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Rotel RC-1590MKII Stereo Preamplifier

The Rotel RC-1590MKII delivers refined, high-end sound with exceptional flexibility. A premium DAC, balanced XLR connections, MM phono stage and Bluetooth make it a superb centerpiece for both analog and digital music systems.

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$2,699.00

Finish

Black Silver

Condition

New Demo Open Box

Order by 3pm EST and ship same day.

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Rotel RC-1590MKII Stereo Preamplifier — Product Description

Rotel's Reference Preamp, Rebuilt Piece by Piece

Rotel has manufactured its own components, down to winding its own transformers, for over 60 years. The RC-1590MKII is the company's reference stereo preamplifier, and the MKII revision touched nearly everything inside: upgraded parts throughout the audio path, feeding from two in-house toroidal transformers that keep analog and digital sections powered independently. Keeping separate supplies means digital noise never rides into the analog stage, and the result measures distortion below 0.002% with signal-to-noise reaching 117dB.

The digital section is a Texas Instruments premium 32-bit/384kHz DAC with Rotel's custom acoustically tuned output filters. It decodes MQA and MQA Studio up to 24-bit/384kHz, plays 32-bit/384kHz from the PC-USB input, and accepts coaxial and optical sources up to 24-bit/192kHz. The RC-1590MKII is Roon Tested, and Bluetooth with aptX and AAC handles wireless from your phone.

Analog sources get equal respect: balanced XLR and RCA line inputs plus a moving-magnet phono stage with classic 47k-ohm loading for your turntable.

Built to Anchor a Serious System

Outputs cover dual balanced XLR and dual RCA pairs, so biamping or adding a second zone is wiring, not surgery, and a dedicated subwoofer output brings real bass management to a stereo rig. Tone controls offer ±10dB at 100Hz and 10kHz for taming rooms and recordings, and RS232 plus IR codes make the preamp friendly to custom installations.

At 22.3 pounds in Rotel's clean aluminum styling, silver or black, the RC-1590MKII is sized and finished to match the company's RB-series power amplifiers.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Jim Milton of Home Theater HiFi, in a July 19, 2021 review, wrote: "The Rotel RC-1590 MKII is one of the finest sounding preamps I've heard. It delivers high-end sound and build quality at a reasonable price," adding that pairing it with Rotel's matching amplifier "could easily seduce me back to the world of two-channel music again."

Who Is This Preamplifier Best For?

You want reference sound without a reference price — Rotel's in-house engineering keeps value high.
You stream, spin, and play files — MQA decoding, PC-USB, Bluetooth, and MM phono cover every source.
You run a subwoofer — the dedicated subwoofer output is rare among stereo preamps at this level.
You're building a Rotel stack — it matches the RB-series amplifiers in style, size, and character.
If headphones are part of your listening, the RC-1590MKII has no headphone output — Rotel's own DX-3 is built for exactly that.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Connect the balanced XLR or RCA outputs to your power amplifier, with the second pair free for biamping or another zone, and your subwoofer to its dedicated output. The turntable joins the phono input, your computer the PC-USB port, disc players the coaxial or optical inputs, and your phone pairs over Bluetooth. Tone controls stand ready if the room needs help.

One reference hub, every source accounted for.

Pairs Well With

Building around the RC-1590MKII? Here are some great companions:

Turntable: Put the MM phono stage to work — see our Turntables.
Subwoofer: The dedicated output invites one — see our Subwoofers.
Cables: Quality XLR interconnects feed your power amp — see our Interconnect Cables.
Audio Rack: House the growing Rotel stack — see our Audio Racks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What DAC is inside?

A Texas Instruments premium 32-bit/384kHz converter with Rotel's custom acoustically tuned output filter circuits.

Does it support MQA?

Yes, MQA and MQA Studio decoding up to 24-bit/384kHz, and the unit is Roon Tested.

Can I connect a turntable?

Yes. A built-in moving-magnet phono stage with 47k-ohm loading is included; moving-coil cartridges need an external stage.

Does it have Bluetooth?

Yes, with aptX and AAC codecs for better-than-basic wireless sound.

Does it have a subwoofer output?

Yes, a dedicated subwoofer output alongside dual XLR and dual RCA main outputs.

What finishes are available?

Silver or black, matching Rotel's amplifiers and disc players.

See It in Action

Rotel introduces the RC-1590MKII in its official overview:

AV Atmos covers the MKII debut and its component upgrades over the original:

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Flexible Payment Options — Financing available so you can start listening now.

Learn More

Want to learn more about preamplifiers, DACs, or building a separates system? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.

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Features

Reference-quality stereo preamplifier for analog and digital music systems
Premium Texas Instruments 32-bit/384kHz digital-to-analog converter
Dual custom-made toroidal transformers provide separate power for critical analog and digital circuits
Balanced XLR analog inputs and outputs
Moving Magnet phono input for direct turntable connection
Wireless Bluetooth with aptX and AAC support
PC-USB input supports high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/384kHz
Coaxial and optical digital inputs support LPCM up to 24-bit/192kHz
MQA and MQA Studio decoding
Roon Tested certification
Extensive RCA line-level analog connectivity
Dual subwoofer outputs
Front-panel headphone output
Independent analog and digital power supplies help reduce noise and interference
Low-ESR slit-foil capacitors used in the power supply
Upgraded coupling capacitors and critical signal-path components
Exceptionally low noise floor
Wide 10Hz–100kHz analog frequency response
RS232, Ethernet and 12V trigger connections for system integration
Full-function remote control included
Available in Black or Silver

Specifications

Type: Stereo preamplifier/DAC
D/A Converter: Premium Texas Instruments 32-bit/384kHz DAC
Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.002%, 20Hz–20kHz
Intermodulation Distortion: <0.002%
Frequency Response, Line Level: 10Hz–100kHz (+0dB, -0.1dB)
Frequency Response, Digital: 20Hz–20kHz (±0.5dB max.)
Frequency Response, Phono: 20Hz–20kHz (+0.3dB, -0.2dB)
Line Input Sensitivity/Impedance, RCA: 150mV / 100k ohms
Line Input Sensitivity/Impedance, XLR: 250mV / 100k ohms
Phono Input Sensitivity/Impedance: 2.5mV / 47k ohms
Line Output Level, RCA: 1V
Balanced Output Level, XLR: 2V
Signal-to-Noise Ratio, RCA: 117dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio, XLR: 115dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Digital: 108dB
Signal-to-Noise Ratio, Phono: 80dB
Channel Separation, RCA: >85dB
Channel Separation, XLR: >75dB
Tone Controls: ±10dB at 100Hz / 10kHz
Coaxial/Optical Resolution: LPCM up to 24-bit/192kHz
PC-USB: Up to 32-bit/384kHz
Bluetooth: aptX and AAC
MQA: MQA and MQA Studio up to 24-bit/384kHz
Power Requirements: 120V, 60Hz (USA)
Power Consumption: 45 watts
Standby Power Consumption: <0.5 watt
Dimensions (W x H x D): 17" x 5.7" x 13.7"
Weight: 22.27 lbs. (10.1kg)
Finishes: Black or Silver

Thumbs Up Award - Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity

"The Rotel RC-1590 MKII is one of the finest sounding preamps I’ve heard. It delivers high-end sound and build quality at a reasonable price."

"The preamp delivered some of the sweetest stereo listening I’ve heard in some time. I never heard the original RC-1590 preamp, but the MkII is well designed and sounds fantastic. I am a big proponent of surround music, but the Rotel RC-1590 MkII and RB-1590 combo could easily seduce me back to the world of two-channel music again."

- Jim Milton, Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, July 19, 2021

"Rotel’s new preamp and power amp combo, the RB-1590 and RC-1590, offer up very impressive specifications for a modest asking price. In particular, the RC-1590 preamp is loaded with features most every sub-$2000 preamp could only dream of. The RB-1590 amplifier offers 350WPC of class AB power for $3000. But, as we all know, features and specifications are worth only the paper they’re printed on.

"What matters is how the components perform in the listening room. After spending some time with the RB and RC 1590, I was very impressed."

"The RB-1590 power amp has lots of power capable of controlling virtually any loudspeaker, while still being able to deliver a subtle, detailed presentation. The soundstaging performance of the pair was excellent, amongst the best I’ve heard in my room with my loudspeakers. I would not hesitate to recommend this combo for anyone looking to spend about $5000 on a complete set of stereo audio electronics."

- Chris Groppi, Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity, January 27, 2016, joint review of RB-190 amp and RC-1590 preamp

"The Rotel RC-1590 preamplifier and RB-1590 amplifier are an impressive duo. The more time I spent with them, the more I grew to love them. The RC-1590 has a comprehensive set of modern inputs, supporting digital sources of both the wired and wireless variety. I could easily grab my MacBook Pro, log into Tidal, and instantly enjoy an incredible array of music. Streaming from my iPhone via Bluetooth was flashy and fun to demonstrate to friends. It's like having a Jukebox in your hand. All of this input flexibility and convenience, combined with the duo's excellent performance, comes with a price tag that's tough to beat. I learned quite a bit about Rotel during this review, and all I can say is that the company has made a fan out of me."

- Greg Handy, hometheaterreview.com, March 14, 2016, joint review of RB-190 amp and RC-1590 preamp

"The Rotel RC-1590MKII excels sonically in several ways, including providing an expansive, rock solid soundstage, a detailed-yet-smooth presentation in the midrange and upper frequencies, and dynamic bass that is precise and well-controlled. The Rotel RC-1590MKII has an extremely low noise floor and maintains its expansive soundstage even at very low listening levels."

"The combination of the Rotel RC-1590MKII preamplifier with the B&W loudspeakers was a terrific match, sonically speaking. Based on its performance characteristics, I would anticipate the Rotel RC-1590MKII preamplifier would be a great match with most loudspeakers. The robust feature set provided by the Rotel RC-1590MKII should meet the needs of most enthusiasts in the market for a stereo preamplifier/DAC and, at its price point, it represents a tremendous value to boot."

- Bob Barrett, hometheaterreview.com, July 20, 2021

"When it comes to the RB-1590, I'm skeptical that it's possible to make an amp that sounds significantly more transparent than it already is. In the grand scheme of things, it's neither the cheapest nor the most expensive option out there for a 350 W/channel stereo amp, but the impression it gives is that you are getting a lot of value for your money."

"The preamp features truly ruler-flat frequency response and microscopic levels of distortion, meaning that it just gets out of the way of the music. The simple operation and stereo-purist feature set are not necessarily going to thrill DSP addicts used to the digital bells and whistles of AVRs and pre/pros, but 2-channel audio aficionados should find much to like in the way the RC-1590 goes about its business."

"Ultimately, the Rotel RB-1590 amp and RC-1590 preamp combination creates a killer 2-channel rig that gives you the power and the precision needed to get the most out of a great pair of speakers, so you can enjoy the music. Of that, I am certain."

- imagic, avsforums.com, February , 2016, joint review of RB-1590 amp and RC-1590 preamp

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