![\"free](\"//sstatic1.histats.com/0.gif?5052552&101\")
Is the Rotel rx-1050 a good receiver?
Benjamin Ward 
Is the Rotel rx-1050 a good receiver?
The Rotel RX-1050 is a tough-looking receiver with very good ergonomics, and it sounds well, too. The only big problems are that its performance is measurably inferior to mid-line 1980s HiFi gear, and that this Rotel is made in China and not reliable. It looks tough on the outside, is heavy and was priced to match, but it’s wimpy on the inside.
What kind of stereo receiver do I need with Rotel?
Sure, mainstream manufacturers’ stereo receivers, such as the Denon DRA-685 and the Harman Kardon HK 3840, look nice and perform well enough, but if you really care about sound, you’ll want the Rotel.
Which is better the Rotel rx-1052 or the Denon?
The RX-1052’s advantages were even more obvious when we indulged in our rock & roll fantasies with Aerosmith’s Honkin’ On Bobo CD. The Denon and the HK never flinched, but the Rotel’s greater bass oomph came to the fore, and Joe Perry’s guitar jumped out of the dense mix with greater precision.
Do you need a tune knob on a Rotel?
It’s easy to tune directly to a known station, but needs a tuning knob otherwise. The UP DOWN and Scan/Tune push buttons aren’t enough, it needs at least two each SCAN UP/DOWN and TUNE UP/DOWN buttons to save us a lot of button pushing just to see what’s on the air.
The Rotel RX-1050 is a tough-looking receiver with very good ergonomics, and it sounds well, too. The only big problems are that its performance is measurably inferior to mid-line 1980s HiFi gear, and that this Rotel is made in China and not reliable. It looks tough on the outside, is heavy and was priced to match, but it’s wimpy on the inside.
Sure, mainstream manufacturers’ stereo receivers, such as the Denon DRA-685 and the Harman Kardon HK 3840, look nice and perform well enough, but if you really care about sound, you’ll want the Rotel.
The RX-1052’s advantages were even more obvious when we indulged in our rock & roll fantasies with Aerosmith’s Honkin’ On Bobo CD. The Denon and the HK never flinched, but the Rotel’s greater bass oomph came to the fore, and Joe Perry’s guitar jumped out of the dense mix with greater precision.
It’s easy to tune directly to a known station, but needs a tuning knob otherwise. The UP DOWN and Scan/Tune push buttons aren’t enough, it needs at least two each SCAN UP/DOWN and TUNE UP/DOWN buttons to save us a lot of button pushing just to see what’s on the air.
