A Quick Taste for some Upsized Enjoyment
Rotel has been very faithful in both its design and sound attributes. The brand has always been a great bet for those starting their Hi-Fi journey up to those looking to settle down with an endgame piece. The appealing thing to me has always been the brands simplistic utilitarian look and feel, keeping the focus locked on the audio experience.
My most recent interaction was the S14, a component with a similar architecture which was a great piece of kit. A robust and straightforward just add speakers’ solution that maintained the Rotel experience at its signature affordable price. What was missing at that time was the next step up. A role now filled by the brand-new RAS-5000. An all in Streaming amplifier with all the bells and whistles that made the S14 great, with plenty of added oomph on top.
The RAS-5000 goes bigger in every way when compared to the S14. Starting dimensionally, the unit is almost 53mm taller and a full 15kg heavier. Lots more meat there! Power output is also scaled up at 140 watts into 8 ohms, verses the S14’s 80watts. The RAS-5000 also does 220 watts into 4ohms, for those challenging loads.
A key engineering difference between the RAS-5000 and the S14 is how the upsized chassis is utilised. A key issue with the S14 was the heat generated by the unit, which due to its slim design and amplifier architecture meant it could get rather hot on the top. The RAS-5000 however comes with significant upgrades to its chassis design, incorporating large heatsinks on each flank, keeping it cool. The screen at the front is also much larger. Album info, status and menu navigation is far more legible and satisfying with the available real estate.
Performance wise, the RAS-5000 has a rich and full sound. The bass is deep, authoritative and quite punchy. The overall signature is on the neutral side but it makes no effort to hide its richness. Speaker pairing does need a little more care especially in bass if you want to avoid going too heavy on the bass.
Listening to some of my absolute favourite house music through Tidal really highlighted the RAS-5000’s amazing bass output. There was this sense of immense build-up and drop but stopping short of being bloated or woolly.
There is a good amount of detail but stays away from being too dry or clinical. The amp has a rather laidback and relaxed demeanour overall, making it great for extended listening session. I will touch a lot more on the features and sound quality in a deep dive session which I am planning to conduct at a later date.
If you have been eyeing for an upgrade and better yet, have had your sights on something Rotel, I have got some good news for you. The folks at The Expert Sound have decided to give out an awesome deal for those looking to go down the Rotel route. This offer is for a limited time only! So, if you’re looking to try out their entry level amplifiers or components, perhaps upgrade an existing unit to something beefier? Or best still, go all in and step up to a premium Michi unit, well the best time is NOW!
TEG will be offering a discount of 25% for all Rotel equipment (yes including Michi!). Do take note that this offer is on a first come first serve basis and it limited to the first 10 customers only (in total over the entire offer period). To take advantage of this, just flash the coupon image below when you’re over at the store.
The Experts Sound Showroom address,
The Gardens Mall, Lot S-207, 2nd Floor,
Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra,
59200 Kuala Lumpur
Additionally, here are some of the mechanics so your informed:
Showroom voucher claim terms & conditions
- This offer is available to customers in Malaysia only and is only available for In-Person purchase at the applicable Store
- This voucher offers a 25% discount valid for all Rotel & Michi models.
- The redemption is only valid in The Experts Sound at The Gardens Mall showroom. Customers need to screenshot this coupon and present it upon redemption.
- Only 1 redemption per person
- Only 1 item per voucher
- This voucher is limited to first 10 customers only.
- The voucher is valid until 30th June 2024 (Promotions period 1st – 30th June 2024)
- Discount cannot be combined with other offers
- Delivery and Payment must be fulfilled within 1 month
The Experts Group reserve the right to alter the terms and conditions without prior notice
In the unlikely event of a dispute, The Experts Group decision is final.
