Following the recent announcement of its second-generation 14 and 15 Series amplifiers, Rotel has now taken two of its preamplifiers into their next generation.

The new RC-1590MKII (pictured top) and RC-1572MKII (below) replace the original, 2015- and 2017-released models, elevating the designs with performance upgrades that include “over 75 critical” component changes (between them) and an enhanced acoustic circuit that borrows technologies engineered for the high-end Michi series. 

Rotel has chosen to use new coupling capacitors directly in the audio signal path for improved frequency response in the DAC circuits, while resistor and capacitor upgrades have blessed the DAC power supply, volume circuit and XLR balanced circuits. 

To that end, there are balanced XLR inputs and outputs, a PC-USB input that supports MQA, a moving magnet phono, plus more analogue and digital connections, the latter of which are fed by a 32-bit/384kHz Texas Instruments DAC. There’s aptX and AAC Bluetooth onboard too and both machines are certified Roon Tested.

The RC-1590MKII is the reference model, its design built around a power supply that features dual in-house manufactured toroidal transformers that are physically and electrically isolated and promise to provide current to the circuits with low distortion and a quiet noise floor. Dual RCA and XLR outputs can accommodate bi-amplification, and a subwoofer output is also on the menu. 

Beneath it is the RC-1572MKII, which has a design built around one of Rotel’s in-house manufactured toroidal transformers.

Orders can now be placed for the Rotel RC-1590MKII and RC-1572MKII, which are priced £1695 ($2100) and £1150 ($1400) respectively. Shipping begins in July in the United States and Canada, with the rest of the world to follow shortly thereafter.

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