Rotel A14 MKII Integrated Amplifer

The A14 MKII is the flagship model in the 14 Series family of Rotel products delivering 80 Watts of Class AB amplification into 8 Ohm speakers (150 Watts into 4 Ohms) powered by Rotel’s in-house manufactured, oversized toroidal transformer and an array of 4 high efficiency slit-foil bulk storage capacitors delivering an effortless acoustic performance.

A fully redesigned Digital to Analogue circuit topology utilizes a Texas Instruments 32-bit/384kHz DAC with exhaustive tuning and hand selection of all critical components delivering a fuller, richer and more balanced presentation of the music. Improvements to the power supply and amplifier gain stages further refine the audio whether you are listening to a big band orchestra or a solo vocalist.

The flagship A14 MKII has the widest set of features in the range and the highest power with 80 watts per channel RMS into 8 ohms, both channels driven. This is an impressively flexible audio component, designed to accommodate both classic analogue and the latest digital source components. But its greatest strength lies in its ability to render a musical performance exactly as the artist intended.

All aspects of the design have been optimized to retain the full dynamic range and subtle nuances of your music. When chasing uncompromising audio performance there are many factors to consider and Rotel’s engineers are particularly proud of the work they have done on the A14 MKII’s power supply. The power supply is the heart of any amplifier and an area where considerable time and investment needs to be spent. Rotel don’t just buy in off-the-shelf transformers, they actually manufacture their own toroidal transformers in-house to high tolerances using carefully selected raw materials from high quality suppliers. The result is a rugged, highly regulated power supply using slit-foil capacitors that will effortlessly reproduce the most demanding music even under dynamic conditions or with difficult speaker loads. Even though this type of design is more expensive to manufacture, Rotel go to these lengths because they know the positive effects they have on music reproduction.

The printed circuit boards inside the A14 MKII are designed with Symmetrical Circuit Traces. This ensures that the precise timing of the music is maintained and faithfully recreated. The circuitry uses metal film resistors and polystyrene or polypropylene capacitors in important signal paths. All aspects of this design have been examined to ensure the most faithful music reproduction.

Being the fully featured integrated amplifier that it is the A14 MKII naturally has a selection of analogue inputs including an MM Phono input for a turntable. There are also Preamp outputs so you can add a second or larger amplifier or connect to a subwoofer or two.

With a fully redesigned digital section designed around the high performance Texas Instruments 32-bit/384kHz digital-to-analogue converter, there are two coaxial & two optical digital inputs as well as a USB-B socket to connect your computer and a front panel USB-A socket to play music from an Apple mobile device. There is also Bluetooth aptX built-in for streaming sound from a phone, tablet or laptop. Another nice touch is a rear mounted USB-A socket specifically for charging your mobile device.

Other convenience features include a fully featured remote control that can also control other Rotel products, A & B speaker selection, bass, treble & balance controls, front panel display dimming and a high quality headphone output. There is also an Ethernet connection to allow the A14 to connect to you network.

Rotel A14 MKII Integrated Amplifier Review

"Rotel have done something very special with the A14MKII Integrated Amplifier; they have engineered a platform with trickle down technology from its award-winning Michi lineup and made it affordable. Having spent months with both the Rotel Michi X3 and A14MKII, I find myself drawn to the more affordable Rotel amplifier for a myriad of reasons. What it lacks in power reserves in comparison to its more expensive sibling, it makes up for with its sense of swagger, wide range of features, support for hi-res digital audio, and beautiful command of each evolving note.

The Michi X3 (review forthcoming in May) is a statement level component that has driven every loudspeaker at my disposal with intensity, layers of texture, finesse, and a degree of transparency that is very special. Each listen is that much more emotional when you realize just how much music you are experiencing. The more affordable A14MKII does more than just deliver a sliver of that; it’s clearly one of the best and most capable integrated amplifiers below $2,000 on the market. The review sample is headed back to Japan, but I’ll be ordering one for myself in the very near future. Absolutely too good to not have in my home with both the Q Acoustics 3030i and Wharfedale Diamond 12.1’s in my office system." Eacoustics.com

Our Take On The Rotel A14 MKII Integrated Amplifier

The A14 was a top contender in its class and the A14 MKII just raised the bar even higher with a fully redesigned Digital to Analogue circuit topology utilizing a Texas Instruments 32-bit/384kHz DAC with exhaustive tuning and hand selection of all critical components delivering a fuller, richer and more balanced presentation of the music. Improvements to the power supply and amplifier gain stages further refine the audio whether you are listening to a big band orchestra or a solo vocalist. The inclusion of MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) decoding and the ability to integrate with Roon is surely icing on a thoroughly yummy cake. Highly recommended.

Specifications

Design: 80 Watt Stereo Integrated Amplifier

Continuous Power Output: 80 Watts per channel into 8 Ohms

Maximum Output Power: 150 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms

Total Harmonic Distortion: < 0.018%

Intermodulation Distortion: < 0.03% (60 Hz: 7kHz, 4:1)

Frequency Response

Phono Input: 20Hz - 20kHz, ± 0.5dB

Line Level Inputs: 10Hz - 100kHz, ± 0.5dB

Damping Factor: 220 (20 - 20,000 Hz, 8 ohms)

Input Sensitivity / Impedance

Phono Input: 3.4 mV / 47k Ohms

Line Level Inputs: 230 mV / 24k Ohms

Input Overload

Phono Input: 50 mV

Line Level Inputs: 4 V

Preamp Output / Impedance: 1.2 V / 470 Ohms

Tone Controls - Bass / Treble: ± 10 dB at 100Hz / 10kHz

Signal to Noise Ratio (“A” weighting)

Phono Input: 90 dB

Line Level Inputs: 100 dB

Digital Section

Frequency Response: 10Hz - 90kHz (± 2.0dB, max)

Signal to Noise Ratio: 103 dB (IHF ”A” weighted)

Input Sensitivity/Impedance: 0 dBfs/75 Ohms

Coaxial & Optical Digital Inputs

SPDIF LPCM (up to 192kHz 24 bit)

PC-USB Input

USB Audio Class 1.0 (up to 24bit / 96kHz)

USB Audio Class 2.0 (up to 32bit / 384kHz - Driver installation required)

MQA & MQA Studio (up to 24-bit / 384kHz )

Connections

Audio Inputs: MM Phono, CD, Tuner, Aux 1, Aux 2, Coaxial Digital x 2, Optical Digital x 2, USB-B for computer audio, Bluetooth aptX dongle for audio streaming, front panel USB-A compatible with Apple iOS products

Audio Outputs: A & B Speakers, Headphone, Preamp/Subwoofer

General Inputs/Outputs: External Remote, 12V Trigger In/Out, RS232, Ethernet, rear panel USB–A charging socket

Power Consumption: 280 watts

Standby Power Consumption: < 0.5 watts

Finish: Silver/Black

Dimensions (WxHxD): 430 x 93 x 345mm

Weight: 8.94kg

Manufacturer's Warranty: 2 Years

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE