Rotel RA1070 Intergrated

The integrated amp- such a wonderfull solution, but all too often, they are built to a stature more apropriot for background listening in a small den or bedroom. The Rotel Stereo Integrated Amplifier RA-1070 is trying to make a new name for integrated amps, boasting all the high current low distortion power usually reserved for the big one-button blocks.

I found myself in the market for a new amplifier recently, A combination of reasons, primarily that I was outgrowing the thin sound of my denon reciever. I had been doing the reaearch, reading a lot of other reviews, the RA-1070 was certainly on my list of favorites, as it was in the price range, and covered the duty of the pre-amp stage as well.

As a general rule, people who are really serious about really serious sound, buy separate amp and preamp components, assuring they are getting superb equipment on both ends. This is a traditional aproach in a world where integrated and reciever style components are always lacking in some area. The RA-1070 is a good bet if you want to break that traditional aproach, as mentioned, this is a very high current device, (in fact, one magazine review i read, drove it into a 1-ohm load and achieved transients in excess of 500Watts per channel, both channels driven, before the protection circuitry kicked on and stopped their party) Rotel has very conservativally rated this amplifier "100W x 2 into 8ohms@<0.03%THD." Rotel doesn't list a rated power output into a 4 ohm load, but I can attest that this amp is totally capable of driving a 4ohm highly reactive load, as it has been doing so graciously since it took the place of my denon. I would like to point out, I have not found a listening level, that I can withstand(for reference: I listen LOUD, I'm irresponsable with my ears, I'm 19 years old, go figure), that this amplifier doesn't play with absolute control, I can not find a level, to make this amplifier sound out of it's bounds, it's like having unlimited headroom. This amp has what I might describe as a very "direct" sound. Look elsewhere if you want a warm tuby sound, I would suggest that this amp is probably closer to what's on the disk than many, but I must admit, that this is no arena of right and wrong, merely preference, some people like a bit of life injected into the music. This amp will likally find it's way into a reference listening enviroment within the next 6 months for my application, so the very "flat" "direct" sound is exactly what I am looking for. I should however note, that this amp doesn't "miss" anything, the timbre/presense of instruments and drums is very very lifelike. For the first time I heard a snare drum IN MY ROOM, as aposed to listening to a snare drum through speakers, which my denon always made clear the distinction, hehe. Large gold plated binding posts (accepts banana jacks or bare wire) common A or B or A+B output)

Moving right along- The preamp stage in the RA-1070, deserves praise. An overkill 8(!) inputs, one of which is a very respectable phono stage. ALL gold plated. Precision components are used throughout. Looking under the hood, it's hard to miss the massive terroidial transformer and 4 large capacitors for the power reserve stage (look to be about 8,000-10,000 uF each, though I haven't taken it apart yet to find out exactly)

I don't use a remote much when using my equipment, but if you are into remotes, This Rotel ships with a full-featured "everything" remote (RR-969), can be used to control all the devices in a system. Has a button on the side that temporarily illuminates all the primary buttons with a green backlight. is a "learning" remote, with macro capabilites. I have no specific good or bad points to make on the remote, as I'm just not a remote kinda guy.

I was lucky enough to aquire this amplifier slightly used (few months old) on a consignment rack of a high-end audio dealer in town for a steal at $650. I dare anyone to find a preamp + amp combination for the $1199 list price of the RA-1070 that can beat the performace. A wonderfull value. Money well spent, I would have gladly paid the $1199. Redefines the role of the integrated. I couldn't be happier.