Rotel A8 Integrated Amplifier

Compact, Well-Built, and Ready for Vinyl

The Rotel A8 Integrated Amplifier is a compact hi-fi amplifier built to give you real power and a proper phono stage without a large footprint. It delivers 40 watts per channel of Class A/B power into 4 ohms from a high-current toroidal transformer designed by Rotel, and it includes a moving magnet phono stage so you can connect a turntable directly. Bass, treble and balance controls, plus an included remote, round out an amplifier made for everyday listening.

Why You'll Love It

• Genuine hi-fi power. A high-current toroidal transformer feeds high-efficiency output transistors to deliver 40 watts per channel into 4 ohms, with deep, controlled bass at any listening level.
• A phono stage built in. The moving magnet phono stage lets you plug a turntable straight in, alongside three line-level RCA inputs for your other analog sources.
• Hands-on tone control. Front panel bass, treble and balance controls, plus a 1/8" headphone jack for private listening, put the sound in your hands.

Under the Hood

• Toroidal power supply. Rotel builds the A8 around its own high-current toroidal power transformer, which gives the amplifier its composure when the music gets demanding.
• Secure speaker connections. Rear-panel 5-way binding posts accept a range of speaker cable terminations for a solid, flexible connection to your loudspeakers.
• Full remote and a personal touch. The included IR remote handles volume and input selection and adds CD transport control for Rotel CD players, while the front LED volume indicator can be set to red, green, blue or purple.

CHT Insider Verdict

The A8 is a sensible, well-made integrated amplifier for anyone building a first proper hi-fi system or adding a compact amp to a second room. The built-in moving magnet phono stage is the standout at this price, since it means a turntable and a pair of speakers are all you need to get started.

Pro Tip: If you are running a moving magnet turntable, connect it to the dedicated phono input rather than a line input. The phono stage adds the correct gain and RIAA equalisation, so your records play at the right volume and with the correct tonal balance.