The Rotel S14 Built-in Community Streamer is coming quickly
Rotel has taken the wraps off its first high-resolution community audio system: The Rotel S14 Built-in Streamer. The phrase “built-in” means this digital participant has an built-in amplifier, so all it is advisable to add are loudspeakers.
The S14 incorporates a 32-bit ESS Sabre digital-to-analog converter, and it helps a number of music-streaming companies, together with Spotify. Most consumers, nevertheless, will doubtless be Qobuz or Tidal clients—and the S14 helps each MQA and MQA Studio for subscribers to the latter service.
You can too play high-res music information from an area server (through wired ethernet or dual-band Wi-Fi); a private laptop (through its USB Kind B port); a USB thumb drive (through a rear-mounted USB-A port, with help for AAC, WMA, and MP3 information); or a smartphone or moveable digital audio participant (through Bluetooth, with help for each the aptX HD and AAC codecs). Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast compatibility add much more flexibility. The Rotel S14 can also be licensed Roon Prepared, which shall be of curiosity to anybody utilizing that high-end music software program.
A toroidal energy transformer and an ESS Sabre DAC or simply two of the high-end options in Rotel’s S14 Built-in Community Streamer.
Rotel
Rotel’s streamer can also be outfitted with a coaxial digital audio enter to help CD gamers, analog stereo inputs for old-school cassette decks or turntables with line-level outputs (or a turntable linked to phono stage), and pre-amp outputs if you happen to’d favor to attach it to a distinct amplifier. There’s additionally an output for an non-compulsory subwoofer.
Rotel’s app for Android and iOS expands your alternative of music sources to web radio and podcasts. A full-color show on the entrance panel reveals album artwork, artist, in addition to album and music titles for the present choice.
The Rotel S14 Built-in Community Streamer can accommodate nearly any analog or digital supply. Connecting it to your community expands your decisions even additional.
Rotel
In contrast to many community streaming gadgets, that are designed as elements in a house audio system, the Rotel S14 Built-in Community Streamer delivers as much as 150 Watts of Class AB energy at 4 ohms, so it could actually instantly energy a big selection of loudspeakers linked to its 5-way binding posts. There’s additionally a 3.5mm headphone jack on the entrance panel.
The S14 Built-in Community Streamer actually appears to be like promising on paper: A contemporary all-in-one receiver with streaming at its coronary heart and the pliability to help any audio supply you may wish to connect with it.
Whereas its $2,500 price ticket makes it costlier than a few of its competitors, together with the $1,299 Cambridge Audio CXN (V2), buyers ought to take into consideration that Rotel’s product has an built-in Class AB amplifier with sufficient energy to drive something however probably the most demanding loudspeakers.
We’ve requested for a pattern and hope to publish an in-depth assessment within the coming weeks.
Up to date on December 5, 2022 so as to add details about the Rotel S14 being licensed Roon Prepared and to report that the front-panel headphone jack is 3.5mm.
