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The Powerful Stereo Amp "Should Be on Your Shortlist for Audition"
Delivering a healthy 200 watts per channel and utilizing Rotel's Balanced Design Concept for superior performance, the RB-1582 MkII is a compelling stereo amplifier. It provides the massive current to drive the very largest hi-fi systems effortlessly.
Like its smaller brother, the 1552, the Rotel RB-1582 MkII has been designed to excel at resolving the subtle details in music as well as supplying the brawn required for extremely dynamic passages. It is able to achieve this difficult dual requirement because of the meticulous attention paid to circuit design and parts selection.
"Rotel’s RB-1582 MkII is a reasonably priced, attractive power amplifier with a warm sound," reports Eric Wetzel, soundstageaccess.com, February 15, 2014. "The RB-1582 MkII could soften an overly analytic front end or be the powerhouse of an already comfortable-sounding system. Not surprisingly, it blended well with its preamplifier mate, Rotel’s RC-1570. If all of that sounds appealing – and I could see it being just that for a lot of audiophiles – this Rotel should be on your shortlist for audition."
"It's Everything I Want"
"Both of these components are good solid pieces on their own, and well priced. Certainly recommended, but as stated earlier, when used together they are stellar. Price independent you would need to work hard to find a better ensemble just on their sonic merits, and would certainly have to spend a good deal more to beat them," observes Gary Lea, Positive Feedback,, September 14, 2021. "If you are looking for a solid power amp and a matching, rather flexible preamplifier, I don't know how you old beat these two as a pair."
"The Rotel RC-1572 Stereo Preamplifier and RB-1582MKII Power Amplifier are two boxes, with loads of connectivity, and gobs of power. It’s more than I need and everything I want," notes 0102studio.com, March 3, 2024. "And it happened. I fell in love once again with a sweet review setup (this tends to happen a lot)."
"A Real Workhorse… Powerful, Well-Built"
"This powerful, well-built unit gets on with the job without drawing attention to itself," notes What Hi-Fi? magazine, January 27, 2010, reviewing the original model RB-1582.
"It's a real workhorse that just gets on with the job of driving a speaker without complaint or hardening up when pushed. There's a fair bit of speed on offer, too, not always a given with high-power amps."
High-End Power Supply
The RB-1582 MkII's high-end performance begins with an extremely large toroidal transformer combined with a total of 60,000µF storage capacity in special “slit foil” capacitors to provide completely stable power to the output stage. Slit foil capacitors have the ability to charge and discharge extremely quickly, thereby ensuring signal fidelity during orchestral crescendos or repetitive kick-drum impacts, for example.
Left and Right Channel Monoblock Design
Both left and right channel construction are laid out in a monoblock design (after the toroidal transformer) and all grounding is terminated in a star pattern on a copper grounding plate to ensure low signal to noise. The powerful output stage is a discrete design that consists of 10 high current bipolar transistors per channel.
"Refined Sound and Excellent Low-Frequency Control and Dynamics"
In his May 6, 2024 review for Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, Isaac Adams praised the "buttery-smooth, polite character that is not fatiguing during long listening sessions" along with the "excellent control in the low frequencies that will make speakers produce more accurate and powerful bass."
"The Rotel RB-1582 MkII is a powerful 2-channel amplifier with a soft, refined sound and excellent low-frequency control and dynamics. If you have a 2-channel system that needs more power or a home theater system that needs more “oomph” for its main channels and your tastes favor ease and refinement over maximum detail, this amplifier should be on your list to evaluate."
Input and Output Options
Input options consist of both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA connectors. A toggle switch in the rear panel selects the type of input signal to use. The RB-1582 MKII has four pairs of color-coded speaker binding posts, two for each channel – allowing you to run two pairs of speakers at the same time, if you wise. These connectors accept bare wire, connector lugs, or dual banana type connectors. (Note that there is no speaker selection switch, so both pairs of connected speakers will play if you use two pairs.)
Protection Circuitry
The RB‑1582 MKII features thermal and over-current protection circuits that protect against potential damage in the event of extreme or faulty operating conditions. Unlike many designs, these protection circuits are independent of the audio signal and have no impact on sonic performance. Instead, the protection circuits monitor the temperature of the output devices and the current they are handling and shut down the amplifier if operating conditions exceed safe limits.
Most likely, you will never see this protection circuitry in action. However, should a faulty condition arise, the amplifier will stop playing and the LED indicator on the front panel will light up.
The RB-1582 MkII stereo power amplifier is yet another outstanding example of Rotel’s Balanced Design Concept and will form the heart of a very impressive stereo or home theater system for years to come.
"High-Res Files are Much More Detailed"
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"With Rotel the sound has improved. High-res files on Rotel are much more detailed with more natural voice presentation," notes an RB-1582 MKII owner on the What Hi-Fi? Forum.
"IMO the Rotel RB-1582 MKII is by far a better amplifier than the Marantz MM7025. More musical, quieter and has lot more power, clean power than the Marantz," reports an RB-1582-MKII owner on the Stereophile Forum.
