6
RB-1552 / RB-1582 Stereo Power Amplifier
About Rotel
Our story began nearly 50 years ago. Over the decades, we have
received hundreds of awards for our products and satisfied hundreds
of thousands of people who take their entertainment seriously – like
you!
Rotel was founded by a family whose passionate interest in music
led them to manufacture high-fidelity components of uncompromising
quality. Through the years, that passion has remained undiminished
and the family goal of providing exceptional value for audiophiles
and music lovers, regardless of their budget, is shared by all Rotel
employees.
Rotel’s engineers work as a close team, listening to, and fine tuning,
each new product until it reaches their exacting musical standards.
They are free to choose components from around the world in order to
make that product the best they can. You are likely to find capacitors
from the United Kingdom and Germany, semiconductors from Japan or
the United States, while toroidal power transformers are manufactured
in Rotel’s own factory.
We all have concerns about our environment. And, as more and more
electronics are produced and later discarded, it is especially important
for a manufacturer to do all it can to engineer products that have a
minimum negative impact on landfill sites and water tables.
At Rotel, we are proud to do our part. We have reduced the lead
content in our electronics by using special ROHS solder, while our new
Class D (not digital) amplifiers are up to five times more efficient than
our legacy designs and still deliver power and performance. These
products run cool, give minimum wasted energy, are good for the
environment and give better sound too.
Finally, we have printed this brochure on recycled paper stock.
While we understand that these are small first steps, they are still
important ones. And we continue to pursue new methods and
materials for a cleaner and greener manufacturing process.
All of us at Rotel thank you for buying this product. We are sure it will
bring you many years of enjoyment.
A Word About Watts
The RB-1552 power output is quoted as 130 watts for each channel,
and the RB-1582 power output is quoted as 200 watts for each
channel, when both channels are operating together at full power.
Rotel has chosen to specify the power output in this way because, in
Rotel’s experience, it gives the truest value of the receiver or amplifier’s
power capability.
When comparing specifications for different products, you should be
aware that power output is often specified in other ways, so you may
not be comparing like with like.
For example, the power output may be quoted with only one channel
operating, giving a higher maximum figure. The high performance
power supplies of the Rotel amplifiers ensure that they will produce the
full specified power output to one or both channels.
A loudspeaker’s impedance rating indicates the electrical resistance
or load it offers when connected to the amplifier, usually 8 ohms or
4 ohms. The lower the impedance, the more power the speaker will
need. In effect, a 4 ohm speaker will require twice as much power as
an 8 ohm speaker.
So ideally, the amplifier should be give double the power into a 4 ohm
load – a rating of 100 watts into an 8 ohm load should become 200
watts into 4 ohms. Using lower impedance speakers makes greater
demands on the amplifier’s power supply, because it will be drawing
more current and giving off more heat.
However, Rotel amplifiers are designed to work into any speaker
impedance between 8 and 4 ohms, and with all the channels working
up to their full power. Because the Rotel design is optimized for use
with all channels operating together, Rotel is able to specify the true
power output for both channels.
This can be important for your enjoyment, too. When watching
movies, it’s nice to have the amplifier able to reproduce full power into
all the channels at the same time, especially in the case of a volcano
exploding!
Contents
Important Safety Instructions .......................................2
Figure 1: Controls and Connections 3
Figure 2: Preamp Input and Speaker Output Connections 4
Important Notes 5
About Rotel ....................................................6
A Word About Watts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
A Few Precautions 7
Placement 7
AC Power and Control ............................................7
AC Power Input
7
7
Power Switch and Power Indicator
1
7
Trigger ON/OFF Mode Selector
3
7
12V Trigger Input and Output
4
8
Protection Circuitry
2
8
Input Signal Connections
5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Speaker Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Speaker Selection 8
Speaker Wire Selection 8
Polarity and Phasing 8
Speaker Connection
6
8
Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Front Panel Power Indicator Is Not Lit 9
Fuse Replacement
8
9
No Sound 9
Protection Indicator Is Lit 9
Specifications ...................................................9