Excellent clarity. Never harsh. Underated power.

Heat after extended higher volume listening.

Compared to my old Kenwood this sounds incredible. At first I used a Caver CT-6 pre-amp, but have upgraded to home theater now and purchased a Rotel RSX-972 receiver. I now use the receiver as a pre-amp for the main channels driving the RB-980BX through Tributaries Silver series interconnects. I am very happy with the sound. It really make my Paradigms sing. All kinds of music is very listenable at all volumes. It does get a little warm at times though.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood 150 WPC, Carver 105 WPC.

Great power when used as bridged monos! Excellent soundscape. The price make them a bargain.

May get a little warm, when used as monos at low impedance

In 1998 I was going to replace my Kenwood amp. I decided to buy me some amps that were ready for my Kappa 8.1i. A pair of Rotel 980's should be powerful enough for me told me local audio dealer. Pre amp was also a Rotel. I used the 908's as bridged monos with 360 watt (8 Ohm). They kick the Kappas in every volume! Precise bass, clear highs, great mids! They get a little warm, but they never give up :-) One day I killed one Rotel (was my fault), and I had to use only one. It was like day and night. Lot of power and precision was missing. T

Similar Products Used:

Rotel pre amp.

Clear, quiet, powerful, dynamic, tight and powerful bass.

None, for the price range

A local newspaper reporter was short on cash, and offered to sell me a 980bx amp and 950ax pre-amp for 300 bucks plus my extremely mediocre pioneer H/T receiver. To be blunt, I got a great deal. This Rotel amp was Stereophile Class B recommended (if my memory serves), and deserves every bit of it. Conservatively rated at 125 watts per channel, this amp excels in overall clarity while producing deep tight bass. As a matter of fact, I used this amp to drive a pair of Acoustat 2+2 electrostatics--and they took this extremely challenging 4 ohm load with grace. It *easily* bested the NAD 2200 Power Envelope in all frequency ranges, as well as overall listen-ability and “musicality.” For my money, this is one of the best (if not the best) sub-300 dollar amp that your money can buy at this point. (Used of course, as of 2/13/2003.) If I was in the market for a sub 300 dollar amp, I would look at the Rotel 980, or see if I could get my hands on a Bryston. (The latter would be very unlikely, however.)

Similar Products Used:

NAD 2200 Power Envelope.

sound, construction

none

This amp is so good for the price I paid, I would definately buy this amp again. Solid construction all around.

Similar Products Used:

nad

Clean, controlled, engaging.

None.

A pair of Rotel RB980BX's were heading for the dustbin, so I dived over to the burly chap who was going to throw them away!!!! I spent £8 on a service manual and a further £2 for the power knob's. The amp's are in bridge mode running a pair of B&W DM601's through some Chord Legend bi-wire and the amp itself is driven by my very own design "Valve pre-amp" The whole show sound's spot on, can't fault the amp's, especially for a tenna!!!!

Similar Products Used:

N/A

Great amp

RCA inputs could be spaced a little further apart for larger connectors.

Very clean, accurate amp with surprising power and detail, excellent for jazz. Dead quiet background. Great amp for the price they are selling for used. Needs a good preamp, it can be unforgiving with lesser components (as a great amp should be) Overall, a real bargain and a great performer.

GREAT sound!! Lots of power and dynamics

None so far

I bought this power amp at a good price.
It handles all sorts of music the same way, with lots of power and a very strong control of the bass.
Actually it is the best power amp that i´ve heard in this pricerange no matter what you compare it with, even all the way up to $600...

In my opinion, a speaker can´t get too much power, so i thought about buying two of these mothers, but started with one, and i must say, that i don´t really need the other one, this amp just keep on coming up with more power!! And in the end, that is what a power amp has to do!
For ordinary home use or for use in a home cinema, i don´t think that you can get a better deal than this, although it lacks a bit compared to more expensive amps like my old Linn LK280 that sounded a bit more warm and musical.
The Rotel RB-980 does not put this warmth into the music, it puts it out more natural and straight.

I have to say, that this power amp comes with one mean power supply that delivers a peak of 80 Ampere!

Be carefull if you bridge this one, folks, it might turn your speakers into dust!!

Similar Products Used:

Linn LK280, NAD 2240PE, Harman Kardon 870, Rotel RB-850, Rotel RB-960, NAD 916

Capability of handling even the most difficult speakers.
360 watts of pure unconditional kickass power when bridged.
Clarity, transparent, never out of breath.

none

i'm using my two Rotels as monoural amps in a stereo along with B&W 805. It works great. They are by far the most powerful amps I have ever tried, and they naver loose control or clarity, even at insanely high volumes for a longer periode of time. My advice: if you want your old speakers to sound the way they were ment to; try a Rotel RB980bx or two. You will not be disappointed!!!

Similar Products Used:

sugden, Mcintosh

Well built for price and is easy on the ears not harsh. All high grade parts inside and can be bridged.

Has a buzz from torodial but have heard that is common. Not too heavy I like a heavy amp.

This amp served me well for three years and was an upgrade at the time from my Kenwood receiver. With a good pair of interconects this can sound sweet. There is no fluff from Rotel when it comes to their literature about build quality of the amp and just what that particular part will do for you. There is a simple logic to all the construction of this amp and I studied it before buying and I was not disapointed with the product. Any intersested in upgrading their system perhaps like me from a receiver to get into good sound then this would be an invest ment that would pay off even in a used one. Happy listening from an enthusiast in the Pacific Northwest.

Similar Products Used:

Fosgate/Audionics 4100

Much more pleasant than the ancient Adcom I'd tried previous. More mids, excellent brass, strings, woodwinds.

A bit dark(?) Not very open, undefined soundstage.

I hooked this up today to my Mirage bookshelfs and it seems a perfect match with my Rotel 950AX preamp/tuner. Together I have 390.00 invested. I bought the cheapest Audioquest interconnects I could find and found them to be smoother than the Monsters I'd found and tried.

First listen was to Scherezade and instantly I was drawn in. The Amp is quiet and allows you to turn up the volume without hearing a hum. Then the Who's "Won't be fooled again" and to hear Moon's drums as clear as that made he jump for joY! Then Tori Amos and I heard her wisper words I'd never heard and I could FEEL the strings vibrate in my chest from an upright bass while listening to Medeski Martin and Wood.

I have yet to turn the volume up past the first quarter turn. It is plenty LOUD! I have the system in a rectangular room that is 22 x 14 feet. It consists of the above components and

Yamaha CDC-575 cd carousel
Mirage M490 speakers
Audioquest Sidewinder interconnects.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom GFA2