I luv my rl-11. At $800 feature rich with excellent performance.Two outputs, remote control, detachable line cord, great looks
and it's dead silent in my system.
Sure, I'll be selling it off when I upgrade but for the last three years
it's been a truly 'no regrets' purchase. 5 stars for value for your $$$.

system:acurus RL11 pre-amp
acurus A100 amp (probably will change to 200)
b&w cdm7se
marants cd67se

For $3700, this system is superb, i compared the acurus pre with others such as
NAD 316, adcom, ROTEL, and i believe that acurus is well above the rest.
the simplicity of the design where the path of the signal only goes through the
balance and volume dial means that the pre preserves the signal as much as
possible. I also love the style with knobs looks very simple yet expensive

defenitely a must try....

Purchased 5/98 as replacement for Carver C-11 that suffered lightning damage.Very happy with RL-11. The knobs were the only reason I purchased. Just LOVE its looks. Comparisons, WHY. Still needed some tone control (120/250hz), so I went and purchased an Audio Control C-101 EQ.

Bought mine used for $400. Best dollar I ever spent! A preamp should be "not there", and this one is as not there as you can get at this price.

quiet, clean and detailed

lighter side of neutral

Remote control on a preamp is a must for me, as it is for most people with a TV. The remote wand is a genius design, easy to operate in the dark. Why they put a on/off button on the remote is beyond me. Enough about the remote, how does it sound?...Make sure to use sorbortane pucks under the unit to reduce slight leanness. This is as close to neutral you're gonna get for less than $2000. The next step after this is the $3000 Conrad Johnson PFR (my dream preamp). This Acurus is on par with the Audio Research LS-3, which I sold after hearing the RL-11. My system is modest hi-end: Vandersteen 1c (latest), McCormack .05 amp and Rega Planet CD player. All is connected with Nordost copper cable.

Similar Products Used:

creek OBH-12, audio research LS-3

Neutral, Oh-So-Quiet.....

Cold Sound, Splashy, Lean...you know...solid-state.

A dual mono, remote controlled, two output pre with detachable line cord and doesn't sound bad at all for $800 pre-amp. For a budget system it rocks! Now, I would advise anyone with 800 clams to hit eBay or AudioGon and
grab a tube jobby used like a Rogue or other similar piece.
Tubes just be bettah, eh?
But, I digress. This unit really is quality for all you get.

I give it, for value, 5*****

For absolute performance 3 and 1/2*** or a Stereophile
Class C rating.

P.S.>It realy has crept into my heart so if you're looking
at low-priced pre's you can't go wrong. Used@2to300$ is worth the money.

clean, great remote, neutral

none

I previously had a B & K pre-amp that did not have a remote control. I wanted a pre-amp with a remote and listened to a few. The Acurus was just what I was looking for - great sound, reasonable price, excellent remote control.



I bought my Acurus RL-11 new back in about 1996. I use it with a B & K amplifier and a Marantz CD player.

I originally had Magnapan MG-IIIa speakers and now have a pair of Audio Physic Virgos. It has performed perfectly with both sets of speakers.



Now that I have had this pre-amplifier for about 4 years, I can say without reservation that it is a truly outstanding value that I recommend highly.

Similar Products Used:

B & K

Pleasant for long listening periods, all-aound quality is very good.

Cheap built-in power cable.

This is, in my opinion, one of the best preamps one can get for less than $1000. It has a very pleasant sound that is never aggrevating, even after very long listening periods.
I have used it for almost 5 years by now, and I am very pleased with its performance.
In order to get the best out of this amp, I suggest using it in a system with a fast power amp (I use it with a Musical Fidelity FX), so that the sound doesn't come out too mellow. In addition, have the guy who sells you this preamp replace the power cable with a higher quality screened cable. This improves performance dramatically. I use the preamp with Straight Wire Rhapsody cables, and they fit perfectly.

Very nice piece, neutral & very quiet for the money. Top notch quality.

Very nice piece, neutral & very quiet for the money. Top notch quality.