Rotel CD players - which to buy?

[KarinS]

I bought a Rotel RCD-1572 MKII CD player in 2022, and it's been both reliable and one of the best sounding players I've ever owned. I've been wanting to get a second one as a back-up in case CD players start being phased out, and with the recent tariff issues, I figured I'd better do it now. Does anyone have knowledge of the Rotel CD player line-up, and if so, which unit would you recommend? I'm not interested in any other company, in particular since I've had major reliability issues with higher-end machines in particular (Luxman, etc.). My last player was the Rega Apollo, which not only periodically skipped, but couldn't touch my Rotel in sound. I actually ended up giving it away.

Any advice on this issue would be appreciated. I'm playing my current unit through a Yamaha B-2 amp and C-2X pre-amp, with Larsen 8 speakers.

 

[krautmaster]

I have two Rotel CD-11 "Tribute" edition players and love the sound- much better than my Yamaha CD S300 & S303 players and better than my Cambridge Audio ACX35. This player is now called the CD-11 MKII and can be found for $599 today. Tomorrow nobody knows- I recently bought a Bluesound Node N132 for $549, the very next day they were $699).

 

[Duane]

When I damaged my Pioneer Elite PD-65 last year, I started looking at a decent replacement and kept coming back to Rotels. There used to be a high end store locally that carried Rotel and my impession at that time was they sounded too bright. This was over 15 years ago. So, does your 1572 exhibit any hint of brightness? The Pioneer was really well built and never sounded harsh.

During my looking at the Rotel line, the almost twice as expensive DT-6000 looked to be a good choice.

 

[jayvis]

They're still selling the RCD-1572 MKII. The next step up is their Diamond Series DT-6000 which is very good and the one I'd pick if I had to have a Rotel. If you want Rotel's very best, it's the Michi Q5.

 

[KarinS]

I have two Rotel CD-11 "Tribute" edition players and love the sound- much better than my Yamaha CD S300 & S303 players and better than my Cambridge Audio ACX35. This player is now called the CD-11 MKII and can be found for $599 today. Tomorrow nobody knows- I recently bought a Bluesound Node N132 for $549, the very next day they were $699).

I'm with you; I never had any player sound as good as my current Rotel, so I'm staying with that manufacturer. I just need to figure out which model to buy as a backup.

 

[KarinS]

When I damaged my Pioneer Elite PD-65 last year, I started looking at a decent replacement and kept coming back to Rotels. There used to be a high end store locally that carried Rotel and my impession at that time was they sounded too bright. This was over 15 years ago. So, does your 1572 exhibit any hint of brightness? The Pioneer was really well built and never sounded harsh.

During my looking at the Rotel line, the almost twice as expensive DT-6000 looked to be a good choice.

No brightness in my current Rotel; it sounds crisp and clean.

Regarding the DT-6000, does it sound better than the RCD-1572 MKII? I'm looking for pure sound, not extra add-ons. I just need it for playing CD's.

 

[KarinS]

They're still selling the RCD-1572 MKII. The next step up is their Diamond Series DT-6000 which is very good and the one I'd pick if I had to have a Rotel. If you want Rotel's very best, it's the Michi Q5.

Same question I have for Duane: which one sounds the best, if you know. For all of you, thank you for your suggestions.

 

[jayvis]

Same question I have for Duane: which one sounds the best, if you know. For all of you, thank you for your suggestions.

To me, the DT-6000 sounds better than the RCD-1572 MKII but that can only be confirmed by you. The DT-6000 has an upgraded toroidal transformer and an eight-channel ESS Saber ES9028PRO DAC (the same DAC that's in the Michi Q5) vs. the Texas Instruments DAC in the RCD-1572. Both are fine CD players, but the DT-6000 sounded better to me when compared at a dealer's showroom. I've heard rumors that the DT-6000 and other Diamond series components might be discontinued since Rotel has rolled out their Michi series, so if you want one, you'll need to find a dealer that still has some. I know that Crutchfield still has some limited stock.

 

[KarinS]

To me, the DT-6000 sounds better than the RCD-1572 MKII but that can only be confirmed by you. The DT-6000 has an upgraded toroidal transformer and an eight-channel ESS Saber ES9028PRO DAC (the same DAC that's in the Michi Q5) vs. the Texas Instruments DAC in the RCD-1572. Both are fine CD players, but the DT-6000 sounded better to me when compared at a dealer's showroom. I've heard rumors that the DT-6000 and other Diamond series components might be discontinued since Rotel has rolled out their Michi series, so if you want one, you'll need to find a dealer that still has some. I know that Crutchfield still has some limited stock.

I called Crutchfield yesterday, and spoke with one of their reps. I'd already looked at the specs on the CD-11 and the 1572, and saw that the 1572 was a bit better (signal to noise, etc.). No surprise there, as the 1572 is over double the price of the CD-11. As for the DT-6000, the rep said it included an integrated amp, and said that this added complications to the reliability of the machine, and this was echoed in some of the review comments. So I ordered the 1572 (again!).

The only problem is that it's back-ordered until May 22nd, so there's already a supply shortage. I could get it right away in silver, but my amp/pre-amp/tuner are solid black, outside of the lights. I've always preferred black components with very few buttons and switches, which the Rotel has.

Anyway, thanks to the three of you for your input. But jayvis, where did you find a dealer that has CD players to listen to? I found it nearly impossible to find any high end audio stores in Sonoma County, where I lived before moving to Placer. There were two, but I didn't find anything they sold that excited me. There's not much here either, outside of an incredible vintage dealer in Auburn (Fly Hifi). As for speakers, I would never buy a pair without listening to them, so I don't know how people manage that. I guess you just pick something and pray that you like it.

 

[krautmaster]

Well, I love my CD-11 tributes, but after reading over 100 reviews on various sites it appears that the CD 1572 MKII when used with its XLR connections puts the CD-11 to shame. I ordered a silver one from Audio Advice (no taxes)... should arrive by Friday (some of the $$ I got when I traded my Charger Scat Pack in for a V6 model has been burning a whole in my pocket for a few months).

 

[jayvis]

I called Crutchfield yesterday, and spoke with one of their reps. I'd already looked at the specs on the CD-11 and the 1572, and saw that the 1572 was a bit better (signal to noise, etc.). No surprise there, as the 1572 is over double the price of the CD-11. As for the DT-6000, the rep said it included an integrated amp, and said that this added complications to the reliability of the machine, and this was echoed in some of the review comments. So I ordered the 1572 (again!).

The only problem is that it's back-ordered until May 22nd, so there's already a supply shortage. I could get it right away in silver, but my amp/pre-amp/tuner are solid black, outside of the lights. I've always preferred black components with very few buttons and switches, which the Rotel has.

Anyway, thanks to the three of you for your input. But jayvis, where did you find a dealer that has CD players to listen to? I found it nearly impossible to find any high end audio stores in Sonoma County, where I lived before moving to Placer. There were two, but I didn't find anything they sold that excited me. There's not much here either, outside of an incredible vintage dealer in Auburn (Fly Hifi). As for speakers, I would never buy a pair without listening to them, so I don't know how people manage that. I guess you just pick something and pray that you like it.

I'm not sure what that Crutchfield rep was talking about. Maybe he was thinking about the RA-6000 integrated amp? The DT-6000 is a CD player/DAC meaning it plays CDs and can also function as a standalone DAC. It has digital inputs so you can connect other digital music sources (CD players, CD transports, or streamers) to it and take advantage of its excellent built-in DAC. There is no integrated amp built into the DT-6000. I listened to the Rotel CD players at a dealer in Minnesota that happened to have four different Rotels in stock at the time. The difference between the DT-6000 and 1572 MKII was immediately obvious to my ears, and I preferred the DT-6000. The friend I was with agreed and bought one. Crutchfield has a good 60-day return policy. I've ordered from online retailers including Crutchfield in the past and have taken advantage of their return policies. The return shipping cost is well worth it to me when I can take 60 days to try something out in my home and in my own system. I look at it as a rental fee, and I think it's the absolute best way to evaluate new audio components now. It costs me more money to drive to and spend all day at audio dealers hoping that they have something I'm interested in than it does to just order what I'm interested in and test it out at home.

 

[onanysunday]

Rotel RCD-855 is my recommendation. It's an oldie (but goodie) with the legendary TDA1541A DAC and BlackGate caps. I have many newer and more expensive CDPs (with better specs probably) but much prefer the sound of this player to almost all of them.

 

[N0rt0n]

I had a 1072 for years that was an absolute workhorse and sounded great. When I decided to upgrade I went with the 1572 and was not disappointed other than the fact that the MKII came out a few months later and I probably would have extended the budget if it was already available.

My only real complaint with the 1572 id the CD drawer where the idiot designer forgot the side cutouts so you can actually grab the disk to remove. You have to use your pinky in the hole to lift a disk out. That designer should have been fired.

 

[Pup]

I was wondering if someone would mention the Rotel 855. Had on many years a go , great player. Another good one was the Rega top loader, I think it was called the planet. Sorry off topic. Just a babble.

 

[KarinS]

I'm not sure what that Crutchfield rep was talking about. Maybe he was thinking about the RA-6000 integrated amp? The DT-6000 is a CD player/DAC meaning it plays CDs and can also function as a standalone DAC. It has digital inputs so you can connect other digital music sources (CD players, CD transports, or streamers) to it and take advantage of its excellent built-in DAC. There is no integrated amp built into the DT-6000. I listened to the Rotel CD players at a dealer in Minnesota that happened to have four different Rotels in stock at the time. The difference between the DT-6000 and 1572 MKII was immediately obvious to my ears, and I preferred the DT-6000. The friend I was with agreed and bought one. Crutchfield has a good 60-day return policy. I've ordered from online retailers including Crutchfield in the past and have taken advantage of their return policies. The return shipping cost is well worth it to me when I can take 60 days to try something out in my home and in my own system. I look at it as a rental fee, and I think it's the absolute best way to evaluate new audio components now. It costs me more money to drive to and spend all day at audio dealers hoping that they have something I'm interested in than it does to just order what I'm interested in and test it out at home.

Thank you, jayvis. My second 1572 MKII is on backorder for a month and a half, so I don't have to 'return' it yet. I will read ALL of the comments tomorrow morning on both machines, and see if I want to switch to the DT-6000. Even if I don't, the 1572 MKII I bought in '22 sounded so much better than that over-rated Rega Apollo I used for the decade before that I started listening to my CDs again. You've given me food for thought, though. I just had my amp (Yamaha B-2) completely overhauled by rottalpha, so my system is kicking some serious butt now (not that it didn't before!). It's my pride and joy, so I want to be careful about what I hook up to it.

 

[KarinS]

Rotel RCD-855 is my recommendation. It's an oldie (but goodie) with the legendary TDA1541A DAC and BlackGate caps. I have many newer and more expensive CDPs (with better specs probably) but much prefer the sound of this player to almost all of them.

Wow - it gets excellent reviews. But can you get it new, or was it discontinued?

 

[KarinS]

I was wondering if someone would mention the Rotel 855. Had on many years a go , great player. Another good one was the Rega top loader, I think it was called the planet. Sorry off topic. Just a babble.

I had the Rega Apollo for a decade before I swapped it out for the Rotel. I gave the damned thing away. It would occasionally skip, which I found maddening for such a 'highly rated' player. Reading reviews on it over the years showed me that this was a common problem for those players. What was also common was that Rega did not back their equipment. Finally, after I set up the Rotel, I heard instantly that the Rotel sounded much better than the Rega. Never again will I purchase anything from Rega.

 

[N0rt0n]

I had the Rega Apollo for a decade before I swapped it out for the Rotel. I gave the damned thing away. It would occasionally skip, which I found maddening for such a 'highly rated' player. Reading reviews on it over the years showed me that this was a common problem for those players. What was also common was that Rega did not back their equipment. Finally, after I set up the Rotel, I heard instantly that the Rotel sounded much better than the Rega. Never again will I purchase anything from Rega.

My 1072 would not play disc 2 of the Metallica S&M but would play a copy. One day while doing a deep clean I had it standing on its side to dust the bottom and it dropped over to it's feet on the carpet. Gentle bump. From that day on it then played the Metallica disc it previously would not play. That was the only thing odd with my 1072.

 

[jayvis]

Thank you, jayvis. My second 1572 MKII is on backorder for a month and a half, so I don't have to 'return' it yet. I will read ALL of the comments tomorrow morning on both machines, and see if I want to switch to the DT-6000. Even if I don't, the 1572 MKII I bought in '22 sounded so much better than that over-rated Rega Apollo I used for the decade before that I started listening to my CDs again. You've given me food for thought, though. I just had my amp (Yamaha B-2) completely overhauled by rottalpha, so my system is kicking some serious butt now (not that it didn't before!). It's my pride and joy, so I want to be careful about what I hook up to it.

I think you're taking a good approach at finding good matches for your system. Now that your amp has been brought back to life, it sounds like you have that dreaded system upgrade virus. The main differences between those Rotel machines are the DACs and power supplies. You'll be the only one who can determine which one sounds best with the rest of your current system. If you end up comparing the two, let us know which one you end up with.

 

[onanysunday]

Wow - it gets excellent reviews. But can you get it new, or was it discontinued?

It's from 1989, so "used" only.