{"product_id":"rotel-a12mkii-integrated-amplifier","title":"Rotel A12MKII Integrated Amplifier","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"max-width:720px;margin:0 auto;padding:32px 24px 48px 24px;background:#ffffff;\"\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:0 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eSixty Watts, a 32-Bit DAC, and Real Headroom Behind It\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe A12MKII sits in the middle of Rotel's 14 Series. It is rated 60 watts per channel continuously into 8 ohms, and Rotel publishes an FTC figure of 75 watts. Into 4 ohms it will deliver 120 watts on peaks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThat gap between the continuous and peak numbers is the point. Reviewer Douglas Moore traced it to the parts: \"the A12 MKII has a larger toroidal transformer and stiffening capacitors that allow it to handle these musical peaks.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eFour Ways In, Including Your Computer\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eA Texas Instruments 32-bit converter handles the digital side. Coaxial and optical inputs accept SPDIF to 24-bit and 192kHz. PC-USB runs 24-bit 96kHz in Class 1, or 32-bit 384kHz in Class 2 once you install a driver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe amplifier is certified Roon Tested over that USB input. A socket on the front takes an iPhone, iPad or iPod directly for playback, and the device stays awake so you keep control in your hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eTwo Gaps Worth Knowing Before You Choose\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThe A12MKII does not decode MQA. If you subscribe to Tidal and want MQA unfolded in the amplifier, that is the reason to look at the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/products\/rotel-a14-mkii-integrated-amplifier-black\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eA14MKII\u003c\/a\u003e instead. Everything else about the digital section is the same.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eIts Bluetooth also supports aptX only. Oddly, the cheaper \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/products\/rotel-a11-mkii-integrated-amplifier-black\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eA11MKII\u003c\/a\u003e supports aptX HD and AAC, and the A14MKII adds AAC too. On codecs alone the A12MKII is the weakest of the three, which is worth knowing if you stream from a phone often.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eNeither gap touches the analog side, and neither affects wired digital sources at all. Both matter only if MQA or Bluetooth quality is central to the way you actually listen day to day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eThe Analog Side and the Panels\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eFour RCA line inputs take your analog sources. A moving-magnet phono input sits with them at 3.4mV sensitivity and 50mV of overload margin, with a ground post beside it for the turntable earth wire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eDistortion measures under 0.018% and the damping factor is 220 — the same figures as the dearer A14MKII. Line signal-to-noise is 100dB, the digital section reaches 103dB, and phono manages 90dB. Those are strong figures for the money.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eSpeaker terminals come in two sets, A and B, selected from the front panel or the remote. A 1.2-volt preamp output feeds a power amplifier. Tone controls give 10dB either way, and a bypass takes them out of the signal path entirely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eHeadphones use a 3.5mm jack on the front, and plugging them in does not mute the speakers. Rotel's manual says to switch the speakers off with the A-B selector. A 12V trigger works as an input or an output, and HT bypass configures it automatically.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhat Reviewers Are Saying\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eIan White reviewed it for \u003cem\u003eecoustics\u003c\/em\u003e in February 2022 and described \"a very clean presentation with just enough warmth to work well with a wide variety of speakers,\" adding that it \"presents music with very black backgrounds.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eDouglas Moore reviewed it for \u003cem\u003eThe Sound Advocate\u003c\/em\u003e in May 2022. Despite the 60-watt rating he found \"a huge amount of dynamic headroom,\" and heard the amplifier \"delve into the music with a punch way above its level.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWho Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cul style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;padding-left:1.4em;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYour computer is a main source\u003c\/strong\u003e — PC-USB reaches 32-bit 384kHz and the amplifier is Roon Tested over it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou want headroom rather than a big number\u003c\/strong\u003e — 60 watts continuous, 120 into 4 ohms on peaks, from a larger transformer than the models below.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYou run two pairs of speakers\u003c\/strong\u003e — A and B terminals with a front-panel selector, which the A10MKII and A11MKII do not offer.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe television is part of the system\u003c\/strong\u003e — HT bypass with a configurable 12V trigger hands control to a processor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIf you need MQA, a subwoofer output, or the best Bluetooth, look across the range\u003c\/strong\u003e — the A14MKII adds MQA, the A11MKII has better codecs, and no A-series Rotel has a sub output. The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/products\/rotel-ra-1572mkii-integrated-amplifier-black\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eRA-1572MKII\u003c\/a\u003e has two.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eHow Does It Connect to Your System?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eSpeakers go to the A terminals, a second pair to B. A turntable goes to phono with its ground wire on the post alongside. Four more analog sources fill the line inputs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eA computer connects over PC-USB, and a television or disc player over optical or coaxial. Pair a phone over Bluetooth, or plug an iPhone into the front USB socket. Headphones use the front jack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eJoining a home theater is a menu setting. Turn on HT BYPASS, run a minijack from the processor to the 12V trigger, and set the fixed volume once. After that the processor powers the amplifier and drives it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003ePairs Well With\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eBuilding around the A12MKII? Here are some good companions:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;padding-left:1.4em;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpeakers:\u003c\/strong\u003e Reviewers had best results with capable standmounts — see our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/bookshelf-speakers\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eBookshelf Speakers\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTurntable:\u003c\/strong\u003e The moving-magnet phono stage is built in — see our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/turntables\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eTurntables\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCD player:\u003c\/strong\u003e Coaxial and optical are both free — see our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/cd-players-and-transports\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eCD Players\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpeaker cable:\u003c\/strong\u003e Two sets of terminals to feed — see our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/collections\/speaker-cables\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eSpeaker Cables\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eHow much power does the A12MKII deliver?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003e60 watts per channel continuously into 8 ohms, with 120 watts per channel into 4 ohms at maximum. Rotel also publishes an FTC rating of 75 watts into 8 ohms.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eDoes it decode MQA?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eMQA decoding is the main thing the A14MKII adds over this model. Everything else in the digital section, including the 32-bit DAC and Roon Tested certification, is the same.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhich Bluetooth codecs does it support?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eaptX only. The less expensive A11MKII supports aptX HD and AAC, and the A14MKII adds AAC, so the A12MKII is the most limited of the three for Bluetooth listening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eIs there a subwoofer output?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eThere is a 1.2-volt preamp output that can feed a power amplifier, but no dedicated subwoofer output. No amplifier in Rotel's A-series has one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eCan I connect a turntable directly?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eYes, if the cartridge is moving magnet, at 3.4mV sensitivity with a ground post beside the input. Moving-coil cartridges need an outboard phono stage feeding a line input. Douglas Moore rated the built-in stage below a separate iFi Zen Phono, so a dedicated unit still buys you something.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3 style=\"font-size:1.05em;margin:0.9em 0 0.25em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eIs it covered by a warranty?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eYes. Rotel covers its integrated amplifiers in North America for five years, parts and labor. Coverage requires purchase from an authorized Rotel dealer and online registration within 30 days.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eSee It in Action\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.5em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eA hands-on look at the A12MKII in a real system:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/du6hFMVioUk\" title=\"Your Music and Movies will sound Great with the Rotel A12 mk2 Integrated Amplifier! A Hifi Review\" style=\"border:0;margin:0 0 0.9em 0;display:block;\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eWhy Audio Advisor?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cul style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;padding-left:1.4em;line-height:1.6;\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e40+ Years of Expertise — Since 1981, we've helped over a million music lovers find the right gear.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e60-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Take your time. Listen, enjoy, and make sure it's right for you.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReal Experts, Real Help — Our team is here to answer your questions at 800-942-0220, weekdays 9am–6pm EST.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree Shipping — On orders over $49, delivered to your door.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlexible Payment Options — Financing available so you can start listening now.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2 style=\"font-size:1.25em;margin:1.4em 0 0.35em 0;font-weight:600;\"\u003eLearn More\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp style=\"margin:0 0 0.9em 0;line-height:1.55;\"\u003eWant to learn more about integrated amplifiers, Bluetooth codecs, or connecting a computer to your system? Visit our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/learningcenter.audioadvisor.com\/\" style=\"color:#8a5a2b;\"\u003eLearning Center\u003c\/a\u003e for guides, tips, and expert advice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"ROTEL","offers":[{"title":"Black \/ New","offer_id":45981511286957,"sku":"NEW-ROA12M2-BLK","price":1399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Silver \/ New","offer_id":45981757964461,"sku":"NEW-ROA12M2-SIL","price":1399.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/3708\/1773\/files\/ROA12M2_BLK_01-Large__15438.1724810320.1280.1280_efb444ea-65ab-4142-9df4-478289371a84.jpg?v=1778120546","url":"https:\/\/www.audioadvisor.com\/products\/rotel-a12mkii-integrated-amplifier","provider":"Audio Advisor","version":"1.0","type":"link"}