Customer Reviews

Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Has everything that I have been lacking on the system very clean super easy to connect it is the wow factor sounds way better also xlr cables make sound better ty crutchfield for recommending this product

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A very pleasant surprise!

Having been a Rotel owner for well over 20 years, and having dealt with Crutchfield before, I could rely on Crutchfield's product review, and purchased the Rotel RC-1572 MKII to replace my 20+ year-old RC-1070 preamplifier. I placed the order over the phone with Callie, who was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Within 2 days, my product arrived. Well-packaged, I was eager to get it hooked up to my system which consists of a Rotel RB 1080 power amp, bi-wired with Cardas Quadlink 5C to a pair of Martin Logan Aeon ESLs. I live in a relatively small apartment, but after connecting it up, I gave it a few hours before I sat down for some serious listening. My music taste ranges from Pink Floyd, Mark Knopfler to classical and opera. Was I in for a surprise! The soundstage is a huge improvement over the RC-1070 and a dramatic improvement in detail. I discovered instruments in tracks I'd previously overlooked. Of course, it stands to reason that the better the pre-amplifier the more information is sent to the power amplifier and to the speakers. The 5 star rating is because what I have heard so far exceeds my expectations and Crutchfield's outstanding service was the icing on the top!

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

I couldn't be happier with this preamp. I've owned a few over the years and I like have some of the newer features for digital streaming available. I seems to like my Dual turntable just fine.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

This is an excellent preamp I paired it with the Rotel 1582 Mark two amp driving a pair of Cornwalls .. five thumbs up!

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

It meets my expectations. Sounds great!

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Going from a $500 preamp to $1700 gets you a few things. Smoothness of each note, buttery (but not too buttery) midrange, and the solid build of a Rotel product. A massive upgrade from my Emotiva preamp. Crutchfield customer assistance is by far the best in the business. I have had 5 different integrated and preamps in the house over the past year (Advance Paris, Emotiva, Wiim, NAD, Schiit). The RC 1572 mkii is hands down the perfect sound for my Martin Logan XT F100's. Only kicker is the 1v output to the power amp, as it gets a bit warmer at around 90db. That's the only thing I would change.

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Poor output level

Great with one HUGE caveat. Love the sound. Love the dual outputs which is why I bought it. Love the XLR inputs and outputs. The problem with this preamp and ALL Rotel products is that they are low output -- way TOO LOW. 1V unbalanced /2V XLR. This is half the required voltage to properly power other components. I am using a 500W/side Bryston and the only reason I get away with it is the massive power of the amplifier. Run a pair of Maggies and all Rotel crap out. I love Rotel products. They hit the spot between outstanding sound (house sound if that' your taste) excellent build quality and a very reasonable price. But, even the MK-1593 MKll that I owned couldn't drive my Magnepan 3.7's.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

The Rotel RC-1572 MKII preamp was purchased as an upgrade from the Rotel A11 Tribute integrated amp. Also included in the upgrade was a Rotel RB-1552 MKII amp. The difference in both clarity and soundstage has been amazing. I listen to mostly instrumental, that being jazz and classical, and I'm hearing instrument detail I haven't heard before. I'm using the XLR input/output not available with the A11. Also, the display is much easier for me to read on the 1572. For me, the upgrade has been worth it.

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Inputs Galore

I love all the inputs. I have new and old gear that can all plug in and no issues. Here is my input/output map: Outputs B&K 200.2 amp (XLR Preamp out) to Dynaudio Audience 82 speakers AR Subwoofer (RCA sub out) Inputs Rotel CD-14 Mkii (CD - RCA) Rotel FM Tuner (Tuner - RCA) Pioneer PL-560 turntable (Phono - RCA) Tascam CD-240 (XLR) Sony ES Cassette (RCA) Sony TV (optical 1) Denon BluRay DBP-1611UD (optical 2) Denon HEOS (coax 1) Tascam MD-350 (coax 2) iPhone 14 Pro to USB (or Bluetooth if I am lazy) I love using the internal DAC. I use the Tascam CD-240 USB input to play FLAC files but let the Rotel convert the signal. The display confirms the resolution I typically play 192/24 FLAC files. Bottom line on the tech side on user friendliness is great. So far, no issues. I bought and returned a Rotel A14mkii. The only reason I returned it was the internal amp didn't seem to have the tightness and control as the B&K 200.2 Reference amp. Twice the watts and a huge toroidal transformer. I may buy a Rotel 1582 amp someday to keep it in the family. As for the sound - wow - great detail. The pairing of the Rotel and the B&K gave a great soundstage. Amazing detail. It's a keeper.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

All the input anyone needs. Easy to set up and use.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Early on here, but very nice looking piece of equipment with excellent sound quality. Lots of connectivity options.

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Rotel preamp

Enjoying the clean sound of music. Customer support is first class.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

VERY GOOD BUT BLUETOOTH CUTS OFF

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Silent But sweet. Works flawlessly.

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Superb phono preamp

Im only just getting started with this new product. I've got this paired with a marantz mm7025 amp and I feel like I'm hearing my speakers come alive for the first time. What stands out most is the phono channel. The fidelity of the music is so clear. It's hard to believe I heard music any other way prior to this. The Bluetooth was quick to connect and works well. Really nice feature while I'm working remote and can operate from my phone. Next up for me will be the matching CD player with XLR outs.

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Volume goes up by itself!

I can't give it more then one star because I had to send it in for repair. I've only had it a few months. The volume would go up on its own. The service center says it could take months to repair.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Needed a preamp with xlr inputs, outputs, tone and balance controls. The Rotel RC-1572MKll preamp has everything I need. Sounds great. Just hope it lasts longer than the Rotel RCD-1572 CD player I bought from Crutchfields. It lasted 2.5 years before problems started. Warranty for CD player is only 2 years. Don't think it's worth fixing.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Pre amp arrived in 2 days as promised. Read owners manual sent to my Email by Crutchfield . Very easy to set up in my system. Works as it should.

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Openness And Clarity.

First I would like to thank the experts at Crutchfield for all the help with deciding on which products to choose. The Rotel RC-1572 MKII has brought my music a depth and openness I didn't really understand until experiencing it. The sound is much different than the Cambridge Dac magic, which is still a great unit for the price. I found the difference in sound striking. The Cambridge had all the detail but sounded much more "mechanical", lacking the open air and warmth that the Rotel has in spades. The Rotel seams like a solidly built ,well thought out, easy to use and like unit. I play it through my Marantz MM7025 my Focal Vestia no.2s and a Polk Audio 12" sub. My taste in music is very eclectic and everything I listen to sounds stunning. This is my "keeper" pre amp for sure,

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Perfect preamp to bridge my turntable and tube amp

A formidable piece of gear, enjoying it so far. Very intuitive to set up, and all of the controls are right where you want them. I appreciate the understated aesthetic and simplicity of the design. This is a perfect interface between my turntable and my 25W tube amp and also allows plenty of room to grow as I continue to collect components. Optical Audio from my TV sounds great, even just through my basic 2.0 setup. One thing to note - make sure your TV optical audio output can be set for PCM - otherwise, the sound will be just like random clicks and chirps - very unpleasant! Once that is resolved, however, so far it has been smooth sailing and I am impressed!

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

When my Harman Kardon pre amp went south on me I was hard pressed to find a reasonably priced replacement. The Rotel fit the bill and is awesome. Once I fix my Harman it will go on the shelf. The Rotel has a permanent home.

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Outstanding Quality for the Price

I bought this to replace my 28 year old Caver Pro Logic preamp (yep, that's right). This preamp is quite remarkable indeed as it is very well built and provides the sound quality I was hoping for to make my Carver amps and Klipsch Cornwall's sound great again. My only disappointment is there isn't a phono switch for MM and MC.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

This will be a very unscientific three-way review, as I just replaced all of the electronics in my two-channel stereo system at once and therefore am reluctant to review them individually with no reference. My beloved B&W CDM 7SE's are now being driven by the Rotlel RB 1552MKII power amp, Rotel RC 1572MKII preamp, and Rotel CD 14MKII CD player, replacing my very old Adcom GFA 5400 amp with Adcom preamp, and a newer NAD CD player. The sound upgrade was stunning from the start. The stereo imaging in my challenging environment is stronger, with more definition and depth. It is crisp and clear, increasingly warm and full of space as it breaks in, and the bass is really outstanding. It is fully present, crisp, solid and dense, but not at all exaggerated or boomy. You can almost feel the plucking or bowing of a string on a bass guitar or string bass. It's the best I've ever heard by far. As to the digital controls and such, I have little to say as I'm still getting used to the whole idea (I was a knobs and switches guy). But I will say I like the preamp's feature that makes settings changes (tone, bypass, balance) on the remote temporary, defaulting to the ones on the unit's control panel when turned off. I'll also say the CD player is slow as cold molasses to load, and, yes, those stupid lights, but never mind that, this is fantastic equipment that even features a simple, clean, and businesslike appearance. Well done, Rotel, and thank you as always, Crutchfield!

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Outstanding Preamp

I was looking for a replacement for my 35-year-old Adcom GFP-555 preamp. After comparing the specs, front and rear panel layouts, and reviews on every preamp I could find in this price range, I selected the Rotel RC-1572 MKII. The Setup was straightforward and after using it for several days, I'm convinced I made the right decision. Solid and well executed. The sound quality is open and full through my Adcom GFA-545 amplifier and KEF 104/2 speakers. The number of digital and analog inputs more than satisfy my needs. The controls are very comprehensive and intuitive. The remote, as busy as it is, is well laid out will become intuitive over time. A joy to use and listen to.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

I paired the RC 1572 preamp with the RB 1552 amp, along with a NAD C538 cd player. These replaced a 35 year old PS Audio preamp, Carver amp and Magnavox cd player. I'm no hifi expert, but I know what sounds good and I literally heard music that I have never heard before. I sat listening to U2's Joshua Tree with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. The sound was so effortless, clear and powerful. I highly recommend these products, and the customer service from Crutchfield was outstanding.

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Absolutely gorgeous!

I love it! This is an absolutely beautiful piece of audio equipment in both looks and sound. Big shout out to my Crutchfield advisor Eugene! Thank you!

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Awesome Preamp

I just got this pre amp yesterday, but so far it's awesome. Good clean sound either with speakers or headphones. Easy to setup, very nice looking piece equipment. My first Rotel, and has been impressive.

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Return of Toe tapping sound

This brought enjoyment back to my music. There is much more clean bass and just toe tapping music when using this pre-amp. I bought it for the tone controls, but now seldom use them as to my ear the sound is much more natural and balanced with better low frequency. This is probably mostly the DAC, as this is true for digital music. For analog sources like phono, I still add bass, but this preamp lets me do that. I stream with a WIIM Pro. Definitely better sounding full range sound DAC than what comes in the streamer and better bass that an AKM4493 based dac. The AKM 4493 has better mids, but I find myself also bumping up the bass and treble when running that dac. Phone pre-amp. Jury is still out on the phone stage of the preamp. I think it could be improved. I still need to do more testing, but I think that is potentially the weak spot of this unit. Need to do more listening. I use this amps unbalanced outputs to feed a 40 Watt KT-88 tube amp, and the balance outputs to drive the Rotel RB-1582 amp. This makes both sound better with more toe tapping bass, even with the tone control in bypass. This really brought back to me the enjoyment of music that I was just not getting with my older gear from Adcom, Acorus, and newer gear from Sony and Yamaha.

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No complaints

I never thought I would need the Bluetooth capability, but now I find it very useful. Thanks to the built-in DAC, even mp3 files played over Bluetooth sound great. Of course higher resolution files sent via digital optical offer a little more depth and detail for attentive listening.

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MKII

Can't stream music which is my main music source.

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Crutchfield response on 9/18/2023

Ed contacted our Customer Support team and set up a return. Purchases from Crutchfield can be returned or exchanged within 60 days.

Simple and Clean!

I love the simplistic approach they took on this preamp and paired with the Rotel AMP, the sound coming out of my B&W's is perfection. My description of this product would be simple and clean!

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Exceptional Value

One of the best Stereo Pre Amplifiers I've heard, rich detailed sound, smooth mid range, crystal clear shimmering highs, and powerful deep bass. A lot of my friends have much more expensive pre amps and sometimes sound analytical and dry, but not this unit, is warm and full and brings music alive with a whole lot of detail. Great buy, very happy with this unit.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Speakers sounded more full and warm

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Great pre amp

Beautiful preamp. Great replacement for my dead 1990's Yamaha pre amp.

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Nice preamp

This is a great preamp. Very well laid out. With the right feature set. And the price is right. But I had to return it. Just want something a little more upscale, as my next preamp will probably be the last one I buy. And probably from crutchfield.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

I was looking to upgrade an old Adcom tuner/pre-amp I've used forever. These days, we don't need a tuner, but it can be added if you so desire. The unit was very clean and easy to set up, paired nicely with my equally old Carver M 1.0t amplifier. Still putting it through its paces, learning all it can do but so far, very impressed with it!

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Quality Pre-Amplifier

BLUF: Great stereo pre-amplifier with a ton of connection options. The unit arrived on time and in great condition. Especially like that Crutchfield shrink wraps the box in that blue plastic to further protect during shipping. With a ton analog / digital connection options, the 1572 MK II is very easy to set up. I have it paired with an Emotiva XPS-2 Gen3 power amp, together they make an outstanding pair. The 1572 Mk II is well designed and constructed, particularly like the DAC chip that they use. Control wise, I've had no issues with the included remote for on/off or using it to configure any of the settings ... all works flawlessly. Throughly enjoy this preamp and plan to add more Rotel/Michi gear in the future. A very easy recommendation.

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Nice upgrade

Nice upgrade to a aging system. Nice features and great sound. I am running this through a aging Carver 200 W/RMS Amp to a pair of B&W 702 speakers and. SVS SB 3000 sub. Great balance and excellent tone quality. A pleaser to listen too.

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Preamp for use with a power amplifier

Paired with Rotel RB-1582 MKII amplifier. A great match! Have always wanted separates to run a 2 channel music system after having numerous integrated amps and AVRs over the years. Using the 2 optical inputs to use the built-in Texas Instrument DAC for CD player (shows running at 44.1 kHz) and Bluesound Node. Streaming shows as high as 192 kHz so far on High Resolution cuts from Amazon music service. Love that the display shows the quality of the signal. Connected to the amp using XLR cables for a balanced connection. RCA plugs running from the TV to the AUX input. Has additional inputs for phono etc. Including XLR for a balanced input from one device and bluetooth. Have only been using for a few days and the sound is amazing through my B&W 702 S2 speakers. Hearing sounds I've never heard on songs I've listened to for years. For example, the brushes Ringo plays on When I'm 64 on Sgt. Peppers streamed at 96kHz according to the display on the front panel. Hear what the music is delivering - highs, midrange and lows on the 3 way speakers. The remote works great. Controls the inputs and sound volume including a mute button for when you need to halt the music to take a call. Like that the volume control displays from minimum and then from 1-100 instead of in dbs like my Denon AVR does. You have the option of setting the volume levels for each input and can adjust the tone control too but I don't adjust the treble and bass. Would recommend. Peace, love & music!

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A great sounding unit

A suburb unit. I have it paired to a ModWright amp, Harbeth speakers and a REL subwoofer. The sound is excellent. The highs are crisp and clean. The REL handles the thunder. Depending on the source it can sounds holophonic. A very good buy. I highly recommend it.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Very happy with this preamp. Has all the input connections that I need. Display is easy to read and also shows bit and sample rates of tracks streamed from Tidal and Qobuz. Remote control is ok, I just use it for volume control and power. I have it paired with the Rotel 1552 mkII amp. First time buying separates in audio gear, and it sounds great!

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Rotel

Excellent Pre Amp

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lonniedude

let's just say....you get what you pay for and this little preamp is quality built. satisfied with the Responsive on the tone levels compared to vintage gear. However...I would recommend matching up your entire set up with Rotel components for best results......

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Excelente!

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Hard to go wrong with Rotel.

I paired this up with my old school McIntosh amp and other Rotel products (tuner, cd) and Klipsch high end reference speakers. I was not disappointed. The sound is amazing. The ease of functionality and option on this pre amp makes it a winner! Rotel does it again!

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Tons of detail, no warmth or weight.

If you are going to enjoy this preamp depends entirely on if you fall on the side of clinical, sterile, and super detailed or warm, lush, and lacking some resolution. This thing is detail, detail, and more detail at the cost of being super clinical sounding with little if any warmth. I've never felt so disconnected from music. I personally sent it back and went back to a DBX pre from the late 80's while i attempt to find a balanced pre with tubes.

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Top notch

Highly capable unit. Auto volume feature a plus. Every option selectable from remote. Same top quality as my other Rotel products. Money well spent.

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Manchester

I wanted to give this time to break in. I purchased this at the end of August, beginning of September 2021. I have this paired with the RB-MKII amp, Bluesound Node via USB (now) straight to the DAC on the preamp. All I can say is WOW!! People on here stating a lack of low end, I do not agree at all. Perhaps their speakers lack it or the amp they are using is subpar or perhaps cheap cabling?. This is a beautiful amazingly built high quality piece of hifi. I have had this paired with SVS Prime Towers, KLH Kendall's, and Polk ES60 Speakers and the sound that this preamp produces is nothing short of spectacular. I'm using balanced outputs and some pretty nice cables on all outputs, as well as playing directly from my computer via a Ifi Zen Dac v2 to aux input. Any source I play from sounds beautiful. I'm a newly adopted audiophile and come from a line of owning a Sansui G7000 Beast receiver, Marantz 2230 (baby) as well as a Pioneer SX3800. The sounds out of my Rotel gear are clean, crisp, tightly packed with a nice warmth across all genres of music. I am so happy that I chose Rotel. The build quality is top notch. This is definitely not something you will find in a chain box store. This is high quality hifi. You cannot go wrong with Rotel. Thank you Crutchfield as always for having the best selection of HiFi.

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Amazing clarity

This was my first Rotel product but I knew Crutchfield would stand behind it, so I figured what the heck. Setup was easy and I went with XLR outputs into Elac amps driving GoldenEar Triton towers. I've had the towers for a few years and they've always sounded great. With the new separates they absolutely shine. There are nuances in the music I've never noticed before and there's zero distortion, even at extreme volumes. The Rotel does an amazing job at DAC and there's no hum or feedback whatsoever. Just crystal clear music like I've never heard before. Thanks Rotel and Crutchfield.

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Rotel RC-1572 MKII

Very happy with the preamp. This replaced my Rotel RSP-960AX preamp and sound processor, and I have it paired with a Rotel RB-990BX amplifier. This was a significant improvement for connectivity options and it had a significantly better interface for tailoring the system across the components and accessories. Pros: ------ Very good sound quality across phono, tuner, tape, CD, USB (Windows 2.0 Audio Driver) and Bluetooth (Android) Very good build quality Excellent connectivity options Very good menu/interface for setup Cons/Nits: ------- Unfortunately, it was not compatible with my Rotel RLC-900 Line Conditioner. The line conditioner requires a switched outlet as a trigger, however, the RC-1572 only offers a 12v trigger and no switched outlet. This isn't a flaw, just not backward compatible with version conditioner; the newer version of the RLC-900 includes the 12 trigger. Would be nice to have WIFI connectivity and streaming support, however, I tend to keep my equipment a long time and expect the streaming technology will continue to evolve over the next few years, therefore, I'm better off relying on a separate component for streaming. I had planned on getting a streaming device, but reconsidering given the sound quality that I have through USB and Bluetooth directly through the preamp.

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Capable preamp with great sound

This preamp is very capable with a great on-board DAC. Love the XLR outputs for my amps. I have this preamp paired with PS Audio M700 mono amps and Monitor Audio Silver 500 speakers. If you enjoy streaming music, plan on purchasing the Roon service or getting an external streamer. While it does have Bluetooth, the quality of the music will not be up to par based on the music quality this unit is capable of producing. I am currently using Roon with Qobuz, connected via USB to my MacBook, and I also purchased a Bluesound node because sometimes I just want to stream music without turning on the computer. You will want to use a digital coax or digital optical input if you use the Bluesound as a streamer, the sound from the Rotel DAC is much clearer than the Bluesound. I use the digital coax for this connection. For TV use, an optical cable works well. There is a very slight delay on sound but nothing that is overly annoying. Unlike another reviewer, I find movies to have excellent sound and low end capability. The one critique I have of the unit is that it lacks a bit of warmth, noticeable mostly on the low end. I have; however, come to enjoy the clarity and neutrality of sound the unit provides.

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Crutchfield response on

Etobicoke

I saw the Review Video of the RC-1572MKII just one thing I want to add as it was reviewed using small speakers. The pre amp is capable or fairly decent bass with Tower Speakers and no Subs,. Bass isn't Bomb Blast Earthquake Deep for Movies but for music it has plenty with the right speaker placement. For Movies the RC-1590MKII is a better choice.

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