More cheap Tat , Rotel RX 603 Receiver

[Audio Al]

Well what can I say other than

Purchased this via Jerry at the HiFi WW show at Kegworth for the Dogs Trust

, just fancied a punt as it was £40

Arrived home with it and the following day decide to fire up the old girl / boy ? thing .

Well my gob was smacked well and truly , Jerry had said he did not know if it worked fully as he had only used it with headphones .

I connected up a Marantz CD 6002 and connected via the AUX into the Rotel as it does not have a CD in , Not sure If CD was around then

The spec >

Specifications
Tuning range: FM, MW

Power output: 45 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)

Frequency response: 5Hz to 60kHz

Total harmonic distortion: 0.3%

Damping factor: 35

Input sensitivity: 2.4mV (MM), 150mV (DIN), 150mV (line)

Signal to noise ratio: 75dB (MM), 90dB (line)

Output: 330mV (line), 100mV (DIN), 0.9V (Pre out)

Dimensions: 490 x 145 x 380mm

Weight: 10kg

Year: 1977

The nearest speakers available downstairs were my Focal Electra 927 BE ( 25th Anniversary LTD edition ) It sounds great

http://www.audioreview.com/product/s...ra-927-be.html

I then dug out my Kenwood KP 5022A
https://www.vinylengine.com/library/.../kp-5022.shtml

And the phono stage work a treat ,

Next onto my Marantz 5020 Cassette player through the tape in and BINGO that works as well
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_li...ntz/5020.shtml

All I need now is a half decent set top AM /FM ariel to try out the Tuner .

This is astonashingly good value for £40 , so People dont wright off old pishanto , give it a try and be pleasenly surprised

So far I have ordered and now fitted 5 new LED blue bulbs as 3 of the std ones were blown , Std bulbs £4 each = £20 or 8 LES bulbs from Bulgaria for £12 , Bulgaria wone

Inside


Outside showing the new blue LED lights


Looks better in real life as the camera cant cope the the brightness variation .

[jandl100]

Blue LED lights?
Hmm, I'm not sure if that is sacrilege or not!

It used to be a tasteful yellow.

But good to hear that it and my old Marantz cassette deck are performing well and being well and truly appreciated.

Now you need to sort out the Marantz quad receiver you got from me.

[Audio Al]

Blue LED lights?
Hmm, I'm not sure if that is sacrilege or not!

It used to be a tasteful yellow.

But good to hear that it and my old Marantz cassette deck are performing well and being well and truly appreciated.

Now you need to sort out the Marantz quad receiver you got from me.

It is with Alan ( Firebottle ) Who has simulated the problem , now to try and find whats causing it

[Audio Al]

I found a aerial that I purchased years ago

https://www.amazon.co.uk/electrosmar...=fsclp_pl_dp_8

And the tuner works , another result

[Macca]

That's from the era when Rotel were really a cut above. There's an integrated amp from the same range that is also really good.

[spendorman]

I still have a Rotel RT222 FM/AM tuner, very budget end, but it's performance seemed no different to my Quad FM3.

[Audio Al]

Martin , I am really surprised how good this is with the Focal's , I have always been a bit Meh with them as to my ears they were what I call a bright speaker over sharp on the treble and a bit lacking in bass , But Hell no not with this Rotel , Realistic treble ( Not ear bleeding ) and bass by the bucket load , floor shaking , it also has a loud button and yes it ups everything and a intresing " High Filter button " that can further tame brightness if desired

Am I happy , you bet I am

[jandl100]

Those 70s Japanese high-end amps often tended to be a bit on the warm side ime.
I had a Rotel RA-1412 amp (a bit of a monster) and the Marantz quad receiver were similar in that regard. All had a bit of a Golden Glow about them.
In the 1412's case it was the pre-amp section that warmed the tone up a bit - you could separate the pre and power sections with the rear connections - the power amp was a more neutral beast.

[Pigmy Pony]

In 1977 I bought an RA-712 integrated amp, which may be from the range that preceded Al's receiver. It was an outgoing model at the time, reduced from £159 to £79. Lovely BUFF coloured VU meters. Ran faultlessly for years, even me vomiting on it one drunken night didn't faze it.

Would love to get another, as the heart of a vintage set up, but only one I see for sale is over £200, and I'm not that desperate.

[Pigmy Pony]

Didn't have any loans in those days, I got the dealer to 'put it away', and I went in the shop with a tenner every Friday for eight weeks!