Rotel class D amps. Buy or not?

I have two - one powers some B&W N804 and the other powers some Dynaudio Audience 52SE. I use Rotel pres with them - a RC-1090 & a RC-1082. I am very happy with the performance for the dollar.

There are several reviews of the Rotel I believe on the Rotel site and elsewhere.

They are your basic B&O IEC modules without a lot of attention to the input and output stages; they do produce power but imo sound lean and bright.

For a better Class D product, I would look at Bel Canto's REF1000II or the Spectron MK2 however they both cost more than the Rotel.

If you are contrained by budget to the price of the Rotel you mention, I'd look at a good used SS amp or used Bel Canto REF1000 and you can upgrade them to the II version when you have the funds. There are also some used MK2 Spectrons on AG.

I listened to my Studio 40's hooked up to a Rotel at the dealer when I first started looking at speakers and I didn't really care for the sound. In fact, I left there and went and auditioned some B&W's. I went back to the first place a week later to listen again and really liked what I heard. I asked the dealer if anything was different from the week before and he told me they just got some new B&K amps in, and that the Paradigms were hooked up to them. I now have the Studio 40's and a B&K 200.2amp.

I have not heard the particular Rotel you mention, but that Parasound is still a great amp, and sounds better than any Rotel I have ever heard.

I replaced my ATI 1505 (5x150) with an NHT Power5 (5x200 - ICE) and it runs significantly cooler with no strain in producting monsterous bass from my NHT 2.9's which are very inefficient. It is absolutely quiet with no coloration that I can hear at any point. I'm pretty happy with Class D...and since the NHT is now discontinued, I was able to get an irresistable deal here on Audiogon.

I can't comment on the Rotel....