Rotel RB-1552 MKII
Rotel class AB stereo power amplifier, 130 W per channel into 8 Ω, designed to drive demanding speakers with precision and current reserve.
Description
The RB-1552 MKII is a class AB stereo power amplifier, intended to supplement a preamplifier or an integrated amplifier fitted with a preamp output, in order to bring additional power reserve to a hi-fi system. It delivers 130 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and up to 185 watts per channel into 4 ohms, allowing it to drive speakers that are more demanding in terms of current.
Its design relies on an oversized power supply combined with a high-efficiency, low-stray-field toroidal transformer, as well as several bipolar output transistors with high current capability. The power circuits for the left and right channels are regulated and decoupled from one another, an architecture close to that of two monoblocks housed in a single chassis, which limits interaction between the two channels. The unit also features British-made slit-foil capacitors, designed to offer a significant energy reserve and to recharge quickly during the most dynamic musical passages.
In terms of performance, total harmonic distortion and intermodulation distortion are both below 0.03%, frequency response extends from 4 Hz to 100 kHz (+0.5/-3 dB), damping factor reaches 450 into 8 ohms, and the A-weighted IHF signal-to-noise ratio peaks at 120 dB. These figures reflect precise control of the loudspeakers and a very low noise floor, both of which contribute to a clean, controlled sound, even on complex musical passages.
The available inputs are either balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA, allowing it to be paired equally well with a high-end preamplifier fitted with balanced outputs or with a more conventional RCA-based system.
This type of power amplifier is aimed at a user who already has a preamplifier or an integrated amplifier with a preamp output, and who wishes to add power reserve for current-hungry speakers or for listening at sustained levels without signal compression.
Technical specifications
| Total harmonic distortion | < 0.03% |
| Intermodulation distortion | < 0.03% (60 Hz : 7 kHz, 4:1) |
| Frequency response | 4 Hz - 100 kHz (+0.5, -3 dB) |
| Damping factor | 450 (20 - 20,000 Hz, 8 Ω) |
| Signal to noise ratio | 120 dB (A-weighted IHF) |
| Dimensions (W × H × D) | 431 × 144 × 339 mm |
| Net weight | 12.4 kg |
What to check before buying used
The large slit-foil capacitors and toroidal transformer hold up well over time, but a unit that has been left unused for a long period deserves a gradual reactivation rather than being switched straight on at full power. Check for the absence of hum or distortion on either channel, which would indicate an imbalance between the decoupled left and right output stages. A visual check of the power transistors and their heatsink, as well as the input connectors and speaker terminals, allows any signs of excessive heating or oxidation to be ruled out.
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