Klipsch RF-7 II Reference Home Theate

Rotel RMB-1585 Multichannel Amplifier

Rotel RSP1580 Surround Preamplifier Processor

Rotel RMB-1585 Multichannel Amplifier

If you are assembling a home theater system, you must have an amplifier that feeds at least five channels. In fact, for the vast majority of HT enthusiasts, five channels plus a powered subwoofer will be all that they need. The basic question is how much power is needed to drive a center, two front, and two surround channels. The answer will depend on many factors, including room size, listener position distance, efficiency of the speakers, the customary listening level, and the sticky one…future-proofing if some of these variables change.

I have always believed that you should buy a multichannel amplifier as if it was your last multichannel amplifier, or at least your last for a decade, (actually, I have had my Pass Labs X-5 for more than 10 years). That considered, the answer to the power question is easier to answer than you might think. Home theater amplifiers should provide effortless delivery of some demanding sounds (and sound effects).  So, my response is, get as much power as you can afford in as big a package as you can fit in your room.

Case in point is the Rotel RMB-1585, the most powerful multichannel amplifier in their current lineup. A heavyweight out of the box, the RMB-1585 is not only a heavyweight contender but, perhaps, the next heavyweight champion.  Even better, this MC amplifier replaces the previous Rotel offering that offered Class D amplifier power while the successor to the throne is the more traditional A/B mode.

A New Beast From The East

Perhaps, newbies need not apply. Just getting the RMB-1585 out of its box is a two-man deal. The 79 -pound net weight is way short of the snatch-and-grab Olympic finals but prospective buyers will either need to work out or hire a muscle man to get things started. As my perceptive better half pointed out, “why doesn’t this amp have rear handles like your other ones?” That aside, setting up the RMB 1585 was very simple. In fact, the only decisions that need to be made are mode of operation (balanced or unbalanced) and the internal fans on or off.

With the Lexicon MC-12 HD EQ surround processor as the front end, and, in all balanced mode, we introduced the Rotel amp to my Martin Logan ESL surround system. As they say in the business world, no problem, and, for once, this overused expression was absolutely correct. Plug and play at its best. The nice thing about having 200 watts per channel is having 200 watts per channel. Once in the system, this MC amplifier was a sheer delight to operate. Part of the magic is due to Rotel’s massive proprietary transformer and power supply, along with Rotel’s Slit-Foil capacitors. Regardless of specs, this is one helluva amplifier.

Rotel RSP1580 7.1 Home Theatre Surround Preamplifier / Processor

Rotel RSP-1580