Rotel RHQ-10 Phono Preamp - The Best from Rotel - Very RARE

Free Shipping on *ALL* Electronics (Excluding Speakers, Contiguous 48 US States Only)

Quite possibly the best component series ever offered by Rotel.  Part of the famed flagship "MICHI" series comprised of just a few pieces.

A peak inside speaks a million words, just look at the build quality and component selection.  It's the sort of internals you'd expect from one of the big boys like Mark Levinson or Krell, featuring a massive power supply and a ridiculous amount of components for a simple phone preamp.  See our internal pictures which we simply couldn't resist posting.

There are no adjustments on this phono preamp whatsoever, other than a single gain knob in the front which makes it simple to operate and setup.  Just plug in your favorite turntable and you're good to go. 

This "Stereo Phono Equalizer" as Rotel calls it was fully tested in our lab and is working perfectly.

While the front panel is super clean, there are some noticeable scratches on the top, but they're easy to hide if you're placing other components on top. 

Incredibly rare - and priced accordingly.

Click here for a PDF copy of the RHQ-10 Owner's Manual

Click here for a PDF copy of the RHQ-10 Technical/Service Manual

Please click here for detailed specifics regarding our specialized packing process that separates us from the rest.

More From The Most Excellent and Cool Vintage Knob Website:

Michi means "direction" and the RHQ-10 was named Shih : poetry [written on images for advertising].

At first with only three components, the Michi series was later complemented in some markets by one variant, two sources and a less expensive sibling:

RHB-10 dual-mono power amplifier
RHC-10 passive controller
RHQ-10 phono equalizer
RHA-10 active preamplifier
RHT-10 FM tuner
RHCD-10 CD player (big)
RHB-05 power amplifier

The PCB of the RHQ-10 is made of high-grade fiberglass with 0,1% and 0,01% tolerance metal film Vishay resistors in the signal paths, eq and NFB loop.

The first and head-amp stage is a triple parallel differential fully complementary push-pull ; the second stage is a passive pole low-pass filter ; the third is a low frequency boost and gain stage.

The output stage is a single-ended fully complementary push-pull circuit in Class A. Discrete components throughout.

One input is available, with two outputs : Fixed 1is for connection to a passive controller or preamplifier which bypasses the volume control ; Variable is for going directly into a power amplifier ; Fixed 2 is for connection to a passive controller or preamplifier when using a moving coil cartridge of extremely low output.

The MM / MC gain & impedance selection however remains mysterious and rests on "an ingenious method to minimize any adverse effect upon sound quality often cause by mechanical switching" - anyone ?

The gain switch/attenuator is supposedly the same 4-gang as in the RHC-10 but they don't look equivalent (and that of the RHA-10 is, again, different as well).

Power-supply is done by a (sizeable) low-leakage toroidal transformer ; dual-mono regulations throughout, copper bus bars, liberal heatsinking, sealed output relays, non-magnetic aluminium chassis and Teflon-insulated WBT terminals.

Like the RC-5000 and RB-5000, the Michi series was mostly made for the export market and is just as exceedingly rare.