Rotel CD Players

[cjackson]

What do people think of Rotel CD Players, One is for sale locally near me for £20 and was wondering whether to go for it ?

It looks like a
ROTEL RCD-855

I am thinking of purchasing it if any one could recommend it !

Cheers Chris.

 

[Anonymous]

This is a classic model and was quite good in it's day. I had one myself. The only problem with Rotel CD players to me at least, is that they sound too clinical and this can get over-bearing over extended listening.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Good CD player for £20 - just be aware that it's probably not possible to get it repaired now as it's about 15 years old.

 

[cjackson]

Actually guys I got the model number wrong.. I have just bought the CD Player and got it home.

The model number is RCD-965BX

What do you guys think... ever come accross one ?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Very good and much-praised player in its day, but so long since I have heard one that I wouldn't want to comment on how it compares these days. But a steal at £20 if it's working correctly: originally sold for somewhere around the £350 mark, if memory serves...

 

[Anonymous]

I think that Matthewpiano has/or had one of these ... am sure that he will comment later on

I used to have a RCD-9658X (different to yours) and which was a limited edition ... was very good

 

[plastic penguin]

cjackson:

Actually guys I got the model number wrong.. I have just bought the CD Player and got it home.

The model number is RCD-965BX

What do you guys think... ever come accross one ?

My previous CDP was the RCD 975 (still have it in the loft) and the sound quality is impressive. In some respects it's better than my Arcam 73. The sound is very detailed and the bass is taut; to my mind, it was superior to the RCD 06 which I found to be lacklustre. The sound quality to the 975 isn't far short of the old 10 series.

One word of caution: because it's an old machine, there's no guarantee it will be reliable. The reason why I replaced mine was because a) had trouble reading the discs and b) The drawer mechanism became faulty. I phoned Rotel and they said it was a fairly common fault with those older Rotels.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

cjackson:

Actually guys I got the model number wrong.. I have just bought the CD Player and got it home.

The model number is RCD-965BX

What do you guys think... ever come accross one ?

Hi cjackson

The RCD-965BX is imo the finest cd player Rotel have produced and one of my all time favourites. A superb machine.

Thanks

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[cjackson]

Well the deck certainly looks the part, will give it some good auditioning and will comment later on how It performs.

Cheers.

 

[gwynne61]

One word of caution: because it's an old machine, there's no guarantee it will be reliable. The reason why I replaced mine was because a) had trouble reading the discs and b) The drawer mechanism became faulty. I phoned Rotel and they said it was a fairly common fault with those older Rotels.

As quoted above...

I had a Rotel RCD 950, which when it worked played ok, however, the laser mechanism had to be replaced 3 times and it was fussy about loading discs. I changed it for an Arcam Alpha 7SE, which was a huge improvement.

However £20 for yours is a bargain as long as it works for you.

 

[matthewpiano]

I've still got one of those, though it isn't in use at present. I'd place it pretty high up in the list of CD players I've owned. Not as good as the NAD C545BEE or the Marantz CD63MkII KI Signature (the two best players I've had), but much more enjoyable than the Cambridge Azur 740A or the Denon DCD-1500. It is a very dynamic CD player and still holds its own in terms of soundstaging and control. My only criticism would be a slight glassiness in the mid-range. For £20, if it gives you 6 months service, it will have been a bargain IMO. I will certainly be setting mine up in a secondary system with my Mission 751s.

 

[cjackson]

Well I must say I am impressed sat here now with it on playing some good ole rockabilly, and I must say it sounds awesome!!!

Remote works good too 🙂

This thing reads discs like something I have never seen its a quick 1.2 seconds from the disc going in too it playing... that fast!!

I'm impressed with the sound and build quality, I have NEVER owned anything made by Rotel this is the first but it's by far one of the best cd players I've had!

Thanks for all of your opinions, reviews and help!

 

[MUSICRAFT]

cjackson:

Well I must say I am impressed sat here now with it on playing some good ole rockabilly, and I must say it sounds awesome!!!

Remote works good too 🙂

This thing reads discs like something I have never seen its a quick 1.2 seconds from the disc going in too it playing... that fast!!

I'm impressed with the sound and build quality, I have NEVER owned anything made by Rotel this is the first but it's by far one of the best cd players I've had!

Thanks for all of your opinions, reviews and help!

Hi cjackson

I am glad to hear that you are happy with the RCD-965BX. I still clearly remember the first time i heard the RCD-965BX at the Heathrow show in 1990 through some Jeff Rowland amplification and Infinity speakers. For me it was the sound of the show and is one of the finest systems i have ever heard (and to think a £300 source component was being used).

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[the record spot]

£20? Buy it. If it's duff, you've spent about a couple of rounds of drinks worth, if it works, you've got a bit of a winner.

 

[plastic penguin]

MUSICRAFT:cjackson:

Well I must say I am impressed sat here now with it on playing some good ole rockabilly, and I must say it sounds awesome!!!

Remote works good too 🙂

This thing reads discs like something I have never seen its a quick 1.2 seconds from the disc going in too it playing... that fast!!

I'm impressed with the sound and build quality, I have NEVER owned anything made by Rotel this is the first but it's by far one of the best cd players I've had!

Thanks for all of your opinions, reviews and help!

Hi cjackson

I am glad to hear that you are happy with the RCD-965BX. I still clearly remember the first time i heard the RCD-965BX at the Heathrow show in 1990 through some Jeff Rowland amplification and Infinity speakers. For me it was the sound of the show and is one of the finest systems i have ever heard (and to think a £300 source component was being used).

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

These Rotel players are a wonderful match with Arcam amps.