During the audio boom period of the late 1960s and 70s it was quite common to see stereo receivers, not only as part of dorm-room systems but also in more sophisticated and costly setups. The audio shops of the day, often located outside the gates of local colleges, moved these audio equivalents of a Swiss army knife like hotcakes, and GIs were able to buy hulking receivers made in Japan for ridiculously low prices.

While most of these flashy receivers suffered sonically compared to their separate counterparts, they made it very easy for many music enthusiasts to jump on the audio bandwagon. That’s how I got my start in this hobby. The market’s enthusiasm for receivers waned in the 1980s and early 90s, and with the advent of home-theater systems, sales of multichannel AVRs took off and the venerable stereo receiver practically disappeared from sight. When I was asked to review a couple of new receivers from Rotel and Outlaw specifically designed for two-channel applications, I thought, “Are these guys nuts?�

Both Rotel and Outlaw Audio may be crazy like foxes. Rotel recognizes that many audiophiles and music enthusiasts prefer stereo sound for their serious listening (and rightly so). For its part, Outlaw Audio suggests that although millions of AVRs have been sold, only a small percentage of households use more than two speakers. I can’t verify this claim, but with the explosive growth of two-channel digital sources like the iPod, a high-quality stereo receiver makes a lot of sense from both a practical and sonic standpoint. Indeed, what sets these two receivers apart from most AVRs is the quality of their sound, and that is the primary focus of this comparison. Over the past several decades, Rotel has gained a solid reputation among audiophiles for goodsounding gear that’s reasonably priced, and the $899 RX-1052 definitely fits this mold. It is an interesting synthesis of the “tried and true� and the “new.�

This stereo receiver employs proven techniques to produce better sound, like using good internal parts and external binding posts, and a beefy, custom toroidal transformer mated with highquality storage capacitors. Pick this unit up and you’ll realize you’re not dealing with a lightweight. Appealing to analog lovers, Rotel includes a decent moving-magnet phonostage, so there’s no need to add an external phonostage if you want to spin vinyl. As for the new, the Rotel can distribute audio and composite video to four rooms or different locales in and around your house, but you’ll need to add amplifiers to power the other three pairs of loudspeakers.

What’s very slick is that each “zone� has independent source selection and volume adjustment, so you can play jazz in one room from a CD while others listen to vinyl or the radio in different rooms, or switch to “Party Mode� and play the same source throughout the house. While I consider the basic video capability a bonus convenience feature in a stereo receiver that sounds this good, some videophiles will be disappointed that the Rotel is limited to composite-video switching. The first thing you’ll notice about the Outlaw is its unique industrial design, reminiscent of a large art-deco table radio.

It has a thick, multilayered front panel and its customized knobs and controls all have a solid feel. For its $599 price I would have expected the Outlaw to deliver around 60 watts per channel, but like the Rotel it’s rated at 100Wpc, which is sufficient to drive most loudspeakers you’re likely to throw at it. Both receivers have AM/FM tuners, independent source selection for listening and recording, balance controls, and headphone jacks. Despite its retro looks, the Outlaw Audio RR2150 is a thoroughly modern design. While it lacks the whole-house audio-video functionality of the Rotel, the Outlaw outpoints its more expensive rival on a bunch of other features. It allows easy connections to an iPod or other MP3 player via its 3.5mm frontpanel AUX input, or streaming audio from a computer via a USB connector on the rear.

The “RetroReceiver� almost begs you to hook up your iPod and computer to step up your sound quality. The Outlaw also has a separate subwoofer output along with analog bass management to help integrate satellite speakers with a sub. (I never expected to see this in a stereo receiver.) While both the Rotel and Outlaw have good moving-magnet phonostages, the Outlaw can also drive moderately-low-output moving- coils, like my Koetsu.

In contrast to the Rotel, the Outlaw sports an external processor loop, a headphone jack with a level control, and preamplifier and amplifier stages that can easily be decoupled to allow use with other electronics. Since Outlaw Audio’s products are only available factory-direct, they can be sold for less than if they went through a distribution channel. For some, the substantial cost savings will be worth the tradeoff of not having a dealer nearby. But although the Outlaw provides a boatload of features at a modest price, how does its sound stack up against the Rotel?

Comparing these two receivers may seem a bit unfair, like a welterweight fighting a middleweight. For many, a $300 savings can mean the difference between being able to afford an audio component or not. Yet the Outlaw is good enough to move up in weight class and compete toe-to-toe with the Rotel. The Outlaw’s sound is smooth, big and bold, dimensional, and engaging, whereas the Rotel’s is more refined, neutral, and detailed, with better pace, rhythm, and timing. Yet, despite these differences, these units have a lot in common musically.

I tried them with the Eben X-3 speakers, which cost over $17,000, and was surprised at how musical they sounded. While neither receiver is reference quality, each possesses sonic attributes associated with high-end gear. Both have reasonable dynamic range, with good timbre, detail, and imaging. In stark contrast to most AVRs in this price segment (and many far beyond), these receivers do not sound electronic, bright, flat, or anemic. Yes, each can lose its composure on some dynamic peaks, but so do several more-costly units. Each of these receivers reproduces massed strings and voices more naturally than most integrated amplifiers in this price class, and you can listen to either for hours without feeling like a dentist is taking a drill to your ears.

The Outlaw’s harmonic richness at times had me thinking I was listening to tubes, but this smoothness comes at the expense of blunting the leading edges of transients on instruments like piano and drums. This is much better, in my opinion, than the lean, hard sound one often hears with modestly priced transistor gear. It also masks some of the faults of many less expensive sources and speakers.

The Rotel is more neutral and transparent, and has slightly less distortion than the Outlaw on dynamic peaks. On phono, while the Outlaw had enough gain to drive my Koetsu quietly, this combo had enough warmth to melt ice. However, the Outlaw really seemed to come into its own with the higher output Sumiko Blackbird cartridge. Compared to the Rotel, the Outlaw had a fuller, richer sound from the lower midrange down, but the Rotel was superior from the midrange through the highs. Cymbals had more shimmer and I preferred some of my favorite female singers, like Ella Fitzgerald or Mirella Freni, on the Rotel.

Still, it was pretty close. Both of these phonostages easily outpoint many of the inexpensive separate phonostages I’ve auditioned. While the Outlaw’s tuner has slightly better specs, which may make a difference if you live in the boondocks, the tuner competition was essentially a draw, with both units performing well and sucking in my favorite regional stations. Substituting a better antenna arguably makes more of a difference than can be found between these two tuner sections. Voices were natural, without excess sibilance, and I found myself enjoying the wide range of repertoire offered on the FM dial.

But those blasted commercials made me seriously think about a satellite subscription. Soundstaging is likely to be an area of disagreement among those moving into the hobby. Both receivers spread the soundstage nicely between the speakers, but the Outlaw throws the image somewhat forward which creates the sensation of more depth. Although instruments and voices are somewhat “supersized� by the Outlaw, the presentation is more dramatic, particularly when coupled with its richer lower registers. I can see many saying, “Yeah, baby!� However, images are more accurate and stable with the Rotel, and its better pace, rhythm, and transient speed produces a different brand of excitement.

While I found my toes tapping more with the Rotel, you may prefer the somewhat bigger presentation of the Outlaw. I would be remiss if I did not report my first Outlaw review sample, an early production unit, failed after a week, but no harm was done to the speakers. Unfortunately, it took several months to get another unit as the production issues had to be resolved and demand for the unit was high. The second unit has performed flawlessly. For those of us who must get their hands on new audio components as soon as they start to ship, my advice is that it often pays to wait a few months. And wait I did.

The Rotel was not without fault either. It occasionally had an audible transformer hum if I left it on for awhile with no music playing, rather than in standby mode. However, after inserting a Chang Lightspeed power conditioner, the problem disappeared and hasn’t returned. Better still, there was less grain and blacker backgrounds when both receivers were plugged into the Chang.

The Outlaw Audio RR-2150 and the Rotel RX-1052 are attractive and compelling entry points for all those who desire musically engaging sound at a modest price; both prove that stereo receivers can be viable for critical listening. Their overall sonic performance is much better than the AVRs I’ve heard in this price class, and their flaws, compared with far more costly separates, are typically sins of omission.

The Outlaw Audio’s broad feature set seems more “in tune� with today’s dig ital lifestyle; yet, for whole-house audio and basic video the Rotel is the answer. Although the Outlaw has suffered slightly in this comparison to the more refined sound of the Rotel, make no mistake—the RetroReceiver is competitive with some of the best integrated amplifiers I’ve auditioned at its price, like the NAD C 352. When you consider that the Outlaw has a tuner, phonostage, bass-management functionality, and more power, you begin to appreciate what a great bargain it is.

Its appealing warmth and larger-than-life sound may just knock you out. Those listeners who demand a more neutral balance with slightly better detail, transparency, and transient quickness, will dig a bit deeper into their wallets and spring for the Rotel. Either way, it’s really good to discover a couple of stereo receivers that are legitimate entries into the world of high-performance audio. 

SPECIFICATIONS: Rotel RX-1052

Power output: 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms

Audio only inputs: Phono (MM), CD, tape, and tuner (internal)

A/V inputs: Four audio and composite video for A/V sources

Dimensions: 17″ x 4 .5″ x 14.25″

Weight: 30.4 lbs.

Price: $899