Rotel RCX-1500 CD-receiver

Together with the RCX-1500, Rotel has arguably the envelope that is enlarged in contrast to previous products we have met under that general heading. The touches that are clear are there - CD player; FM radio and DAB; amplifier; a few digital ones and line input signal - but the RCX-1500 goes a lot farther.

Really, thanks to the amazing power of the world wide web, it goes nearly infinitely much.

Internet radio is actually among the marvels of the age. DAB can handle a hundred or more and where FM is effective at getting a few dozen stations in certain place, internet radio now offers something in the area of 15,000 of them. At least, that is the official amount. A few are only part-time for copyright reasons some are assumed just to be around from specific geographic locations and, some never appear to be reachable.

Clearly this all presumes you are within an web-enabled home and when you are not, you do not need RCX-1500. The dongle is provided, but it might not be spotted by one at first. The unit does not appear to realise that the dongle is lost, but only gives error messages about discovering no network on turning on. Definitely a message like 'insert dongle' or 'link to computer' or something helpful could be shown?

While we are in essential way, we might mention the fairly plain show, which takes four lines of fine text that is clear, but does not make for the most evident navigation of, well, anything, actually. The front panel buttons aren't good and the remote helps, but is not quite the finest we have seen. Specifically, locating the station one desires, from the yet-many-thousand accessible by the time could be catchy.

But - and this actually is quite a big 'but' - Rotel has been quite intelligent and mostly preempted this issue. This efficiently populates a set of preset radio stations, using the functional ease that comes from a notebook or desktop computer computer and most of the options that come with a full on Reciva web page.

Undoubtedly more will come.

Now if a little hi-fi is on the net by means of a router it is essentially additionally connected to your own home computer(s). They likely involve some music to them, in iTunes in certain folder on the drive.

As well as the good thing is, that almost all possible file formats are supported by it. Needless to say, the unavoidable MP3 and WMA are there, plus AAC, but considerably more are AIFF, WAV and FLAC, which means you could have total-quality sound out of your pc to CD standards. All that is needed is for the computer. Not enough for you personally? There is a USB outlet on the very front of the RCX-1500 for, USB sticks etc, but in the most modern style iPods are also supported by it. Yes, that is an iPod dock that is completely digital, transforming your iPod into another type of 'bit bucket'. Each of the file formats we're able to think of to attempt are supported, so you'll have total-CD-format pure sound and uncompromised.

In practical terms, all this can be accomplished in a unit that's in fact a little more narrow than most present hifi, in regards to the height of a strong integrated amp and only a little deeper than most of the strain, if one contains the dongle in the measurement. It's a linear power supply that is traditional but sports a changing power amplifier, feeding one set of speaker terminals in the back. There is a preamp output signal for feeding an amp that is distant. The CD transportation is a slot-loader - a bit noisy and slow - and not the best glory of the unit, but it works just fine. Part quality is adequate, having a high-spec Wolfson DAC processor contained.

With a lot of options available, it appears most easy to fall back on a classic favourite - and an amount that is known - and listen to a few CDs. In equity, it is not entirely as much as the standards of the very best, seeming somewhat closed in on occasion. But it is somewhat tough to understand where to establish the standard, when it comes to cost much should 195 of that GBP1, one allow for the DAB and FM, web, USB- input signal items?

Like quite lots of changing power amps we have heard, it presents rhythmic and lively music, using an extremely likeable bass, that might not necessarily function as the most incisive but consistently seems possible. There is what small coloration we're able to discover is actually only a slight accentuation of the lower group and great detail throughout the group. Treble is where the RCX-1500 begins to fight a little, lacking penetration and the crystalline innocence of the top clothing that is separates, but it is never significantly less than listenable.

It is somewhat unnecessary talking in regards to the sound of internet radio and DAB: being rather greatly information-compressed, they often control the performance of the majority of replay gear of the kind. The FM receiver is OK, though not enormously exciting, having a somewhat harsh sound even under near-perfect reception states. With the internal cable antenna it actually fights and we envision it is meant as little higher than the usual fallback.

The optical and electrical digital input signals are great, maybe amazing and also the USB input signal undoubtedly adds sounds saved on mobile players and quality. And the 'Network' input signal, which means music in your pc, can also be an obvious progress on most ways of connecting a computer to your hifi.

For many, a laptop computer using a USB-connected DAC may tick more boxes. However, for people who favor the clear-cut appearance of a bit of 'actual hifi', or who favor a desktop computer to your notebook, the Rotel is one completely realized and really awesome manner of accomplishing almost everything a computer does without really being a (standard) computer.

Rotel RCX-1500 CD-receiver photo