Rotel A8

It's no-frills’, but this amp hits the mark

We have a strong sense of déjà vu when we unpack Rotel's new A8 integrated stereo amplifier. It reminds us of the company's excellent, Award-winning budget models from the early 2000s. Sure, there is more sophisticated switching here along with flashes of colour thanks to the use of LED lighting around the central volume control, but in essence, the A8 looks to be packing the same DNA. Just to be clear, that's a good thing.

This is not an amplifier to show off about. Its appearance is simple and unassuming. It is a slim unit that stands just over 7cm in height and the styling is best described as functional. The A8 isn't trying to be a style icon; it is a tool to do a job - nothing more. And we like that focused approach, particularly at this level where budgets are tight.

Pleasingly, this is a solidly made unit where every switch and control feels properly engineered, and the casework is well finished and made with care. Look inside and you will find a sensibly specified power supply, neatly laid-out circuitry and plenty of evidence of good quality components.

The Rotel A8 isn't packed with features and even misses out on the digital inputs and Bluetooth connectivity that are relatively common at this price level. Are those big losses? Our answer would have to be no.

The budget norm

Typically, the digital modules used in budget amplifiers tend to be box-ticking exercises that don't tend to sound great. We haven't come across a situation where we prefer one of those to the DAC module fitted to a half-decent budget streamer, CD player or laptop for that matter. Bluetooth connectivity, however, is always useful, so its omission is a bit of a negative. But the lack of it isn't a deal breaker for us.