Pre/Power Amplifiers

Drum Major
Meanwhile, the P5 S2, used here with a beefy Primare A35.2 power amp [HFN Dec ’19], had no trouble handling the smooth, soft-touch playing of Hargrove’s ensemble and the track’s dynamic transients. This agreeable mix of sharp and sweet, light and dark, was just as apparent on the album’s ‘Strasbourg/St Denis’, only now accompanied by a more robust and textured double bass and floaty trumpets. Similarly, the atmospheric percussion-led jazz of Kendrick Scott Oracle’s ‘We Are The Drum’, from the album of the same name, delighted with the taut delivery of his myriad tom-toms.

Armed with an original P5 and its replacement, I was able to indulge in some A/B listening, focusing on the two DAC stages. Differences weren’t immediately obvious, because this preamp’s sound is surely as much about its high-quality analogue output, but over time I began to appreciate a slight increase in ‘sparkle’ offered by the S2, a little less of a laidback feel. It’s still cut from the same cloth, though, with a focus on both richness and musicality rather than forensic resolution, which makes it fine with less-than-pristine sources. Even the swirling production of Grooverider’s ‘Where’s Jack The Ripper?’ [Mysteries Of Funk; Higher Ground] sounded dramatic and enveloping – if not exactly ‘hi-fi’ – as it fell to either side of the cabinets, samples and synthetic bass dancing around each other.

But, again, Rotel’s flagship preamp is at its best with a high-quality source and well-recorded music. The wide arrangement of Pink Floyd’s ‘Money’ [The Dark Side Of The Moon; DSD64], was rendered with real skill and a grippy, deep dive into the low-end, while a trip into space with Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar Medley, played on stage with pals (including guitarist Johnny Marr) for his Live In Prague release [Mercury Studios, 48kHz/24-bit], showcased the P5 S2’s effortless way with midrange tones.

Building from a quiet intro to a room-filling crescendo of strings and synths, followed by electric guitar and masses of percussion, the resulting sound from Rotel’s new Michi P5 S2 offered shape-shifting textures, full-bodied but always seductively smooth. This is the kind of performance that encourages you to listen for hours on end!

Hi-Fi News Verdict
The changes made for this second-generation Michi P5 preamplifier are behind the scenes, and likely not enough to convince existing owners to upgrade. Beyond that caveat, though, Rotel’s new unit is an all-round star, mixing a brilliantly inviting sonic performance with catwalk style, foolproof operation and no shortage of connectivity. As a high-end system hub, it completely nails the brief.

Sound Quality: 87%