Rotel RA-1572MKII and RCD-1572MKII Music System Preview

See the complete review for the Rotel RA-1572MKII and RCD-1572MKII Music System.

Rotel is offering the ideal pairing of its RA-1572MKII Integrated Amplifier and RCD-1572MKII CD Player as a high-fi music system at a mid-fi price. If you want to go retro without the hassles of vinyl, this is a great way to enjoy stereo in its simplest and perhaps best-sounding form. While there are many ways to enjoy two-channel listening, none are as tactile and interactive as spinning physical media. You can go for the full-fiddly experience and play vinyl records or enjoy the convenience of good old Redbook CDs. Rotel makes that easy and enjoyable with this reasonably-priced system.

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The RA-1572MKII Integrated Amplifier puts out 120W/pc of clean Class AB power into eight ohms. The amp can drive up to four speakers and peaks at 200W/pc into four ohms. With 12 total inputs, it can play just about any source I can think of. It has four RCA and a fully balanced XLR input plus a moving-magnet phono input in its analog section. Digital inputs include two coax, two optical, USB, and aptX/AAC Bluetooth. A handy remote controls the amp and includes transport keys for the CD player which I’m also reviewing.

The RCD-1572MKII is a two-channel Redbook CD player with coax, RCA, and fully balanced XLR outputs. It features a silent transport, toroidal transformer, and isolated circuitry for an invisible noise floor. A front display shows track and timing information.

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By connecting the two components with a 12v trigger cable, I can control them with the amp’s remote which makes them into a super convenient stereo music system. I’ve paired the stack with my Axiom LFR1100 tower speakers running the front baffle only. Initial impressions are overwhelmingly positive, and I can’t wait to get into some serious listening.

If you’ve amassed a large collection of CDs and you love the retro experience, the RA-1572MKII Integrated Amplifier and RCD-1572MKII CD Player might just be the system you’re looking for. Watch this space for my full review coming soon.

See the complete review for the Rotel RA-1572MKII and RCD-1572MKII Music System.

Chris Eberle

Chris' passion for audio began when he took up playing the bassoon at age 12. During his third year at the New England Conservatory of Music, he won a position with the West Point Band where he served for 26 years as principal bassoonist. He retired from the Army in 2013 and is now writing full time and performing as a freelance musician in Central Florida. As an avid movie lover, Chris was unable to turn away the 50-inch Samsung DLP TV that arrived at his door one day, thus launching him irrevocably into an obsession with home theater. Dissatisfied with the image quality of his new acquisition, Chris trained with the Imaging Science Foundation in 2006 and became a professional display calibrator. His ultimate theater desires were realized when he completed construction of a dedicated cinema/listening room in his home. Chris is extremely fortunate that his need for quality audio and video is shared and supported by his wife of over 25 years. In his spare time he enjoys riding his recumbent trike at least 100 miles per week, trying out new restaurants, going to theme parks and spending as much time as possible watching movies and listening to music. Chris enjoys bringing his observations and discoveries about every kind of home theater product to as many curious and well-informed readers as possible. He is proud to be a part of the Team and hopes to help everyone enjoy their AV experiences to the fullest.