NAD vs Rotel – Which Brand Is Better?

NAD and Rotel are two renowned and well-respected brands in the audio industry and produce high-quality speakers, soundbars, headphones, and subwoofers.

In this article, we will cover a general overview of both brands, looking specifically at the sound quality, durability, price, and so on.
Of course, each brand has different devices at different price points. However, we will compare them as closely as we can.

Rotel audio devices are more reliable and of better build quality than NAD. However, as far as sound quality is concerned, both brands are generally similar. Note however that NAD speakers and receivers tend to sound “warm”.

Read on to learn more.

Quick History

NAD Quick History

New Acoustic Dimension (NAD) is an electronics firm founded by Dr. Martin L. Borish in London, England, in 1972. Dr. Borish was an electrical engineer with a Ph.D. in physics. NAD 3020 is the most famous product manufactured by the brand in the 1970s.

The company was acquired in 1991 by AudioNord, a Danish firm, and later sold to the Lenbrook Group of Pickering, Ontario, Canada, in 1999. Today, NAD produces affordable AV receivers, amplifiers, and speakers.

Rotel Quick History

A family-owned Japanese manufacturer, Rotel was founded in 1957 by Tomoki Tachikawa in Tokyo, Japan. The company joined the Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) group to form a strategic alliance in the early 1980s.

The B&W group established exclusive distribution networks in North America and several European markets. It then established Rotel Europe in the UK in 2000 to consolidate all Rotel sales outside North America. The company is currently run by Peter Kao, nephew to Tomoki.

Sound Quality

NAD Sound Quality

Over the years, NAD has gained a strong name as a high-fidelity audio brand by producing breakthrough amplifier designs that are yet reasonably priced.

Indeed, NAD is a high-fidelity audio brand committed to simplicity, innovation, value, and performance. Some people argue that their devices are ‘neutral’ sounding.

As an example, the DirectDigital technology reduces domain conversions in the signal path and contributes to a pure and vivid sound. HybridDigital technology, on the other hand, blends analog and digital sources to create a platform for smooth, harmonious delivery of quality sound.

Rotel Sound Quality

Rotel uses a Symmetrical Signal Trace design to keep the signal path of every channel identical to preserve the imaging and soundstage.

The design also utilizes electrical superior “star” grounding techniques to reduce noise or hum.  

Features

NAD Features

The key features of NAD products include:

• Low harmonic and intermodulation distortion
• Modular Design Construction (MDC) helps prevent untimely obsolescence
• “Simple is better” design philosophy
• NAD PowerDrive technology

Rotel Features

Here are the main features of Rotel:

• Symmetrical Signal Trace technology
• Signal Sense configured through the front display setup menu or on-screen display
• Auto Power Off powers off Rotel devices if there are no changes to volume, source or input within a selected period

Build Quality

NAD Build Quality

NAD receivers are built with elegant all-alloy casework. The internal construction is intricate with rigid panels and magnetic iso-point feet offering rock-circuit for the multi-layer circuit boards. In addition, the Modular Design Construction chassis is “future-proof” and allows for easy and affordable upgrades.

NAD speakers are built to last, while the amps tend to have poor build quality and tend to have common faults.

Rotel Build Quality

The build quality of Rotel devices can generally be said to be average.

The company is very selective about its choice of raw components and ensures the circuit design is meticulous making it one of the best performance manufacturers.

Ease Of Use

NAD Ease Of Use

NAD products are built with simplicity in mind, making them very easy to set up and operate. They easily connect to Wi-Fi from the Google Home app, and they come with headphone jacks and USB ports for easy connection to external devices. They also connect to BluOS.

Rotel Ease Of Use

Rotel amplifiers and speakers are generally easy to use, especially if you utilize simple features such as the simple input options.

On the other hand, replacement remote control systems can be very complex to use as they utilize complex programming features.

The connection and placement process is easy, though.

Cost

NAD Cost

Receivers: $20 – $5000

Amplifiers: $50 – $3000

Speakers: $100 – $1500

Rotel Cost

Here’s a range of prices for Rotel amps and speakers:

Amplifiers: $500 – $6000

Speakers: $50 – $200

Space Requirements

NAD Space Requirements

Speakers, amps, and receivers are built with a compact design. They require very little space for pavement and will not crowd your living room or basement.

Rotel Space Requirements

Rotel amplifiers are built to maximize space utilization with compact design and shallow depth. You can, therefore, easily place them near your TV without compromising your view of the TV.

The speakers, on the other hand, can be so demanding in terms of space despite Rotel making some average compact ones too.

Remote Controls

NAD Remote Controls

Although NAD now makes some receivers with touchscreen displays to make them easier to control, they still make remote controls to make this reality more practical. The remote controls come with receivers, amps, and subwoofers but can still be purchased separately if you lose your factory remote or when it is ruined. Remotes cost between 20 dollars and 50 dollars.

Rotel Remote Controls

Rotel remote controls come with specific buttons for all the features. The remote is built as sturdy as the amp is.

Rotel also works with many different types of remotes and control systems such as Universal Remote, RTI, Logitech, Crestron, and many others. This gives you additional flexibility as you can still control your Rotel products even when your factory remote control is damaged.

You can, however, replace your original Rotel remote with a genuine OEM replacement remote control similar to the original one from Remotes.com. You can also access the full ROTEL Remote Control Codes to help you understand the functionality of your ROTEL remote control.  

Connectivity Options

NAD Connectivity Options

Speakers

• Single-ended RCA
• 12 V trigger input
• USB
• RCA
• Bluetooth

Receivers

• Bluetooth
• RCA
• USB
• Wi-Fi
• Balanced XLR auto-sensing inputs

Amps

• Speaker level inputs
• RCA

Rotel Connectivity Options

• • USB
  • XLR inputs
  • RCA analog inputs
  • Optical digital 1, 2 and 3
  • Coaxial digital 1, 2 and 3
  • Bluetooth aptX dongle
  • MM Phono
  • AUX
  • Line level inputs
  • Video 1-8

• Phono input

Power Range

NAD Power Range

Receivers: up to 1000 watt peak

Speakers: up to 250 watts RMS

Amps: up to 1000 watts continuous mono

Rotel Power Range

Speakers: 100W to 300 watts

Receivers: 60W to 100W

Amps: 100W to 500 watts per channel

Frequency Response

NAD Frequency Response

Speakers: 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz

Receivers: 20 Hz to 20kHz

Amps: 20 Hz to 20 kHz

Rotel Frequency Response

20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Conclusion

NAD is committed to simplicity, innovation, performance, and value. With highly-flexible outputs, NAD offers a balanced connection to powered speakers and amplifiers. Besides, it produces high-fidelity audio at very affordable prices. On the other hand, Rotel gives you value for money with great sound and longevity.  Although the build quality is average, there’s a product for every budget with versatile features that fit everyone’s needs. Rotel is also futuristic with many options to connect across devices.

Related Articles

Denon Vs Nad
Arcam Vs Nad
Nad Vs Marantz