Rotel RAP-1580MKII Review: Power and Precision for Home Theater Enthusiasts

Rotel RAP-1580MKII: This surround amplifier/processor is an updated version of a model that debuted four years ago. The designers have added a Dirac Live automatic sound calibration system for the room and also carried out several almost imperceptible cosmetic improvements in the software.

Both externally and conceptually, the device practically does not differ from the previous version. This is the same solid, large device familiar to us with a large informative display, and this screen turned out to be very convenient when you need to change settings without turning on the TV or projector.

I emphasize that in front of me is a multi-channel amplifier processor, but not a receiver at all, since the company decided that a classic tuner and listening to on-air radio broadcasts for serious film and audio fans is a vain and irrelevant business.

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You will not find here the now popular functions of Internet streaming, as well as multi-room and other networking features. And don’t be fooled by the Ethernet connector on the rear panel – it’s here only for service tasks.

This is a conscious policy of the company, which, for the sake of sound quality, does not want to overload the device with additional electronic components, as well as bind itself with unnecessary legal and material obligations to the owners of network technologies (which affects the final cost of the device). Of the wireless functions, only Bluetooth aptX is available.

The developers were faced with the task of making a universal device for film and audiophiles that would confidently and as plausibly as possible, without “drawdowns”, reproduce all the nuances of the sound accompaniment to the video sequence – be it explosions, whispers, the rustle of leaves, glass clinking and, of course, off-screen music.

For cinema, a common 7.1.4 scheme is offered with support for almost all current surround sound formats, including, of course, Dolby Atmos and DTS: X.

Recall that the sound here is not prescribed by channels in advance: first, its general vector is programmatically set according to the type “source pops up from the back left and rushes forward to the right”, and then the processor itself redistributes the sound between the speakers, depending on their configuration. The usual multi-channel recordings with various encodings from Dolby and DTS are also supported.

The RAP-1580MKII uses six Wolfson WM8740 DACs to reproduce natural sound. The built-in amplifier, powered by a hefty “custom-designed” 1,100W toroidal transformer, outputs 140W per channel into 4 ohms and 100W into 8 ohms when multi-channeled.

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Fans of traditional stereo are also not forgotten – the company assures that the capabilities of the device will be enough to play various musical genres, even with demanding acoustics, but with the proviso that cinema sound is still primary here. In 2.0 mode, the built-in amplifier provides 200 watts per channel with 4-ohm speakers and 135 watts with 8-ohm speakers.

Opportunities

As befits advanced multi-channel audio processors, the RAP-1580MKII supports a room-based audio calibration system. In this case, Dirac Live is from the company of the same name, named after the British physicist Paul Dirac.

It differs from similar systems primarily in the adjustment based on the impulse response of the speakers, and not just the frequency response, and the measurements are carried out not at a single point, but in the entire listening area (up to nine measurements).

For sound measurements, a USB microphone is attached to the device, but you will also need a computer and a special program that can be downloaded personally for the RAP-1580MKII from the Dirac website.

There is also a paid program upgrade to Dirac Live Full Frequency for $ 99 (in our country at the time of the test, it will cost 7,181 rubles, including VAT) – this commercial version works with an uncut frequency range of 20–20,000 Hz.

The time limit for the test did not allow us to perform all these manipulations with a freshly unpacked device. Moreover, according to the experience of technical consultants, in a special, acoustically prepared room of the correct shape, it is enough to manually enter the type of speakers and the distance between them into the processor through the menu, and the difference with Dirac Live will turn out to be insignificant.

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But if I were going to install the RAP-1580MKII and a set of acoustics in my living room of a complex U-shaped shape, then adjusting the sound using Dirac Live would help to significantly improve the sound due to more accurate localization of characters, increased intelligibility of music and dialogue, as well as improved returns on the bottom.

It is enough to take a look at the rear panel of the device, and it will become clear that the developers are seriously concerned about the possibility of switching. There are a dozen HDMI connectors alone, of which two work as outputs. Digital inputs are available on both coaxial and Toslink connectors, as well as a USB-B port. Enough and analog ports, including Phono MM.

In order not to spread the thought along the tree here, we have provided a more detailed list of possible connections, characteristics of inputs and outputs, video formats, and audio codecs below in the passport data. 

As Machiavelli said, “The retinue makes the king” – the processor-amplifier also opens up with decent acoustics. We have B&W 702 S2 front speakers prepared for the test. The related B&W 703 S2 floor standers were responsible for the rears, and the B&W HTM71 S2 speaker was located in the center, while the B&W DB4s active subwoofer supported the bottoms.

How alive

I think that few people will be surprised by the effects of multi-channel sound in our time, so I will not bore you with textbook descriptions of impressions supposedly from the thick of a shootout or the center of a chase – such things are effectively demonstrated, and devices are several times cheaper. I’ll go straight to the main thing – what is the peculiarity of the RAP-1580MKII with various kinds of movie sounds?

Describing other cinema audio systems, I often drew attention to the pronounced genre character of certain sets. For example, some perfectly convey the massive, dense sound of action films and other action pictures, but are unnatural and rude when transmitting the sounds of nature and light off-screen music.

Others, on the contrary, are very natural when reproducing everyday scenes, but “sag” in battle episodes. Still, others seem to cope with different sounds, but the presentation turns out to be some kind of “synthetic plastic”.

Rotel RAP-1580MKII is always natural in the presence of high-quality acoustics: as they say, “in combat, work and rest.” It seems that if you make him reproduce the chirping of a sparrow against the background of anti-aircraft guns, he will cope with this.

A wide dynamic range is combined with a clear and distinct sound, especially noticeable in a heterogeneous soundscape: for example, voice-overs against the backdrop of a noisy music festival, or the sounds of nature breaking through the windows of a roaring car.

This is one of the key factors that make long movie viewing comfortable. You no longer “twitch your ears” like an old warhorse, subconsciously comparing surround sound with the picture on the screen, but perceive the soundtrack as something completely natural and self-evident.

Music has tied us

I do not consider myself a cinephile, and therefore, the declared musical abilities of the Rotel RAP-1580MKII interested me almost more than the cinematic ones. Moreover, the creators of the apparatus claim that its talents can reconcile the “spectators” and “listeners” within the family without the need to buy a set of multi-genre amplifiers. 

The analog stereo sound mode here can be quite honest and puritanical: the signal is bypassed by digital circuits, bypassing all bass, volume, timbre, and time delay control functions – it goes only to the volume control and goes to the connectors for two front speakers. The subwoofer signal is also not provided here.

By ear, this is perceived … just fine: the B&W 702 S2 floor standers, in a manner familiar from numerous listenings, work out various genres very efficiently and conscientiously – without failures, but without any special revelations either. And all because I still have a multi-channel three-dimensional picture in my head from watching music videos. 

And the inner voice begins to whisper, they say, in vain, do we have an excellent sound processor on board that can digitize a two-channel “analog” and turn it into virtual surround sound? I turn on the DSP mode with the SUR + button on the remote control, and the sound picture changes.

Digital brains, according to their logic, begin to arrange the performers: for example, we will send the vocalist to the central column, the piano solo here, plus maracas for the company. Let’s separate the guitars and wind instruments according to the front speakers, the subwoofer will take the rap for all the bottoms, and something falls into the “rear”.

And you know – and it’s very good! Let this not coincide with the intention of the performers and sound engineers, but what a sound – continuous, musical, rich, and voluminous. Most importantly, completely without a digital taste, which many more affordable processors sin.

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Instruments still sound very natural and, if you like, “analog”. So I recommend not neglecting such opportunities, whether you are the most orthodox audiophile.

Conclusion

First of all, the device will appeal to avid moviegoers who appreciate high-quality and accurate movie sound. Here, the amp processor can offer a wide range of connectivity, accurate natural delivery, and plenty of headroom for virtually all movie genres.

But supporters of traditional stereo won’t feel left out either. The Rotel RAP-1580MKII will provide them with a coherent, melodic, and at the same time confidently powerful sound, although without much pretension to refined analyticity and micro-detail. And for those who are not averse to experimenting with digital processing and volume, it will give new and very interesting impressions.

Price For Rotel Rap-1580mkii

Starting at $4,499.37 at Audio Advisor

Pros And Cons For Rotel Rap-1580mkii 

Pros:

• High-quality Class AB amplification for rich, musical sound.
• Support for Dolby Atmos and DTS
  
  

  For immersive home theater audio.

• Dirac Live room correction for optimized sound in any room.
• Excellent connectivity, including balanced XLR inputs.
• High-end 32-bit/384kHz DACs for superior audio performance.

Cons:

• The user interface could feel dated compared to competitors.
• Some users may prefer Class D amplifiers for energy efficiency.
• No native Wi-Fi or streaming platform support is built in, aside from Bluetooth.

Rotel Rap-1580mkii Specifications

Amplifier class: AB

Number of channels: 7.1.4

Output power: 1 kHz, THD <0.05%, 4 ohms – 200W (2 channels), 140W (7 channels); 1 kHz, THD <0.05%, 8 ohms – 135 W (2 channels), 20 Hz – 20 kHz, THD < 0.05%, 8 ohms – 100 W (7 channels)

Frequency range: 10 Hz – 100 kHz (±1 dB, line input); 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.5 dB, digital input); 20 Hz – 20 kHz (±1 dB, phono input)

Intermodulation distortion: <0.05% (60Hz: 7kHz, 4:1)

Damping factor: 230 (1 kHz, 8 ohms)

Input Sensitivity/Impedance: 300 mV/100 kΩ (line input), 3.85 mV/47 kΩ (Phono input), 600 mV/100 kΩ (balanced input)

Signal-to-noise ratio: 100 dB (analog input), 96 dB (line input)

Built-in decoders: LPCM (up to 24bit/192kHz), Dolby Atmos, Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS:X, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS-HD Express, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio

Preamp Output Level: 1.2V

Auto-calibration system: Dirac Live (USB microphone included)

Built-in DAC: 6 x Wolfson WM8740

Bluetooth support: aptX

Inputs: 8 x HDMI (3 with HDCP 2.2 support), line XLR, 3 x line RCA, Phono MM, 3 x coaxial, 3 x optical, USB port, 7.1ch

Outputs: 2 x HDMI with HDCP 2.2 support, 12.2ch (Pre-Out)

Video input/output resolution: 480i/576i, 480p/576p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 1080p 24Hz, 3D, 4K, UHD

AC output: seven pairs of screw terminals

Power supply: proprietary toroidal transformer

Power consumption: 1100 W, standby 0.5 W

Dimensions (WxHxD): 431x192x470 mm

Weight: 22.8 kg

Want to update the firmware? You can visit Rotel’s website