Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier, Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier and Rotel CD11MKII CD Player
Music lovers looking for an audiophile yet affordable stereo integrated amplifier may find what they are looking for in the latest models from Japanese hi-fi company Rotel Co Ltd, the Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier and Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier solutions. There is also the Rotel CD11MKII CD Player to match.
The Japanese company Rotel Co. Ltd. is now presenting two stereo integrated amplifiers whose outstanding feature is that they concentrate on quite classic hi-fi virtues, namely a solid equipment focused on the essentials as well as a sound quality that can certainly meet even audiophile standards, namely with the solutions Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier and Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier.
The new Rotel CD11MKII CD player is also the perfect playing partner for these two amplifier systems in the latest generation, and is said to be a solution that continues Rotel Co Ltd’s 30-year tradition as a manufacturer of high-performance CD players.
Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier
The Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier is the ideal amplifier for those who want a rock-solid set-up, but also value high sound quality at a particularly attractive price. The manufacturer refers to this as the optimum combination of power and connectivity, as well as a particularly outstanding price-performance ratio.
The Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier is based on the so-called Sound First Concept from Rotel Co. Ltd. and thus proves to be a solution that allows for an expressive, open performance through high dynamics, a particularly low noise floor and minimal distortion.
At the heart of this is a power supply that the company considers to be a particularly innovative solution and in which it consistently pays attention to the separation of power and low-voltage signal paths.
The focus is on a toroidal transformer, which is the basis for the new Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier’s ability to deliver two 50-watt outputs to speaker systems with an impedance of 8 ohms and two 62-watt outputs to 4 ohms.
The Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier is well-equipped for both analogue and digital sources, with three pairs of RCA sockets for line in. In addition, there is a phono preamplifier, although this is reserved for drives equipped with MM cartridge systems.
For digital sources, the Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier has an optical as well as a coaxial S/PDIF interface, and mobile devices can be directly connected via Bluetooth, which supports SBC and AAC as well as aptX for signal transmission in “CD quality”.
The signal processing of digital data is done by means of a D/A converter from the specialist Texas Instruments, namely a TI PCM5102A DAC, which handles signals with up to 32 bits and 384 kHz.
A 3.5 mm stereo mini-jack connector for headphones is located directly on the front panel, and additional components can be connected via 12 V triggers for central control.
Of course, all the controls are located directly on the front panel, whereby Rotel Co. Ltd. has adopted a very classic approach and, in addition to several rotary encoders, also provides buttons for selecting the inputs.
Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier
The Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier is essentially the little brother of the Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier just described, so it’s not just at first glance that these two stereo integrated amplifiers look very similar.
In fact, the new Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier is also designed as a Class A/B amplifier with a power output of two times 50 watts for speaker systems with 8 ohms impedance and two times 62 watts for speakers with only 4 ohms impedance. A toroidal transformer is the central component of the power supply and the already mentioned Sound First Concept by Rotel Co. Ltd. is also followed.
In addition to three analogue inputs, the new Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier also has a phono preamplifier for MM cartridges. In this respect, the Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier is no different from the Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier.
The only difference is that the new Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier is not equipped for digital sources, so there is no integrated D/A converter.
Rotel CD11MKII CD Player
It is a little surprising that Rotel Co. Ltd. has decided to continue with audio CDs in this price range. However, the company says that it is committed to a tradition of more than 30 years, which it continues with the new Rotel CD11MKII CD player, even in the entry-level segment.
The main focus of the Rotel CD11MKII CD player is, of course, the CD drive, which is supposed to be a smoothly closing and opening CD mechanism with a particularly precise laser unit and a quiet motor control, which ensures the playback of audio CDs on an audiophile level, according to the manufacturer’s promise.
The signal processing is also carried out by a converter from Texas Instruments, namely a 32-bit 384 kHz DAC of the type TI PCM5102A, which is supposed to feed individually tuned low-pass filters. Once again, the Sound First Concept is relied upon to reproduce music with exceptional detail, precision and finesse, as the manufacturer states.
Signals are output via a pair of RCA sockets on the analogue level and via a coaxial S/PDIF interface on the digital level. By means of a 12 V trigger, central control via an amplifier, for example, is possible and, of course, a remote control is part of the scope of delivery.
Prices and Availability
The new stereo integrated amplifiers from Rotel Co. Ltd. are available immediately from specialist dealers, as is the matching CD player. The Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier is priced at € 799,-, the Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier at a recommended retail price of € 599,-. The Rotel CD11MKII CD player is priced at € 599,-. All these solutions are available in black or silver.
Getting to the point
Rotel Co. Ltd. offers two stereo integrated amplifiers, the Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier and the Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier, which are completely in line with the idea of classic hi-fi, because they are supposed to offer a solid set of features and are designed in such a way that appealing sound is also available in the entry-level segment. For this reason, both systems are available at an attractive price, and with the Rotel CD11MKII CD player, there is even a matching CD player.
| PRODUCT | ROTEL A10MKII STEREO AMPLIFIER, ROTEL A11MKII STEREO AMPLIFIER AND ROTEL CD11MKII CD PLAYER |
|---|---|
| Price | Rotel A10MKII Stereo Amplifier € 599,- Rotel A11MKII Stereo Amplifier € 799,- Rotel CD11MKII CD-Player € 599,- |
| Brand | ROTEL |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Rotel Co. Ltd. |
| Distribution Austria | Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH |
| Distribution Germany | Audio-Trade Hi-Fi Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH |
| Distribution Switzerland | Audio-Trade Hi-Fi Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HIFI BLOG |
