Source: Press Release, Last Accessed: 2015/01/06

Rotel has been widely acknowledged for 50 years as a leader in affordable high-end electronics designed for serious audiophiles and home-theater fans. "Our new reference RC-1590 stereo preamplifier and RB-1590 power amplifier advance Rotel to the forefront of high performance audio available today, yet are priced thousands of dollars lower than cost-no-object components,” says Doug Henderson, president of B&W Group North America.
The RC-1590 Stereo Preamplifier has been engineered to the highest audio standards while providing the user with an incredible level of control flexibility. It includes extensive arrays of both analog and digital inputs, to accommodate the needs of a modern music system.
Analog and digital circuits were designed separately by specialized Rotel teams, but evaluated together before finalization of the design. The analog inputs boast very-low-noise circuitry, and include a high performance phono stage that supports both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges. Digital inputs are fully isolated, and feature a precision AKM, 34-bit/768kHz digital to analog converter that supports both PCM and DSD decoding.
The RC-1590 offers extensive connectivity. The analog connections include a pair of balanced XLR inputs and two sets of XLR outputs (for bi-amping, if desired) along with single-ended RCA outputs and three sets of single-ended RCA inputs, a phono input, and a pair of buffered subwoofer outputs. Digital inputs are also numerous, for full flexibility with digital sources: three coax and three optical PCM, plus a front USB for iOS devices and a rear PC-USB that supports up to 24 bit/192kHz and DSD signals, along with an internal aptX Bluetooth receiver. There are even digital outputs on coax and optical connectors. Volume is controlled by a Texas Instruments precision volume control IC.
Rotel's new Class AB stereo power amplifier is a powerhouse rated at 350 watts per channel into 8 ohms, both channels driven. That is indeed a lot of power, but larger listening rooms or less-sensitive loudspeakers require it to bring out the best possible performance and attain realistic audio dynamics without compression. The impressive capabilities of this amplifier begin with a solid foundation consisting of massive, twin, toroidal transformers custom made by Rotel. These transformers are just part of a power supply that includes eight special British made BHC capacitors, known for their low loss and quick response times, thereby improving high energy signal transients and dynamic bass performance.
Extensive listening sessions have been used to carefully consider every aspect of circuit design and to rigorously select each component, to ensure that power is combined with nuance, detail, and overall musical performance, the company says. The circuit has been laid out in true monoblock design, ensuring maximum signal separation and improved stereo imaging. Features include XLR balanced and RCA input connections, two pairs of 5-way speaker binding posts, a 12-volt trigger control, thermal protection circuitry, over-current, and, over-voltage protection circuitry, a dual stage power-on relay to reduce surge current and extend longevity, and a detachable IEC power cord—all in a 5U chassis with rack ears included. Both the preamplifier and the power amp will be available in black and silver finishes around April 2015, with MSRPs $1749 and $2,999 respectively.

For more information: http://www.rotel.com/

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