to dye for. It has great features, and none of the extras, which I really don't need. If you want a straight forward a/v receiver with all the essentials and power for days, this is the one to get.
It looks and sounds more expensive than it is. The build quality is top notch and soild. Straight forward controls, easy to read manual. Setup is easy as 1,2,3. Be careful when moving, this thing is heavy. The ONLY thing I don't like is that is has only two optical inputs. That's it, the rest is High fidelity at it's finest.
I've heard that "hiss" only a few times, and that was while I was breaking in new speaker cables, MIT Terminator 5.
I highly recommend this receiver. You will not be dissappointed!

Strengths:
Strong, clean power. Just the right amount of inputs. An audiophile's list of features. Upgradeable, don't know what else they can do , but it's a plus! Great warranty. And solid construction inside and out.

Weaknesses:
ONLY two optical inputs. Sould have been just one more. Even it's big brother, the RSX-1067 has two optical inputs.

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer VSX-D498, Pioneer VSX-D811S, Denon AVR-3300. I audtioned the Elite VSX-74TXVI, Integra 5.6, Arcam AVR300.

Price Paid:  $1700.00 from Environment

Summary:
I replaced my old higher end Yamaha with this unit about 4 months ago for a number of reasons. Firstly I wanted to upgrade to Dolby digital and DTS from pro logic and secondly, I had heard about the sonic superiority of Rotel products.

I was not dissappointed in the least. Sending both my CD and DVD signal to the Rotel via Toslink cable was an eye opening experience!. The 2 channel CD performance is stunning. This receiver eats my Infinity speakers for breakfast and asks for seconds!!. Extreamely detailed sound and like others have mentioned here, very forward sounding. Rated at 75 watts X5 , this receiver is most certainly underated!. It has been tested and rated at 100watts X 5 by AV TECH mag and probably does even better in 2 channel. It has way more power than my Yamaha which was rated at 80 watts.

This receiver decodes anything sent to it automatically via digital or optical cables and it also decodes HDCD, which was another eye opening experience!!. Effectively getting 20 bit sound from standard CD's encorporated with the technology. Microsoft liked the technology so much, it bought it from the founders!!. I can see and hear why !. It also has a superior tuner than the Yamaha, sounds better and decodes the radio station monikar, displaying the stations name on the front pannel rather than the stations simple radio frequency. I like this feature a lot.

Nothing to complain about with this receiver. It delivers the best sound I've heard so far from an integrated amp!.

No hiss or hum in my unit! It's the quietist sound I've heard... totally black in the background.

Strengths:
Clean, detailed, forward sound with beautiful imaging and soundstaging!

Bags of power...don't let the rated power get you down!. It's conservative for sure!!

Rockem' sockem' home theatre performance!!

Weaknesses:
No phono input ???

Some aspects of the remote could be better.

Not recommended for Mom and pop setup. This is NOT a plug and play receiver !!. All parameters must be set up properly for maximum performance like speaker distance. SPL balancing/ leveling, subwoofer and speaker size setup etc. Must read and follow the manual's recommendations!!!

Similar Products Used:
Yamaha, Denon, Carver