Don't trust high end equipment
Calvin from Ontario,Ca on 5/20/2025
I purchased my Rotel A8 in January. Rotel is usually associated with high end equipment. When I first hocked it up, it sounded different. I've compared it to my Emotiva 50 watt a channel basic and my Aidioengine 20 watt amp. Both of these amp(Emotiva and Audioengine) sounded more natural with less distortion. I have a hearing loss. I can listen with hearing aids turned down to my audioengine and emotiva and get low distortion sound but not withs the Rotel A8. It has lots of distortion. Without using my hearing aids, both my emotiva and audioengine amps sounded good but not my Rotel A8. It sounded different maybe colored but with too much distortion. I am keeping with my emotiva and audioengine amps and I will donate the Rotel A8 to the Thrift shop. My speakers are the A26 from a Madisound kit. They are high end.
Pros: It's pretty.
Cons: Can't stand to listen to A8 Rotel
2 of 7 found this helpful
Rotel A8
robert from New Albany, IN on 12/18/2024
I bought this map recently to use with Dali Opticon 1mk2 speakers. This amp sounds great for an amp in this price range. Clear, the midrange is good. The phono preamp is very good. Also, the slim, sleek design is nice.
Pros: Does everything and more than an amp this price could be expected to do.
Cons: No digital connections, but I do not need those.
6 of 7 found this helpful
Average - fails to live up the brand name
Crutchfield customer from Dayton,OH on 12/6/2024
Average receiver . Bought it as I never owned Rotel and everyone spoke so high of it . Probably $1000+ options are good but this doesn't keep up the hype and sounds as my other older Sony dh190 audio receiver . I am connecting this to Martin Logan motion 15i bookshelf speakers , using WiiM and Tidal Plus to stream music. Sometimes play Apple Music or Deezer.
Pros:
Cons:
8 of 27 found this helpful
Very clean sound
Carl from Las Vegas NV on 10/19/2024
I run this amp in a near field small room with JBL studio 580 tower speakers. Put simply in this configuration this amp rocks! Bass is there in spades, vocals and guitars are very clean. Top end is clear and smooth without fatigue. This amp sounds big, sound stage has very good depth and width. I haven't found a fault in its sound yet. Stay within its power range and it's listenable all day long. I haven't pushed mine given the small space I'm using but have hit 97db peaks without it braking a sweat. Haven't felt the need to switch to my 200 watt per channel amp yet.
Pros: Bass is full Mids clean Highs smooth
Cons: None yet
21 of 21 found this helpful