Rotel isn’t well known for their source components such as CD players. Rotel is very well known for their amplifiers : power amps integrated amps stereo preamps. Rotel’s amplifiers are awesome especially for the money. For amplifiers Rotel is way better than Sony. No comparisons. I don’t think Sony makes standalone amplifiers. Sony mostly make cheap crappy AV receivers. However, the flagship Sony ES line av receiver is pretty good sounding av receiver but still cannot compare or compete with the Rotel RAP-1580 av receiver (flagship av receiver from Rotel). They aren’t in the same league.
In the past Sony ES series is well known for their CD/SACD players. Nowaday the ES line makes pretty good music streamer/DAC for the money. Today I don’t think Sony ES line still making CD/SACD players anymore. Today the ES line only makes music streamers/DAC, av receivers, headphones and headphone amps.
So as for between the two brands (Sony vs Rotel), one is good at something and the other one is good at something else.
Rotel (new 15xx series) focuses on building very good quality amplifiers very refined musical sounding amplifiers especiallly for the money whether it’s power amps, integrated amps or stereo preamps, whereas today Sony ES line makes pretty good sounding source components eg music streamer/DAC for the money. I don’t think Sony ES line makes CD/SACD players anymore today.
In general people would normally associate Rotel with NAD as they both specialize in making good quality amplifiers for the money, although nowaday the NAD Master series line also focuses in making quality DAC or direct digital amplifiers.
Rotel was founded in Japan but the design and engineering takes place in the UK under supervision from B&W Group. B&W Group distributes Rotel products worldwide and they always have close tie and relationship together.
But B&W Group does not own Rotel but B&W has a close control in designing and engineering Rotel products especially their amplifiers. Rotel headquarter remains in Japan but I wouldn’t call Rotel a Japanese company anymore since B&W acquired and has had close control over Rotel production and engineering processes in the UK since the 80’s or 90’S.
I would say that Rotel is fusion part British part Japanese and it is still a family owned. All Rotel products are manufactured in China at B&W’s own facility there at the same facility where lower end series B&W speakers are made. B&W Group owns and runs this same manufacturing facility in Zuhai, China. This same facility where Classe Sigma series products (entry level Classe series) were manufactured when Classe was still owned by B&W Group. But in Jan 2018 B&W Group sold Classe off to Sound United. Previously B&W Group consisted of B&W speakers, Classe & Rotel but now Classe was sold to Sound United, who now also owns Denon & Marantz. But B&W Group never owned Rotel, they did own Classe until recently.
B&W voiced and tuned their speakers using Rotel & Classe amplifications and electronics. Usually the B&W 800 series Diamond speakers were voiced using Classe amplifiers and electronics whereas the lower end B&W speaker lines (600 & 700 series or CM series) were voiced and tuned using Rotel amplifiers and electronics.
B&W also pair their speakers with either Classe or Rotel at the shows and at dealers as well.
In the past Sony ES series is well known for their CD/SACD players. Nowaday the ES line makes pretty good music streamer/DAC for the money. Today I don’t think Sony ES line still making CD/SACD players anymore. Today the ES line only makes music streamers/DAC, av receivers, headphones and headphone amps.
So as for between the two brands (Sony vs Rotel), one is good at something and the other one is good at something else.
Rotel (new 15xx series) focuses on building very good quality amplifiers very refined musical sounding amplifiers especiallly for the money whether it’s power amps, integrated amps or stereo preamps, whereas today Sony ES line makes pretty good sounding source components eg music streamer/DAC for the money. I don’t think Sony ES line makes CD/SACD players anymore today.
In general people would normally associate Rotel with NAD as they both specialize in making good quality amplifiers for the money, although nowaday the NAD Master series line also focuses in making quality DAC or direct digital amplifiers.
Rotel was founded in Japan but the design and engineering takes place in the UK under supervision from B&W Group. B&W Group distributes Rotel products worldwide and they always have close tie and relationship together.
But B&W Group does not own Rotel but B&W has a close control in designing and engineering Rotel products especially their amplifiers. Rotel headquarter remains in Japan but I wouldn’t call Rotel a Japanese company anymore since B&W acquired and has had close control over Rotel production and engineering processes in the UK since the 80’s or 90’S.
I would say that Rotel is fusion part British part Japanese and it is still a family owned. All Rotel products are manufactured in China at B&W’s own facility there at the same facility where lower end series B&W speakers are made. B&W Group owns and runs this same manufacturing facility in Zuhai, China. This same facility where Classe Sigma series products (entry level Classe series) were manufactured when Classe was still owned by B&W Group. But in Jan 2018 B&W Group sold Classe off to Sound United. Previously B&W Group consisted of B&W speakers, Classe & Rotel but now Classe was sold to Sound United, who now also owns Denon & Marantz. But B&W Group never owned Rotel, they did own Classe until recently.
B&W voiced and tuned their speakers using Rotel & Classe amplifications and electronics. Usually the B&W 800 series Diamond speakers were voiced using Classe amplifiers and electronics whereas the lower end B&W speaker lines (600 & 700 series or CM series) were voiced and tuned using Rotel amplifiers and electronics.
B&W also pair their speakers with either Classe or Rotel at the shows and at dealers as well.