Rotel A11 Tribute

The Rotel A11 is called "Tribute" because it was developed in cooperation with the late, great audio engineer Ken Ishiwata — it's a tribute to his 40+ years in the industry. It's an integrated amp for analog music lovers, with five RCA inputs, including a phono stage for a turntable with a moving magnet cartridge. The efficient toroidal power supply inside provides a robust 50 watts per channel for one or two pairs of connected speakers. Built-in Bluetooth with high-quality aptX audio coding lets you stream music wirelessly. When I heard that the legendary Ken Ishiwata had chosen to upgrade the Rotel A11 shortly before his passing, I wondered to myself "why the entry-level model?" Upon taking this integrated amplifier home for a tryout, I think I understand why — because it sets the tone for the rest of the series. When I use an integrated amp, I want it to do a few simple things: give me inputs to connect my sources, provide an easy-to-use interface, and deliver solid power for my speakers. Other than tha...