Following in the steps of the recently uprated A12MKII integrated amplifier and CD14MKII and RCD-1572MKII CD spinners, two more integrated amplifiers and a CD player benefit from Rotel's Mark II treatment.
The A11MKII and CD11MKII see upgrades to Rotel's hugely successful Tribute Series models, which were inspired by - and co-operatively engineered with - the late Ken Ishiwata. The new products aim to enhance the performance of their predecessors while remaining faithful to Ken's design philosophy and, says Rotel, "continue to proudly pay homage to Ishiwata san's 40+ year legacy in the audio business".
ROTEL A10 MKII
The A10MKII Integrated Amplifier boasts over 67 component upgrades, including items in the power and amplifier gain stage, compared to the already impressive original A10. The new Class AB integrated betters its predecessor in offering 2 x 50W (8 ohms) against the MkI's 40W. You still get a moving magnet phono stage but lose the Tape In/Out, the Pre Out and a set of Aux ins; however, that still leaves you with three RCA analogue source inputs. The A10MKII is powered by an in-house manufactured toroidal transformer with robust filtering storage capacitors.
The included IR remote control allows precise volume adjustment in the analogue domain plus input source selection. The front panel also features bass, treble and balance controls, plus a 3.5mm headphone output connector.
A single set of speaker binding posts, dual 12V trigger outputs and an automatic power control switch are located on the rear panel.
ROTEL A11MKII
The A11MKII Integrated Amplifier also has its work cut out for it as it is pitched as "an upgrade of the hugely successful A11 Tribute model", which garnered a StereoNET Applause Award when we reviewed it alongside the CD11 Tribute CD player.
Rotel states that the Texas Instruments PCM5102A 32-bit/384kHz DAC is one part of over 22 critical component upgrades in the digital circuits, which combine to improve staging and resolution.
Elsewhere the spec sheet reads similar to the A11 Tribute with the A11MKII Class AB integrated, presenting 2x50W (8 ohms), a moving magnet phono stage, and three RCA analogue source inputs. That said, Bluetooth is now aptX HD and AAC compatible, and the MKII model also features coaxial and optical inputs providing connection to digital sources at up to 24-bit/192kHz.
The included remote control provides motorised volume control and source selection. The front panel also has bass, treble and balance controls, plus a 3.5mm headphone jack. A single set of speaker binding posts, dual 12V trigger outputs and a signal-sense automatic power control switch are located on the rear panel.
ROTEL CD11MKII
The CD11MKII CD Player replaces the aforementioned CD11 Tribute model and includes over 10 critical components upgrades in the digital circuits surrounding the TI PCM5102A 32-bit/384kHz DAC.
Elsewhere, the things that CD11 Tribute impressed us with, such as the smooth action tray loading CD mechanism, LCD display, intuitive front panel controls, RCA and coaxial outputs, remain, as does the 12V trigger input and RS232 connection.
All models are available from August in black and silver finishes, with the A10MKII priced at £549/ €599, the A11MKII at £699/ €799 and the CD11MKII costing £549/ €599.
Visit Rotel for more information
Posted in: Hi-Fi
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