Rotel RSX-1550

By Michael Wong

June 2009

Rotel RSX-1550 AV Receiver. $3999

The Rotel RSX-1550 (click for larger image)

Rear panel of the 1550 (click for larger image)

The Rotel RSX-1550 is one of two receivers in Rotel’s new flagship 15-series. This successor to the long running 10-series includes two home theatre receivers, an AV preamplifier/processor, multi-channel and stereo amplifiers.

The sleek new Krell-like look of the 15-series is matched by a solid level of construction missing from most AV receivers. Look closer and you’ll find the layout of the front panel is identical to the old RSX-1058 receiver. There’s a large, legible display window, a central volume control knob flanked by tuner controls on the left, source and audio mode controls on the right. Nice and simple.

On the back panel you’ll find enough socketry to keep the most die-hard HT enthusiast happy. There’s a full complement of analogue and digital video and audio inputs, sturdy multi-way speaker connection posts, all mounted on a flex-free rear panel, something that can’t be said of competing $4k AVR’s.

Contrary to a perceived reputation for bare boned HT gear the Rotel is not short-changed. There are four HDMI 1.3 inputs, one HDMI output; the latest HD sound codecs from Dolby and DTS, plus legacy surround sound decoding. All inputs can be assigned with various combinations of video and audio sources. Analogue video formats can be transcoded and upscaled to 1080p for output through HDMI. Native HDMI video is passed through unaltered. Four zones of audio and video are supported. A digital AM/FM tuner completes the input set. External IR switchers and a host of 12V triggers allow for custom installation. On-board amplification is limited to 5x 75wpc of Class AB power. For 7.1 operation you need to add an extra stereo amp or upgrade to the RSX-1570 model which features a 7x100watt Class D amp.

There are no automated setup or EQ systems, no Ethernet, no iPod connectivity, no fancy full colour on-screen displays. Instead we get a traditional white on black text menu that’s very legible and good old fashioned manual speaker setup. Within 15 minutes I had the speaker sizes and distances entered in and relative levels set. Much quicker and better sounding than the last auto setup AVR I had in-house. Auto setup systems can easily screw up sound quality through the heavy-handed use of DSP and convoluted signal paths. Good equipment and room setup beats electronic intervention every time.

On music

First test for the Rotel was in my music system using Well Tempered, Marantz, Nakamichi and Denon sources, Magnepan speakers. The Rotel here was being used as an analogue amplifier, bypassing all signal processing.

Where other AVRs have been exposed as being less than adept at music reproduction, the Rotel performed with aplomb. It sounded like a good two-channel integrated amp. There’s a nice, fairly neutral tonal balance with just a hint of lower frequency warmth, realistic soundstaging and imaging, good transparency and excellent dynamics. Music flows with a natural balance and rhythm, coupled with control and authority that belies its mere 75wpc.

The only weak spot was the average tuner section. It pulled in all my local FM stations but sounded compressed and electronic compared to my stand-alone Denon tuner.

On movies

A more extensive workout awaited the Rotel in my home theatre room. As I use modern digital (Freeview HD, DVD, Blu-ray) and legacy analogue video sources (laserdisc, VCR), initial setup involved matching video with audio inputs and assigning default audio settings. Such is the flexibility of the Rotel’s input setup it would pay to map out your preferred input assignments on paper before changing things around.

One of the claimed benefits of modern AVRs is the simplification of system cabling. Multiple cables from your components can be trimmed down to single a HDMI run from source to AVR to TV. In practice this is rarely works as intended. If you are lucky enough to have the right combination of source-AVR-display singing the same HDMI song then you’ll be in heaven. If not then get ready for the frustration of missed HDMI handshakes and other (usually HDMI related) funnies.

A few were experienced with the Rotel. Switching video sources was slow and haphazard. Audio dropped out when skipping chapters or switching sources, losing the first few seconds of sound. Investigation showed that overseas 15-series users have experienced similar quirks and that factory firmware upgrades fixed most of the bugs. Sure enough, a check of my review sample showed it was running very early firmware dated SEP 22 08 (probably initial release). Overseas, the latest units are running 2009 firmware. Updates are only available through the importer.

High definition video through the Rotel’s HDMI output from Freeview and Blu-ray looked superb, with no visible artifacts compared to direct connection to my ISF calibrated Pioneer plasma. Pictures were crisp and sharp, with excellent colour and great black detail.

The real ear opener was listening to the new lossless HD audio codecs (Dolby True HD, DTS Master Audio) off Blu-ray discs (via a Panasonic BD80). Good soundtracks enveloped the viewer in an open, detailed and dynamic soundfield that makes good home theatre such an immersive experience.

This Rotel will not be for everyone. If you can do without the usual bells and whistles, you will be getting a stylish, well built AVR that delivers superlative performance that in my experience is unmatched at this price point.

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