New Rotel RMB MKII Multichannel Amps Launched

Rotel's new home theatre amplifiers offer seven 155-watt channels or five 210-watt channels from the RMB-1587MKII and RMB-1585MKII, respectively.
Rotel's RMB-1587MKII and RMB-1585MKII home cinema amplifiers measure 24 x 43 x 46cm (HxWxD) before you add the optional rack mounting ears and will no doubt make a statement in your home cinema room, as it would be a shame to lock these away in a cabinet and miss out on Rotel's trademark brushed metal finish and those purposeful vents.
Rotel tells us that both new models feature a Class AB amplifier design built around a pair of oversized, in-house manufactured toroidal transformers feeding eight high-efficiency bulk storage capacitors totalling 120,000uF. Keeping things under control in the heat department is a quartet of thermostat-controlled, variable-speed ultra-low-noise fans.
Behind the enigmatic fascias, you either get seven channels of 155 watts each at 8 ohms from the RMB-1587MKII or 210 watts through each of the RMB-1585MKII's five channels. Drop down to 4 ohms, and you get 250 watts or 340 watts per channel, respectively. If you decide to use them in stereo, we are told the RMB-1587MKII will produce 335 wpc, whereas the RMB-1585MKII is apparently good for a whopping 440 watts per channel.
Around the rear of both models, you will find an array of RCA and Balanced XLR inputs with auto-switching to the connected inputs. There is also a 12 V trigger input and output for simplified power control.
Besides their power output, the main difference is that the RMB-1585MKII can be configured as a 3-Channel amplifier supporting a "Bi-Amp mode" of Channels 1+2 and 4+5 via a switch on the rear panel (above). When Bi-Amp is enabled, Channels 1+2 utilise source input #1, while Channels 4+5 use source input #5. This allows individual, isolated amplifiers to be routed to the speakers' HF and LF drivers and ensures precise signal path routing.
The five-channel RMB-1585MKII is priced at £3,599/ €4,199, while the seven-channel RMB-1587MKII sells for £3,799/ €4,399. Both are available in black or silver finishes.
Visit Rotel for more information

Jay Garrett
StereoNET’s resident rock star, bass player, and gadget junkie. Jay heads up StereoNET as Editor for the United Kingdom and Europe regions. His passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
Posted in: Home Theatre
JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION
Want to share your opinion or get advice from other enthusiasts? Then head into the Message
Forums where thousands of other enthusiasts are communicating on a daily basis.
CLICK HERE FOR FREE MEMBERSHIP
Trending
applause awards
Each time StereoNET reviews a product, it is considered for an Applause Award. Winning one marks it out as a design of great quality and distinction – a special product in its class, on the grounds of either performance, value for money, or usually both.
Applause Awards are personally issued by StereoNET’s global Editor-in-Chief, David Price – who has over three decades of experience reviewing hi-fi products at the highest level – after consulting with our senior editorial team. They are not automatically given with all reviews, nor can manufacturers purchase them.
The StereoNET editorial team includes some of the world’s most experienced and respected hi-fi journalists with a vast wealth of knowledge. Some have edited popular English language hi-fi magazines, and others have been senior contributors to famous audio journals stretching back to the late 1970s. And we also employ professional IT and home theatre specialists who work at the cutting edge of today’s technology.
We believe that no other online hi-fi and home cinema resource offers such expert knowledge, so when StereoNET gives an Applause Award, it is a trustworthy hallmark of quality. Receiving such an award is the prerequisite to becoming eligible for our annual Product of the Year awards, awarded only to the finest designs in their respective categories. Buyers of hi-fi, home cinema, and headphones can be sure that a StereoNET Applause Award winner is worthy of your most serious attention.