Powerfull to its size

None as i know

I`m using my RB-971 With large North MP-200 Speakers and the RB-971 is able to deliver enough power to each of the two ten`s wich they are equiped with.

The Sony Str-db 930 wich I`m using as a preamp for the front channels is marked with a higher RMS, but it cant play as loud.
The Sony is allsow taking away or filtering the signals,
So some information is missing.

At first i used it withh a passive preamp from Creekand I was impressed, clean undestorted music wich you cant make you tired of listening. The bass i tight, the midle is smooth and the treble is crispy, just the way it should be!

Thats why I this morning ordered another one to get 180 watts per channel in front, i just cant wait.

If you are loking for a cheap, but good amplifier get the rotel...

Other equpment:
Sony minidisc 9 series
Sony cd-player 9 series
Sony dvd-player 9 series
Sony Sur.reciver 9 series
Monster cables
Creek passive pre-amp

Per Bakkejord

Similar Products Used:

Denon Nad Sony

very clean sound in a small and very affordable package

none aware yet

It has a very nice and clean sound with an excellent imaging and clarity. At low, medium and high levels it produces almost life like music, in various types of music, from jazz, Brazilian, rock, Latin, classic, etc.
The sound the RB971 sends to my PSB bronze speakers is very detailed with a sound stage that I find impressive the least to say.
I am re-discovering my music collection all over in a way I had never dreamed.
The difference between the previous amplifiers I have owned is incredible and the price is very affordable, even cheap for a power amplifier of this category and class. Before purchasing the RB971 I compared it with Nakamichi, Yamaha, ADCOM, MARANTZ and NAD with prices more than double what it cost, and the Rotel 971 was a clear winner

I use a Rotel 855 CD
NAD preamp 114
PSB bonze speakers.
Denon cassette deck

I give it a 5 star rating in value and 5 in sound.
Great quality amplifier that I recomend !!

Similar Products Used:

dynaco, onkyo, yamaha, sansui

Fantastic imaging,taut bass,

none at the price

Needs a good preamplifier.Fabulous if used as a pair in bridged mono.
used with
BW 602 S2
QED silver anniversary cables
Yamaha sources.

Similar Products Used:

yamaha AX592

Plenty of power - unlimited when bridged. Excellent dynamics, zero hum and hiss.

Don't use with loudspeakers that use budget tweeters.

First of all I bought a single RB 971. All I had to spend was £200 so there wasn't much to choose from. I didn't expect much from a 70 Watt p.c amp for this amount of money; but as long as it worked OK it would suffice until I could afford something better. I was very surprised however! I don't know how Rotel can achieve this result at such a low cost; especially as the RB 971 uses top quality audiophile components (slit foil caps. etc).

I was so impressed that I kept thinking about how much of an improvement it would be if I bought a second amp, so that I could run them bridged, one per channel. Stunning! That's how it sounds. Bass extension is even better, and of course the power, in a normal domestic setup, is unlimited. Hum and hiss is zero.

I have heard and read that these amps can sound hard - I think the problem is that they WILL sound hard if you use them with poor speakers. The dynamic range of these amps is so wide that cheap tweeters will compress and distort. The amps' character reminds me of studio kit - lots of detail, handles dynamic swings well and really lets you hear right into the mix. You need high quality speakers for these amps - use them with cheap tweeters and it won't work (see my Magneplanar SMGa review). With good speakers classical is wonderful; all the harmonic details of woods and strings are there. Jazz is particularly brilliant - like walking into a rehearsal when you enter the room. Rock is stadium style - big and spacious.

At £200 (now £225), a single amp must be on your short-list; what else can you buy for this amount? If you can afford two, then I cannot comment, objectively, on value for money as I haven't heard any of the competition at this price. All I can say is that I just keep playing my CDs, over and over again.

By the way, I use a passive pre-amp; apparently the Rotel 'pre' isn't up to much. For best quality run a variable output CD machine directly in, or use a fixed level potential divider (hard wired resistors). For loudspeakers, I am currently using a pair of DIY mini-monitors
using Audax drivers - a modified (British) IPL A3 kit.

Value for money can only be five stars; overall rating is hard to give but I think three to four stars are deserved - I think these amps would sound good even at £800 for the pair.

Derek

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No experience here.

Musical, transparent and articulate midrange,open soundstage, price

Speaker terminals

I was always amused by the terms – rhythmic, pace and timing -- that hifi experts often used to describe the performance of an amp. Until recently, I always thought these terms where more relevant to describe the performance of source devices and speakers. Well, not until I listen to the Rotel RB 971 power amp. This low priced amp had me tapping my feet, involving me with music much more than other amps I had heard and compared (Luxman RV371, Yamaha DSP A1, Onkyo 989). Sure the Yammie and Onkyo amps are highly regarded and they did sound better (more refined) compared the much lower priced Rotel, but not by much. The RB971 seemed less analytical and more musical sounding, which seemed to be the result of its ability to flow with the rhythm of the recorded music.

The mid and hi frequencies amplified through the RB971 are extremely transparent and detailed without sounding harsh or fatiguing. I suspect this is why I enjoyed longer listening to music through this amp. The entire freq range was not coloured, accentuated or rolled off in any noticeable way. However, if you like a beefy sound, you may not like the RB971. This amp doesn’t extend very low but it does go low enough. Its bass is taut and articulate, providing a natural body to the music, particularly with acoustic bass instruments. Play some Diana Krall, you’ll hear what I mean. Its tonal balance seemed just right as well. What was just as appealing about the RB971 was it broad and airy sound stage. This was my first impression and it continued to be after I compared it with other amps. The width of the soundstage was more apparent than the depth. I’m sure with some repositioning of my speakers I could have improved the soundstage depth.

Rated a 70 watts RMS per channel (8ohms) the amp operated very efficiently – never ran hot with plenty of power to spare in my 14’ x 15.5’ living room. I must admit though the amp was audition through an easy load (8 ohm 90db/w). For its size, the RB971 poses a large torosdial transformer and two large caps, which explains why the amp never seemed, strained or compressed when operating at higher than normal listening levels. At low listening levels though the amp was not as dynamic but the lucidity of the music remained the same.

Funny thing about my audition of the RB971 was that I used a low budget CD player (Luxman DZ122), stock standard interconnects/speaker cables and a pair of good quality outdoor speakers (WP-1) from B&W. Image how much better this amp could have sounded if used better quality components and cables. Many have reviewed Rotel as the manufacturer of good quality low budget hifi gear. I’d say RB971 is a good example.

Similar Products Used:

Luxman RV371, Yamaha DSPA1,