Rear panel of the Rotel RB-870 power amplifier with RCA inputs and speaker binding posts

Rotel RB-870 Stereo Power Amplifier – 60 WPC, Bridgeable

Name: Rotel RB-870 Stereo Power Amplifier – 60 WPC, Bridgeable
Brand: Rotel
SKU: 16546
Price: 395.00 CAD
Availability: InStock

$283.00

Sixty watts a channel into 8 ohms at 0.03% distortion, a damping factor of 280, and response running out to 120kHz. A rear-panel switch bridges the two channels into a single 120-watt mono amplifier, so a second one later gives you monoblocks. The speaker terminals clamp bare wire or spades only — no bananas. Very good condition, inspected and tested.

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Description

Rotel RB-870 — Damping Factor 280, Bridgeable to 120 Watts

Rotel RB-870 Stereo Power Amplifier – 60 Watts Per Channel, Bridgeable to 120 Watts Mono, Damping Factor 280, Very Good Condition

A serious little power amplifier from Rotel’s most respected era, rated far more conservatively than it deserves.

Rotel built their reputation in the 1980s on putting the money into the parts that matter and nothing into the parts that do not, and the RB-870 is a clean example. It is rated at 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms with distortion no worse than 0.03 percent — but when a magazine put one on the bench, they described that rating as very conservative, and found the amplifier delivering considerably more than its badge suggested.

Two numbers tell you what kind of amplifier this is. The frequency response runs from 15Hz to 120kHz, which is far wider than the audible band and speaks to a design with real bandwidth in hand rather than one tuned to just scrape past the specification. And the damping factor is 280 — a genuinely high figure that describes how tightly the amplifier grips the woofer and stops it moving when the signal says stop. In a room that is heard as bass that starts and stops cleanly instead of overhanging.

A rear-panel switch bridges the two channels into a single 120-watt mono amplifier. Buy a second one later and you have a pair of monoblocks, which is exactly what a good many owners of these ended up doing.

Signal to noise is 116dB, input sensitivity 1 volt, and the amplifier is rated for speaker loads from 8 to 16 ohms.

One thing to know before you buy: the speaker terminals are insulated binding posts that clamp bare wire. They will not take banana plugs, and the spacing is not standard for dual banana connectors, so plan on bare wire or spades.

Condition

Cosmetically this is in very good condition, and it has been thoroughly inspected and tested to confirm full functionality.

Features: 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms, conservatively rated Bridgeable to 120 watts mono via rear-panel switch Damping factor of 280 15Hz to 120kHz frequency response Signal to noise ratio of 116dB Protection circuitry with front-panel indicator

Rotel RB-870 Specifications

Model: RB-870
Type: Stereo power amplifier
Power Output: 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms; 120 watts into 8 ohms bridged mono
Frequency Response: 15Hz – 120kHz
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.03%
Damping Factor: 280
Input Sensitivity: 1V
Signal to Noise Ratio: 116dB
Speaker Load Impedance: 8 – 16 ohms
Speaker Terminals: Insulated binding posts, bare wire
Dimensions: (Width x Height x Depth) 430 x 91 x 315 mm (16.9 x 3.6 x 12.4 inches)
Weight: 9.4 kg (20.7 lbs)

⚠️ Important Information for International Buyers

This unit is configured for North American 110/120V power. Buyers outside North America will require a step-down transformer and appropriate plug adapter.

✅ Buy With Confidence — The Radique Promise

Backed by Radique Audio’s Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and our Perpetual Trade-Back Program. When you’re ready to move on, we’ll take it back. That’s the Radique difference.

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$283.00

Additional information

Weight	22.7 lbs
Dimensions	16.4 × 20.9 × 7.6 in

About brand

Rotel at Radique

We service Rotel, too. Bring us your own Rotel receivers, amplifiers, preamps, CD players and tuners for repair, servicing or restoration, with a 90-day warranty on the work. See our Audio Service page

Rotel began in Tokyo in the late 1950s, founded by Tomoki Tachikawa, and the Rotel name dates from 1961. The Tachikawa family still owns it, and Kevro International of Pickering, Ontario, distributes it in Canada. We carry Rotel power amplifiers, preamplifiers, integrated amps, CD players and AV receivers and processors. We've had nearly 50 Rotel listings so far, covering about 40 different models. Every used Rotel here is inspected, tested and serviced as required, then photographed in-house and covered by our Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and Perpetual Trade-Back Program. Don't see the model you want? Tell us on First Dibs and we'll email you when one arrives.

The Rotel models we've sold most often include the RSP-1068 surround processor, the RMB-1075 five-channel amplifier and the RTC-965 tuner-preamplifier.

The Rotel story

Tomoki Tachikawa started the company in Tokyo in the late 1950s. Rotel says it first distributed Sylvania televisions in Japan, then reorganized in 1961, left the TV business and went on to design and build electronics for other brands. The Rotel name dates from 1961.

Value hi-fi. Rotel says it refocused in 1979 on no-frills components that put musical accuracy and build quality ahead of features. Its RA-820 integrated amplifiers of the early 1980s were developed with engineers in England, and Rotel says the RA-820B won its first What Hi-Fi? Product of the Year in 1982.

B&W and home theatre. Rotel's partnership with Bowers & Wilkins began in 1981, and the two later shared manufacturing in Zhuhai, China. Rotel added surround processors and receivers in the 1990s and its first DVD player in 2000.

Today. Production moved from Japan to Taiwan and then to China, where Rotel builds in its own factory in Zhuhai. The family relaunched its high-end Michi line in 2019, and Peter Kao, a third-generation member of the family, runs the company. Kevro International, which first carried Rotel in Canada in 1984, has been its Canadian distributor again since 2019.

Which Rotel is which?

1970s receivers: the RX series, such as the RX-402 and the RX-603 to RX-1603, with matching RT tuners.

BX separates and integrated amps (1980s to 1990s): the RA-820 family, the RTC-850 tuner-preamplifier (1988 to 1991) and the RB-960BX to RB-990BX power amps of the 1990s.

Home theatre (1990s to 2000s): the RSX-965 surround receiver, the RTC-965 tuner-preamplifier (1999 to 2000), the RSP-1066 and RSP-1068 processors, the RMB-1075 five-channel amp (2001) and the RDV-995 DVD player.

The 10 and 15 Series: stereo power amps such as the RB-1070 and RB-1080, the RCC-1055 CD changer, and the 15 Series of 2009, including the RC-1550 preamp and RB-1552 power amp.

Diamond Series and Michi (2019 on): today's flagships, such as the RA-6000 integrated amplifier.

Buying used Rotel: what to check

Processors stuck in standby. Owners report RSP-1066 and RSP-1068 processors that show the red standby light but won't wake. Both rear software-update switches must be off, and a factory reset fixes some.

Power amps. The RB-1070 and RB-1080 have no output relays, so some make a noise a few seconds after switching off: turn the volume down first. Owners also report early RB-1080s blowing a left-channel fuse, which Rotel fixed in production.

Protection lights and loads. On the RMB-1075, check that no protection light stays on, and use speakers of 4 ohms or more. The RB-960BX needs 8 ohms or more when bridged.

Digital inputs. If DTS sounds harsh through an RSX-965, check that the player is sending a raw bitstream before blaming the receiver.

Trays. Cycle the tray several times, and on the RCC-1055 every disc position. A worn tray belt makes it slow or noisy.

Everything we list is inspected, tested and serviced as required here, and comes with our warranty.