Totally vfm product .Very clear and musical sound .I use this with 5 active speakers and one subwoofer and the performance in relation to the price is terrific.

highly detailed, quite musical

The stupid 5.1 button, gets pretty hot

Killer product on the used market! I hear all the little details of sound with TV, movies, and music. Music sounds great through this thing (avoid the music surround modes). For the money this thing goes for used, you simply can''t beat it. A great product.

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo and Harman/Kardon surround receivers

Exceptional value, outstanding switching circuitry, eminently flexible.

Poor RC capabilities, lousy synthesized surround-sound modes.

The Rotel RSP-980 has to be the best value in a home theater/music pre-amp available today. It has been out of production for a couple of years, but can be found readily on the used market for a pittance! Given this fact, I'd have to say the RSP-980 is one of the most under-rated components to come along in quite a while.

Most home theater/audio enthusiasts are torn between a dedicated hi-fi or theater setup, conventional wisdom dictating that a single setup cannot do justice to either. I say this is a myth, and the RSP-980 proves it.

The RSP-980 supports THX and Dolby Pro-Logic. The fact that it does not have Dolby Digital or DTS decoding is probably the main reason that so many of these are on the used market. If you really need these capabilities, Rotel has outboard Dolby Digital and DTS decoders available that work brilliantly through a 5.1 connector available on the RSP-980. So, the RSP-980 should not be discounted simply because it lacks these features. It can be upgraded in this area as your needs dictate.

As for THX and Dolby Pro-Logic performance is concerned, the RSP-980 is a top contender. However, the RSP-980 has numerous synthesized "surround sound" modes that should be avoided at all costs. This is an unfortunate, although not catastrophic, downside to the RSP-980. There is no real need to use these modes anyway. If you want to listen to music in surround mode, Dolby Pro-Logic is the way to go, and it sounds great!

The RSP-980's remote control features are somewhat lacking. A few functions cannot be accessed from the remote, and this can be annoying. However, the most common functions are supported by the remote, so this is only a minor annoyance.

The circuitry design of the RSP-980 is outstanding, employing a "shortest path" approach, yielding crisp audio/video via its numerous A/V sources. This pre-amp will accommodate just about any configuration you can come up with via its very flexible design. The only concession made in this regard is the inability to watch one video source while listening to another audio source. I'm sure this feature would have compromised the integrity of the switching quality, so it is a very minor concern. I'll take quality over flexibility any day!

I've barely touched the surface here, and really cannot say enough good things about this unit. It supports both s-video and composite video on ALL video sources. It is fully integrated for 5.1 surround sound including various configuration switches to get the most out of your amplifier/speaker choices. The most important thing for me, however, is that it attains this high level of home theater performance and still sound spectacular as a stereo hi-fi pre-amp. It does. Oh boy, it really does. I totally love this pre-amp and know without a doubt that you would have to spend thousands more to find something that will perform better in all areas discussed here.

Six months ago I purchased brand new a Rotel RSP 980, RDA 975, and RB 985 for more then a 3rd off retail list price. Previously I had bought from the same dealer a used Denon AVR 3600 at a considerable discount. I agree with the previous reviewer's observations in all respects. With the exception of the few ergonomic inconviences (the need to manually switch to/from AC-3 sans remote) the Rotel gear performs at a much higer level then either the Denon AVR 3600 or Yamaha 2090 receivers I was using before.
Originally I had my high end stereo system and home theatre systems set up as two independent systems within the same room. Recently I removed my Sonic Frontiers Line 1 preamp from my stereo system, hooked up my B&W 802s for L/R, HTM CC, 805 RS/LS, and am now using the RSP 980 as both my stereo preamp and home theatre processor. Granted, the RSP 980 doesn't have the same resolution or transparency as the SF Line 1, but the Rotel provides better dynamics and is still musically satisfying to listen to. While this is temporary (I eventually plan to upgrade to a high end HT processor/preamp) I think for many the RSP 980 (or the new RSP 985) could serve both roles with 100% satisfaction. Considering the price, and for those steping up from a receiver, the Rotel gear will offer a significant improvement over a receiver and will be better than, or competitive with anything else in its 'purchase' price range.

For value and sound quality I give the RSP-980 five stars.

Like most of the rest of you, I began my seach for a home theater system with the primary objective of receiving the most bang for my buck. My Rotel gear enable me to achieve that objective.
Not wanting to sink too much money into a system at this time, I started by looking at high-end receives such as the Yamaha DSP A-1 and Denon 5600. These are very nice units, but far overpriced, in my opinion. Aditionally, I am a firm believer that as a general rule, the best sound is achieved through separate components.

In terms of separates, at one point I was very close to purchasing the Marantz AV 550 and 5 MA500 monoblocks. But, I was generally not overly impressed with the sound of this system. It seemed very harsh to me.

Then I came across the Rotel gear. For a mere $2,000 (which is several hundred dollars less than any of the flagship receivers noted above), I was able to purchase the following:

RSP 980 prologic processor/pre-amp
RDA 975 Dobly Digital processor
RDA 985 DTS processor
R?? 985 100 x 5 power amplifier.

The pre-amp and amp noted above are both THX certified. All of this equipment was brand new except for the pre-amp, which was a demo unit.

I am extremely impressed by the sound of this system for both movies and music. I won't bore you with the BS adjectives that others like to use ("airy," "bright," "warm," "open," etc.) because frankly, the only person whose opinion matters is the listeners (and in this case, mine). The system just sounds damn good to me. Certainly, there are better systems out there -- but at a steeply higher price.

Of course, the system is not without its flaws. One major headache is that in order to listen to Dolby Digital material, it is necessary to activate the "5.1 input" button on the RSP 980. The 5.1 input button cannot be activated via remote control. This makes switching between DD and non-DD material a pain. (i.e., switching to the TV after watching a movie in DD.) Additionally, all of the tone controls are bypassed on the RSP 980 while in DD mode because the signal is routed to the RDA 975.

Still, I am very happy with the Rotel gear. Getting a DD/DTS/THX system with 100 x 5 amplification for $2,000 is a hell of a deal. I've also learned a few things during the auditioning process:

1. Never pay retail for audio! My system retailed for a total of $3,800. I paid $2,000, and I guarantee that both my dealer and Rotel made money on the deal. Otherwise they wouldn't be in business.

2. Consider demo models. I got my preamp at half price as a result. Floor models generally also carry the same warranty as new products.

3. Know your dealer. Stop by their store several times before you decide to purchase anything. Once the dealer realizes you are serious about your purchase, he or she will be more likely to make you a good deal.

4. Research can save you money. For example, did you know that the Panasonic A310, Yamaha 700, and Denon 3000 DVD players are all functionally identical? (If you don't believe me, take them apart. Short of that, read SGHT's reviews of these products.) In the audio world, as in most other businesses, "manufacturers" don't manufacture -- they assemble products from component parts made by relatively few "true" manufacturers.

5. More money doesn't mean better quality or better sound. There are lots of esoteric audio companies out there that charge big bucks for their products. They do so not necessarily because their products are better, but because they are produced in limited quantities, which is more expensive for the "manufacturer" (see above). The point of diminishing returns for audio equipment is, in my opinion, much lower than what conventional wisdom holds.

Anyway, that is my 2 cents on this product and my experiences in buying it.

I own the following Rotel components:
Rotel RSP980
Rotel RDA980
Rotel RB985

I use these with a Pioneer DVL909 CD/LD/DVD/CDV player and Chario speakers all around (go take a look at the rest of my system at http://members.xoom.com/Garmt/ownsetup.htm).

I think this is one of the most musically satisfying systems that can be bought for this kind of money. If you want REAL music, with REAL imaging, power, smoothness and rhythm, go with these (or the exellent RSP985). I guess performance can be improved upon, but you will have to look at units from Lexicon, EAD, Proceed, Theta etc. For 'normal' money, I would really like to urge you to listen to these units.

Not the most user-friendly equipment around, there have never been any quirks in its technical performance. Everything works like it should and features are just enough, not too many (I don't like to pay for features I will never use). I agree with all the comments of Thomas and Mark.

I give 5 stars for the excellent value for money these units provide, along with the excellent reliability and sound quality.

Low price, great sound.

Poor ergonomics.

I don't need to reiterate all of the praises its gotten so far.
If you are using purely digital or purely analog sources this is a great unit. If you need to use both you have to get up and press the stupid button on the front of the unit to switch between the two. The remote is of the 5 dollar variety. There is also a delay cutting off the begining of every song. These are minor anoyances with a great product.

If you are of low budget or just starting out this is a great unit to start with as it can be had for under a grand with decoder and amps, less than most recievers, and sounds as good as many units costing 3 to 4 thousand.

I did have one problem with the unit and Rotel fixed it immediately, no questions asked.

Fantastic sound, build quality, value

No on board DD or DTX

After a lot of reaearch, I found that I could take advantage of the advancement in technology, that being manufactures packaging Dolby Pro Logic, Dolby Digital and DTS in the same box and placing those without the package out to pasture. I did not want or need a full receiver. I only wanted an amp and processor for movies and I didn not want to break the bank. I purchased the RSP980, the AC-3 (Dolby Digital outboard decoder) RDA 980 and a Rotel RB985 THX amp all for less than $1000.

I now have a remarkable system that sounds almost as good as my home stereo. The RSP980 is ease to use (all three are connected using the AD25 computer like calbes) and the only switching I do is between Dolby Pro Logic for VCR and the Dolby Digital for most DVD's. The sound, phasing and clarity is fantastic. I'm not sure what it would cost to reproduce this quality in the current product offering, but my guess is at least $3000 or more.

Don't be afraid to piece a like system together. There is a reason Rotel maufactured great outboard DD and DTX pieces and they work very well. If you have a keen ear, are starting your home theatre and don't want to take out a second on your home, look into this product.

System:
RSP980 processor
RDA980 Dolby Digital Decoder
RB985 5x100 amp
Panasonic A120 DVD
PSB 5T mains
PSB 9C center
PSB 2 rears
Bob Carver True Sub MKII

Similar Products Used:

None