I just purchased this unit today from my local audio dealer! I have it connected to the pre-amp outs on a Marantz Receiver(until i can get a pre/amp processor)w/audioquest interconnects. First thing, for those traditionalists out there? It doesn't have the traditional black box look to it. I imagine some people will like it other's may not. All I can say, is power amp's can get pretty boring looking to the average non-audiophille. Its definately a conversation piece. But I think most audio enthusiasts are interested in sound.
The sound! Very good! Although I enjoy home theater very much, my primary listening is still with stereo recordings (i.e. cd's). I can't honestly attach any major sonic atributes to it. I did notice a substantial increase in the overall volume, and if there is anything, it sounds clean and unrestrained. I read an earlier comment by someone on the previous (5)channel Rotel amp, and they stated it didn't sound good a lower level listening! Well? I live in a condo, with neighbors, so I do a heck of a lot of low level listening. It sounds excellent. All the detail and resolution are still there.

In home theater applications, it doesnt seem to become strained at high volume levels. Probably because of the added power wattage. Again, I can't attach any major sonic attributes to it! It just sounds clean, and detailed.

I think you can buy better, there are some other amps I was interested in! But overall its an excellent value!

I recently purchased this unit from my local retailer for about $900, and feel that it has to be one of the great audiophile amplifier deals out there. I was using a very nice Yamaha receiver with my B&W Matrix 805's, and thought that I sounded nice. Now, those same speakers with a Lexicon dc1, and the Rotel 985 MKII amp, sound absolutely amazing. The soundstage is much larger, and image and detail are both greatly improved. "CRASH" by Dave Matthews Band is a great cd to judge imaging by, and it sounds detailed, and without being overly bright.Movies with all 5 channels going are great. Lots of punch, and the amp seems to have plenty of headroom. After being driven fairly hard for several hours, it is just barely warm. The heat sinks on the front are obviously doing their job. Fit and finish are typical Rotel. Very utilitarian, and minimalistic, with heavy speaker binding posts, and the overload protection lights for each of the 5 channels. The only things I would change would be that balanced inputs should be included, and an auto on/off circuit. Other than that, It is a great amplifier.

The rotel rb 985 is one of the best amps for the money. 5x110 THXclean sound with movies and music. compare to the 5 channel Nad.

Bass... Those Bi-Polar's are pumpin.

There is something not going on correctly in the midrange. At times it seems there is a slight midrange suckout. Treble is good, though slightly dirty.

This is a $600 135 WPC amplifier. It carries a 4 ohm rating of 185 watts or so. Finish is very fine for a product at this price. Turn on and off is quiet, even after being on a long time or accidentally turning it off and on quikly. Overall sound is very good. Heat generation is moderate, even when driving a 4 ohm load. It does get warm but you can touch it without getting an ouch! This is because the heatsinks are inside and not hanging off the back or sides. The heat rises through slits in the top of the case. This is a nicely finished clean looking stylish amplifier.

I have used it with 3 different loudspeakers of medium to high quality ($250- $3,500 per pair). The amp is definitely alive sounding with plenty of bass and layers of bass detail. It is not producing a blob of boomy bass, but rich textured bass with previousley unheard cords. It controls the woofers pretty well although it can work them hard at times when at higher levels. Small woofers in vented boxes should beware of a loose fingered high SPL loving owner. Moving into the midrange the amplifier seems to have a slight depression in the 500-700 hz range. Male voice sounds overly full at times and female sometimes thin.
The midrange is good but if I had to fault the amp in a given area the midrange would be it. The treble is extended but not as realistic and smooth as my MOSFET amp. The treble is pleasing though and not a distraction.

The amplifier sounds alive and is great in the home theatre for the front channels. It can really wake you up at times! On music it is also alive and can deliver classical music with the weight and authority that is so often deleted from receivers and $400 amplifiers.

In conclusion I would recommend this amplifier for use as a main amp driving speakers in the $700-1,500 range per pair. And definitly for the main channels of a theatre. Or for any bass application such as a subwoofer since it can be mono bridged. I think Stereophile might find it a class C contender, at best, putting it in line with similar priced offerings from Parasound and other similarly priced brands.

Similar Products Used:

Hafler Power Amplifiers, Other smaller Rotel Amplifiers, McIntosh Amplifiers. B&K Pre-amp, McIntosh Tuner, ES CD,and DVD player and ES digital pre-amp.

Supplemental information that was left off of my initial review. Spacial Charachteristics and Imaging

NA

The amplifier does image better than average. Depth is also better than average. In this respect it sets itself apart from the Parasounds/Adcoms etc. Vocals can strongly appear 5ft in the air and 3ft in front of the speakers either centered or slightly off centered. Depth is not as noticeable. I felt these were strengths that I simply forgot to address in the initial review.
Sincerely yours,
Douglesius

Similar Products Used:

NA

I have used a Quad44 pre with a quad 405-2 to power my Infinity RS-2b's for some years. I recently purchased a Lexicon CP3+ Surround prcessor hoping to try out a surround system for my 52" Sony. I went out and purchased 2 more Infinty RS's(old as the RS2b's) and a kappa center channel. I next went out and tried an Acurus 200x3. It seemed a little harsh after so many years with the Quad 405, so I took it back. I read a review on the Rotel 985 so I bought one new for 700 at a local shop. It was a demo unit so it had plenty of time to burn in. Oh was I depressed. It sounded so bad I couldn't stand it anymore. It was harsh,inaccurate and thin. If you like warm tube like sound this is the opposite. I guess if you never play music you may never know. Maybe this is what they hoped for when they designed it. Sorry but it really is bad. The only good thing I can say is it really has 5 channels.

Thrill Per Dollar Ratio

Slightly warm, lower power.

Amp is now discontinued, but there are some left out there at great prices. Mine was under 700.00 Great for a 5 channel amp of this quality! It warms up the high end of my B&W CDM-NT speakers. Decent soundstage.

I was able to get enough power and decent sound by using this amp to Bi-Amp my B&Ws. Not quite enough snap and pop for two channel in 5 channel mode, but by using the front and rear channels for each side, it was like an upgrade!. Plenty of power at that point. Things tightened up. Movies are much better. Dead sounding CDs are more lively. The Denon even sounded cleaned up for the rears, not being taxed for power any longer.

I'm using a Denon 3300 for the preamp for now. Adding the Rotel really helped, even though it isn't much more power than the Denon, it's got better internals.

Using the Linn speaker cable for the tweeters seemed less bright than the Audioquest, which seems to keep the mid bass tight.

The size, build quality, price and looks are very hard to beat at this price level.

System:
Rotel 985MkII
Toshiba SD-9200 DVD
Denon CDRW-1500
Denon AVR-3300
B&W CDM-NT Fronts and Center
Paradigm ADP-170 rears
Polk PSW150 Sub (next in line for replacement)
AudioQuest, Transparent, Tributaties, LINN. (OK, so I can't make up my mind :) )

Similar Products Used:

Denon, Marantz

Good opened and clean sound, very detailed, with a little warm. nice build.

Not really

Hooked the Rotel RB 985THX MK 2 to a Pioneer VSX-D 938TX receiver (Singapore Model) and experienced tremendous improvement in my home theatre set-up. Dialogue becomes clearer with better imaging, with 110 watts x 5 channels (THX Design), it should be muscular and dynamics enough to knock you through the wall but instead it sounds smooth, with a lush cohesive feel ,quite transparent too. Dynamics seem a little restrained here as compared to the Nad 216THX which I also owned. All these however doesn't bother me much due to my small listening area, stilled can filled up my room with good ambient effects whether in Dolby Digital, prologic, Dts or Dsp modes. Musically the RB 985 MK2 is quite tuneful and sweet in its stereo mode but not quite in the class as my hi-fi set-up (Musical fidelity X-pre/Nad 216THX and X-PSU). Lastly, the RB 985 MK 2 certainly delivers in both music and movies and powerful enough to disrupts my phone calls in a not so big listening area.

Similar Products Used:

NAD 216THX, Arcam 8P, Nad 916.

Smooth, clean and powerful

none

Excellent home theater amp. Clear and clean power. No distortion in loud sceens.

Similar Products Used:

Adcom, carver

The Rotel 985 is a great amp for the money.What a great amp for home theather. Movies I have watched before
now have a new sound. What a differance. Stereo sounds Great as well.
Plenty of clean power. 110x5 no cooling fan. Great job Rotel. Give this amp
about 30 hours to break in. Buy some good RCA's and speaker wire and you should be all set.
Go and check this amp out. There is a lot of great amps out there for
$1000-$1500. This is one of them.