CD-player Rotel RCD-02
Japanese company Rotel has perhaps the most non-Japanese image. And in regard to engineering philosophy, and that affects the production and marketing of audio, this reputable company is very close to the British school. It does not seek to surprise variety of functions, elegant finish or high-tech know-how. Everything is subject to a simple principle: the buyer must first of all offer vehicles with the highest quality sound in this price category. And so then in the list - all the rest.
What do we do? And the fact that the RCD-02, even in the value system looks Rotel exception. This device is made in a minimalist manner. Nezateyliv slim body, but durable. On the front panel, high quality painted in silver, there is only the basic controls - not even a jack for stereo headphones (this function is generally not provided). Facial relief serves only "jaw" Transport, located in the center, and the "eye" of a small, but bright enough and informative display. Remote control, by the way, is quite comfortable - not too rich in various service commands: button control the basic functions of the buttons are complemented programming, random play and repeat modes and incorporating a dozen buttons direct track selection.
RCD-02 turning to his back panel, we saw another clear sign of the economy. Linear and coaxial outputs are, and optical provided. And it is - in the unit cost over $ 500! In fact, minimalism.
Then what should be at the RCD-02 inside to this player's price? Read: advanced engine "OverScan" (explaining what is meant by this term, we herein have not been found), toroidal transformer with low electromagnetic interference, special buffer capacitors in all food chains, again "minimalist" analog output section discrete elements of high quality and, finally, the digital path to the converter Burr-Brown PCM1732 co regular digital filter and decoder HDCD. By the way, Rotel indicate in their documentation as this chip 18-bit, although the latter has a 24-bit architecture. And rightly so - what's the point to classify DAC bit conversion when his conversion error is somewhat lower bits?
Mindful of how a stir in the test to reproduce the weakest signals previous member of our tests, we immediately charged into the RCD-02 disk Silence Technology and started listening to the twentieth track. Whether there are differences, if the same DACs? Found: Handling Noise Shaping, as we thought, less profound, but digital "z -z - z" - which is natural - more pronounced.
Do not jump to conclusions, and RCD-02's run through the other tests. For example, a clarinet, which is generally so hard given all compact disc technology, in this player sounded clear and natural . Xylophone - organically. Japanese drum - a lot of energy.
Now includes tracks on which you can evaluate the tone and musical balance. Go to first claim does not arise, but the second ... RCD-02 reveals good harmonic structure and nuance, but clearly better than it does in the bass- voice register. Because of this, a little copper tarnish Violin "woody" and flute barely make their way out of the soundstage. But there is a magnificent drive, vocals becomes alive and crescendo in the code of the classical works are not just takes the soul and shakes physically from head to toe.
Yes, all the charm of RCD-02 is unlikely to be able to appreciate those who will use the system with the player, not able to implement in at least one hundred decibels of sound pressure. Here the dynamics of the special rate. How , by the way, and the sound stage, which in RCD-02 can serve as a model unless focus of, then certainly stability.
But the detail is still quite conventional. And it is likely for the same reason that was revealed in the first test - from the inability to RCD- 02 "whisper".
