Did a Heritage Japanese Hi-Fi Brand Make the Perfect Entry-Level Amp?

The all-analog Rotel A8 feels like a throwback to traditional hi-fi systems of the past.

Published February 4, 2025

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Rotel is a revered Japanese hi-fi manufacturer with a history dating back more than 60 years. It’s best known for its high-end amplifiers that are designed for audiophiles with pretty deep pockets. These days, the company makes a wide variety of them.

However, one of its newest amplifiers, the Rotel A8, stands out from the rest. Not only is it the most affordable amplifier the brand sells, but because it lacks any wireless streaming tech or fancy features, it feels decidedly old school — like a throwback to traditional amps of the past.

Meet the Rotel A8

A turntable partner

The Rotel A8 is a stereo “integrated amplifier.” This term is, admittedly, a bit ambiguous today, meaning different things to different people.

More traditional hi-fi enthusiasts will tell you an integrated amplifier simply combines a power amplifier and a preamplifier into one unit, with various inputs for connecting sources. More modern integrated amplifiers also have a dedicated phono preamplifier, allowing for easy turntable connectivity.

The Rotel A8 sits in the latter category. It has a built-in phono preamp that supports moving magnet (MM) cartridges. This makes it a great partner for most of today’s entry-level turntables.

Powering bookshelf speakers

The Rotel A8 is no slouch. The stereo integrated amplifier has Class AB amplification and can deliver 30 watts (into 8 ohms) or 40 watts (into 4 ohms) per channel. This makes it compatible with a wide variety of passive loudspeakers, including most bookshelf speakers.

I paired the Rotel A8 with my Q Acoustics 3020, which are entry-level bookshelf speakers — when released in 2015, they cost around $300 — and it drove them wonderfully. I’m no audiophile, but to me the sound was dynamic with a wide soundstage.

I did not test the amp on other loudspeakers, but according to reviews on other sites, including What Hi-Fi?, the A8 had no problem driving high-end bookshelf and standmount loudspeakers, including the KEF LS50 Meta ($1,600).

All-analog hi-fi

In today’s hi-fi space, most integrated components also offer a wide range of wireless streaming capabilities. The rise of wireless active loudspeakers and streaming amps supports this movement. However, the Rotel A8 bucks that trend by being an all-analog amplifier.

Unlike most modern components, the A8 lacks streaming capabilities, whether over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The amp has three RCA line-level stereo inputs for connecting various sources and a phono input for connecting a turntable.

Separate sources

The Rotel A8 integrated amplifier gives you the flexibility to build a hi-fi system in various ways. You can add Bluetooth or Wi-Fi streaming to the A8 with separate components if you have the necessary pieces.

For most of my testing, I connected several sources to the A8. My Pro-Ject T1 turntable was connected to the phono input. The Wiim Pro, which added Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2 streaming capabilities, was connected to the tuner input. A portable hi-fi player that holds hundreds of CDs was connected to the AUX input.

Note: The Rotel A8 lacks a built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC), so connected music players must use their own.

Vinyl flexibility

If you have a turntable with its own built-in phono preamp or you use an external one, fear not. You can bypass the A8’s built-in phono preamp by using the AUX input, allowing you to build your vinyl setup how you want.

I played around with using my go-to external phono preamp, Schiit Audio’s Mani ($149), but I honestly couldn’t tell much of a difference. Again, I’m no audiophile, but my vinyl sounded warm, wide and wonderfully imperfect, no matter which phono preamp I was using.

Still, separate components tend to sound better. So, if you have a higher-end turntable and phono preamp (and a more discerning ear) than I do, you might be able to tell more of a difference.

Analog feels

If you couldn’t tell from the images, the Rotel A8 is a substantial piece of hardware. It has an entirely metal body and weighs nearly 13 pounds.

The various EQ and volume knobs have a wonderfully sturdy tactile feel. And the buttons for power and switching input make a satisfying click sound every time you press them.

The only thing that feels slightly modern about the Rotel A8 is its integrated LED lights, the most prominent of which circle the volume dial. (You can change the color of the lights, although it’s not that intuitive as you have to long-press various input buttons.)

An amp with few peers

As mentioned above, the Rotel A8 is the company’s most affordable amplifier — it costs $450. This isn’t cheap by any means, but in the realm of all-analog integrated amplifiers, you won’t find all that much else out there in this sub-$500 price range.

For those looking for similarly priced alternatives capable of driving bookshelf speakers, the standout is Cambridge Audio’s AXA35 ($399), which has been around for several years.

It’s similarly powered and has a built-in phono preamp (without any wireless streaming capabilities), but it has a more modern look thanks to the built-in LED display.

A old-school starter amp

The Rotel A8 is an integrated amplifier that’s designed for a specific type of person: somebody who wants to build an affordable hi-fi system with a traditional feel.

It’s an amplifier that pairs well with many turntables and passive loudspeakers. You can also add a music streamer to give it Bluetooth or Wi-Fi streaming capabilities. And at $450, it’s one of the most affordable all-analog stereo amps you can buy.

The Rotel A8 is available now in two finishes: silver (shown) or black. It was released this past fall.