Rotel Michi S5 Stereo Power Amplifier

About The Rotel Michi S5 Stereo Power Amplifier

Michi is Rotel’s flagship range, built on over 55 years of audio expertise and the passion of a family-owned company. It represents a legacy of performance and craftsmanship – a combination of sound quality, design precision, and user satisfaction. With Michi, it’s personal.

Power & Performance: The Michi S5 is a powerhouse, delivering 500 watts per channel into 8 ohms – and more than 800 watts into 4 ohms. This Class AB stereo amplifier is built with a dual monoblock design featuring twin custom-engineered 2,200VA toroidal transformers, handcrafted in-house and housed in epoxy-filled enclosures to reduce noise and vibration.

To support this, it uses a bank of four British-patented bulk storage capacitors with a total capacity of 188,000μF. These provide deep, controlled bass and maintain detailed, accurate sound reproduction across the frequency range – even under demanding loads. The 32 high-current output transistors ensure consistent timing and rhythm, regardless of the speakers you’re driving.

Designed for Sound: Every element of the S5 has been fine-tuned – from initial concept through to final production. Rotel’s engineering team spent countless hours testing, evaluating, and refining each component to make sure the amplifier delivers sound that lives up to the Michi name.

Style Meets Function: On the outside, the S5 features a sleek industrial design with a front-panel colour display and custom Michi rhodium-plated, high-current 5-way binding posts. It comes with a remote for easy operation and supports RS232 and Ethernet connections for integration with most control systems.

Cooling with Intelligence: Despite its power, the S5 runs cool thanks to an intelligent fan-cooled system. Large, quiet, low-speed fans are hidden behind 90mm air ducts on the rear panel. These fans only kick in when the output transistors hit 39°C, and they’re so quiet you’ll barely hear them – even up close.

Display Options: The Michi S5 includes a bright OLED screen that can be customised to your liking. Choose between a spectrum analyser (8, 12, or 16 bands) or a VU meter. Brightness can be adjusted across four levels or turned off completely.

Our Review

The Rotel Michi S5 Stereo Power Amplifier stands as a hallmark of refined engineering and aesthetic elegance, embodying over 55 years of Rotel’s heritage and passion. This flagship amplifier delivers a commanding 500 Watts per channel into 8 Ohm loads and over 800 Watts into 4 Ohms, thanks to its dual monoblock architecture powered by twin, in-house manufactured 2,200VA toroidal transformers and 188,000uF of British-patented bulk storage capacitance. The result is astonishing bass control, precision, and dynamic articulation across all musical passages. Crafted through rigorous design reviews and sonic tuning, the S5 pairs performance with sophistication - featuring a sleek chassis, a bright OLED spectrum display or VU meter with adjustable brightness, rhodium-plated binding posts, and whisper-quiet fan-assisted cooling that activates only when needed. The Michi S5 is a true reference-grade amplifier, delivering audio fidelity and visual excellence worthy of the Michi name.

Main Features & Specifications

• Design: Reference Quality High Powered Stereo Power Amplifier
• Perfect match for the Rotel Michi P5 Series 2 Preamplifier
• 2 x 500 Watts of Robust Power
• Class AB Amplifier Design
• Patented British Bulk Storage Capacitors
• Massive Power Supply using Dual Toroidal Transformers
• Inputs
  • Balanced XLR
  • Single Ended RCA
• Speaker Connections: 8 Custom Michi Rhodium-Plated, High-Current 5-Way Binding Posts (for easy Bi-Wiring)
• Ethernet Network Port
• RS232 Automation Port
• 12V Trigger In/Out Connection 3.5mm
• 12V Trigger Out Connection 3.5mm
• Dual Automatic Cooling Fans
• Dimmable Colour Front Panel Display can show a Spectrum Analyser or a VU Meter
• Continuous Power Output
  • 500 Watts per Channel into 8Ω
  • 800 Watts per Channel into 4Ω
• Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.008%
• Frequency Response
  • 20Hz - 20kHz (+0dB, -0.15dB)
  • 10Hz - 100kHz (+0dB, -0.4dB)
• Signal to Noise Ratio (IHF “A” weighted): 120dB
• Gain
  • Unbalanced: 28dB
  • Balanced: 24dB
• Intermodulation Distortion (60Hz:7kHz, 4:1): <0.03%
• Damping Factor: 350
• Speaker Impedance: 4Ω minimum
• Input Sensitivity
  • Unbalanced: 2.6V
  • Balanced: 4.2V
• Input Impedance
  • Unbalanced: 12.5kΩ
  • Balanced: 100kΩ
• Crosstalk / Separation: >65dB
• Power Consumption: 1200W
• Standby Power Consumption
  • Normal: <0.5W
  • Network Wakeup: <2W
• Removable Power Cable: Upgrade to a Premium Power Cable for better performance
• Included Accessories: Remote Control, Power Cable
• Finish: Black
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 485 x 238 x 465mm
• Weight: 59.9 kg
• Manufacturer’s Warranty: 5 Years

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.