Rotel A14 MKII Integrated Amplifier - Black

The Top of Rotel's 14 Series, With MQA and Roon

The A14MKII sits at the top of Rotel's 14 Series. It delivers 80 watts per channel continuously into 8 ohms from a Class AB stage, and 150 watts into 4 ohms at peak. Rotel also publishes an FTC figure of 92 watts into 8 ohms.

Two things separate it from the A12MKII below. It decodes MQA and MQA Studio up to 24-bit and 384kHz. And it is certified Roon Tested over its PC-USB input, so Roon treats it as a known device.

Every Way to Get Digital Audio In

A Texas Instruments 32-bit converter sits behind all of it. Coaxial and optical inputs take SPDIF to 24-bit and 192kHz. PC-USB runs at 24-bit 96kHz in Class 1, or 32-bit 384kHz in Class 2 once a driver is installed.

Bluetooth covers aptX and AAC. A USB socket on the front takes an iPhone, iPad or iPod directly, and the device stays awake so you keep skipping tracks from your hand rather than the front panel.

The Analog Side and the Panels

Distortion measures under 0.018% and the damping factor is 220. Line-level signal-to-noise is 100dB, the digital section reaches 103dB, and phono manages 90dB. Frequency response runs 10Hz to 100kHz. Those are the best figures anywhere in the 14 Series.

Four RCA line inputs handle your analog sources. A moving-magnet phono input joins them at 3.4mV sensitivity with 50mV of overload margin, and it has its own ground post for the turntable earth.

Speaker terminals come in two sets, A and B, chosen from the front panel or the remote. A preamp output feeds a power amplifier if you outgrow the 80 watts. Bass and treble adjust by up to 10dB, and there is a bypass to take them out of circuit. Hughes found the amplifier sounds cleaner that way.

One detail worth knowing: plugging in headphones does not mute the speakers. Rotel's manual tells you to switch them off with the A-B selector instead. The headphone jack itself is a 3.5mm mini.

Home Theater Bypass and Triggers

The 12V trigger can be configured as an input or an output. Enable HT BYPASS in the setup menu and it becomes an input automatically, so a processor powers the amplifier on and drives it at a fixed volume.

That makes the A14MKII workable as the two-channel half of an AV system. Idle draw is under half a watt in standby, and the chassis measures 17 inches wide by 3.6 high and 13.5 deep at just under 20 pounds.

What Reviewers Are Saying

James Michael Hughes gave the A14MKII a StereoNET Applause Award in November 2021, scoring it 8 out of 10. He heard "a crisp, engaging and enjoyable listen — one that's on the warm and sweet side of neutral."

Ian White reviewed it for ecoustics in September 2021 and found "a much more authoritative presentation" with a "greater sense of scale, wider and deeper soundstage" than the amplifiers he compared it against.

Hughes names two practical limits. The phono stage "is moving magnet only, and some may find that limiting", so a moving coil cartridge needs a step-up transformer or an outboard stage. He also wanted a control Rotel left out: "I'd also have liked a stereo/mono button".

One practical warning from Hughes is worth repeating. "A very highly modulated CD can cause the input of the A14 Mk II to clip on peaks." He traced it to sources whose output runs above the standard 2 volts, so check your CD player's output level if you hear hardness on loud passages.

Who Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?

• You subscribe to Tidal and care about MQA — full MQA and MQA Studio decoding to 24-bit 384kHz, which the A12MKII does not offer.
• You run Roon — Roon Tested certification over PC-USB, so the amplifier is a known quantity to the software.
• Your computer is a main source — PC-USB reaches 32-bit 384kHz, well beyond what optical or coaxial allow.
• The television is part of the system — HT bypass with a configurable 12V trigger lets a processor take over cleanly.
• If you need a subwoofer output or moving coil, look elsewhere in the range — no A-series Rotel has a sub output, and the phono stage is moving magnet only. The RA-1572MKII adds two sub outputs, or add a phono preamplifier for a moving-coil cartridge.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Speakers go to the A terminals, a second pair to B. A turntable goes to phono with its ground wire on the post beside it. Four more analog sources fill the RCA line inputs.

A computer connects over PC-USB, and a disc player or television over coaxial or optical. Pair a phone over Bluetooth, or plug an iPhone straight into the front USB socket. Headphones use the 3.5mm jack.

If the amplifier joins a home theater, turn on HT BYPASS in the setup menu and run a minijack from your processor to the 12V trigger. Set the bypass volume once and the processor handles the rest.

Pairs Well With

Building around the A14MKII? Here are some good companions:

• Speakers: 80 watts drives a capable standmount or a modest floorstander — see our Bookshelf Speakers.
• Turntable: The moving-magnet stage is built in — see our Turntables.
• CD player: Coaxial and optical are both waiting — see our CD Players.
• Headphones: There is a 3.5mm jack on the front — see our Headphones.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much power does the A14MKII deliver?

80 watts per channel continuously into 8 ohms and 150 watts into 4 ohms at maximum, from a Class AB output stage. Rotel's FTC rating is 92 watts into 8 ohms.

Does it decode MQA?

Yes. MQA and MQA Studio both decode, up to 24-bit 384kHz. This is the main difference between the A14MKII and the A12MKII, which does not support MQA.

Is there a subwoofer output?

There is a preamp output, which can feed a power amplifier, but no dedicated subwoofer output. No amplifier in Rotel's A-series has one.

Will the phono stage take a moving-coil cartridge?

Moving magnet only, at 3.4mV sensitivity. Both reviewers we quote flag this. A moving-coil cartridge needs an outboard phono preamplifier feeding one of the line inputs.

Can it drive two pairs of speakers?

Yes. There are two sets of terminals with an A/B selector on the front panel and the remote. The same selector is how you mute the speakers when using headphones.

Is it covered by a warranty?

Yes. 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.

See It in Action

Taps Das reviews the A14MKII and compares it with Rotel's dearer Michi line:

Rotel's own walkthrough of the amplifier:

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