Michael Fremer has posted a review, and test measurements, of the Rotel RSP-1570 surround sound processor ($2199) and RMB-1575 five channel amplifier ($2799) at Home Theater Magazine. His conclusions:
Most audio designers will tell you that low-level signal processing and amplification are far more difficult to get right than the high-powered variety. Here, Rotel does a superb job with low-level processing to produce a really attractive surround processor in almost every way. The attractive-looking, well-built, versatile, and very reasonably priced RSP-1570 sounded great, and I recommend it without hesitation.
As for the RMB-1575, I can’t help but feel that if you use these two products together, you’ll never hear all that the RSP-1570 has to offer. Rotel has always impressed me with its expertise, but this is a very different technology. Not surprisingly, it produces very different sonic results. I don’t care what the measurements indicate; this amplifier’s sound isn’t for me. You may feel otherwise, so go listen for yourself. But please pay attention to the finer aspects and nuance of music and movie reproduction before you plunk down your money.
You can read the full review here.
