Review: Rotel RAS-5000 Network Amplifier

Network amplifiers are springing up everywhere these days, and why shouldn’t they be? A single device that facilitates everything from your favorite streaming services to TV content over HDMI ARC is fantastically convenient and shouldn’t be reserved for A/V receivers or powered speakers. For listeners after a versatile, high-quality stereo experience, it can make a lot of sense to get everything you need in one refined device.

With a wide field of available options, choosing a heritage audio brand like Rotel also seems to make good sense if you have the cash, and Rotel’s newish RAS-5000 is well stocked for the task. After testing the amplifier for several weeks, I’m happy to report the sound quality is as excellent as you’d expect. Its Hulkish frame provides a similarly Hulkish punch for clear and dynamic sound, muscular bass, and enough wattage to get the most out of high-end speaker pairings.

The RAS-5000 is a capable workhorse with plenty of playback options, but some of the tech is clunkier than I’d expect at this price. Options like Technics’ SU-GX70 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) provide a better user experience for less, with a much handier app. Still, the Rotel has all the tools, and its mix of tactful clarity and brute-force power is formidable. For those with speakers that crave serious power, this amp has plenty to spare.

A Big Ol' Block

The RAS-5000 arrives in a very large box because it is a very large amplifier. Standing nearly 6 inches tall and 17 inches deep, it easily dwarfs my pint-sized Naim Uniti Atom (8/10, WIRED Recommends) reference amp, and its weight of almost 35 pounds officially requires back support for setup. The overall vibe leans industrial but its rounded edges and shimmering metallic finish add a touch of elegance.

The aesthetic is similar to predecessors like the Rotel RA-1572 MKII, save for the big color screen at the block’s center, which adds a lot of personality. The screen lacks touch controls, a complaint I raised about the Naim Uniti Atom HE headphone amplifier (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but it's less of an issue here since the RAS-5000 sits on a console, not a desk, and there aren’t that many settings to adjust anyway (more on that later).

I like the trend toward flashy screens for previewing album artwork, but the audio nerd in me is more enamored with the Rotel's constant sampling and bitrate display for everything you play. It's all the more handy since the RAS-5000’s ESS DAC supports hi-res audio files up to 384-kHz/24-bit when connected to a PC over USB-B with “any supported format by the PC Software.”

How high you fly depends mostly on the source—audio resolution is limited to 192-kHz/24-bit over optical/coaxial input, while Airplay 2 tops out at 48 kHz/24 bit. The system also supports streaming over Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and Roon’s high-resolution music management software for those looking to build an accessible hi-res library.

The RAS-5000’s monstrous enclosure leaves room for a similarly monstrous custom toroidal transformer, which will dramatically dim your lights when you fire it up. The hefty powerplant feeds an A/B amplification system that delivers up to 140 watts per channel at 8 ohms and 220 watts per channel at 4 ohms. That should be enough to suitably power virtually any high-end speaker pairing you’ve got (within reason).

Connection options include HDMI eARC, digital optical and coaxial inputs, RCA analog Aux in and pre-out, USB, USB-B, subwoofer out, headphone out, and Ethernet. Wireless connections include Bluetooth with aptX HD and Wi-Fi. The biggest missing element here is a built-in phono preamp, which I’d expect at this price (lord knows there’s room on the back plate).

Some Odd Omissions

A phono pre isn’t the only missing element. Instead of using a dedicated app or onboard settings for network connection, the RAS-5000 connects to your wireless network via Apple AirPlay or Google’s Home app, which took some patience and at least one reset on my network. That kind of setup isn't uncommon; the SU-GX70 uses the same system, but unlike Technics, Naim, and other rivals, Rotel offers no app to speak of for settings adjustments.

The Rotel app does provide streaming controls, access to services like Qobuz, and internet radio stations, but otherwise it feels like it's in beta testing compared to similar systems. Naim’s app offers options like input swapping, audio adjustment, and other basic settings, while Technics goes further with advanced features like adjusting the sound to your room, input phase control, and a Pure Amplification setting that turns off the HDMI port completely for quieter playback.

What limited RAS-5000 settings are available must be accessed by the onboard controls or the snazzy metallic remote. These include input swapping, basic EQ, an LED dimmer, and factory and Wi-Fi reset options. There’s also a setting for keeping the system from blasting too loudly across sources when powered on, and a signal sensing feature for waking the system with streaming apps, which is somewhat confusingly off by default.

Alongside more audio settings, I'd love to see options like the ability to control how the 5000 responds to CEC (consumer electronics control) when connected to your TV over HDMI eARC. It’s generally savvy, turning on with your TV from standby mode and even letting you turn the TV off without killing the amp’s power when you’ve moved to another input. Occasionally, though, it seemed to get stuck in its last input mode, so that turning on the TV didn’t power it on. CEC is a notoriously fickle system, so it’s hard to put all the blame on Rotel there, but that’s why more transparency would be useful.

My final grievance centers around the remote itself. Its chic, uniform design looks great on the coffee table but comes at a cost: There's no backlighting, and the battery input slot is the least intuitive I’ve used. For starters, it requires an Allen wrench to open (thankfully included). More notably, pulling the slot from its compact enclosure to load the CR 2035 battery (which was not included) requires a surgeon's touch, and it got stuck in the remote when I tried to remove it. I’m over it now and no one was hurt, but damn was that unnecessary.

Smooth Form, Powerful Response

I tested the RAS-5000 using a mix of compressed and hi-res tracks streamed over Wi-Fi, fresh-pressed vinyl via U-turn’s Orbit Theory turntable, and a variety of TV shows and movies from multiple TVs over HDMI ARC. Speaker pairings included Polk’s Legend L100, SVS’ new Ultra Evolution, and Yamaha’s new NS-600A.

I was immediately pleased by the Rotel’s command of each speaker type and its penchant for expansive stereo imaging across content. Whatever speakers I connected, the amp seemed to push their respective soundstages to the far edges while displaying a clear and defined center image. Synth effects and percussion hits popped out to the sides or swelled from deep within the mix. The Polk L100’s already impressive soundstage felt immersive for movies and TV shows, with sound expanding outward and above my speaker placement. The frenetic feeding frenzy in the albatross scene from episode six of Netflix’s Our Planet was particularly steeped in depth and realism as the splashing water seemed to almost spill out of the TV.

Tonally, the Rotel provides a modest touch that leans into each speaker type, highlighted by a rich lower midrange, smooth and clear treble, and plenty of textural definition across frequencies. Bass is the most fun, booming with musicality on tracks like Biggie’s “Hypnotize,” backed by plenty of torque to ring out every last drop in each speaker pairing. The amp seems to relish the low-end, ushering chocolaty kick grooves and dynamic punch via effects like explosions or helicopter blade noises.

The 5000's sound is more full-bodied than the all-digital Technics SU-GX70, adding extra heft across the midrange and bass without losing definition or sparkle. Speaking of sparkle, my 2017 Uniti Atom amp generally provided more of it in the higher registers when comparing the two back-to-back across speakers. Both amplifiers are fluid and dynamic, but the Naim sounds a smidge more forward. Even so, Rotel's model never skimps on the details, whistling lyrically in high-frequency effects and instrumentation, with the luxury of some added warmth below. Even with relatively affordable speakers, I was impressed by the clarity and balance across frequencies.

I didn’t have a pair of hefty towers on hand to flex the amp's full 220 watts per channel, but I enjoyed its spring-loaded velocity nonetheless. It’s responsive for music playback and offers markedly even dynamics across volume levels. The mix of ready power and a low noise floor aided pairings like the energetic Ultra Evolution and NS-600A in distributing rapid-fire rhythmic response, while allowing cymbals and reverb tails to hang in the air.

The RAS-5000 is a costly device with tech that can feel a little lackluster. You can find cheaper options with more advanced app control, from the oft-referenced GX70 to the ultra-affordable Wiim amp, which I have yet to test but has garnered high praise. That said, the 5000’s mix of home theater versatility and excellent audio performance make it a solid option for those with a big budget and high-performance speakers to match.